SPORTING.

Taranaki Daily News, 4 August 1922, Page 3

SPORTING.

RICCARTON TRAINING NOTES. i By Telegraph.—Press Association. Christchurch, August 3. The weather was fine for the training work at Riccarton. All fast gallops were done outside the course proper. Ma eDuff and Mdzama covered seven furlongs comfortably in Imin. 34sec. Wrangle did half a mile under a pull. Counterstroke heat Whipping over seven furlongs in Imin. 32 2-ssec. Golden Bubble ran the last five of six furl<Ags in Innin. 5 2-ssee., finishing comfortably. Distant Shot ran seven furlongs in Imin, 34 2-s®ee. Red Hind did the same distance in Imin. 34sec. Royal Star and Listening Post covered six furlongs In Imin. 19 4-ssec. Demos ran four furlongs easily in 54sec. Falstaff did seven furlongs comfortably in Imin. 37 2-ssec. Rorke's Drift beat Warlike over four furlongs in 56sec.

Sir Huon and Red Gown covered five furlongs in Imin. ssec. Forest Gold ran six furlongs in Imin. 18 l-ssec. Some Kid beat Foo Chow and Kilmoon over seven furlongs in limin. 32 2-ssec. Waikaretu easily beat Oakleigh at the end' of seven furlongs run in Imin. 37 2-ssec. Whipcord jumped five hurdles fast and well. Paonui gave a brilliant exhibition of jumping over six hurdles. Kauwhero shaped smartly over five hurdles... Indus, Malincourt and Sonny were schooled over the steeplechase fences on the course proper. Indus and Malincourt shaped well, but Sonny baulked at the Kennel double. Ruddy Gold and Red Blaze gave a moderate display over the steeplechase fences. Kohu and Dick gave a good exhibition twice round the inside schooling fences. Dick was slightly in front at the finish. Master Hamilton, Romance, W’aimai, Spook, and several others were given working gallops. To-day’s North Island arrivals are Coalition, Master Strowan, Irapuka, L’Amour, Prince Martian, Verbosity, Old Gold, Ore Ore, Nicomar, Athens IL, Explorer, Ngata, Omahu, Big Push, Penury Rose, Lady Ben, Kareao.

TURF TOPICS.

(By

“Moturoa.”)

The Grand National meeting is now the chief topic in the sporting world. The gathering opens on Tuesday next, when the New Zealand Grand National Steeplechase and the Winter Cup will come up for decision. The New Zealand Grand National Hurdle Race will be run on Thursday, and the meeting will be concluded on the following Saturday. Practically all the leading jumpers in the Dominion are engaged, and the gathering promises to be a memorable one. Final payments for the principal events appeared yesterday, and nothing of importance has been withdrawn. Tiie Press states that Alteration is only doing steady pacing on the sand at Riccarton, the New Plymouth horse being slightly lame behind. This is hardly encouraging to Alteration’s many backers. The following horses arrived at Riccarton towards the end of last week: Sir Solo, Master Boris, Waikaretu and Forest Gold. A heavy frost at Riccarton on Saturday morning prevented trainers from using the grass tracks until 11 a.m., and most of the horses were exercised on the sand. Gamecock, Rorke’s Drift, Oakleigh, Alteration, and Master Boris did long, steady work on the flat, and Indus, Dick, Manawaponga, Golden Prince, Kohu, Sir Solo, W’aimai and Master Hamilton went round the big fences. Indus and Dick were companions, and jumped well. Manawaponga ran down the fence and pushed Golden Prince off at the second, but the pair shaped well at the remaining o»stacles. Kohu. Master Hamilton and Sir Solo went together, the former prad giving a faultless exhibition, and finishing together. Sir Solo jumped badly, and was pulled up, having broken down badly. Waimai jumped in his usual fine style. Kauwhero easily beat Blue Streak and Sans Souci oyer the small sticks. Paonui flew five fences artistically. Falstaff also jumped well, but his companion. Spook, ran off at three successive obstacles, at the last of which he carried; Falstaff right through the wing, which was broken to matchwood. Spook fell heavily, but Falstaff stood up.

