SPORTING.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18441, 23 July 1925, Page 12

SPORTING.

Kilris has been laken in hand again hy A. E. Wormald at Riccarton. The Ki'boy filly looks well and should be o Q hand for early spring racing. The Welcome Stakes winner, Cyrene, was fired on Tuesday, and will be spelled for a few months.

The Waimate HuEt Meeting will be held to-day. The programme holds out prospects of an excellent day's racing, containing as it does the names of several Grand National and Winter Cup candidates.

In tho Waimate- Steeplechase Kipling is asked to give 141b more to Auroro and 231b more to Uncle Bob than he will do in the Grand National Steeplechase, and on the figures the last-named should win. But his form has not been good for a long time, and Aurore is tho more likely to beat the top-weight. Kaikahu showed useful form - at Ashburton, and if Paddy's Hope has not improved in his jumping in tho past few weeks the former should beat him in tho Studholmo Hurdles. Indus has not raced since the 1922-23 season, hut ono or two of his efforts then warrant his position at the head of the handicap in the Bluecliffs Hunters' Steeplechase. The best of his opponents is the iveteran Six Cylinder, whose form in this class of race has been good for several seasons.

Fairy Tidings and Some Abbey, on recent form, should be entrusted with most support in. the Waihao Hack Handicap. Shandre and Rockfellbw showed fair form last winter and their liking for easy going may be in their favour more so than with the two firstmentioned.

Many of those engaged in the Hunt Club Cup Steeplechase are likely to start in other races, but Night Raid and Lord Nagar would bo worth following no matter what form their opponents may show earlier in the day. The field for the Morren Welter is likelv to be reduced by the withdrawal of #aikahu and Castellan, who have engagements in the opening event, but the presence of this .pair is not likely to prejudice the chance of either Clontarf or Dancing Bays, both of whom have been racing particularly well lately.

The Hunters' Plate Flat Handicap is another race for which the size of the field will depend largely upon the results of earlier events, but Muzzle, Bachelor Gay. and Night Raid, it started, should all show that their entry was not ill-advised.

In connexion with the South Canterbury Hunt Meeting at Washdyke on Saturday a special train will leave Christehurch at 7.65 a.m., returning from Timaru at 6.30 p.m. \

Man o' War was a great racehorse, and he is now making a name for himself as a sire in America. There were 20 runners for a four and a-half furlongs race at Belmont Park (New York) on May 22nd, and the three nlace-gelters were by Man o' War. Tlie -winner, Taps, carried 8 2, and ran the four and a-half furlongs in 622-58, which, though a long way from an American record, easily beats tho best in the Commonwealth or New Zealand for that distance. However, the system of timing at meetings in New York State—it may he the same throughout America/ favours fast time. At Saratoga horses are not timed from harrier-rise, as they are here. The starting-machine is a little distance back from the post from which the race is timed, and consequently the horses are well on their legs before timetakers start their watches.

It is stated that when J. E. "Widener privately bought all the bloodstock in the estate of Major A. Belmont shortly after the latter's death year, the pride paid, was £Bo,otio. If that was correct, Mr Widener received at auction £76,400 more than the amount he gave for the stock. Even after the deduction of all expenses that would leave a very satisfactory profit.

Few mares that have raced with marked success have produced anything quite up to their own standard (says *'Pilot" in the Sydney "Referee"). Their vitality is td some extent affecied by severe training and racing, and at the stud this tells against many. On the other hand, the dams of many -firstclass racehorses have never raced. Waffles, dam of Manna, the latest English Derhy winner, is of the number, and he is her second foal. More second foals than any other have won the English Derby, Manna being the 28th. However, this does not conclusively prove that a mare's second foal is likely to he her hest.