SPORTING.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 18 July 1924, Page 6

SPORTING.

NOTES AND COMMENTS. (By Maecenas.) Of the younger division of hurdlers seen in action at the recent -Wellington meeting, nothing gave such a promising display as Merry Singer, and one is .safe in prophesying a useful career for Merry Singer. Prior to the Wellington meeting Fireblight is reported, to have done well in a trial with the useful Tenterfield. Fireblight won on each appearance at Trentham, 'out while not giving a dashing display across the steeplechase course, this mare did well enough to suggest that next season she may win in fair company. Although he failed to gain a place, Vagabond was running on well enough at the end of his races at Trentham to raise the hopes of his ad-

mirers that the well bred gelding pnay yet win a good hurdle race ; Vagabond is going south for the Grand National Hurdles, in which event Vagabond ran second last year.

Alteration did not go well over the first ten furlongs of the Winter Hurdles run at Trentham last week, but over the last mile the “leggy” ( gelding made up a lot of ground; in fact, Alteration ran the last mile faster than any of his opponents. But in spite of this Alteration did not give a. pleasing display, but may like the going at Riccarton better. When Brigadier Bill won at Treetharn his owner threw in for a big win. which ran into four figures. A number of Marton sportsmen who attended Trentham also paid ‘their expenses over this gelding’s win. After seeing Admiral Codrington in action as a hurdler, one is wondering whether the chestnut gelding will fulfil the high opinion many formed of his capabilities as a jumper. At present Admiral Codrington appears to tire with jumping. Old Guanaco gave his best display of the season on the second day of the Wellington meeting. He went to the lead early, anti gave a warm favourite in Fireblight a lot of trouble, and incidentally those who laid odds on Fireblight were not pleased with their chance till well over the final jump. Despite this showing Guanaco is not the gelding he was a few seasons ago. Carawoek gave a. finished exhibition of fencing in the Wellington Steeplechase, and as he is a. young gelding on the improve, he may be one capable of putting up a good performance over Riccarton. One cannot help sympathising with the owner of this gelding, which is now well tip in the

weights, without having won a steeplechase. This was brought about by his forward running in the Australian Steeplechase, in which event he was handicapped many pounds above his New Zealand form, and of course his

third in the Wellington Steeplechase again earned Carawoek a little extra weight.

Lociiella. ran an even race throughout the Wellington Steeplechase last Saturday, and over the last part of the race was going as well as any other runner, and his good showing proves that Loehella is not by any means a spent light. Possibly the more solid “country’ 1 at Ricearton will favour Loehella, and should the gelding go to the starting post he can be relied on to show up well. Although Omahu appears to have been lucky in beating Pamplona in the Wellington Steeplechase, the fact must not be overlooked that Omahu lost much ground at a couple of fences, i.e., the “double’’ opposite the grandstandv after which his rider rather foolishly made a fast run, going from one of the last places to a leading position in about three furlongs while still over two miles from tlie winning post. This ground was lost through Omahu being interfered with by other runners. While M. McCarten and C. Emerson are having a battle royal for the jockey premiership of flat racing, A.' McDonald is fighting a similar fight for first place over the jumps. Prior to the Wellington meeting Kaan (21) led McDonald (19), but the success of the latter on Fireblight twice and Merry Singer once ha* placed him one in the lead. As Kaan has gone south to the small meetings of the South Canterbury and, Waimate Hunt Clubs, he may yet beat McDonald for the 1923-24 season. The current racing, season is fast drawing to a close, as only the South Canterbury Hunt Club on. Saturday next, the Gisborne Racing Club’s winter meeting on Thursday next and the following Saturday, and the Waimate Hunt Club’s fixture on next Thursday remains to conclude a. most successful racing year. Certainly a number of clubs have been financially embarrassed of late, but this is not duo ; to a decline of the sport of racing, or the lack of interest, but wholly to the absurd and most unjust burden of taxation imposed on a branch of sport which has undoubtedly done more than its share in <his respect, unsolicited during the hard times of the late war. However, the Hon. Mr. Massey has promised relief, and it remains for sportsmen to watch events more closely in future. As both Nukumai and Ngakanui were bred by the same person—Mr. S. G. Davidson—and as both geldings are returned as from a St. Clements mare, we may presume that Nukumai and Ngakanui are half-brothers. If this U correct, it is another case of a dam whose breeding suggests that her progeny would be sprinters, pure and simple, giving the turf two-fine jumpers and good stayers in the geldings named. Certainly Ngakanui has not got the good performances recorded against Nukumai’s name, but the fact must he remembered that Ngakanui suffered from throat trouble, but for which he may have done even better than his record shows. Taranaki was the home of the stock' of bt. Clements, and with the exception of Clernora (which won up to a mile and a, quarter) none of this sire’s stock showed any pretentions to run over a distance, yet one finds that a daughter of St. Clements can producej useful performers like Nukumai and Ngakanui. St. Clements was exceptionally brilliant when on the raeej track, but was a. dismal failure when asked to go over a further distance than six furlongs. Still his dam, Satenella, produced that great performer over all distances, St, Paul, the useful St. Peter and St. Ursula, each of which was capable of winning races over a mile course. Evidently the dam of Nukumai and Ngakanui has inherited some of the vitality of Satenella. Why riders persist in taking their mounts at a gap in a jump when such horses are jumping well is hard to understand, as a horse is more liable to fall at such an obstruction than at a jump. At least one race was lost at Trentham on Saturday through the rider taking his mount at a flight partially down. This was Merry Singer, which looked a certainty until he was taken wide out to such a gap, at which he tripped and almost fell. Another case that happened on Saturday that may have altered the result

