SPORTING.

Taranaki Daily News, 4 November 1922, Page 3

SPORTING.

RACING IN AUSTRALIA. NOTES EKOM MELBOURNE. : ' By Telegraph.—Press Asin.—Copyright. Received Nov. 3, 9.35 p.m. Melbourne, Nor. 3. Jockeys Pike and Afeddlclc have arrived. > Honey Bee’s legs are occasioning anxiety, but no serious consequences are feared. W. Johnstone rides Molyneaux in the Cantala Stakes. The Rover and Nautical have arrived at Flemington. Paratoo Is slightly lame, hut is expected to see the post, on Tuesday. Light rain fell to-day, and the forecast is for cloudy and cool weather. RICCARTON NOTES. By Telegraph.—Presss Association. Christchurch, Nov. 3. Heavy rain overnight made the Riccarton track soft this morning. Number six grass track was open for fast work and a number of horses used it, but most of them went, only a few furlongs. Almoner strode along for a mile. The work on the whole was very uninteresting. Last night’s arrivals from the South were Roseday, Kerb, Etta, Mantua, Steasel, Silent King, Sembric, Londonderry and Bosker Boy. ELLERSLIE NOTES. Auckland, Nov. 3. The weather was showery and wintry for training at Ellerslie this morning. All the fast wrok was registered on No. 3 grass, which was a bit holding. The tasks were mostly of the sprint order. Insurrection did four furlongs in 55 3-5 sec. Blue Socks the same in 55 sec. Geoffrey did three furlongs in 41 sec. Caress the same in 38 sec. Prince Randell ran four furlongs in 50 sec. Mountain Lion did the same in 51 1-5 sec. Pavo ran five furlongs iry 1 min. 6 4-5 sec. Haligan beat Gay Boy over five furlongs in Imin. Gsec. The latter did the five furlongs in 1 min. 8.1-5 sec. Stork ran four furlongs in 56 sec, Raawha beat Sundaur over the same in 53 1-5 sec. Starland ran four furlongs in 53 2-5 sec. Arch Salute did the same in 52 2-5 sec. Pepin the same in 54 sec. After breakfast Passin’ Through did five furlongs in 1 min. 4 2-5 see. Royal Abbey and Lord Star ran five furlongs. A lot of others were also worked.

THE DEFEAT OF EURYTHMIC. The outstanding incident in the racing at Caulfield was the defeat, of Eurythjmic. This was due to the over-confidence of Dempsey; and in saying that one does not mfixlmlse the value of Purser’s performance, writes "Poseidon.” Continuing, he says :—Welght-for-age racing is notoriously delusive as a guide to handicaps. Even when the pace is fast all the way, form does not always work out the same in a race where n big field leads to interference, to which horses are not generally subjected in weight-for-age events. "When, as was the case under notice, the wjf.a. race is run at a muddling pace, it seenls almost foolish to look to it for guidance. Purser won, and did the job well; but Ev.rythmic should not have been beaten. The champion was one of the leaders down the straight, and Dempsey pulled him to the rear of the* field. The pace was so slow that at seven furlongs from home Wood found himself in front on David, and he stayed there until entering the straight. Lewis, on Furious, made a dash to win, and when Purser made his run Eurythmic was not far away. This time tdiere was no opening on the rails, and Eurythmic had to come outside the three horses. But he seemed to run up to Purser easily enough, and having got to Purser’s girths, Deimpsey took it easily. Evidently he thought that the brilliant chestnut would run past tlge Sea Prince gelding, but Purser was going faster than he had calculated. Seeing that he wasn’t gaining ground* Dempsey sat down to ride the favorite. But It was too late by two or three strides, and the big punters lost their money. The bookmakers got back some of tht? money they had lost over Eurythunlc in othfcr w.f.a. races. Only recently one bookmaker was saying that, an audit of his hooks revealed "that he had lost £5OOO over v»hen Benuford won, but he must have got a RMd deal of it back. At Caulfield one big puntrr laid £l7OO to £lOOO on the chestnut. The owner of Purser, who is a. big better, had a good win over his horse, partly itt A concession price. Even though Eurythmic should have won. there Is no denying the merit of Purser’s performance. I remarked recently that he 1s a stouter and better horse than he was twelve months ago, and his victory proved it. The dash he showed at the finish of the racesurprised many Victorians, but it wouldn’t have surprised anyone who saw his six furlongs dash one morning with Rostrum at Randwick. No wonder his owner, antd clever trainer stood him to win £25,000 In the Metropol Itan.