SPORTING.

Taranaki Daily News, 10 June 1922, Page 3

SPORTING.

.RACING FIXTURES. June 16, 17—Napier Park R.C. Winter. June 21, 22—Hawke’s Bay J.C. Winter. June 24—-Hawke’s Bay Hunt Winter. July 8, 12, 15—Wellington R.C. Winter. TURF TOPICS. (By "Moturoa.”) Napier Park races on Friday and Saturday. Khartoum is not overweighted in the Napier t Steeples. On Century Hurdles form. Spook should go , Well with 9.7 in the Ahuriri Hurdles. Roy Reed has been granted a jockey's license by the Australian Jockey Club. R. S. Bagby, A. Reed, and C. Reed will also be seen in the saddle In 'Stralla this winter. It is reported that Skylight has been oter hurdles, and jumps well for a beginner. Lady Kotiropo has been returned to her owner. The mare showed- fair form this season, and may do better next. As anticipated, visitors to the Great Northern meeting found winners very hard to pick, and most of them have returned home “broke.” The Fellding-tralned Loyal Maid is very fast, and she made no race of the Scurry at Otaki. Her party expected a limit dividend, but somebody blew the gaff, and she started a good second favorite. Waikaretu, who won three races at the Great Northern meeting, is an aged Spalspeen gelding, owned by Mr. A. N. Dingle, and was qualified with the Waikato hounds. Waikaretu should earn distinction in better company. Mr. A. Grant had bad luck with Voluble at Ellerslie. After the horse’s forward running at Wanganui he looked a certainty for a stake up north, but, when going well on the first day, he broke down, and finished on three legs. Penury Rose Is reported to be going well at Opaki, and those who remember the Penury gelding's victories last winter will not overlook him in forthcoming engagements. Trainer R. Knox has another promising jumper in Sir Wai. Sir Roseberry, who is spelling, will be reserved for flat racing in the spring. Paonui’s brace of victories at Ellerslie, coming on top of his Century Hurdles win, stamp him as one of the best hurdlers of the season. In each of the three races undhr notice he won with ridiculous ease, and much credit is due to the erstwhile Taranaki mentor, “Paddy” Eva, for the splendid nick in which | the Potoa gelding was sent to the post. Being i only a four-year-old, Paonui should reach the top rung before Mr. W. Casey retires him. Although Tlnohoro did not win a race at the Great Northern meeting, he covered himself with glory, and was easily the best flat racer seen out at the gathering. With 10.4 he beat all but Archie (8.5) in the Cornwall Handicap on the-openlng day, while on Wednesday he carried the steadier of 11.8 in the York Wolter Handicap, and only went under by the narrowest of margins to Illumination, who had the handy Impost of 9.10. Illumination, who carries the colors of Mr. Ernest Allison, is an imported four-year-old ! horse by Limelight—Fleet Street. He had the ! services of Ashley Reed, and returned a dividend in the region of the limit. On Monday, Illumination was sent out favorite in the King George Handicap, but did not get the best of spins, and finished fourth. Rangitikei sports who were at the Auckland meeting returned quite convinced that Omahii i is not the wonder that they once imagined, i Ngata ran well at the meeting, but the handl- ; cappers have got at the bottom of him. Tatton Park is a good horse in the hunting field, but a failure between the flags. Although the slump is manifesting itself in reduced totalisator turnover all round, the Otaki Maori B.C. pulled out with a successful meeting. Totalisator aggregate £46,772, as against £48.904 last year, was not bad. Auckland went down solidly this week, yet the aggregate totalisator investments in Auckland and the tuburbs totalled £2,059,307 for the 1921-22 racing season, as against £2,288,682 10s last year, and £1,804,798 in the previous year. Mr. G. D. Greenwood lias entered four yearlings for the V.R.C. Derby of 1923, namely, Lascelles (Martian—Mary of Argyle), Nightie Night (Comedy King Lace Front), b. g. by Shepherd’s Ring—Lady Aviatri, and a b.g. oy Tressady—Lacey Grafton. The quarette also figure in the Rosehill Guineas. Master Boris carried a heap of southern money when he contested the Maiden Steeples at Ellerslie, but, when going well, he threw a sevener. Those who stuck to the Boris gelding got even (with a bit of “fat”) in the Tamaki Steeples on Wednesday. A well-known local “sport” who, with his pretty “better half,” was in Auckland at the Great Northern meeting, was the victim of a strange mistake on Thursday last. Having rung up a taxi to convey them to the railway station, they rapidly gathered together their luggage, and bustled down the stairs of the Albert, and approached the waiting car. Queen Street, Auckland, is a busy spot at any tl,me, but at this particular moment a great crowd had assembled. The reason of the congregation was not evident to our friends until they had entered the car, when they .saw that it was be-ribboned from end to end with gay streamers, and the crowd, which had gathered in anticipation of seeing a brand-new honeymoon couple, gave them a rousing reception. | Some wags amongst the onlookers showered i the pair with confetti, and 'rayed lustily. “Good luck to you, old chap !" shouted one stranger, and, as the car drew off, hundreds cheered Simonides raced unkindly at Auckland, but there is no knowing when he will bob up and win a hurdle race. Ail the same, »e appears to have nothing on Spo-.uc at let el weights at Greenmeadows. Ethiopian fell on the second day at Otaki, but he is a great fencer nevertheless, and even the best of them make mistakes sometimes. Possiblj- Ethiopian will tickle things up In the Pctane Hack Steeples at Napier, where De Is well treated with 10.3. • : A good crowd of horses figure in the Settlers’ Hack Handicap at Napier. Battle Knight 10.8, and Creme de Menthe 9.12, catch the eye as the likely ones. The imported Pavo (The Welkin—Land Rose) performed nobly at the Auckland meeting. Leading off by' winning the Members’ Handicap with 10.1, he carried 11.10 to within a neck of the winner (Scion 9.12) in the King George Handicap, and the handicapper awarded him 12.4 in the Visitors’ Handicap—an honor which was declined.