SPORTING NOTES.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXV, Issue 10713, 12 June 1913, Page 3

SPORTING NOTES.

(By "Also Started.")

FIXTURES

June 25, 26.—Napier Park R.C. July 3, 4.—Gisborne R.C, Steeple-

chase. July 16, 19. Wellington R.C., Win-

August 12, 14. 16.—C.J.C. Grand National.

Til© present week is one of the very few in which there is no rating in the Dominion. Those who follow the "game" from one year's end to the other will no doubt be glad of the spell thus afforded. The winter meeting of the Hawke 8 Bay Jockey Club takes place on Wednesday and Thursday next, and the week following the Napier Park meeting will be held. Although there are undoubtedly one or two steeplechasers out this season of average ability, taken as a whole they cannot be said to come up to the standard of former years. This view is upheld by the fact that an old stager like Paritutu, while broken down, could go with the best of them in the Great Northern Steeples, while giving away considerable poundage. Glenmore is undoubtedly brilliant up to three miles, but ho cannot be classed as a good stayer. Bercola may prove the best out, a« he can both stay and jump well. Dorando is a plodder, but should win races, as he is safe to negotiate any kind of country. Haute re seems to have lost form, and of the others that have, so far competed their form ts anything but high-class. It as possible, of course, that the Hawke's Bay, Napier Paak and Wellington meeting may be the means of unearthing a. champion or. two. ' The.Rover, who is being prepared for future engagements; by H. Hickey, is said to be in great Suckle, and ds already spoken of as a National winner. The Rover has already proved himself a smasher over hurdles, and should he produce his form of two seapons ago he should indeed be hard.to beat in any hurdle race. With Emerson and Olliver en route to Sydney, it would seem that B. Deeley.wiH again figure as the Dominion's premier jockey. If hard work and much travelling be taken into account there is no doubt that the crack Auckland horseman deserves the honour. It is expected that Olliver and Emerson will settle in Australia, and if such be the case New Zealand will lose two of her best riders, and this at a time when there is a great dearth of capable horsemen. A New Zealandeir, who has just returned from a trip to Sydney, states that when over there one could almost imagine ho was in the Dominion owing to the number of Maorilanders one meets.. Owners, jockeys, punters, in fact, all branches of New Zealand sport are represented. It is also a rather remarkable fact that the majority of New Zealanders do well on the "other side." Electrakoff, Hautapu, and Zealand are New Zealand bred animals that have earned winning brackets in Australia recently. The last mentioned was for a time trained by M. McGrath, at Opaki, and won a number of races in yiis district. He has not k done much good since going to Sydney;; The Sir Laddo mare Alecto was examined by Veterinary Surgeon Crossley a few days back,' and he expressed the opinion that the cause of the mare's recent lameness was in the fetlock, and stated that she would soon grow out of the trouble. She is already almost quite sound and will be put in work shortly in view of early spring engagements. S:r Knox benefited considerably by the racing ho had at Otaki. .His "next appearance will be at Trentham. The chestnut's- trainer is handicapped through, havting nothing to work with him on the tracks. T. Higgins lias Top Note and Sir Knox's half-brother pottering about the roads. "Both look very well. In commenting on the letter of Mr G. D. Groenwood, which appeared in a Southern papar, in connection '.vith tbo» Valido's inquiry, a Sydney writer says: "Mr Greenwood* has made the mistake of assuming that he was suspected of having , .-.done something wrong. Nobody was really accused, or even -suspected, of. wrongdoing, but Valido's- form on the second day seemed to the stewards to be such a decided improvement on his first day's run that, taking into. com junction wiUfe* the betting, the stipendiary stewards decided to investigate, ant] Mr Greenwood and others, were asked to assist if they could in throwing some light on in. During the investigation it transpired l&at while very little money was wagered against Valid© on the first day by the rLngmeix who were the same collection of bookmakers laid some thousands of pounds against him oia the second day. Neither Mr Greenwood, who does "not bet, nor aftiyone else seems, to have been able to satisfactorily explain that." A London cable to the Sydney Sun states that the number of horses which have raced in the last few weeks without Irving is notoriously large. It is understood that the offspring of some mares this Tear are certain to be soft. In the* highest of racing it is regrettable that such brood mares should be used. Ihe death of good jockeys is another serious matter. There are" now only two resident jockovs who steadrily bold their places at the head of the list; these- aiv Wootton and Maher. neither of whom is English. Of the last twelve Derbies onlv four have been won by jockeys of English birth. No one, however, aeems to "oe able to explain why English jockeys . should aave lost their art.