SPORTING

Greymouth Evening Star, 6 December 1929, Page 11

SPORTING

CANTERBURY NOTES. (Special to “Star.”) CHRISTCHURCH, December 5. Locally Paquito is a staunch favourite for the Auckland Cup, and ms trainer is one of those who favour his chances. Only for Nightmqrch and Chide being in the list, it is quite probable that the handicapper would have given Paquito several more pounds, and in their absence he looks particularly well treated. During the past week Paquito has been given useful tasks, and promises to strip in even better order than when he put up such a great race in the Melbourne Cup. Hoylake looks in rare order, and is striding out particularly well in his work. He is being got ready for some of the North Island holiday meetings. W. Stone is back again from the North Island to look after the balance of his team. He left Aspiring and Silver Paper at Trentham in charge of E. Murtagh, but will return there next week to supervise their preparation. That fine filly Dutch Money is looking quite at her best again, and will probably make her next appearance at Wingatui. One of R. Adamson’s team in Tariff, by Polmestor from Protection, is being got ready for the West Coast meetings. Though as yet on the green side, he can muster up a fine turn of speed. It is intended to send Pangolin north for hurdle events at Ellerslie, and he will be worth following in any of the shorter distance jumping events. So far he has done no schooling since his Riccarton successes, but his work on the flat has been of a most satisfactory nature.

Chickwheat appears to have taken a new lease of life, and he is galloping just as freely as ever. He may race at Ashburton, and the outing there should leave him in good order for Dunedin. Amongst Jennings’ team that will race at the West Coast holiday meetings is Gaslight, who is shortly to be schooled over the hurdles. After his. exertions at the Cup meeting, Great Star was given a fortnight’s spell, but he is now in solid work again. It is intended to race him at Ellerslie, and if he goes North the two-year-old Last Dart may accompany him. When Hoylake goes to the Island he will have Phastar and Desert Song as companions. So far it is undecided if the Manawatu or Auckland Cups will be the English-bred horse’s mission. ' Since being located at Riccacrton Tcheka has shown a lot of improvement and should be worth keeping in mind for* holiday engagements.

BRITISH TOTE’S SUCCESS.

LONDON, December 5

Lord D’Abernon, addressing a meeting at Newmarket, said that th© totalisator had been responsible for a remarkable increase in racegoers, amounting in some instances to 80 per cent. Judging by th© investments thus far, it was anticipated that th© first year’s operation will result in a turnover of £36,000,000. Th© average yearly amount spent in betting in England is 267,000,000. Th© experience already agained confirmed the view that the totalisator would lead to better racecourses, better stands, cheaper admission, larger prizes, and diminished entrance fees.

TRACK AND STABLE NOTES. The Canterbury Owners’ and Breeders’ Association have decided to order a special train to leave Christchurch on Sunday, March 15 for the trans- j port of horses to the meeting to be held by the Nelson Trotting Club on Victoria Park, Greymouth, on the following Monday and Tuesday. It is reported that in a work-out at Reefton last week-end Ravine showed better form over six furlongs than either Seventh Heaven or Smithereens. The four-year-old is said to be in great condition and likely to be remunerative to his connections during the holiday meetings. J. Beban should figure well amongst the winning trainers at the West Coast holiday' carnival as his team comprises Sapient, Tane, Topere, Audience, Decoy Bird and Waihemo. Amongst the trotters at Ashburton to-morrow will be Lydia who won easily at Forbury Park last Saturday. She figures in the entries for the Great Northern Derby and if she is to have a chance there she should race prominently to-morrow. Padlock has won £2005 in stakes this season. Logan Park is next with £l4OO, and Peter Bingen third with £1350.

J. T. Jamieson, of Auckland, heads the list of winning trainers this season with 16 winning horses in his charge. S. G. Ware is runner-up with 15 and Mrs A. W. McDonald, C. Gieseler and A. Alexander' next with nine apiece. Money Spider won 14 races while leased by J. Bryce who has recently returned him to his owner. The ban prohibiting Golden Wedding from participating in flat races has been removed, hurdling having effected a great improvement in her behaviour.

Kaihoro is a sprinter with a partiality for soft tracks and she is worth bearing in mind for Woodville if conditions are suitable. Since setting out on a circuit of the North Island, with a visit to Riccarton thrown in, the Blenheim owner, J. J. Corry has collected the biggest share of the stakes on eight occasions, second money four times and the third share in three i*aces. Rabbi, Imateagirl, Make Up and Dancing Star were the contributors. . Reremoana, winner of £13,200 in stake money, has gone into retirement at his owner’s place at Kai-iwi, carrying with him the honour of being the best handicap miler yet produced in New Zealand. He won 23 races.

