SPORTING.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 21 October 1924, Page 3

SPORTING.

FORTHCOMING FIXTURES. t S Oct. 25 and 27 —Wellington R.C. Spring Oct. 27- —Nortli Canterbury R.C. An- T nual. c Oct. 27 —Waikato Hunt Annual 1 0ct..27 —Waipawa County R.C. Annual. 1 Oct. 27 and 29 —Gore R.C. Spring. \ Oct. 27 —Waverley R.C. Jubilee. ' Oct. 30 and Nov. I—Povertyl—Poverty Bay Turf c Club Spring. B Nov. 1 and 3 —Auckland R.C.’Spring: Nov. I—Upper Clutha R.C. Annual. 1 Nov. B—New Zealand Cup] f Nov. 8 and 10 —Hamilton R.C. Annual, i Nov. 8, 10, 12, and 15: —Canterbury c J.C. Metropolitan. j Nov. 21 and 22—South Canterbury J.C. j Spring. \ Dec. 26 and 30, Jan. 1 and 2 —Auck- ( land R.C. Summer. -{ 1 OAMARU MEETING. 5 SECOND DAY’S RESULTS. j (by TELEGRAPH —PEESS ASSOCIATION. i OAMARU, Oct, 20. < . The second day of the Oamaru Jockey, j Club’s races was fine but dull. The : attendance was small, the course being heavy. The totalisator handled £9816 I against £BO9I 10s on the second day ; of the last meeting. Results : < Empire Hurdles, 14 miles. —Kerry ■ Star (Humphries) 1, Bellrcck 2, Agnola < 3. Also started: Petunia, Strathglass, Aurore. Won by three lengths. Time, ■ 2.56 2-5. j Waitangi Handicap, 6 furlongs.— Tione (Wilson) 1, Cornflower 2, Gor- : geous 3. Also, started: Marzqin, Ronald, Kilmosca, Roman Archer, Moiselle, Boncilla. Won by two lengths. Time, 1 1.20. . ' 1 Oamaru Cup Handicap,* 14 miles.— .< Deucalion (F. E. Jones) 1, Red Wink 2, Ronnie Winkie 3. Also, started Loughrea, The Polymnian, Happy Ware ] rior. Won by a length. Time, 2.13. Weston Trot Handicap (harness), 1) miles.—Wairua (J. H. Wilson) 1, . Generator. 2, Nelson McKinney 3. Also ] started: Locanda Queen, Avalanche, , Kingsdown, Glimpse, Afton Water, ' Edith Locanda, Cathedral Belle; Mirella, Ardlussa. Won by a. head. Time, 3.49, 7 ; Parkside Welter Handicap, 7 fur- ] longs..—Guncas© 1, Golden King 2, King Sol-3. Also started; Mountain { Lion, Prosperity, Corn Rigs. Won -by : a head. Time, 1.33 2-5. Fernbrook Handicap, 6 I'erlongs.— Cochy Rondhu (Ramsden) 1. Taboo 2: April Showers. 3. Also started: Rene Mavis, Brown Lady, Booster. Won by . five lengths. Time, 1.18 4-5. Waitalii Trot Handicap (saddle), one mile.—Pessimist (Wilson) 1, Wirey 2, , Bon I’on 3. Also, started: Accumuia- ; tor, Bernice, Gold Chimes, Manimax, - Sunny Vue, Cliffeton Chimes, Glaucus, ' Fancy Pointer (coupled with winner), I Great Count, Liberate. Won by a neck. Time, 2.23. Farewell Handicap, 6 furlongs.—Kerb (Didham) 1, Gold Town 2, Paddy’s Hope ,3. Also started: Los, Ambus. .Veil by two lengths. Time, 1,19. THE VICTORIAN DERBY. H. GRAY ACCEPTS AN OFFER, WHANGAREI, Oct. 19. The jockey H. Gray has been 1 offered substantial " inducement- to go to Mel - bourne to ride Spearfelt in the Victorian Derby, and be has accepted the offer. He stated to-day that he intends to leave for Australia by the Mahene from Auckland next Friday. MELBOURNE MEETING. CUP SCR ATCH IN GS. BY CABLE—PRESS ASSOCIATION —COPYRIGHT MELBOURNE, Oct. 20. Gloaming rah a mile on the outside in evens at Flemington to-day. Brown Rajah has arrived and is engaged in the Cup. Sunburst arrives to-night. The proposal to parade Gloaming is under consideration by the club’s committee. Cup. scratching.? are: —Soorak, Balbus, Bernbanks and Wild Oats. Soorak broke down in the Caulfield Cup. The papers publish long statements regarding the report circulated on Friday that Purser was an unlikely runner in the Caulfield Cup. The statements briefly are that a last-minute decision was arrived at to run him. NOTES AND COMMENTS. (By Maecenas.) The only race meeting to be held during the current week is the first day of Wellington Racing Club’s spring fixture (Saturday). At first glance' the class of horses nominated for this year’s StewardsHandicap, to- be decided lat the Cans terbury Jockey Club’s spring carnival; j looks much inferior to many forme l ' years, but a close study reveals a very useful lot. In Hipo, Reremoana, Halgina and Avola, Taranaki-trained horses appear to hold, a reasonably good chance of annexing the big; southern “sprint/’ race, while the Taranaki owner, Mr. A. Alexander, lias a worthy representative in Gaillard, for last season this son of Absurd was responsible for a number of brilliant performances. As a rule racehorses vary more between the age of two and three years than at any other period of their lives, a,nd often one finds that a firstclass two-year-old is a- very moderate j three-year-old, and vic-e versa. I was ? prompted to pen this through the in■j ability of Motley to reproduce the f brilliancy which characterised her last season’s races. Last season great ( gallopers like Tamatete and Rational , wanted luck to beat Motley at weigh t-for-age over six furlongs, but «o far P this season the daughter of Absurd has failed badly. In a- lesser degree Lady Bent-hick has also failed to make the age improvement. Trainer J. Coyle says that in Bank Draft (Paper Money—Kitiroa) he j) trains one of the best youngsters in the Dominion. Pent- Eitre has failed to do her best j in recent races, so Trainer W. Dwyer has decided to send the beautifully i- bred daughter to Martian and Rcveler.f.a back to, her owner. That unreliable customer Quest was again backed and beaten at. the Carterton meeting. Despite bis failures, l if is intended to run Quest in the New Zealand Cup. If kept to races over seven and eight furlongs Quest might pay hi?, way. On la. “chart’’ issued from the capital city on the Carterton meeting, Pantler appeared as an accentor for the short distance race on which the “double” was being run. From the original figure offered Pantler had been coupled up to such an extent, that the y “woolbrokers” had to pencil down the odds by Half. Now, as a matter of fact, Pantler did not accept, for the event, hence the ante-post, bettor had no chance of winning. Splendid acceptances were received i, for the Waverley Racing Club’s rneet- * ing, and good weather is all that is now required to make the gathering as successful as its predecessors.