On Tuesday morning training operations were favored by perfect weather, and some interesting work was recorded. Oakleigh, Waikaretu and TVaimai went round the big fences together, all jumping well, though the flrstnanied pair showed a bit too much pace for the veteran. Golden Prince, Indus, Swindasa »nd Runwell then essayed to get round, but the result was ludricous. The first fence accounted for Golden Prince and Indus, while Swindasa's rider fell off at the next, and the third obstacle stopped Runwell. Master Boris jumped the big fences In the centre, but lost liis rider at the first. Remounted, he jumped the others in good style. Manawaponga. Romance and Dick gave good exhibitions over country. Of the flat performers seen out at Riccarton on Tuesday. Wrangle, Counterstroke (who easily accounted for Whipping Boy), Golden Bubble. Foo Chow, Warlike, Kilderg, Forest Rose, Kilada, Bluff, Listening Post and Will Oakland all went well. Nautical and Falstaff jumped the hurdles in good style, and they should both be worth watching at the meeting. The Referee's turf statistician supplies the following figures for the racing season 1921-

Winning horses:—Gloaming £5765, Winning Hit £4780, Epitaph £4260, Thespian £4240, Songbird £3995, Poanul £3770. Aunythas £3565, Anomaly £33/0, Tinohoro £3175, Grotesque £3145, Boomerday £3060. Insurrection £3050, Bonnie Winkie £3009 10s, Income £3OOO, Pluto £2930. Printemps £2865, Rational £2860, Ngata £2665, Pavo £2645, Malaga £2595, Solfanello £2575, Trespass £2570, The Hawk £2520, Royal Star ££4SO, Tamatete £2435, Sycorax £2430, Farceur £2400, Molyneaux £2380, Marqueteur £2360, Sea De’il £2300, Vespucci £2175. Affectation £2155, Explorer £2105. Radiant Light £2lOO, Mustard Pot £2060, Silent King £2060, and Stork £2055.

Winning sires:—Absurd £3G,498, Martian £24,334, Kilbroney £21,322, Demosthenes £19,530 10s, Bouiform £15,146 10s, Solferino £14.898, Quin £14,730. Autumnus £11,270, and King Mark £10,650.

Winning owners: —G. D. Greenwood £15,150, Sir Geo. Clifford £11,347, A. B. Williams £11,055. W. R. Kemball £10,806 10s, R. Hannon £8135, Estate late W. J. Douglas £6090, W. G. Stead £tT755, R. A. McKenzie £5245, W. Duncan £5170, G. M. Currie £4915, F. S. Easton £4865, El. Riddiford £4633 10s, H. J. Eaves £4310, K. D. Duncan £4245, IV. Casey £4150, B. L. Joll £4033, W. Couser £3995, W. Stone £3875, H. H. Fisher £3861 10s', E. Alison £3645, H. A. Knight £3616. A. McDonald £3596 10s, J. D. Ormond £3325, C. F. Vallance £3253, W. H. Wackrow £31'50, Jas. Bull £3145, J. W. Lowe £3050, H. Friedlander £2995. W. Higgins £2941, A. Goodman £2940. G. L. Rutherford £2927, H. B. Gibson £2860. G. Fulton £2774 10s. A. Symes £2727 10s, J. M. Cameron £2580, A. N. Dingle £2455, F. J. Lysnar £2137. C. H. Cato £2430, A. Alexander £2425, G. B. Starkey £2422. W. T. Hazlett £2371 10s, F. Besley £2360, T. H. Lowry £2357 10s, Mrs. A. E. Lindsay £2300.

Mr. A. G. Hill, of Dunedin, who bought some yearlings at the last autumn sales in Sydney, has been giving his opinions of the racing he witnessed there to the Sydney Referee. Apart front the big meetings at Randwick he did not think the racing in and about Sydney any better than In the Dominion, and, while mentioning that the cost to owners was lighter here, added that the stakes were much smaller. He was evidently much surprised at the highest prize at one of the Sydney suburban meetings he visited being only £2OO. The starting at our meetings impressed him most favorably, and he made special mention of the control the starters had over boys. Mr. Hill stated that, the supervision of bookmakers was so stiff that they could not deal In "dead ’uns,” fear of losing their much-valued license to bet at Randwick being one of the curbs. As so many Sydney backers have an idea that nearly every time their horse does not win

they must have been an a "dead ’on,” S vis! tor’sjdeas on that score are of interest.