of the race was that of Pamplona, which was jumping like a stag, but whose rider foolishly slowed his mount down to get through a. gap in the final obstacle. This allowed Omahu to “sneak’’ about two and a half lengths, and he eventually beat Pamplona by a short neck, and all out too.

What a large number of New Zealand owned horses are going, or have gone, to Australia for the spring meetings. As a number of these animals can only be described as second and third class, and cannot succeed in a race for which a good prize is offering, what is the cause of the migration? Possibly the heavy charge of travelling, added to a general agreement among New Zealanders that at present races are not hard to win in Australia. Or is it that bookmakers operating in Australia allows the owner and his friends to secure the advantage of better prices which those having stable or “inside information” are really entitled to. Of course this is a. weak point with the totalisator, for which it may never become popular with the big bettor of the Australian courses. Against this admirers of the mechanical “bookmaker” say there are compensating advantages to he gained through the totalisator.

A friend kindly gave the writer a Daily Mail with the report of the Epinard-Sir Gallahad match, run at Saint Cloud in the last week of May. This contest was witnessed by a huge crowd, and the paper mentions that the language mostly spoken was Einglish. Both horses were trained to the minute, but Sir Gallahad had the undoubted advantage of having had four races in public immediately prior to his match. Over a short course many consider this little advantage. Epinard, ridden by his usual pilot Everett Haynes and carrying 9.4, was a big favourite at 10 —3 on, while Sir Gallahad, carrying Frank O’Neill and 8.7, started at 18 —10 against. The start is described .as exceedingly good, but Sir Gallahad soon opened up a lead, and at 300 yards was a length in front. Approaching the straight Epinard reduced.- the gap, and when in a. line for the post threw out a strong challenge. O’Neill’s riding of Sir Gallahad is here described as perfect, and he allowed Epinard to. come alongside him and then head him off. Seventy-five yards from the post the pair were, locked together, but over the last 50 yards O’Neill, riding like a super-man, pushed Sir Gallahad to the lead and won by a short neck. The match was decided over 1300 metres, this being (5.V furlongs. The time was 1.20, a second under the record for the course. By way of comparison, it may be stated that the Hawke’s Bay Stakes is the only race run over that distance in this Dominion, and in that event those great gallopers Royal Artillery, The . Hawk and Gloaming have all equalled - Sir Gallahad’s time. Indeed, when . Royal Artillery registered 1.20, he won under a pull, and our champion Gloam- ; ing, which some have stated would ; want all the luck and advantage to win . a Selling Plate in England, actually , carried 10.1 and won very easily, so by comparison our horses must compare . favourably.