SPORTING

Greymouth Evening Star, 23 May 1925, Page 6

SPORTING

RACING NEWS AND NOTES.

(By “Arlington.”) Gay Juiiet is reported, to be working well at Riccarton, and the daughter of Gay . Lad and Gargaron should win a good handicap in the near future. ; Castellan and Fresco are both enjoying a spell in the paddock. Castellan may be given an opportunity to distinguish himself over the hurdles. F. Hanlon has recommissioned Fa* brinade and Hiero at Riccarton. Fabrinade is well forward, but it will be , some time before Hiero is at his best. Why not a “blind” tote—a machine that does not disclose the investments ' until after the 'race? says a writer in the “Sydney Sun.” This method hasy met with great success in Tasmania, \ where it is markedly popular with all classes of It is suicidal for a horse’s connections to work a commission of any size on the “open’ machine, for, K next to his hope, a punter’s most outstanding idiosyncrasy is his sheep-like following of leads (more often than not to his sorrow). The Tasmanian experiment ..diverted most of the investment to the blind machine, and since its inception has averaged much < better prices about well-backed horses than the open machine. This is exactly what the average punter wants. Peculiarly no big dividends about outsiddl’S have marked its career, and men in a position to know declare this to be due to the fact that it encourages the backing of more horses in a race. Good news for any punter! It is a dull punter who does not realise his inability to keep ahead of it by picking actual winners- The 1,2, 3 means is his only hope, and the better the price the better his chance. Tasmanian statistics prove that tho “blind” tote considerably helps him. Nothing has impresesd Ellerslie truck-watchers more than Sir Roseberry, who gave a perfect exhibition over a round of the steeplechase fences on Tuesday morning. Sir Roseberry finished his task attractively, and he should strip a very fit horse next 1 month. For a beginner, Irish Jig has shown himself to be a fine jumper of the big fences. . He accompanied Sir Roseberry in his latest schooling, and g ave a high-class exhibition. Dubious has been re-handicapped at 9.4 in the Great Northern Hurdles.

DISTRICT. COMMITTED A meeting of the West Coast District Committee was held yesterday afternoon. Mr. 1 T. E. Coates (Grey Jockey Club) presided, and the following clubs werefrepresented: Grey Trotting'Club (P. C. Heaphy); Reefton Jockey Club ’(A. Perotti); Reefton Trotting Club (M. Fagan); Westland Racing Club (D._ J. Evans); Westland Trotting Club (F. McGregor). A programme of dates for the Christmas and New Year fixtures was considered, and approved, by all the Clubs concerned excepting the Retefton Jockey Club. > It was resolved that the Reefton Jockey Club, be assted to reconsider its decision and accept the dates proposed, which would not prejudice the position of that Club in future years. The dates for the meetings of the various Clubs are as follow: — Westport Trots: December 26 and 28; Hokitika Racing Club, December 26 and 28; Reefton Trots, December 30; Grey Racing Club, December 31' and January 1 and 4, 1926; Hokitika Trots, January 2; Grey Trots, January 5 and 6; Reefton Jockey Club, January 7 and 8.