J. O'Shea was the moftt successful Auckland horseman during the season just closing, having ridden 31 winners. It is interesting to note that the Reed brothers fill three out of the first four places in the Dominion total, A. Reed being on top with 59 winning rides, 12 ahead of C. Emerson (47), who is second; then follow R. Reed (37), C. Reed (35), J. Barry (31%), and J. O'Shea (31), these being the. only horsemen with over 30 wins to their

It is extraordinary that of late on Sydney Metropolitan courses just as soon as a promising apprentice becomes really noticed, and his riding favorably commented upon, he falls foul of the authorities and receives a compulsory holiday. Mulcahy, who recently jumped Into favor, came in for his share of trouble ar. the Itist Moorefield meeting, being fined by the starter for disobedience, and subsequently suspended until September 30 for interference in the running of a race.

In addition to S. Reid, another ex-New Zealand horseman, in H. Cairns, Is having a run of luck in Melbourne. At the recent V.A.T.C. meeting, Cairns headed the ’ list of winning jockeys, riding Fingon, Miss Pinkerton and Bright Times to victory. On the latter he won the Douta Galla Hurdles, and has now steered the winner of the race four times. In 1913 he won on Wimmera, in 1916 he was on Lord Dudley, and two years ago he won on Bright Plume, and a few days ago won on the latter again.

During his lengthy career on the turf, Rorke’s Drift, the winner of the Wellington Winter Hurdles, has won for his owners the sum of £9567 10s in stakes. A Southland writer has figured it out that he started racing as a three-year-old, but. only contested one event, but since then has started altogether in 120 races, of which he has won 23, second 13 times, third 17 times, and unplaced 67 times. His best performances have been at Wingatui, where he has won no less than £4855. As a four-year-old he won £2390, as a flve-lear-old £11«5, as a six-year-old £1255, as a seven-year-old £1615, as an eight-year-old £llO, as a nine-year-old £llBO, and at ten years old, hia present age, £1832 10s,

Fingon, by Finland—Warseare continues to win races in Australia, and on July 15 carried top weight (10.1) in the Malvinia Welter at Caulfield, and beat a big field. Hughie Claims had the winning ride. Another New Zealand victory on the same day was that of Chrysostom (Detnosthenes—-Golden Ball), who won the Leamington Hurdles very easily. Another New Zealander, Stan. Reid, had the mount. Both winners started at fair prices.

Some of the "old hands” can still teach the’ rising generation of jocksters the way to ride in the Dominion, but it is doubtful if we have ever had such a veteran as the American amateur cross-country horseman, Harry Page, who rode the winner of a steeplechase at Belmont Park (New York) recenily. Page owns up to being 69 years of age; has lost the sight of one eye, and uses a monocle to aid the failing sight of the other. In spite of these drawbacks Page Is said to be the best amateur rider in the country.

Four previous winners of the Grand National Steeplechase were nominated for this year’s race, and three of them (Waimai, Master Strowan and Coalition) have been accepted for. So far this season horses carrying Sir Geo. Clifford’s colors have won over £ 11,000. Mr. W. R. Kemball's tally is only a few hundreds less.

A confidence trick was recently worked »>ff in Melbourne on the well-known cross-country horseman, Stan Reid. He received a wire, purporting to come from a well-known Auckland trainer from an up-country station in Victoria, stating that he had missed the train, and asking him to wire £2, concluding with the remark "Regards from all the boys at Ellerslie.” The money was at once dispatched, but shortly after Reid learned that the trainer in question had never left New Zealand, and that ho had been stung. He, however, got out of it lightly, and the trainer concerned 13 sure to pay at least half the loss if only to recognise the assistance Reid was so generously prepared to give him when he thought he was in trouble.

