SPORTING.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 19 March 1925, Page 3

SPORTING.

RACING FIXTURES

March 21—Bay of Plenty J.C. Annual. March 20 and 21 —Rangitikei R.C. Annual. March 21 and 23 —Oamaru J.C. Autumn. March 26 and 28—Wellington R.C. Autumn. April 1 and 2—Manawatu R.C. Autumn April 4* —Australian J.C. (Warwick Harm) Autumn. April 4 and 6—Westport J.C. Annual. April 11, 13, 15 and 18—Australian J.C. Autumn. April 12 and 13—Feilding J.C. Easter. April 13—Beaumont R.C. Annual. April 13 and 14 —Canterbury J.C. Autumn. TROTTING. April 11 and 13—Ha we r a Trotting Club RANGITIKEI MEETING. RE-HANDICAPS ANNOUNCED. Re-handicaps for the Rangitikei meeting are as follows: Ohakea Hack Hurdles.—Awake 9.13. Cup. —Valencia 6.13. Carnarvon Hack Handicap.—Qnilfire 8.1. Clifton Welter Handicap.—Velencia 8.8. NOTES AND COMMENTS. (By Maecenas). ' The Waikato Racing Club have not been able, up to the present, to select suitable dates for tbeir recently-acquir-ed two-day permit. Happy Days is engaged in the Rangitikei Cup and Clifton Welter at Bulls on Friday. The chestnut gelding should run well in either event, providing a good rider is secured for him. At the recent Dannevirke meeting, Miss Hupana won a “double” most decisively, and although the class is ’much better in the Carnarvon Hack at the Rangitikei meeting, one can expect Miss Hupana to again run well. Asleep ran his best races at the Dannevirke meeting, and if Trainer Alf Wright has a competent amateur rider on Asleep in the Ladies’ Bracelet at Bulls this gelding will give the opposition lots of bother. As a rule, close followers of form do well during the autumn racing season, and the current one is no exception, and of late it is stated that the ‘•woolbrokers” who operate in a large way have had an exceptionally bad time. Amongst very moderate periormers at Napier Park Club last week, Desert Gold’s daughter, Oreum, was again backed and beaten, but an excuse can be offered, as she mot with interference. Those who profess to know say that Mr T. H. Lowry is going out of racing, temporarily at all events. Seeing -hat Mr Lowry was so successful in his ear, y career, it is hard to understand why he should withdraw. Surely an unsuccessful run would not be responsible for the decision. .... ,If sent to Bulls lor the Rangitikei meeting, the Egmont- trained t' o Lady Bentinck, The Lamb and Shuteye—should run well in the Scott Memorial, and the best of them must prove very hard to beat. In his first .attempt over jumps at the recent Wanganui meeting, Dubious showed he was an exceptionally good fencer, and he showed plenty of pace, too; so, with these qualifications, Dubious should be well supported in the Ohakea Hurdles at the Rangitikei meeting. Pilliewinkie is very well just, at presefit, and if Ala son decides to run Gloaming over the two-mile journey of the Gold Cup at Trentham, he is certain to get plenty of trouble from .Pilliewinkie. The last-named is a firstclass horse when right. When Roval Star won the New, Zealand Cup in 1921 he carried 7.10*, and boat a strong field. For a considerable time he has shown no form, and at the Wellington meeting in a race confined to hacks and horses that have raced over jumps Royal Star is getting 101 bs from the top weight. Class is not a strong feature in the Rangitikei Cup, to he run on Friday. This is not surprising, for it is a costly business.to send horses from home, and unless good prize 'money is offered, clubs will have to rely on seco-nd-class horses. Many good performers have in the past been defeated in long-distance weight-for-age or classical races, not through meeting a better opponent, hut through poor horsemanship on the part of the rider. With R. Reed in the saddle in the St. Reger, to, be decided at Trentham next week, The Banker will be assured of good handling. The annual meeting of the Rangitikei Racing Chib opens at Bulls on Friday next. Judged on the good acceptances reecived, the meeting should he a most successful one. Some months ago it was reported that £IOOO was offered and refused foi On the form the son of Absurd has so far shown, he is not worth a tenth of that figure. Roburant will be opposed by a very poor lot in the Trial Plate at the Rangitikei meeting, but even then will have to show improvement to win. At Napier Park last Saturday. Wnioreka Jack carried 11.6, and ran 1* miles over six flights of jumps in 2.41 2-5. Contrast this time with the 2.43 registered by Surveyor when he won the chief handicap on the second day of the late Wanganui meeting, and one will form an idea how false the Wanganui race was. The race at Wanganui was reminiscent of the oldtime bicycle races. In days gone »y, the Great Easter and Great Autumn Handicaps, decided at the autumn meeting of the Canterbury Jockey Club, were • looked on as the two most important races decided in the autumn, hut time has changed this order, and to-day the southern races are not much patronised by horses owned much further north than Wellington. , Possibly the progress made by many North Island clubs, with the consequent increase of good prizes, is the principal reason that the Canterbury Club’s races are not as popular as of vore. Reremoann and The Banker' are the only Taranaki horses engaged this year. Although two of the available nine teen trotting permits came to Taranaki, hv no means is our province on-' of the favoured ones; indeed, if an additional couple of permits were handed nut to racing clubs then this part of the Dominion would have received its just deserts. However, we must he thankful for small mercies, and judged by the splendid program no issued by the Hawera Trotting Club and Taranaki Trotting' Club, both clubs are out to make full use of the favour bestowed on them. The Hawera Club is offering prize*money that would do credit to clubs established 25 years, while the Taranaki Trotting Club have framed a most attractive programme for their gathering, which takes place on April 18 (the week following the Hawera Trotting Club’s’ meeting). Con*-

sidering ft. is their first totalisator meeting, the New Plymouth -Club deserve praise for their generosity tc owners. As the- Wellington, Hawera, and Taranaki Trotting Clubs’ meetings follow at short intervals, forming a circuit, let us hope that owners and trainers of trotting horses will lend every assistance tn such young and enterprising clubs, even if they are temporarily inconvenienced, for if such clubs are to progress they must get nil the help nossible from those in the sport, and*with good meetings the general public in parts will take on the sport.