SPORT AMD PASTIME. The Turf.

Evening Post, Volume LXXVII, Issue 102, 1 May 1909, Page 14

SPORT AMD PASTIME. The Turf.

RACING FIXTURES. SEASON 1909. May I—Christchurch1 — Christchurch R.C. Autumn. May 5 and 6 — Marlborough R.C Autumn May 5 and 6 — Hawkes Bay J.C. Autumn. May 12 and 13— Egmont R.C. Winter. May 12 and 13 — Ashburton County R.C. Autumn. May 22 and 24— North Otago J.C. Winter. May 22 and 24— Takapuna J.C. Winter. May 22 and 24— Wanganui J.C. Winter. June 3 and 4 — Dunedin J.C. Winter. Juno 3 and 4 — Otaki-Maori R.C. Winter. June 3, 5, and 9 — A.R.C. Great Northern Steeplechase. June 16 and 17 — Hawkes Bay J.C. Winter. June 26 and 24— Napier Park R.C. Winter Meeting. The Hawkes Bay meeting will be the prime attraction next week. The Cup is contested on the opening, and the Sta-kes on the concluding day. As far as I can figure it the field in the w.f.a. event wiP be composed of the following: — Provocation 8.7 (mcl. 181b penalty) ; Maori King 8.3 (mcl. 141b pen. ; Elysian 7.13 (mcl. 101b pen.) ; Nautiform 7.13 (mcl. 101b pen.) ; Xylophone 7.3; Day Beam 7.3; Glissade 7.1, and Thistledown 6.8. Provocation arrived at- Hastings yesterday. It is. to be hoped that ' Hatch's services will be avails able, but 1 believe this will be settled to-day. Provocation is one of the generous sort. Strides along and just requires judicious nursing from liis rider. A change of horseman might possibly prove detrimental to the colt's prospects for he has got a fctiff load to carry, and the last hundred yards will tell. On spring form Nautiform would make a great race with Mr. Bidwill's colt, but there can be no hesitation in declaring that, in the meantime, Provocation has come on rather more than the Yaldhurst colt. The pace is sure to be sound ; a smart beginner like Xylophone will see to that. Still whichever waj the race is run if Provocation wins he will have performed a task that has not been accomplished in the thirteen years history of the H.B. Stakes, that is for a wo-year-old to triumph under the maxijmum penalty. Air. Coyle must be very gratified with the acceptance for the Hawkes Bay Cup. A field of fifteen is likely to go to the post, and the issue is remarkably open. Mr. Coyle has not altered Master Soult's weight, but he lias increased Sir Tristram's burden to 8.2. Class is very conspicuous in the Cup, and the meeting of Downfall, Master Soult, California, Moral, Tangimoana, Kopu, 'and Sir Tristram will be one of the biggest sporting events of the season. Mr. M'Mana.way does not intend to run Mahuta. If he would only gallop as he did as a three and four year old, his weight .■would not stop him, but after persevering with the handsome black for thirteen months without winning one small stake, Mahuta's owner is feeling just about "fed up." Waitapu was all to pieces at Riccarton, but since his return to Foxton has been hitting out freely. A gross indolent sort, the chances are he has put on superfluous tissue the last few weeks. The Hawkes Bay Cup in its time has been won by some good horses. Solution and Maniapoto's victories preluded their very successful Sydney campaign. Douglas won it twice. Day Star as a three year old scored Lav Auckland, as did Elysian's dam, two years before. Searchlight, the hot-headed daughter of Maxim and Iris, a mare that took a tremendous lot of holding, beat a very small field when she won m Mr. George Hunter's colours. I fancy there were only four or five runners that year. Adam Byers, an oldtime Auckland trainer, was very keen on Searchlight," and told me she was nearly sure to win. On the other hand, Lady Zetland was one of the can't-get-beat propositions. If I remember correctly, Lady Zetland had been narrowly beaten in the Wanganui Cup by Spindrift, and she looked a paper certainty for the Hawkes Bay Cup. . She was very sore on the day of the race, which I did not know of at the time, and meeting a once well-known " bookie " — who happened to be well posted — he laid me a level fifty Lady Zetland would not get a place. However, she just scrambled into third place, beating old Lotion, who was badly in want of some. Punting is not unlike billiards. A " fluke " now and again results in a better break than is possible by the coolest and most deliberate play. Somehow the " flukes " are getting rarer and larer nowadays in the racing game. Bayardo was on all sides said to be a real snip for the 2000 guineas. If he started he failed to get in J;he first three. The King's colt Minorn is a son of Cyllene, who comes from one of Bruce Lowe's outside families. I fancy Minorn is the first classic winner Cyllene has sired. The "Special Commissioner," writing in the London Sportsman, selected Bayardo (Bay Ronald — Galacia), Glasgerion (Gallinule — Excellenza), and Golden Flight (Gallinule — Little Eva) on the figure system to furnish the winner, but this ardent advo cate of Bruce Lowe was all astray on this occasion. Minorn's win will mean a. reshuffling in the betting on the Derby. A few days prior to the 2000 Guineas, Bayardo was at a comparatively shork.price in the betting for the "blue riband " Minorn won one good race as a two-year-old — the Great Surrey Foal Stakes. By the way, Cyllene is bred somewhat along the same lines as the Grand National winner, Lutteur 111. Cyllene's clam, Arcadia, was a daughter of Isonomy and Distant Shore, whilst St. Damien, sire of Lutteur, was a son of Hermit and Distant Shore. Cyllene, although he never won a classic, was easily the best of his year, and was nearly a stone in front of Jeddah, the Derby winner of his . yeai. Writes "Javelin" in the Leader : — Dog racing, one of the most popular sports amongst the North of England pitmen, and which appears to bo catching op hera wiih the owners of whippets and terriers, came under consideration in the smoking carriage one Saturday night. The sport ii- so new to most Australians that few of them know anything about it. "Wot gits over me," remarked one sport, "is that with no hares or rabbits to chase 'ow they git 'em to run straight, an' nobody on top ridin' or guidin' 'em !" The speaker enjoys the questionable reputation of being able to ride a dead 'un as cleverly as mof*t of them, therefore there was a general and significant laugh when the inevitable little man with the big pipe observed, "P'raps it's not havin' ennybody on top ac makes 'em run so straight!" THE BLADE. MARLBOROUGH R.C. ACCEPTANCES. [BT TEfiEGEAPH — l'ttESS ASSOCIATION. J BLENHEIM, 30th April. The following are the acceptances for the first day's events at the Marlborough Eacins? Club's autumn meeting: — Hack Hurdles ; one mile and a half. — Playmate 11.5, Lerida 10.6, Scenery 9.13, Diplomatic 9.9, Rendrock 9.9, Kaheroa 9.7, Burton 9.6, and Rosegrove 80Mariborough Cup ; one mile and a quarter.— Mertx- Eose - 8.8,,- Majora, _S.4 r

