SPORTING.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 30 October 1924, Page 3

SPORTING.

FORTHCOMING FIXTURES. Oct. 30 and Nov. i —Poverty Bay Turf Chib Spring. Nov. 1 ancl 3 —Auckland R.C. Spring. Nov. I—Upperl—Upper Clutha R.C. Annual. Nov. B—New8 —New Zealand Cup. Nov. 8 and ID —-Hamilton R.C. Annual. Nov. 8, 10* 12, and 15 —Canterbury J.Ck Metropolitan. Nov. 21 and 22- —South Canterbury J.C. Spring. Dec. 26 and 30, Jan. 1 and 2—Auckland R.C. Sumiher. MELBOURNE CUP MEETING. GLOAMING’S PARADE ARRANGED. BY CABLE —PEE S 3 . ASSOCIaTIOS^COPTRIGHT MELBOURNE, Oct. 29. Mr G. D. Greenwood has written to the Victoria- Racing Club stating that he wilL be pleased to parade Gloaming on Cup day. The parade has been fixed for three o’clock, just before the Cup race. A. Reed ride’s Wallarak in the Cup, and G. Young Blackaddet in the Cantala Stakes. The Victoria Racing Club rejected the entries of Heroic, Irish Rhythm, and Valiant for the spring- -meeting.' GORE RACES. - ROSFD AY DISQUALIFIED' TWELVE MONTHS. (by telegraph—Mess association. GORE, Oct. 29. Gore races concluded to-day in windy weather, and the attendance was large. The track was in good going order. The tote handled £l2jSls 10s, against £.12,772 last, year, making £31,283 for the meeting, against £30,955 last year. Results: Gordon Hack Handicap—Tione 1, Tommy Dodd 2, Monoxide 3. Also started: Bonnie Olive, April Showers, Wenslevdale, Marconigram, Sweet Melody. Won by half a length. Time, 1.29. R. H. Elis, rider of Bonnie Olive, was suspended for two months for careless riding., Ot.Tina Trot—Dark Rosine 1, Forbiirv 2, The Sheik 3. Won by a length. Time, 3.50 1-5. • Waikake Handicap Rosed ay 1, Happy Warrior 2, Mantua. 3. 1 Also started: King Sol, San Salvador, Wapping. Won by a. length. Time, 2.9. After the race an inquiry was held into tlie running of Rosedav in the Cup on the first day, ifi which he was unplaced. The committee disqualified the horse, owner, trainer and rider (Wilson) for 12 months under the corrupt practices rule. Dominion Hack —Mountain Rose 1, Sufi Up. 2, Andafite 3. Also started: Bonnie' Olive, Fairy Ring, Sidelight, j Monoxide, Bran Pie, Miss Hawk, Swimashore, Vogue. Won by .a length. Time, 1.1 G. Balfour Trot—Lou Thorpe 1, Etlicldonna 2, Bonnie Boy 3. Won by eight lengths. Tifiie, ,2.22. Stewards’ Handicap—Bugle Note .1, Herb 2, Bloom 3. Also started: Valdfifiio, Paddy’s Hope. Woii .by threequarters of a length. Time, 1.15. . Went Wood Handicap—Sail Salvador 1, Tliistiecrown 2, Coastguard 3. Also started: Highburn, Kiloff. Won by half a length. Time, 1.59. Oliarltofi Handicap—Listening Post 1, King Sol 2, All British 3. Only starters. W.bfi by two lengths. Time, 1.43. / 1 1 " AUCKLAND RE-HANDiCAPS. I AUCKLAND, Ore. 29. Auckland racing re-handicaps are Mitehelson Clip Boomerday, 3lb extra (8.1). . ■ ' Fiviiig Handicap—Tlie Lamb, 311) (-.1 )*' ~ Tlie Shorts—Dan Qiim, 71b (i.O). Hunters’ Steeplechase —Capstan, 71b (9.11). • Trial .Hurdles: —Brigadier Bill 51b (11.11), Cherry Ripe, 121 b (9.12). C.J.C. min Hr. handicaps. OHRISTOHUROH, Oct. 29. Spring Hurdles, two miles. —Cerebus 11.9, Santiago 10.13, Passin’ Through 10.9, Le Forte 10.4, Frisco Mail 9.13, Penury Rose, Hyrax 9.12, Bellrock 9.11, Miss Mickey, Sir Wai 9.7, Ton! Tana, Red Kriss 9.6, Kerry Star 9.0. Limvoo.fl Handicap, six furlongs.- — Ivuhio 9.2, Piquant 9.1, Los Ambus 8.11, Winkie’s Best, Solferite 8.10, Eerino, Starmist, Gamebag 8.5, Viewpoint, Hall Mark 8.2, Barmaid 7.13, Knocldyn, Finora, Opbir, Heraldry 7.12, Bouogne 7.i11, Tempe, Lake Uru, Deep Drive 7.10, Olontarf, Benmure 7.9, Cmfibrae, Ma Boughal, En Route, I Dubious 7.7, La Reve, Woo Sandy, Relic, Coch-y-hondhu 7.5, Monoxide, Carnot 7.3, Bona,tic, Lipsol, Rich Prize, Lytup, Gay Queen, Bonito, Comic Song 7.2, Drawbridge, Kilcan- - nieh, Solfello, Orange Blossom 6.13, Revel, The Tank, His Majesty, Peho, " Corinthic, Listening Post, Divinal 6.12. Apprentices’ Handicap, one mile.— Footfall 9.0, Bonena 8.9, Te Anau Lad, Vindictive, The Banker 8.5, Glimpse 8.2, Retrospect 7.11, All Gold, Warseer 7.8, La Reve, Coclt-y-Bondhu, Relic. Escarpment, Bright Eves. Soliel d’Or 7.7. Prompter, Fresco 7-5, Gay Queen 7.4, Chickwheat, Hungry Hill 7.2. Horatius, Jubilant, Roman Archer. Otauru, French Rose, Miss Garance 7.0. Riccarton Welter, nine furlongsSunny Loch 9.4, Palestrina 8.13, Black Ronald, Suggestion 8.12, Boadieen, 8.9. Bonnie Winkie. Mountain Lion 8.3, Little River. Malgina, Top Score 7.13. Carpentior 7.12. Clandhu 7.11. Prince Feronz 7.10, ' Kilfaire, Bitters 7.9. Imperial Spark, Giant-killer, Kuhio, Tresham 7.8. Quality, Gardenia. Kalakaua, Stream, Wliariti 7.7. R A GIX G 8 E N S A T i 0 X. THE CAULFIELD CUP STORY OF THE RACE. ADVERSE CRITICISM. Unusual and sensational circumj stances were associated with the vic- ® tory of Purser in the Caulfield Cup.says the. racing correspondent of the Sydney Morning Herald. Never was the luck of racing demonstrated more than in the case of Purser’s Cup success. During the greater part of last week he was considered to be an un-| likely starter in the race, his trainer (C. T. Godby) stating that The Monk would most probably he his representative. Yet. at the course on Saturday, a change of plans with the two liarses was made. Purser being started instead of The Monk, which was withdrawn under instructions from his new Indian owner. On tlie course Purser was hacked in a sensational manner, and this fact, coupled with the announcement that the horse would not start, caused most adverse criticism of Pur--1 ser’s connections even before tbe Cup

