SPORTING.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10111, 5 October 1910, Page 5

SPORTING.

AUSTRALIAN SCRATCHINGS:. (Received Last Night,. 8.50 o'clock.) SYDNEY, September. 4. Equitas has been scratched for the Craven Plate and Sydney and Suburban Handicap.

TURF NOTES. (By "Zetland.") It is expected that Bobrikoff's l-oxt appearance under colours will be at the Wellington Racing Club's meeting, in the Champion Stakes, of one mils and a quarter. In the minds of many sportsmen a meeting over this distance between the Finland gelding and California would be worth travelling a long way_ to set;, even by a Wairarapa-Welling-ton fast train. It was stated after the Grand National Hurdle Race that the winner, Paisano, would, be prepared for the Auckland Cup. His name appears among the nominations, as also does that of Dunborve, a well-performs I Auckland hurdle racer.

Tilson, who fractured his knee at Randwick the other day, and had to be destroyed, was bred by Mr | Jury, of Greytown, and on being sold' to Mr James Orr, of Martinborough, was raced for some years by him. A few months ago he was sold to Messrs Whitworth Bros., who have had bad luck in losing the services of the Lethe gelding, just when his form; warranted the expectation of some good performances. The New Zealanders who sent horses over to measure strides with Australia's best are not meeting with, good fortune. Following the death of Milan, in the voyage over, Lady Lucy had a bad turn of pneumonia. Master Spult had to he thrown out of work at a critical juncture consequent on injuring a fore leg by getting it over a chain. Last week the highly fancied Crucinella fell a victim to influenza, and has had to be scratched for her en-' gagements. Effort and Ar tiller ie are'reported to be suffering from colds, so everything considered, this , Dominion does not look like, taking I a leading part in Australian racing just now,. At the present time the Welling-ton-owned Diabolo ranks as favourite for the New Zealand Cup. Hi« best performances so far are second in the Summer Cup at Auckland last December, and second in the Wellington Cup -n January last. Bookmakers and backers are evidently of the opinion that Provocation has struck his best form, judging by the fact that he rules favourite for the Stewards' Handicap to be run at Riccarton next month. About three weeks ago a paragraph went the rounds stating that the colt was suffering from blood poisj oning. Judging by the figures in I the betting market he must have made a very quick recovery. The Hawke's Bay Jockey Club's spring meeting opens to-day, at Hastings. For the principal events the acceptances are not numerous. The principal race, the King Edward Handicap, may bring out seven starters, the best" form being represented by Sandstream and Sir Tristram, while Kopu may run better than lie did last season.

Mr E. J. Watts' Maori King, by Merriwec-fndian Queen, put up a smart performance at Randwick on Monday, by winning the Shorts Handicap, of six furlongs, in a field of seventeen. The time recorded was lmin. 1-1;; sec, and he carried 9st 51b. He is engaged in the Stewards' handicap at the Canterbury meeting, and is sure to be

allotted a, substantial impost. The Marlborough meeting opens to-day, at Riverlands, near Blen-! heim." On this occasion Wairarapa will not be represented. The locally owned horses should run prominently at the fixture. A. Goodman, of | Trentham, has taken over Succession and Ohiro. C. Pritehard's team consists of Rongomai, Lares, and Penza. F. Carmont, of Levin, [ will rely on the sprinter Celebriy; Frank Miggott has Merry Frank and Grand .Jewel to represent his stable, and A, Jackson,, of Wanganui, is to introduce to the Marlborough sportsmen that good little performer, Roosevelt.