Silken Rein 8.4, Lawn Rose 8.1, Mataari 7.12, Osiris 7.12, Gaelic 7.11, Daisy Paul 7.9, and Belario 7.8. Opawa Welter Hack; seven furlongs. —King Post 10.5, Aotea 9.11, Sealer 9.10, Quarry Girl 8.11, Vinco 8.5, Gold Bird 8.5, Oblivion 8.1, and Flint Gun 8.0. Flying Handicap; six furlongs.—Tumut 9.10, Irish Rifle 8.10, Toa, Tuhi 7.12, Rock Ferry 7.5, and Burton 7.0. Autumn Hack Handicap ; six furlongs. — Sealer 9.0, Lucretius 8 13, Glen 8.4, Curator 8.0, Oblivion 7.4, and Recollection 7.0. Ugbrooke Welter; seven furlongs. — Mohican 10.0, San Fernando 9.13, Maiora 9.10, Silken Rein 9.10, Mataiari 9.4, Gaelic 9.4, Sandix 9.1, Aberration 9.1, Daisy Paul 9.1, Belario 9.0, Rendrock 8.3, "White Ribbon 8.0, Rosegrove 7.13, and Gold Bird 7.12< Electric Hack Handicap ; five furlongs.—Te Ru 8.11, Axite 8.5, Glen 8.5, Twinkle 7.13, Leahora 7.12, Merry Christmas 7.9, Glentui 7.9, Prevail 7.4, Iphatus 7.0, Waiata 7.0, Matira 7.0, Overrate 7.0, and Emma 7.0. AUCKLAND RACING CLUB'S • WINTER MEETING. AUCKLAND, 30th April. The following nominations were received to-night for the principal steeplechase and hurdle events at the Auckland Racing Club's Winter meeting : — Grand National Hurdles.— Heathen, Waikalo, Maidi, Newtown, Showman, Snip, Commander, Master Douglas, Maharanui, Auratus, Swagsman, Good Faith, Reservoir, Lyrist, Kremlin, Ben Jonson, Cuiragno, Creusot, Jackpot, Corazon, Audax, Kairoma, North Head, Poplar, Bull}, Sol, Paritutu, Exmoor, Belario, Kiatere, Waipu, Tui Cakabou, Irish, Oryx, Feu-de-joie, Lion Heart. Grand National Steeplechase. — Aroha, Maidi, Leonardo, Good Faith, Mozart, Reservoir, Le Beau, Kremlin, Cuiragno, Mawhiti, Creusot, Jackpot, Whimper, Nogi, Audax, Mooshen, Capitol, Sol, Playmate, Pawa, Lingerer, Lion Heart, Te Arai, Kaipetipeti, Oryx, Irish, Okaihau, Waipu, Kiatere, Bullworth.