SPORTING

Greymouth Evening Star, 1 December 1926, Page 6

SPORTING

RACING FIXTURES. Dec. 4. —Methveu. Dec. 8 and 9. —Woodville. Dec. 10 and 11. —South Canterbury. Dec. 27.—Waipukurau. Dec. 27 and 28.—Westland. . TROTTING FIXTURES. Dec. 8 and 11.—Wellington. Dec. 16, 18.—New Brighton. Dec. 27, 28.—Westport. Dec. 27, 28. —South Wairarapa. FEILDING J.C. MEETING. (Per Press Association.) FEILDING, November 30. For the first day of the Feilding Spring Meeting the weather was dull, but fine. The track was very heavy owing to recent rains. There was a good attendance, and the tote took £20,750, compared with £28,463 last year. . Remaining results: — Kowhai Hack. — (5) Alloway (L. G. Morris) 1, (10) Rising Star 2, (1) Elysianor 3. Also ran—(3) Great Day, (2) Lady Anstruther, (11) Wilderness (8) Partaga, (4) Anchor, (9) Raukura, (6) Vivo, (7) Petal, (13) Lad o’ Mine, (12) Merry Ann, (5) Fiery Comet and (5) Conviction. Won by one and a half lengths; the same. Time 1.33. Feilding Stakes. —(4) Grand Knight (B. H. Morris) 1, (2) Limited 2 , (2) Tamatete 3.'Also ran—(s) The Thorn, (3) Glentruin, (1) Lady Cavendish and (6) Oscillation. Won by a neck; one and a-half lengths. Time 1.4 4-5. ..

Flying Handicap—(3) Orchid (L.. G. Morris) 1, (4) Epistle 2, (10) Lady Bentinck 3. Also ran —(5) Deluge, (1? First Acre, (2) Merry Jest, (9) Decoy Bird, (7) Royal Damon, (6) Nine of Spades and (8) Bonogne. Won by one and a half lengths. rime 1.18 1-5.

Fitzroy Hack —(2) Plain Sailing (J. S. Potter) 1, (9) Volplane 2, (7) Sea Star 3. Also ran—(l2) Quillfire, (14) Horomea, (8) Spode, (4) Bank Note, (5) Royal Elm, (10) Tannadice, (13) Titree, (1) Jazz Baby, (16) Acred, (3) Addlepate, (16) Royal Land, (15) Lieutenant Bill, (11) Calluna. Won by two lengths. Kiwitea Highweight.—(9) Santonio (R. J. Mackie) 1, (5) Kilmiss 2, (6) Alaric 3. Also ran—.(B) Beaumont, (4) Killoch, (3) The Lamb, (7) Bonhomme, (1) Monoghan, (2) Bennanee, (13) Pantier, (12) Red Bob, (11) Mountain Top and (10) Othon. Won by two lengths; one length. Time 1.53.

METHVEN ACCEPTANCES. Following are the acceptances for the Methven Racing Chib’s Annual Meeting on December 4: — Mount Harding Hack Handicap, one mile.—His Majesty 10.11. Coch-y-Bondhu 10.5, Thorndale 10.1, Gaybird 9.5, Clarenson, Saxette, Horatius 9.2, Tam Glen 9.0. Springfield Trial Plate, 6 furlongs— Tam Glen, The Atom, Bloodshed. Kilbox, Nunumai, Grey Wells, Kells, Master Clarence, Royal Head, Master Blanche, Moratorium, Clantoi, All Colours, Chivalry. , Drayton Trot Handicap, 1J miles. — Direct Wave, Little Kewpie, Brent Fire, Genuine, Roldena, Princess Thorpe, Pante, Bagpipes, Molly Pointer, Logan Lily, Great Actress, Tetrachord, Carnival, Noble Dillon, Loburn scr., Amy Audubon 12, Betty’s Boy, Whakataua, Fair Dillon. Coinage 24, Daisy Pointer 36, Bower Dillon, Locanda General 48, Sahib, Sir Logan 60 My Sonny 72, Huon Denver 84, Hackthorne 84, Ayr, Honour. Bright 96. Methven Cup, 1J miles. —Red Wink 9.0, Margaret Birney 7*13, John Bradbury 7.9, Kilris, Gay Juliet 7.0. Electric Hack Handicap, 6 furlongs —Solrose, Precious 9.0, Gold Mint 8.3, Thorndale 7.9, Gay Bird, Queen’s Bounty 7.0. Viewmont Handicap, 7 furlongs.— Economist 9.12, Will Oakland 8.13, Gold Brick 8.10, Kilris, Gay Juliet 8.8, Coch-y-Bondhu 8.4, Tam Glen 7.11. Farmers’ Trot Handicap, 1J miles — Direct Wave, Riranu, Little Kewpie, Fred Logan, Genuin, Roldena, Prin. cess Thorpe, Panto, Bagpipes, Molly Pointer, L. Lily, Tetrachord, Carnival Bell Somerton, Loburn scr'., Kempfon Amy Audubon 12, Betty’s Boy/Whaka tana, Bay Nut 24, Daisy Pointer 48, Bower Dillon, Bon Elect 60, Sahib 72, My Sonny 84, St. Bridget 96, Huon Denver 108, Killinchy 120. Mount Hutt Handicap, 6 furlongs— Nincompoop 9.0, Moorland 8.11, Economist 8.9, Finora 7.11, Gold Brick 7.5, Gay Juliet 7.2. ' NEWS AND NOTES. Nominations for all events at the Westport Trotting Meeting close tomorrow night. J. Stewart has his team stabled at Omoto, and they are all well forward for the Christmas campaign. Seven favourites scored at Ashhurst last Wednesday. The Takapuna meeting on Saturday was a bad one for the first favourites.