was run, and it was itensified when Purser romped home, after failing to finish nearer than eleventh in a. weaker field in the Coongy Handicap three days earlier, when neglected in the betting. It seems apparent from the explanation of Purser’s trainer (C. T. Godby) that he had no intention of starting Purser had The Monk been allowed to start, hut the sale of The Monk to an Indian owneT, -Who cabled not to race the horse,, upset the arrangements of Godby. However, it was not sporting tactics, in view of the announcement that Purser was not likely to start, to launch a heavy commission for Purser before The Monk was scratched on Cup eve. In the discussion at the leading club where racing men congregate no attention Was given to the chance of Purser, as it was announced that he was not to start. In softie other sporting quarter as much as 100 to 1 was bet against Purser winning. It was apparently thq sale of The Monk that influenced the whole position. THE CHANGE OF PLANS. However, the substitution of Purser for The Monk as Godby’s Cup representative,'coupled -with the heavy backing of Purser, was viewed with disfavour by many racegoers, and evidence of this was forthcoming in the mixed reception that Purser received after winning the Cup. Another factor that tended to make the success ,of Purser unpopular was his poor display on Wednesday,'in the Coongy Handicap, in which he started at 20 to ]., and was never coiTspicioUs, . finishing eleventh. ! His rider (H. Cairns) was struck in an eye by some dirt during that race, and was not able to do his mount full justice, but Purser’s form was not sufficiently encouraging to make him the 'medium of the heavy commission in the stronger Cup field. Probably few racing people believed on Cup eve that Purser would be enrolled as the Winner of the Caulfield Cup of 1924. and. judging from the explanation of the trainer (C. T. Godby), neither he nor the horse’s owners, Messrs. G. Tvo and J. R. Corteen, entertained any idea of Purser starting. When interviewed after the .Cup, and questioned about the change of plans, Godby reiterated his previous statements that it had not been intended to start Purser had The Monk been available. NEARLY LEFT AT HOME. “We did no intend to start Purser,” Godby said. “Only one experienced , jockey, G. Young, was available to us, and we proposed to have him ride The , Monk. I very nearly left Purser at home this.moi-ning. I only brought him to the course because I had not heard i anything definite from Mr. Gove regarding The Monk. When I saw Mr. i G ove on the course he had a cable from his Indian client, issuing instructions that The Monk was not to start in any race here. The Monk had therefore to be scratched, and so us not to be without a runner Purser w'as started. Mr. Gove can confirm wdiat I have said.” 5 Mr. Corteen, part owner of Purser, i who was with Godby at the time, con- , curred in Godby’s explanation. “Fnr- : themiore,” lie said, “though we. backi ed The Monk, Irish Rythm, and others . of our horses for the Caulfield Cup in - doubles with Heroic and other Mel--5 bourn© Cup horses, we have not got a , single penny in doubles with Purser.” - “From last to first” describes Pur- , ser’s rim. i He was one of the last two ■f leaving the straight and was tailing , the field as they began to ascend the 3 hill, a little over six furlongs from , home. From that point he was favour- , ed with a nice clear run on the inside. , and was close to the leaders at ‘ the l home turn. He displayed a surprising , burst of speed in running to the front - at the distance, and won in ridieulous- , ly easy style. The manner in which , he scored with a record weight would 1 seem to indicate that the field was not of good calibre. In winning Purser - displayed a marked improvement on , his form in the Coongy Handicap three e days previously, when he was never - dangerous. His victory, after being , last, clpinon.strated that a good position si early is not always essential to sucy cc-ss in the Caulfield Cup.

