SPORTING

Feilding Star, Volume XVIII, Issue 4593, 19 May 1922, Page 4

SPORTING

WANGANUI MEETING. (Per Press Association.) Wanganui, May 18. The Wanganui Jockey Club's winter meeting commenced to-day in showery weather. The going was holding. The totalisator handled £27,326 against £42,009 on the first day last j'ear. Additional results: Kaitoko Hack Hurdles, 1? miles.— Whizz Bang, 9.0 (W. D. Young) 1; Simonides 10.11, 2; Voluble 10, 3. Also started: Wamba, Vagabond, Ladogeur, Ruatara, Matatua, Ethiopian, Guianiorm, Noble. Won by two lengths, with four lengths between second and third. Time, 3.21 3-5. Century Hurdles, 2i miles—Poanui, 10.1 (M. D. O'Shca) 1; Spook 9.0, 2 ; Alteration 10.7, 3. Also ran: Explorer, Gladful, Gamecock, Whanoko, Kyoto. Poanui went to the front at the half mile, and beat Spook by four lengths. Alteration was two lengths away. Time, 4.21 3-5. Kyoto fell. Connolly Handican, 1 mile and a distance—Printemps, B.G (L. G. Butler) 1; Marqueteur 9.11, 2; Bonnetter 8.3, 3. Also started: Tame Fox, I'unka, Correspondent, Mangamahoe, Scion, Sunny Corner, Cleasanta. Stork. Eerie.' Won by a short head; two lengths between second and third. Time, 2.14 2-5. Puma Hack, 1 mile 110 yards.— Mort Avis, 9.0 (H. Goldfinch) 1; Merry Queen 7.3, 2; Gold Star 7.10, 3. Also started : Crossfire, Left, All Cerise, Marble Crag, Lady Nassau, Birkonelln, Martulla, Te Kuri, Skylight, Mollecn Oc:e. Yankee Dan. Manchester, Fiddlestrings, Sweet Song, Santiago, Merry Ann, Patrogun. AVon b- threequarters of a length, with the same distance between second and third. Time, 1.54 3-5.

NOTES AND COMMENTS. T. Chaplin is to ride Koura in the Great Northern Steeplechase. After a lengthy spell. Sir Agnes has again been put into work at Te Aroha. Duo lias been fired, and in consequence is enjoying a spell in the Daddock. Kato, a double winner at Egmont meeting, has been nominated for events at Dunedin J.C. winter meeting. The Otago Steeplechase, worth lOOOsovs., has only attracted a nomination of 14. S. Brereton, until lately acting as private trainer to Mrs Perry and Mr W. F. Desha, has severed his connection with the Otatara establishment. The Hawke's Bay J.C. paid the Government £3491 4s 3d in tax over their autumn meeting. Polemarch, a chestnut son of The 'Petrarch, who brought off a surprise in the Doncaster St. Leger last September, is the subject of some eulogistic writings, and in the London Referee a writer describes him as one of the handsomest horses that has graced Newmarket for some time. Polemarch, who was privately bred by Lord Londonderry, is out of the Polymelus mare Pomace. In the recent Liverpool Grand National Steeplechase W. Hawkins had an exciting experience with Sergeant Murphy, who slipped into the canal ditch; The jockey pulled his horse out and finally got him over, but two fences later he refused, and his bridle came off. It took Hawkins some time to put it on again, but he eventually completed the course and finished 'fourth. When the "Sergeant" slipped into the ditch there was a scrimmage, in which All White, Norton, and General Saxham were brought down. Wavertree had been previously knocked over by a loose horse, aiid later Square Up refused. Clashing Arms came down at B'eecher's Brook, which Arravale cleared, but, landing on two fallen horses, was brought to earth. The Carbine Plate, which event holds a place on the Auckland Racing's Club's winter programme, has this year attracted an entry of 35. In the event of Waimai fulfilling his engagement in the forthcoming Great 'Northern Steeplechase (says "Phaeton" in the New Zealand Herald), Spalpeen's veteran son will have the record of having contested the Ellerslie cross country race on sis occasions. In 1916 he Tan second, with 11.5, to El Gallo (11.2), but the next year he failed to get round when'carrying 12.2. The following voar, however, saw him carry 12.0 to victory, and in the" following year, under 12.7, he defeated all his field with the exception of Master Lupin, to whom he was conceding 251 b. In last year's race, Waimai ran unplaced, tinder 11.5. In this year's race Waimai is justifiably let off with 10.4. Julia Grey, who won the Doncaster Handicap at Randwick last month, was bred by the late Mark Thompson, who was for many years n leading trainer in New South Wales. The mare is owned andraced by his widow. Mrs Thompson is credited with having had the nice wager of 1000 to 30 about the mare when she won the big mile race at Randwick last month.

The New Zealand colt The Cypher (Martian —Polymnia), who was purchased by a Victorian sportsman from the Douglas Trustees at a high figure in January last, has been eased up and will not be required to race again until next season. Mr W. H. Mackay, the owner of Beauford, is a pastoralist in NewSouth Wales. He does not bet, and a Sydney paper refers to him as "one of the best types of old sportsmen." It is probable that It. J. Mason will' leave for S dney next month with a team of horses. Dame Straitlace changed hands last week, being sold by Sir George Clifford to Mr H. Cassidy. Ho got back some of her purchase money the first time of asking at the Ashburton meeting.