Tigrano, on his Wellington running, should be well fancied in the Trial Plate at Woodville next week. His second in the New Zealand Cup is hound to give In the Shade a big following at Ellerslie on Boxing Day, and with only l£lb more up than he carried at Riccarton his chances are worthy of careful consideration. At 8.12 Star Stranger is let in lightly in the Auckland Cup, and if he runs off some condition at Woodville and the Egmont meeting he may be a big possibility for the principal event on Boxing Day. Following are the leading jockeys so far this 'season: H. Goldfinch 24, B. H. Morris 21, 'L. G. Morris 16, E. A. Keesing 15, Gray 14, and A. Eastwood, H. N. Wiggins, C. Eastwood and A. E. Ellis 12 each. Havaspot, an aptly named son of Tippler, is reported to be a big chestnut gelding in splendid condition, and

very solid in work at Takanini. His appearance on the turf is awaited with, interest as those who have seen him think he is the making of a really good one. * Although Vallar did not win at Takapuna the opinion is held by some followers of form that the Valkyriau gelding has a great chance in the Railway Handicap at Ellerslie. Last season after winning at Dargaville and Whangarei, Vallar scored successes in the Robinson Handicap at Ellerslie last Christmas, in the Stewards at Takapuna and in the Huia Handicap at Ellerslie. So far this season he has not been in the money. The good win Corinax had on the second day at Takapuna makes his chances of winning th© Auckland Cup two yeansi in succession worthy of earnest consideration. At the annual meeting of the Canterbury Owners’ and Breeders’ Association on Wednesday night, Mr J. Bryce urged the necessity for being allowed to change drivers during a meeting. He quoted instances where owners had been dissatisfied with the driving, and drivers had been willing not to drive a horse again, but had to because of the rules. A driver ought to be allowed to withdraw if he so desired. Mr J. M. McDougall said the rule was instituted to protect the public, so that a horse should not be driven by a bad driver one day and a good ond the next. Members appeared uncertain of what the rule on the subject really was, and the matter was deferred for further consideration by the incoming committee HANDICAPPING SYSTEM. Members of the Canterbury Owners’ and Breeders’ Association at the annual meeting in Christchurch on Wednesday night, commented upon the new system of handicapping in trotting races. Most of the comments were favourable, but some members thought that the system would be still further improved if its provisions were made retrospective iso as to give the older horses a better chance.

The annual report made the following comment: — “During the past season the New Zealand Trotting Conference called a meeting of trotting representatives from all clubs in the Dominion, and also invited two members of this Association, Mr J. N. Clarke and Mr F. Hickinbottom, to the conference, which was held in Wellington in May to formulate a system of handicapping. This 1 conference gave the matter great consideration, and drafted out the system as now in operation. At the annual conference of delegates held later, it was adopted entirely as drafted, to be given a trial for twelve months. It has now been in operation since July., and is proving one of the greatest innovations in the sport of trotting.” The president (Mr T. G. Fox) said that the new system seemed to bring increased totalisator receipts, and there was no doubt that it gave the public more opportunity. ?) “It has been a boon to trotting, said Mr S. Bennett, “and I hope it has come to stay.” Mr D. Withers was of the same opinion. ~ . x , . Mr W. J. Tomldnson said it had been a success in spite of the handicappers. The system should be made retrospective. There was no reason why a hors© which ran second or third last year should not be moved up this. The older horses to-day were not in their right places, but they could be put there by the handicapper The new horses were getting all the best of- the deal, and there was no reason why the new system should i not be made' retrospective. I Mr J. N. Clarke said that it was understood at the conference when the system was brought in, that those horses referred to by Mr Tomldnson would be liberally treated. The han- f dicappers had disregarded this. ) Mr R. Munro said he could not un- i derstand Mr Tomkinson’s viewpoint. At the conference it was decided that horses with performances last year would not be let out except in exceptional circumstances. Mr F. Hickinbottom > bore out this statement. “This new system is the finest thing we have ever had in New Zealand, commented Mr J. B. McDougall. The system will right itself in about two years, and in the meantime owners oi those old horses would be a- great deal better off financially if they scrapped those which had no chance of winning a race.” . Mr Tomkinson : There’s such a thing as making a good thing better. A recommendation was made tnat the new committee endeavour to have the system made retrospective.