SPORTING.

Digger (Invercargill RSA), Issue 3, 1 April 1920, Page 7

SPORTING.

#£$$*$******* « E3ives*tc>ffik. JR.acs2\g 01a*£». ANNUAL RACES. Easter Sa'tttrda.y, IQ a-ster First Ra.ce EacK Day 11.30 a.m. Trains leave Invercargill , 10 a.m., stopping at Raceeoursc, BiG FiELOS, STEEPLECHASES, N0BTHEBN H0BSE8. Joha Geary, Secretary.

Racing at Riverton and Lawrence on Saturday, Racing at Riverton, Lawrence and Riccarton on Monday. Great Autumn Handicap wiil be ruri at Riccarton on Tuesday. Splendid train service has been arranged for the Riverton meeting on Saturday and Monday. Though he ran very greenly at the local meeting, both the distance and opposition should suit liim and I expect to see Bengeroop win the Trial Stakes at Riverton, like he won the Lumsden Cup. They are a bad lot opposed to him. THE RIVERTON ANTICIPATIONS. Though a dozen paid up in the Waiau Steeplechase at Riverton on Saturday, there is a good dcal of difficulty in fhiding three horses likely to get round the course and fiil the places. What we saw of Magdala, Tokomairiro, and Fair Play recently makes them unlikcly winners. I Rokelaine, if well, lias certainly got better performaneeg than Silver Peak, and so has all the best of the handicap, cn paper, in the Aparima Handicap, but is. she well ? Silver Peak ran two good races at Invercargill and I thiuk will win again at Riverton. On Invercargill form neither Linden nor Glensponse can have any chance with her as she only meets them on 31bs and 41bs worse terms. In the Bluff Handicap at Invercargill Primum 8.6 first, and Mettle Drift 8.5 second, beat a fairly useful lot ont of sight. In the First County at Riverton Primum with 8.5 and Mettle Drift with 7.8 should find the much weaker opposition very soft stuff, especially if Jock's owners decide to run their horse in either of the other two engagements he has. With Tin Soldier and Samiel fcotli engaged in the Cup and Pourakino Handicap Hymers' owners appear to hold a very strong mortgage over both races should one be started in cach. Tin Soldier ran. two sterling races at Invercargill, a good horseman up in the Cup would have won the race for his owners too, and he only meets Rorke's Drift on 31bs, Almoner 61bs, and Jock 41bs worse terms than when hs ran away from them in the Awarua Handicap last Thursday. Should Messrs Price Bros.' take on the Cup he looks a moral to beat all but his stable-companion, Samiel. The latter carried 8.4 in the rnile race at Invercargill on the first day and won easily by four lengths, and in connection with this horse it should be noted that Tliaddeus, who ran third to him now meets him in the Cup on no less than 181bs better terms. The Wingatui horse ran two good races at Gore and under liigh weights two good races again at Invercargill. He is tho most likely to upset Hymer's best, but Samiel who will have George Young in the saddle looks good. The Great Western Steeplechase looks like being a match between Hogan's pair, Zarkoma and Silverspire again, and as the former is the better stayer he will prob- j al,y win again. Both horses will be imprc.ved by their xecent raeiog, and on Invercargill from none of the others who raced at the meeting can be given chances. Palladio, who is now trained by Tilford at Orari has not had a race since last June, and Kintailshore and Luigi are not class enough. The Boss 8.0, an improving horse, won so easily over seven furlongs on Thursday last, that in a race with the mtniimim fixed haif a stone higher, and only 8.6 he should feel quite at home in the Visitors' (