Although not as numerous as many former years, the Wellington Racing Club were favoured with fine acceptances of good class horses for their sjn'ing meeting, which opens on Saturday next. The Carterton Racing Club had a most successful gathering last Saturday, when the club held their annual meeting. Considering this meeting was held prior to important gatherings like those of the. Wellington and Canterbury Clubs, the class of the competitors was much above the average.

At the. last meeting held hv the Wanganui Jockey Club, the -starts in several races were uneven, which is most unusual where Mr. O’Connor is officiating. It subsequently transpired that the barrier gear was not as good as one would like. With a view to putting this in order Starter O’Connor goes to Wanganui this week to give the club advice. From practical experience the writer has formed the opinion that judges’ boxes placed level with the outside rail of the race track are in a Bad position to judge accurately a close finish if there are more than, two horses involved. This is due to a number of reasons. ,As is well known the judge’s box at Trentham is placed right back on the ' stewards’ stand, while at Ellerslie it lias been shifted back several feet- during the last few years. Now the Canterbury Jockey Club are coming into line, a.s their box will in future be on top of the trainers’ stand. Thanks to the presence of Nigger Minstrel, many backers of Gloaming in the Craven Plate secured over level money about the great son of The Welkin. During the running of the County Cup at the Carterton meeting on Saturday last, little Merry Day received a, bad bump which cost her many lengths, but an opening near the rails at the home turn helped to balance matters, and she won comfortably with her load of 9.6. Too much notice should not be taken of times in racing, which, on all occasions, is governed by the way a race is run. In support of this one may quote the Carterton Hack and Bunny Memorial (open), two events decided at Carterton last week. Both races were run over the same distance and followed in order. The moderate Westibroke was credited with running the “Lack” six in 1.16, but an hour later two fair horses like Killochra and Santonio took 1.17 to run the “open” six furlongs. When that once promising three-year-old Killochra went out to contest the Bunny Handicap at the Carterton meeting lie looked nice and bright, hut moved very short in his preliminary, which caused bettors to stand off, and . the result ' was Bantonio was backed down to less than level money. Killochra began remarkably quickly and was always in a leading position. In the- straight Santonio threw out-a. great challenge, and two chains from, the post Roy Bleed thought he had the race won. but-, responding with surprising courage to B. Morris’ riding, Killochra got the verdict by tlie narrowest of margins. A big commission was worked on Killochra', and a lot of money was won over the event. On returning to the saddling paddock Killochra- was showing distinct signs, of lameness, and to. the casual observer his case looked a very bad one. His trainer informed the writer that Killochra had thrown, off the lameness a couple of hours after the race. This weakness manifested itself when, Killochra was at Randwick, and veterinary. advice from the best authorities in Australia failed to locate the trouble. Considering the promise he has shown Killochra’s disability is a distinct loss to. Mr. McDonald.

The Oorteen—Tye combination, for whom C. T. Godby acts'as trainer over a team of great stake earners, is playing havoc- with the bookmakers in Australia just now, as their luck is phenomenal, and to-day the stable invests more money on a. horse fancied by Trainer Godby than any other combination of bettors in Australasia. To give readers an idea, of the amount of some of the commissions, “placed' ’ on horses from the stable, it is stated on reliable authority that no less than £BOOO was invested, on. Purser in a handi.catp recently decided, and in

which the, best he c-ould do- was to run second. What the Godby stable won over Purser’s, success in the Caulfield Cup would be interesting reading. The win would certainly cost the “ring” many thousands of pounds. A .prominent sportsman who was at the Australian Jockey Club’s carnival informed the writer that he had heard it mentioned that if the Purser-Heroic “double” won the Caulfield and Melbourne Cup the stable following would take from the bookmakers something like £IOO,OOO. As Purser lias won the first “leg” it now remains for Heroic to bring off the gamble by winning the Melbourne Cup, in which event be will be ridden by Ashley Reed and carries .7.7, not by any means a prohibitive weight for a three-year-old with a. reputation that Heroic carries; in fact, if nearly as good as claimed Heroic should be next door to a “good thing’’ for the Melbourne Cup. By way of comparison, it may be stated that Aiirum carried 8.6 in the Melbourne. Chip when a three-year-old, and was only just beaten, while Newhaven at the same age was successful .with 7.13 in the big two-mile handicap.