The success of Purser was costly to the large operators at Caulfield, it is stated that one follower of Godby’s stable invested £2OOO on. the horse, and the stable lead was followed by other large bettors. The stable commission alone would take many thousands of pounds out of the ring. Three leading- operators each laid a wager of £3OOO to £OO about Purser, and one of them put in another bet of £IOOO to £45. Kor the pre-post operators Purser would not he such a had horse, as the stable did not back him before Saturday. Til AIN Ell’S 'EXPLANATION. Mr. C. T. Godby, who trained Purser, the winner of the Caulfield Cup, has forwarded, for publication, a statement in explanation of the change of plans with Purser, who for the greater part of last week was stated to be an unlikely starter for the race. His statement reads: “So much has been j said and written about Purser's sensational Caulfield C>ip victory that I" feel it incumbent to put before the readers of the different papers ihe foots associated therewith, which. I trust, will clarify the position, and at the same time relegate into obscurity the many very damaging reports circulated on the racecourse last Saturday that the victory was the coping-stone of a .welllaid coup on the part of those connected with the horse, engineered to the detriment of many who otherwise would have benefited financially by the victory. As late as 12.30 on Caulfield Cup day I sent Mr. Corteen looking for Mr Gove, the agent, as to his intentions > regarding The Monk. Subsequently all t dohbts were set at rest by the receipt - of an answering cable to Mr Gove not i to start the horse at all, nn| his - scratching left me with Young to? ride >' Purser. How well he rode the torse

and carried out his instructions to the very letter is now history. Seven of our horses were backed and coupled in doubles with Heroic before the day of the Cup, Purser alone being left out of our calculations, being neither backed straight out nor in doubles. On Friday evening Mr J. R. Oorteen at a club function paid £3O for Purser merely to save his host and friends from investing. as he thought, in a, non-starter, when for £o he could have obtained from the ring a similar. contingency.”