Oriflamb, who is booked for the Coast meetings is showing good promise as a hurdler at Riccarton and is giving very encouraging displays over the fences. Horatius is showing a good turn of speed at Riccarton and his trip to the Coast should be successful. The weights for the Auckland Cup and Railway Handicap are due to make their appearance on Thursday.

L. G. Morris will succeed M. M’Carten as leading horseman for F. Tilley’s Fordell stable. Hopes of getting another race out of Master Sandstone have evidently been given up. He has been thrown out of training, and will probably end his days as a hack. Nincompoop may justify the high opinion held of him by the weight adjuster, but on his performances he can have little chance of beating many of the horses that he is asked to meet on the present handicap. D. P. Wilson, who has purchased an hotel in Dunedin, has decided to retire from the ranks of trainers, and Black Duke, Tione, King Sol, and Craighmore in future will be trained by his brother, T. Wilson.

Ruapapa, who won the Alison Cup on Saturday, won the event last year, too. A year ago he carried S 5, and those he beat included Muskitoon, Polonett and Spoony. This year his weight was 41b less, bur. even so, he was not really strongly jn favour.

As a result of accidents in hurdle events at Takapuna meetings the stewards decided to eliminate .such races from the future programmes and at the spring meeting now in progress replaced them with highweight handicaps. It is rather disconcerting to read that two horses fell in this particular race on Saturday. The inquiry found that the incident was accidental, but it is unfortunate that there should have been a recurrence of the trouble on this course.

Under the headings, “Has Maoriland Slipped?” and “Randwick Duds Shine When Back Home,” the Sydney Sportsman has the following in a recent issue:—“The victories of Rapine in New Zealand raise the question whether the standard of the distance horses in the land .. of the moa is as good as it is generally believed to be or as good as it was a year or so back. Rapine was over here for. the A.J.C. Spring Meeting, and, though he filled a couple of minor places, he was a hopeless case in every race he contested, no matter what the distance. Immediately the Randwick racing was over, the son of Martian was rushed back to Maoriland, and it did not take him long, under the steadier of 9.6 to win one

'of the plums of the New Zealand turf. The fact that he won the Canterbury Cup suggests that the standard of, New Zealand stayers is only moderate, and this must be taken in conjunction with the win of Count Cavour a week earlier. Like Rapine, Count Cavour was here for the spring racing, and, though’ he won one small race —the Hawkesbury Spring Handicap—he was a duffer against our distance handicappers, who are a poor enough lot. After his Hawkesbury win Count Cavour was started in the Metropolitan Stakes, but he couldn’t beat one horse home, and .was the last of the big field to pass the judge. The victory of Star Stranger in the Metropolitan, somewhat atoned for the defection of his compatriots, but he had less than weight-for-age, and the bad riding of one of his opponent’s jockeys assisted materially in his success. It is a long, long time since an Australian owner sent across a good horse to engage the cracks of Maoriland on account of the heavy travelling expenses .entailed in the land of shakes, but the victories of Rapine and Count Cavour in Town Hall company across the Tasman suggests that the venture would not be in vain.”