Haek race at Riverton. Miss Camoufiage meets Kilkee on the same terms in the Pourakino Handicap at Riverton as wlien she beat him most decisively in the Winter Oats at the local meeting last week. Others in the same race she meets well are Golden King 61bs better, Marianne 11b better, and Buller 4ibs worse. Surely Mr Jones, in framing his re-handicaps overlooked the fact that Miss Camoufiage carried nearly half a stone over-weight. She will be hard ! George Young will be riding at Riverton on Saturday and Riccarton on Monday and Tuesday. I guess he'll ride further and faster on Sunday. Loyalty to stafcle lads is a nice spirit for owners to show, but its terrible costly sometimes when carried out. Should George Young be on Silver Peak, Primum, Samiel, The Boss, and Miss Camoufiage again at Riverton he might easily repeat his record at Invercargill. The steeplechasers engaged at Riverton are not a classy lot. Tim O'Coimor is about again, a bit stiff and sore, but still gam'e. He can't ride at Riverton. Tji-.i brighton spot about Bright Spot would appear to be the price she brought in her late owner. Ayeliffe is to he sprinted again at Riverton. A good hack, but very very ordinary as a racehorse in open company. Christie's steeple chasers are not a likely lot this autumn. Alex M.Tvor looks like having two intimate old friends in Andy McKay and Buller to get out. of the barrier at Riverton on Saturday and Monday. For Alex's sake lot us hope that Andy and Buller ain't partners! Buller and Robert Bell, two of the best of the defunct Canrobert's stock, are both on the down ward grade now. Wild Pilgrim is a useful cut and corne again sort, and may yet win a hurdle race for his popular owner. He has now twico won tho local Disposal Stakes. A rule of racing provides that all jockeys, whether in a jumping or flat race, shall vvear an approved skull eap. At the Clifden meeting tbis rule was very frequently not complied with. "Billy" Robinson, as the local representative of the Jockey's Union, should see that important matters like this are not overlooked by his members. Warlike cost his followers a lot of money away from the course on both Wednesday and Thursday. Remember Bob McKay likes Radial's chance in the Great Easter Handicap on Saturday. Punters should remember that the totalisator accommodation at Riverton is limited and they should get in early. Everyone was glad to see Bill Stone have a couple of wins at Invercargill. He is a good sport, and always ready to tell a digger whether his horses have a chance. He'll always give a chap a lift on the road too, an act of kindness many who drive motors never think of. More apprentices are wanted or else the art of race-riding will die out witli the old hands now at the game. The riding at the local meeting was frequently bad, and to encourage apprentices a race should be put on by everv club for apprentices only. Racing is evidently becoming more popular in Southland with a class that has hitherto assoeiated themselves with semireligious matters. At the recent Invercargill meeting I notieed several prominent i lcadei's of the prohibition party in Inver-

cirgill enjoying the sport and also frequenting the pay out windows of the totalisator. kiore power to 'em ! With Rorke's Drift, Tin Soldier, and Samiel all owned or part owned by diggers, the boys from the front (and Trentham, d — that stew) will have some difficulty in selectirifg which to put their loyal half-quid on. Mine will he on what George Young rides, and I think he'll juat about get there too. It's a winning way young George has with him just now. Should "York's Drifth" win the Riverton Cup he would get a rousing reception from the diggers present. Fred was a great battler for the boys at the front, and the old horse never won a race that Fred didn't give a decent donation outof to some patriotic fund, He, too, was largely instrumental in keeping the _"tuck shop" at the Wallacetown yards going for the Red Cross Society. Rorke's Drifts other part owner "V.N." was some digger too. Mr Stone' s horses have won him nearly £2,500 in stakes this season. Good luck to him, and may he make it an even £3000 at Riverton. Old Rorke's Drift will be well favoured with the long straight at Riverton, and anything not doing his best towards the finish is sure to be given the "go-by" by Fied Price's old champion, The Lawrence Club received good acceptances for their annual rxces on Saturday. Listening Post's nomination for the Wellington meeting wexe overlooked. Local owners of trotters are complaining that no programme for the May meeting at Forbury Park are available. Palladio who has not raced since the last Winter meeting at Wingatui has paki up in the big steeplechase at Riverton.