SPORTING.

Press, Volume LXIV, Issue 19202, 7 January 1928, Page 16

SPORTING.

RACING FIXTURES.

Jan. 7—Reef ton J.C. 'second da; J. Jan. 7, !l —Viiice:i: J.C. Jan. I'-'. 14—DargcviHe R.C. Summer. Jan. M —Ashburton Co:;uty R.C. t-unr.no.-. Jan. 21, -::—Ko.-.ton K.C. Anj.ual. Feb. I —Tnnaiivi K.C. Annual. Feb. 20. -0— -V'j:-•_-.!) J.C. Ao:.ual. TROTTING FIXTURES. Ja:i. "ti. '_; —: ovi.ury Fart T.C. Jan. 2S —hauke's b&y J.C. Jan. 31, Feb. I—Nelson T.C. Feb. 2 —T.-.kaka T.C . Fob. 11— N.Z. Metropolitan T.C. TURF GOSSIP.

At slie- conclusion oi ihe Lup eontest in. Ueeltuii yesterday die silver cup attached to the slake was handed by Mr E. Spencer, president oi' lbs dub, to -Mr C. S. Xcviliu. who received it on behalf of the owner, Mr H. Dunipicr-Crossley. the latter beiny unable to be present. Tlie president mentioned thai the cup had been given to commemorate the jubilee oi the club, which look place this year. Oriil.'inib was wore when doing his preliminary lor his race at lieet'ton yesterday, but showed no signs of the ailment during the race. He will nob be a starter to-day.

Spodc made a gallant cli'ort to will the concluding event at Keelton yesterday, but the weight told on him in tht) last hundred yards. Opliir showed a dash of brilliance when he was taken to tlie trout three furlongs from home in the Jubilee Cup race at Reel'ton yesterday, and it would have taken it good liorse to have beaten him on the day. He should again bo. a hard proposition in today's engagement to which is attached another silver cup given by tlie Licensed Victuallers' Association.

Rina Mangu lias not done well since the Hokitika Meeting and ran a bad race at Rcefton yesterday. She is to be given a spell on her return to Riccarton.

Fresco cracked up badly in the big race at Rcefton yesterday and the best has probably been seen of tlie Sarto gelding. Motor Smash executed a good gallop with Opliir at Reefton on Thursday and hi; chances yesterday were considered favourable. He got squeezed out after tlie dispatch, however, and was never in the picture. Tlie Railway Department advertises particulars regarding cheap fares and train arrangements in connexion with the Ashburton Race Meeting on January 14th.

TROTTING NOTES.

Nominations for the Forbury Park T.C.'s Summer Meeting close on Monday at 5 p.m.

' Nominations for the Cheviot T.C. s Annual Meeting to be held on February 4th, close on Saturday nest. The Cheviot Cup, of 100 sovs, two miles, is for 4.56 class horses. Nominations for the Nelson Trotting Club's Annual Meeting close on Tuesday next at 8 p.m.

At the request of a number of owners with horses racing at West Coast Meetings, the Railway Department agreed to run a train from Greymouth to Christehurch during Thursday night, and it left at'B o'clock, arriving here at 4.30 a.m. yesterday. Tlie train had GO passengers, and brought back the same number of horses. Trotting owners speak highly of the Department's action in complying with the request at short notice. Sunstorm, a winner at the Southland Racing Club's Meeting, was for a time trained 'at New Brighton by R. &• Mills, in whose hands he showed a lot of promise.

Concliff went a bit sore after running second to Peterwah in the Summer Cup and was not started on the final day of .the Meeting, says an Auckland exchange. The chestnut went one of his best races when he followed Peterwah home, but it is clear he is not the champion he was claimed when he was first- brought across from Sydney some time ago.

Pet Locauda, winner of the opening event at Greymouth on Thursday, is a good looking three-year-old filly by Brent Locanda from Petrova, by Petereta—General Lincoln mare. She made her initial appearance in the Advance Handicap at the Ashburton Meeting on Boxing Day, and though beaten by a good margin by Doris Pointer and Aleron she easily beat the remainder She has already shown some ability in her work, and her win was not altogether unexpected. The Oamaru horseman, J. MeLennan, has a very creditable record for the present season, having ridden or driven 14 winners, including a deadheat. M. B. Edwards, with a win at Greymouth, on Thursday, brought his total up to 13, and others well up in the list include P. G. Holmes 11,- W. J. Tomkinson 10. and J. Shaw and D. Withers nine each.

At the Phoenix race track, Arizona, on November 34th, Guy McKinney, by Guy Axworthy—Queenly McKinney, in an effort to beat a record of 2.1. covered a mile in 1.08-12, establishing a world's record for a Tour-year-old. Guy McKinney was due to make ;«n attempt to lower these figures on December Ist, but weather conditions were against him, and the attempt was postponed. It is anticipated that when Guy McKinney next attacks the record he is likely to lower the world's stallion record of 1.58 i, held by Lee Axworthy. In the attempt made recently. Guv McKinney covered the first quarter mile in 29-J. the half mile in a minute, and six furlongs in 1.293.

Bell Harold and Trenand are booked to leave for West Australia in tlie near future.

Escapade was not brought back to Christehurch with the remainder of R. B. Berry's team. Tlie Nelson Bingen mare was left in J. T. Paul's care to be prepared for ihe Otiihuhu Meeting next month.

ROYAL FEAST DROPS DEAD,

(by cable— press association—corraiGHr.) (AUSTRALIAN AN'D S.Z CABLE ASSOCIATION".) (R-eeeived Januarv 6th, 11.05 p.m.) MELBOURNE. January (3.

Royal Feast dropped dead while exercising on the track at Flemington this morning.