SPORTING

Grey River Argus, 11 June 1918, Page 4

SPORTING

RACING NOTES

[ A sum of over £-!6'ooo ufis put through the totalisator ut Otaki. This 'amount roprosonts a.Rooil increane on . last year 's. . . , | A Press Association mossngo from Sydney statos that Mr. llordorn has purchased the New ' Xojil.on.l gelding. . Arch Marclla, by Marble .Arch—Seatonella The price is not stated. j There arc eight jmnpiug events und : eiivht. flat ruees on the programme ol i ithc Wellington Racing Club's Winter meeting ' Owing to racing restne- ! tion there will only be two days' spor? instead of the usual three. . I When Volo scored at Otalci on Tuesday it was his third win in succession, he having won both the big handicaps at the recent Wanganui fixture. , Volo ■is trained at Hnwera by T- Pine, und ■the geldings sire. Husband man, who won the Canterbury Derby for. Sir George Clifford is also' standing in. the district. M Hobbs has a big foam under his care' at Kiecartou at. present, but like many other trainers lie is experienc- ' ing some trouble in securing the necessary labour for his stable. Seven of his charges are owned by Mr. E. S. Luttrell, these being Kil boy, Winter Cherry two English importations by ( Maraja'x. and threo -yearlings. By j Martian— Tortulla. ■ |

W Clarke who died at Ricearton ' yesterday, after a long, illness, was well known for many years as a 1 trainer and earlier in his career ho was a successful horseman. He gained his first knowledge of the racing in the stable of the late, R. Reay, with whom he took service about thirty-six years ago, the connection between- the ■ pair lasting for n very long period. He rode his first winner in « race run [on the New Brighton beach/ In ISS6 | when still a light-weight,; he had the J option of riding Fulisade or • Leon in , the New Zealand Cup, and chose Leon who ran badly, while his companion,!' Fusilade won. Clarke rode a number j of good winners on the .flat, among them being Clanranald in "the HawkeY Bay guineas and Canterbury Jockey. Club's Stewards' Handicap, Miss De- , laval in the Oaks. Cannonshot in the ' Great Easter Handicap and Altair ml the Canterbury Champagne Stakes. It ( was, however, as a rider of .-jumpers that he made his great mark. There were some first-class horseman over .' fences in New Zealand inliis day, but ' Clarke had no superiors on n, juniper. Ho won many races, including the j ( Grand National Steeplechase on Freeman, Ahua. and Nortan, and the Grand Nationnl Hurdle Handicap on Kulnine ! , Social Pest and Record Reign. Oi' .' this lot Ahua. Kulnine -and. Social Pest carried the colours of the latcMr. D. -. Rutherford, for whom Clarke piloted many other winners over obstacles during an association which- lasted for a great number of years. Subsequently he became trainer for Mr. 'Rutherford, for whom he turned out Eurus to win the Grand National Steeplechase, as well as securing other jumping races for his patron, while he also won the Oaks and St Ledger with liigoda. A serious breakdown in health caused his retirement from racing a few years ago, and since then he has taken no active part in the sport. He leaves a widow a daughter of Mr. J. Franks^ of Yaldhurst, and one child, who will have the sympathy of a wide circle of friends, as the deceased was extremely popular in .sporting' circles in all parts of the Dominion, .