SPORTING NOTES.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2751, 15 December 1894, Page 2

SPORTING NOTES.

i (By “ The Plunger.”) As promised in my last 1 herewith forward you the result of my observations for the last week. So far everything is going 1 on splendidly iu|the way of training operations. The number of horses exercising has increased rather than diminished the last night or two, and the greatest interest is manifested by spectators and touts who haunt the park incessantly both late and early, and the beautiful surroupdings form , a splendid hiding place for that peat of the i training track “ the tout.” By the way, speaking of touts, a good story was told me the other day by Mr Kooney, who lives close by the track. He was awakened at two o’clock on Wednesday morning by, , as he considered, a stampede of horses, and thinking something was wrong on bis , own premises he ventured forth into the moonlight, when 10, and behold you, to i his astonishment, instead of the disturbance being on his own premises, he > found it was on the training track it the park, and, anxious to find out who was the 1 early riser, he made his way toward the track, when the first thing he ran against ‘ on his way was a tout in the act of returning the war,oh to his pocket, remarking, “Well done > , 5.16 ought to bring you , home in the Two Mile Handicap, notwithstanding Bata’s chuck in.” i Now, coming back to the object of my notes, 1 will endeavor to place the winners • of the six events. If Our Maid had continued going on improving as she had done last week I would unhesitatingly select her as the winner of the Maiden, but she has gone off completely, and I consider , her a very improbable starter. The next [ on the list is Black Bess, who must have improved considerably on her Timarn per- . formauoe to stand a show. Penguin, on [ her Ashburton performance, should not . have the least difficulty in annexing this event, although she got no nearer than • third. The time recorded, 4.29, is very creditable for a mile and a half, and I am satisfied that there is no horse trained locally engaged in this race that can ( approach within twenty seconds of that r time. I will, therefore, name Penguin as the winner of the Maiden, j (The next event on the card is the Temuka Handicap Trot. After the defection ’ of Te Wanahu and Josephine I consider Rata simply thrown into this race. The Duke, good hone and all as I consider him, with only two seconds difference cannot ’ keep out of his road even a quarter of the distance; Our Maid, Tbaa Gunm, and Naboclish 1 don’t consider in it. I there- . fore must place them: Rata first and Jack second. The next, the Selling Trot, with The Duke on scratch, who 1 consider a very unlikely starter on account of the winner becoming the property of the blub, I see : nothing to upset Relief, who with six seconds start of The Don must have this [ race at her mercy if track form is to be relied on. The next event, the District Handicap, with the Ashburton cracks and Te Wanahu , out of it, I see nothing likely to upset Fairchild. Chancellor, honest plodder [ and all that he is, I don’t consider fast enough at the handicap. I therefore select Fairchild to win, with Penguin and Jack his mdst dangerous opponents. Next comes the piece-de-resistance of the meeting, the (Farmers’ County Trot, i This 1 consider should have been a scratch race, as all the horses are untried and unknown to the handicapper. It very often happens, as it has in this instance (with the exception of one who is on the mark), the best horses get the limit; and whatever the handicapper was thinking about to give Young Merrylegs ten seconds I know not. It is evident he must have handicapped the owners and not the horses. If Relief does not incur a penalty through winning the Selling 1 consider her chance second to none; but as is usual with farmer-trained horses, they all think they have a chance. There is, of course, rumours of fast times being recorded; in fact, one owner yesterday informed me that he had got as good as 4.30 in a trial. If such is the case this race may be the means of bringing out a record breaker. However, 1 see no reason to alter my opinion, and I will, therefore, place them as follows: Belief first, Cigar second, and Pilot Boy third ; anc\my judgment must be far astray if this is not the order in which they finish. The next, the Two Mild Open Handicap, with Fairchild and Rata incurring a penalty for their anticipated wins earlier in the day, I consider a certainty for Diplomacy. The Duke, no doubt, will make a bold bid for this race, bat the two seconds will give the black mare such a lead (as I understand she is sharp off the mark), that 1 don’t think The Duke can catch her. The sixteen seconds she is conceding Chancellor will enable him to get no nearer than third place. I therefore place Diplomacy first, The Duke second, and Chancellor third. And now to summarise : Maiden ’^'-'auiu; Temuka Handicap, Rata : o j District, Fairchild; Facmeta’, Belief *; Jtai Opea, Diplomacy. I