SPORTING.

Taranaki Daily News, 15 June 1922, Page 3

SPORTING.

TROTTING RULES. PENALTY, FOR NOT WEIGHING-IN. A RULING GIVEN, By Telegraph.—Press Association. Christchurch, Last Night. At a meeting of the Board of the New Zealand Trotting Association, the New Brighton Trotting Club reported that at its autumn meeting J. Bryce, junr., failed to weigh-in after the Electric Handicap, in which he finished second on William the First. The judicial Committe considered the case, and subsequently put J. Bryce, junr., on» the scales, with the result that he was found to weigh lost, without the saddle. The committee decided to fine Bryce £lO, and to pay out on William the First. A letter was read from C. Proctor, owner of Soprano, who had finished third in the race, asking for the association's ruling on the subject of weighing-in. In his report on the case, Mr. T. H. Davey, chief stipendiary steward, stated that he had impressed on the judicial committee that the rule on the subject was mandatory in imposing a disqualification for failure to weigh-in. After discussion, it was decided to inform the New Brighton club that it had acted wrongly, and that William the First and his rider should have been disqualified for the race.

TURF TOPICS. (By "Moturoa.”) Th© Hawke’s Bay racing carnival of five days is the next excitement, and a fair number of Taranaki horses are entered for the various meetings. Proceedings will open at Greenmeadows, where the Napier Park Racing Club will race on Friday and Saturday. Hastings follows, the Hawke’s Bay Jockey Club racing on Wednesday and Thursday, and the Hawke’s Bay Hunt Club on the following Saturday. Acceptances for the opening day of the Napier Park meeting are fairly good, though the principal event, the Napier Steeplechase, has only attracted six moderates. Of these, Waimai holds pride of place with the handy weight of 10.9, and judging by his forward running in the Great Northern Steeples, the old horse is not bj- any <means a spent light, though possibly (like most old horses) he would race best when fresh, and is likely ‘to soon go off. Mattock was railed through to Napier on Tuesday, but the Bulls horse is a trifle backward, and moreover, his respiratory troubles appear to be Increasing. First Line will strip a fitter horse than at Wanganui, and appears to be the top-weight’s most formidable opponent. General Raven has been a disappointment lately, and Maraetotara has not done much over the big fences. Calma is in good fettle, but is hardly class enough. Mattock won the Napier Steeples last year with 10.7, just beating Luke (11.8) and Khartoum (10.4). Of the eight remaining in the Ahuriri Hurdles Passin’ Through also figures in the hack event, but if reserved for the big race would have ’an undoubted chance with 10.2. The pick of the handicap appears to be Spook (9.7), who beat all but Paonui at Wanganui. Kareao promises to run well in open events at Greenifneadows, and Oak Rose, Powder King and Battle Knight are nicely placed in minor events. Kilrush, Ruatara, Spook and Kareao were taken through to Napier on Tuesday. Calma, Santiago, and Auckland left Palmerston on Wednesday. R. Hatch took the last-named, and will ride him in his engagements. Mark Time is in steady work at Bulls, and looks the picture of health. He should pick up a race shortly. Grand Canyon is one of the best jumpers at Ellerslie, but unfortunately he is very unsound, and cannot be properly wound up for distance races. Northern papers state that Pavo covered himself with glory when he attempted to win the Visitors’ Handicap under 12,4 on the concluding day of the Auckland meeting. The Welkin horse appeared a likely winner a dozen yards from tfie post, and although placed fourth there was very little in it. and some people thought be was second. With four horses only heads apart, only the man in the box could judge with certainty. Lord Astor appears to be fated never to win an English Derby, and once again he supplied the runner-up, Aamar. Some consolation came, however, when his Lemberg filly, Pogrom, won the Oaks. According to a Sydney scribe the doubledecker stands at Randwick have not been proving an unmixed blessing, aS the occupants of the top tier have developed a habit of dropping bottles down on the crowds beneath! That’s lovely, isn’t it? F. W. McCabe, well known in Australia and New Zealand, appears to be doing well in England, where he is riding and training. At Cardiff on Easter Monday he won the Welsh Champion Hurdle Race on Great Fun (& to 1), trained by the ex-Queenslander O. Bell; and the fact of beating the crack riders I. Anthony (second on Teuneside) and F. B. Rees (third on Ulleskelf) must hare been very gratifying to McCabe. At Epsom » couple of days later a 20 to 1 chance, Arcturus, trained by McCabe, won the Kingswood Plate, a selling handicap, from a big field, and was subsequently sold for 220 guineas. The London Sporting Life mentioned that Arcturus was McCabe’s second runner under Jockey Club rules since he went to England. The winner was ridden by the New Zealander H. Gray. The Calcutta Turf Club runs a big sweep on the English Derby, and this year it was won by Miss Thomas, a typist in the Liverpool Royal Insurance. Company’s office, London. After she drew Captain Cuttie she sold a half-share in the ticket for £3OOO, but still nets over £60,000. A man who bought six tickets in the Stock Exchange Derby sweep, resold one, and it drew Captain Cuttie, and incidentally £12,500. Second prize in this sweep was £6OOO, and third £4OOO. The Automobile Club sweep, worth £3OOO, was won by the Boy Scout troop of a. North London church. The vicar was given the ticket by a friend who met him at the war, and the fonmer passed it on to the boy scouts of his church.