SPORTING.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 14 October 1925, Page 3

SPORTING.

FIXTURES. Oct. 16 and 17—Oamaru R.C. Oct. 17—Carterton R.C. October 21-22 —Riverton R.C. October 24—Egmont-Wanganui H.C. October 26—Waver ley R.C. October 24-26 —Wellington R.C. NOTES AND COMMENTS, (By Maecenas.) The one-day meeting of the Carterton Racing Club takes place on Saturday next. Masterton may be useful as a guide. The Oamaru Jockey Club holds its spring meeting on Friday and Saturday next. In the past this club has lost money on the big majority of its meetings, but the coming one looks promising from a financial point of view.

Southern writers report a lot of careless and rough riding at the recent meeting held at Wingatui, but with the exception of H. Were being suspended for a few hours for crossing the field too quickly, all other offenders escaped official notice. Crossing a field before being the necessary two lengths clear, or looking around while riding in a race, are looked on as serious offences by the racing authorities in Australia, and rightly so; but in this Dominion several riders have been found guilty of deliberately crossing and have got off with suspension for a few hours. One of these days a rider will he responsible for a serious accident due !o this practice. Rawhetu, which won the Waver ley Handicap of 1000 sov®. decided at the Australian Jockey Club’s meeting last Saturday, is a New Zealand bred one, by Day Comet —Miss Winsome. lie raced unsuccessfully in this Dominion a couple of seasons ago.. Rawhetu is now trained by the ex-New Zealander Stan. Reid. Seeing that the handicap was run over the trying distance of If* miles, and amongst a good class of horses, it is dear that Reid must have improved Rawhetu greatly. Those present at the last Grand National meeting at Riccarton formed a good opinion of the young hurdler Bachelor Gay (he lias just turned four years). He has gained more confidence of late, and should yet take a high place among our jumpers. After bolting twice before the .istart, the son of Gay Lad suffered a narrow defeat at the Dunedin meeting on Saturday last, and this after badly injuring a stifle. Now that the Wellington handicaps have been declared, and the nominations for the principal races to be decided at the New Zealand Cup meeting have made their appearance, sportsmen generally, and more especially the ante-post bettor, will have plenty of food for thought. The norni. nations for the Metropolitan Handicap and the Canterbury and Stead Cups are- particularly interesting, as forecasting probable starters in the New Zealand Cup Exceptionally good- entries were received by the Canterbury Jockey Club, and on the face of these it certainly looks as if this year’s field for the New Zealand Cup will be not only a big one, but also a remarkably good class one, The most prominent performers which were accepted for in the Cup, but were not nominated for the Metropolitan, last week, are Piliiewinkie, which is in Australia, and Loughrea, which is expected to make the trip across for the Melbourne Cup. Other Cup acceptors which were not nominated for .the principal races are White Comet, Rouex, Nukumai, Rapier, Sottano, Sunshot, Barometer, Jubilant, Heather Dad, 'Demagogue, Zero Hour, and Rangi Sarto.

The well-bred, but up to the present disappointing, Phoenix Park, has come into favour for the New Zealand Cup. Evidently trainer Fred Davis does not intend to put too severe a task on. the uncertain tendons of Nigger Minstrel, as this fine-looking son 1 of All Black was nominated for the Steward’s’ Handicap and' Stead Gold Cup, but his name is not amongst those nominated for the trying Canterbury Cup, which event is decided over a 2-1-mile course. Although it was reiiorted from Australia that Haze had broken down, it was reported in this column that Mason’s charge looked well when he walked off the steamer at Wellington, and at the time it was remarked that more, unlikely things than Haze winning the New Zealand Cup had happened. Seeing • that Haze, was nominated for the Metropolitan Handicap on Friday last, it is very patent that the report of his breakdown was the invention of someone. That great stayer To Kara has been nominated for certain races to be decided at the New Zealand Cup meeting, so it is only reasonable to assume that this gelding will take his place in the Cup field. Still, this may be a little premature, as the Auckland Racing Club’s nominations do not close till Thursday next. When these. are revealed, one may then know definitely whether Te Kara is certain to go south. Musketoon is another northern'er nominated for the principal handicaps at the. Canterbury Jockey C’lub’s meeting, but from one hears there is every chance of Musketoon going to Riccarton —and he will run prominently, too.

AUCKLAND RACING CLUB. The attention of owners and trainers is directed, to an advertisement in this issue giving dates for general entries, forfeits and nominations respectively in connection wit'll the spring and summer race meetings of the Auckland Racing Club. The spring meeting opens on November 7 and the summer meeting on December 26.