WESTPORT TROTS (By “Abydos.”) WESTPORT, November 30. Matters in the trotting world are again reaching a stage of normality after the recent flood troubles, and the trade and appointments look none the worse for their submersion. Caretaker Harry Clark has everything in apple pie order and “Scotty” Bryce or Iris son will find the track in excellent order for their record making mission at Christmas. Numerous enquiries are »being received by owners of stables regarding accommodation during the holiday season at Westport, which is a pretty good indication that there will be a big list of entrants on Thursday next December’ 2nd. The excellent steamer arrangements made for transport of horses and equipment this year will be greatly appreciated by Coast and Canterbury owners and there will be no excuse offering now on the score of difficulty in transit.' The walking stunt will not be necessary, and this fact alone should make a very appreciable increase in the nomination and acceptance lists this year. With the assurance of a good team from the Southern end of the Golder Coast and the promise of a big con-

tingent from over the ranges, together with the usual shipment from Nelson, local mentors will require to have their charges in good fettle if thev wish to retain a fair share of the stake money in the Buller district. Judging by the improved form being shown lately on the local track by several candidates, there is every n r >nbility that some of the good silver being handed out by the Westport Club, will find its way into the pockets of Buller owners, among which is included our sporting Karamea friends. There are a fair number of free legged customers in work, and the. maiden section in this department is showing form suggestive of something unexpected happening on the eventful day. There will of course be some hot stuff in this particular line among the visiting contingent, but if the elect of Buller continue to make corresponding progress from now till race day, the visitors will find that matters will not be all their own way, and Curly Farley, the Waimangaroa enthusiast, has the big mare comfort in excellent nick, and she promises to take a prominent part in the decision of some of the unhoppled events during the forthcoming meeting. Wild Peter has improved out of recognition, and if young Comerford can keep him going along alright till the trysting day the Petereta chap will have a lot of friends. Billy Ashley had a short respite after his Coast tour, and has come up again as fresh as a lot of the paint being used now in readiness for the Jubilee Week. Billy promises to makf his connections enjoy the Carnival celebrations alright. t Gus Parkey will not take the colours out of the box this Christmas, as both Dart and September Morn have been turned out. The former had a bad time during the flood and was lucky to come through the trying period alive. The chestnut filly September Morn went lame just as she was showing exceptional promise for Jimmy Craig, the ex-Murchison expert. Probably one of the most improved trotters at present jn commission is the Loreen Todd —Daphne Wilkes mare, Block Cake, in Charlie Crad dock’s stables. The mare, which looked a total wreck when taken in hand by the popular and painstaking mentor has made wonderful improvement in Charlie’s' hands and she may surprise the natives in one of the squaregaited contests. Jock Stowell is jogging the Charlie McKinney —Wild Mona gelding about, but he will not be ready for the Chirstmas plums. The brother to Merca-da-nte has been chistened New Merca, and so far has not quite decided whether to trot or pace. Great reports were coming to hand from Nelson of the doings of the Birchfield owned mare, Lady McKinney, but she failed to make any showing on the day, when harnessed up at Richmond. Later reports state the Charlie McKinney —Picaroon mart never looked like winning.

The New Zealand Association would not agree to register J. M. Robertson’s filly by Dey de Ora from Daphne Wilkes, as Silver Thread, the name it being suggested might lead to confusion with Silk Thread. John hds now found another suitable musical selection in the appellation —Alpine Melody. Alpine Melody went very close to passing in her mantle the night oi the flood and was only rescued at the eleventh hour. She ik working again as if nothing untoward had happened and is a promising maiden. Betty Blue is looking more forward than when she journeyed to Reefton, and looks like effecting a come-back. A win for her owner would be encourag ing as lie has not had the best of luck with his former representatives. Ocean Chimes is looking a picture; and all the girls are saving their sweets money to be a bit with Jack on the day. If looks would win money the Jingle mare would get a big wad, but there stands that tricky little word between victory or defeat. What a dainty little lady is Mist. Realm, and what a wonderful improvement Len Flaherty has made in her general appearance during the last few weeks. Since the splendid showing of another of Realm’s progeny, in Shadow Land, the local filly is creating more interest. James Smith, probably the oldest horseman on the Coast has signed on with Mick Ford and has taken charge of Rothbell. The veteran jockstei who is perhaps better known in sport ing parlours as “Shandy” has the old gee gee looking well and is quite con ixdent he can get a good mile out of the .Granity pacer yet. Lipchain’s new charge, known among the heads as “One Eye” is a maiden that appears a cut above the ordinary, but has yet to be lined out in company with pressure on. W. Peterson has Pretty Molly in

hand and it is stated there will be a lot of Millerton money for Brosnahan’s mare on the day. She has not captured any trophies so far. Andy Phillips has Knocklyn looking and moving well. The mare was knocking the other day when she ran over one of the dowes, and some one got knocked out of the trap. Knocklyn will, however, be knocking at Christinas. Bonny Audubon is as handsome as ever, and promises to be in apple-pie order when the fixtures rolls round. A win would not do any harm, and it would be very popular as the O’Neill boys are keen supporters of the light harness sport.