RACING.

Digger (Invercargill RSA), Issue 2, 26 March 1920, Page 7

RACING.

Almoner ran two bad races tliis week. Tin Soldier' s win on Thursday was long overdue, and now that he has returued to form he may go on in the vrinning way for Digger Percy Price and his brother. Samiel looked very well, and it is reported that Digger C'ecil Hazlett had a good win on Wednesday evening. There is no doubt Warlike with only 7.12 in the Southland Cup looked to have a good chance after winning the Midsummer Handicap and Akaroa. Cup, and I can't help thinking the local handicapper had a lot of luck in his being beaten. First of all the going may have upset his chance, and then T. L. Reed rode him very badly. I still think Warlike should have won. Mr Pearson, the owner of Warlike, probably anticipating an easily picked up £500 out of the Southland Cup, bought Kokowal for £40 from Mr Baird. Kokowai at one time promised to be a smart filly. Martifors evidently liked the slush and mud on Wednesday, for she gave nothing else a chance.

Mr Trail informs me that he had no intention of nominating Jock in the Southland Cup, but the secretary persisted that he had only to run up t Lakes' form and the race was his. No one begrudged the Messrs Trail Bros.' change of luck, for they have persevered with , Jock for a long time. Bore ran badly at tbe local meeting and will be sent home for a spell. San Sebastian is not likely to go to Riverton. Warilke was well beaten each day at the local meeting", and again the "tommies''' reaped a harvest from the get-rich-quick punters who thought they couid pick the double. The Riverton meeting will claim punters' attention next. The Bowmont and Lawrence meetings at Easter time will attract a lot of visitors from Southland who follow trotting. Killowen, if the same Killowen that won at South Canterbury last spring, will make the opposition at Lawrence and Beaumont look silly at Easter time. The committee is inviting applications for the position of secretary to the Southland Racing Club, vice Mr Saunders, resigned. The new appointee is probably already selected by the heads of this auto. cratic sporting body, and he will find it an easy job now that everything is prosperous in the racing world, How different to twenty years ago when poor old "Dick" Clark had to run a bankrupt show. The press room at the S.R..C. meeting was uncomfortably filled with all sorts during the two days, and the portion of the balcony allotted the "fourth estate" was crowded out by a number who had no right even in the enclosure. Magdala won the Winter Cup too many years ago to give him much chance to win Steeplechases now. The old chap jumped carefully, but very slowly. Hogan's pair gave the public a good exhibition of jumping in Thursday's steeplechase, and also provided an interesting finish. Burrangong is going to be "added to the list" directly after the Riverton meeting, and may then be given a chance to distinguish himself over hurdles. Freddy Ellis informs me that in the course of a few weeks he hopes to be able to commence riding again, Old Peter was a very proud father with "A. E.," "E.J.," and Freddy at the meeting. When Frenchman is properly handled in a race, and his connections are anxious he will be hard to beat in the selected hack rac». Billy Robinson rode two good races on Zarkoma. His efforts across country were the best exhibitions of horsemanship he bas given for some time. Where was the motor ambulance on Wednesday? The St. John Ambulance Brigade, in charge of accidents at the East road course, were seriously hampered in their good work by its absence. Fortunately committeeman Dave Merton had a big car handy and came to their assisfcance. Caretaker Marshall had a fine track prepared for this week's racing, and was com. plirhented by many for the excellent man-

ner it stood up to the galloping and trotting on Thursday. The race-card on Wednesday was not a faultless effort, and one or two mistakes were "risky. " Perhaps as "honorary" secretary Mr Saunders was not as careful as usual. Buller and Kilbrogau were the two outlaws at the barrier at the Southland meetiug, and now that the President's horse and rider have suffered, perhaps he will agree that some horses' nominations should he refused. Mr Stone 's horses left Hogan's establishment just before the S.R.C. meeting this week. Eleus is to be spelled — he has been up a long time. Mazama is certainly not a Cup horse. G. Young's performance on Thursday, when he won the whole of the flat events, was a good one, and has never been done before on the local track. Jolly Major won his race in good stylo on Thursday, and Digger Dwyer has rnade a great improvement in this horse. The Gunner let down his soldier friends on Wednesday — another fraction of a secord would have brought three times as much money to their pockets. Sedd-el-Bahr ran badly, and particularly disappointed his backers in the last race of the mpetinc

~ - O* Rowland's leg was badly bruised when Buller kicked him at the post prior to the start of the Winter Oats. Claverhouse ran two good races at the meeting, but was just piped off in each. Apprentices were in short supply at the meeting, and several horses had to be scratched in the Disposal Stakes on this account. Jock and Kentucky Wood each carried No 8 saddlecloth, and each paid the best dividend of the dayv Tom Tilson, the oldest man at tlie game in Southland, had a great reception when he retumed to scale after winning fhe mile trot on Kentucky Wood. He paid a dividend of better than £30, and a few years ago headed £50 in the same racs with Ivan C. A lot of hot favourites went down on Wednesday, but punters got even the next day when The Boss, Silver Peak, Tin Soldier, and Primuni were first favourites and won. See anything in this sequence of figures? 12 2 2 1 8 12 7 5 12 2 2 3 2 4 8 12 I don't, but they are tlie numbers of the sixteen winners lioisted by Mr Macartney. "Billy" North, who was iniured at the Clifden meeting, is about again, but still stiff and sore. Private watches made Peterville's time in the open liarness trot on the opening day 4min 4sec. Robert Bell is a light of another day, Mr Norman's starting on Wednesday am" Thursday was good, but still too "snappy." Sunlit is suffering from too much racing. They do things properly out west. One of the Western District papers published the dividends in connection with the re-cc-i. r Clifden meeting. The Clifden meeting will show a small piofit, thanks to a careful Secretary and a good subscription list.