SPORTING

Grey River Argus, Volume 10, 10 July 1917, Page 4

SPORTING

FIXTURES. July 11, 12 and 14— Wellington B.C. July 19— Waimate Hunt Club July 20— Christchurch Hunt Club. RACING NOTES. Despite the fact that he is not in Australia yet, Waimai is at a comparatively short price in the betting quotations in the Victoria Grand national Steeplechase. ». Interest in the "jumping events at the Wellington Racing Club s meeting next Aveek will be enhanced by 'the presence of the Auckland crackEl Gallo, who is already at Trentham. Many Australian bookmakers now making set volumes on big events have adopted the concession system, under which the backer receives a return of his stake if the horse supported finishes second or third. A similar arrangement is applied to doubles. Auckland sportsmen are confident that Waimai will give a good account of himself in the Victoria Grand National Steeplechase next Saturday. The Spalpeen gelding was .in th e . best of condition when he left for Melbourne.

Roumania and Pall Mall are now trained by their owner. Mr. H. VVnitney and is stabled at his stud farm at Trentham. The Wellington sportsman has won over £2000 in stakes, this season, which is a (stable record, Rose Pink being the best contributor with about

the New Zealand Jockey, "EL Cairns, who has been riding in Victoria for several years, has acquired a great reputation •• in jumpers. _A Melbourne writer, in referring to him recently, said hi? "judgment m a lang race is worth nearly as much as was that of J. E. Brewer in the nineties."

An Australian paper states in a facetious way that Maoriland punters ■would not be pleased to hear the big price that Immortelle was cfuoted at prior to winning the Nursery Handicap at the Rosehill meeting. Had they known that, says the paper, they would be feeling sorry that they did not get passports and take a trip to Sydney.

Among- the English horses who will be racing- in Australia next season Laniuse has the best credentials. In iQiS he won the Jockey Club Stakes one mile and three-quarters Last v'ear he only started twice finish inj? fourth, with Sst nib, in the New market Handicap, one mile and a quarter, and second, with Bst 81b, in the Cambridgeshire ,one mile and a furlong-. He will, however, be; seven years old to Australian time in the spring, so that he has reached an age at which English stallions rarley do [well.