A patient undergoing an operation at a Newcastle hospital the day before the Derby kept calling out the name "Captain Cuttle.” All the porters In the institution "took the tip,” with, of course, very satisfactory results. As one of them received the winner of the Grand National in a similar imanner, such "tips” will, no doubt, in future, be regarded as certainties—at all events in that particular hospital. Science has not yet fathomed the working of the subconscious mind, but evidently, says a Yorkshire Post correspondent. that mysterious entity has some really valuable possibilities.

The New Zealand jockey, Hector Gray, was on Sir H. Cunliffe-Owen’s filly. Morning Light, when she was sent out a 7 to 4 favorite for the Rodney Welter Handicap, 5 furlongs, at Windsor (England), on May 22. She only ran fifth, but at Epsom a week later comfortably won the Egmont Plate, also a five-furlongs for which she started at 10 to 1. Thereupon the stewards of the Epsom meeting, after interviewing the owner and jockey of Morning Light, decided to call the attention of the stewards of the Jockey Club to the difference in the filly’s form in the two races. The papers stated that, after enquiring into the matter, the stewards of the Jockey Club expressed themselves satisfied with the explanation given by owner and trainer. No mention is made of Gray in the finding, but I suppose his explanation was also satisfactory.

Money for betting must be getting scarce in South Africa. At the Johannesburg T.C.’s recent Winter Meeting invetsments for the three days only aggregated £56,254 10s, against £91,712 10s for the corresponding meeting last year. In Durban, too, the falling-off continues, and it would be safe to bet that there is also a. substantial decrease in the bookmaker’s turnover. According to spune Sydney bookmakers, speculation is lighter here than some time ago, the smaller men in the leger reserves, in particular, feeling the pinch. When Hector Gray was in New Zealand a few months ago after his first season’s racing in England he was often heard to remark that owing to their being more accustomed to straight courses, English jockeys were lost when it came to riding round curves. His view is borne out by the comment of the Daily Sketch’s turf writer who wrote recently that "the New Zealander (Gray) is always seen to imost advantage in a race over a distance of ground, and I have never seen anything take a turn into the straight- at Lingfleld in better style than Gray did on Thoughtless. He swung round, as if attached to a rope arid pulley arrapgement, and thereby gained several lengths, all the others swinging wide. From that point Thoughtless had only Ragout to beat, and this he did in comfort.” Among the other riders was Donoghue, who was on the favorite.

The first winner ridden by S. Donoghue, in England, was Golden Rod, in the Bridgeman Stakes, at Liverpool, on March 26, 1909. Since then he has ridden just over 1000 winners, and has headed the winning jockeys list in England every season since 1913. F. Archer headed the winning list thirteen years in succession.

A HIGH-PRICED WINNER. In New York, towards the end of May, Mr. J. S. Cosden gave 85,000 dollars (a little over £17,000) for the three-year-old Snob 11. (Prestige—May Dora), who had won the only race in which he started this season in the ownership of Mr. J. Sandford. Despite the price, the general opinion was that Mr. Cosden had made a good investment. About a week after he changed hands. Snob 11. proved the correctness of this idea by winning the Withers Stakes at Belmont Park (New York). There were only three starters, and Snob 11., at 20 to 9 on, won easily from Pillory (winner of the 50,000 dollars Preakness). The value of the race to the winner was about £3400, and with 8.6 Snob 11. cut out the mile in 1.35 4/5. That time equalled Man o’ War’s record for the race, and is only onefifth behind the American record made by Audacious at.the sayie track last year. Mr. Cosden is an owner who is doing things in a big way, as, after his purchase of Snob 11., he gave .Tames Arthur 25,000 dollars for the contract he had with the jockey, C. Lang. Less than two years ago Arthur took Lang (then an inexperienced lad) iti ‘And, and so rapidly developed him that last year hp was one of America’s best riders. The 25,000 dollars from Mr. Cosden, in addition to the extent he had previously profited, has well repaid Arthur for the interest he took in Lang. The latter, who is eighteen years old, rode 130 winnen JfTi