SPORTING.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 31 March 1927, Page 6

SPORTING.

NOT A TRIER. BY CABLE—PRESS ASSOCIATION—COPYRIGHT. PERTH, March 30. Taihaire, the champion pacer of Australia, and its owner (James Shaw) were disqualified for two years for ah legedly not trying to win a trotting

race in which the horse was engaged on Saturday.

N.S.AV. SCRATCHING'. SYDNEY, March 30. Giggle has been scratched for the Parramatta mile at Ro sell ill. NOTES AND COMMENTS (Bv “Maecenas.”) Shining Armour ran an excellent race, t.n his second appearance at Bulls and can be ticked off as likely to run well at Peilding next mouth. After winning four races in succession, a substantial rise in weight stopped Bright Knight in his second day’s engagements at the Rangitikei meeting. Cracker Day was one that was selected as likely to develop into a useful hurdler, but he fell on the first day of the Rangitikei meeting and cut himself so badly that he may not race again.

A number of minor race meetings will be held this week. They include the YVaipapckouri annual gathering on Saturday, followed by the Ashburton, Whangarei and Westport meetings on Saturday next. Although the totalisator figures for the recent meeting of the Rangitikei Racing Club showed a decline of over £SOOO, the club had a good meeting financially, as provision had been made ftr a larger decline by a reduction of prize money. It is stated that Sir Roseberry is to be sent to South Australia for the Great Easter Steeplechase, but when his connections learn that 72 horses were handicapped for the event they may alter their minds. When in Australia last spring Limerick ran some excellent races, but by no stretch of imagination could one say he showed his true or best form Evidently the shrewd Australian “punter” holds a high opinion of Limerick as he shares the post of favourite for the Sydney Cup with that unlucky horse Naos (another New Zealander). The Australian scribe “Cardigan” pays a high tribute to M. McCarten as a rider, and claims that some of Royal Feast 's successes "were due to the New Zealand boy’s good horsemanship. Old Sir Rosebery was awarded 11.9 in the Great Eastern Steeplechase run at Easter by the Onkaparinga (S.A.) Jockey Club. The top weight is Minterne (13.0). At his best Sir Rosebery could be looked on as well handicapped. Our “crack” rider, R. Reed, is having a- bad run just now. He rode throughout the two days at the recent Wellington meeting without registering a win and at the recent Rangitikei meeting he did not ride a winner. Prior to the Rangitikei meeting Vast Acre was suffering from a cold and her trainer would not have been surprised had she been beaten in the Trial Plate on the opening day. After her easy victory in the event Vast Acre was looked on as “good” for the final race of the meeting, but a poor start robbed her of victory.

Possibly with the idea of beating Gloaming’s record of £45,100 flic owners of Heroic (who is to go to the stud next season) intend racing him in the Sydney Cup on Easter Monday next. Heroic has won £38,000. Trainer E. George is taking a big team north and some of them will be raced at the Waipapakuri and AVhangarei meetings gatherings that will serve to get them near their best for the more important meetings of the Auckland and Avondale Clubs.

On his good showing at the Wellington Racing Club’s summer meeting, where he carried 9.5 and beat a big field of useful two-vear-flds, Paleta is little if anything inferior to Agrion. Gascony or Cimebue (our leading two-year-olds). With this in mind, it will be interesting to see how Paleta fares with Australia’s best youngster. Royal Feast. Paleta is sure to make the contests interesting. There is no denying the fact that the clashing of the Auckland and Canterbury Jockey Club’s meetings is a blessing in disguise fCT owners of our best handicap performers that are usually nominated at both meetings. Naturally the best horses are desired in the chief handicaps at such meetings and the result is that “flattering” handicaps are issued, which, of course, ■are greatly in favour of those horses at the top of the lists.

In New Zealand, horses, be they ever so well performed, rarely rise above 10.4 or 10.5 in weight in our principal handicaps, but in Australia the handieappers do net appear to care whether the high-class performers compete or not. As an instance it might be stated that after Star Stranger had Avon the Metropolitan Handicap, under 8.9. he Avas handicapped at 10.4 in the Waverley Handicap. At the coming Mooreo Valley meeting Spearfelt is handicapped at 10.13 (6,7 minimum) in the Mooree Handicap, one mile and a quarter.

In awarding Reremoana 10.5 in the Great Easter Handicap Mr. ITenrvs has not by any means been severe on this great middle distance champion. In fact, if one peruses Reremoana’s performances closely one must come to the conclusion that in the past, he has been somewhat lucky in that he has not had to carry even more weight. In addition to a great number of minor handicaps, tt ere moan a won the King’s Plate, carrying 9.2, and running the mile in 1.38 2-5. With 9.7 in the saddle he beat seme great sprinters at Ellerslie in the Railway Handicap of 192 G. The son of Hallowmas has won the last two Easter Handicaps decided at Ellerslie carrying 8.6 in the 1925 contest and running the mile in 1.38. but this was completely eclipsed last Easter, when lie won under 9.11 and registered 1.37 2-s—a great performance. He has also captured two Thompson Handicaps, being successful with 7.7 in 1925. when he ran the event in 1.38; while in the last contest he succeeded with 9.8 in the saddle in the fast time of I.37i—another fine performance. In addition, Reremoana has twice won the Jackson Stakes at Wanganui from a number of high-class sprinters, and last May he carried 9.10 and beat Rapine, Grand Knight and

Glentruin in the J. D. Ormond Gold Cup at Hastings, again registering the fast time of 1.38 1-5 for the mile. With such great performances before one it must be conceded that Reremoana is the greatest hasdicap “miler” we have had in this Dominion.

The ex-New Zealand trainer, R. W. King, has not experienced much success in Australia during the past few months, consequently it is pleasing' to note that he enjoyed two wins with Singlespear, which he purchased some time ago. Mr. Washington Singer, a prominent English owner and breeder of the crack sire Valais, is at present on a holiday visit to Australia. He is naturally delighted with the success of Valais’s progeny on the Australian turf, and he recalled the fact that the celebrated horse was only three-quarters of a length behind the winner of an English Derby, although beaten out of a place. Lancegav, which chased Coronach home in the last Derby, carried Mr Singer’s colours. After being knocked on his knees at the start, Lancegay was last when five furlongs had been covered, and made a brilliant run to get so close to the winner. Frank Bullock, the Ausralian, gained many successes on horses owned by Mr Singer. One of the hardy perennials of the Turf question column is “What is the distance’?” It has been answered so often that one wonders the answer is not familiar to everyone. In the last few months, however, there has been a ludrierous turn of events, for on several occasions it has appeared in print to the effect that a “distance is the distance of the straight, and the halfdistance is half-way between the straight entrance and the winningpost, the ‘distance’ therefore varying cr. the different racecourses.” That mirth-provoking misstatement of facts has apparently caused some arguments. Really the “distance” is an obsolete term,' and one that I personally never use, writes “Cardigan” in the “Australasian,” the “furlong” being much more to the point. The “distancepost” was used in the old days of heat-racing, and was situated 240 yards from the winning-post. If any of the 'runners had not reached the “distancepost” by the time the winner had reached the winning-post, such runner was “distanced.” and not eligible to start in any of the following heats. Thus it was that the familiar saving about. The celebrated Denis O’Kelly owner of the still more celebrated Eclipse, wagered on one occasion he could place the field. His placing was “Eclipse first, the rest- nowhere.” Eclipse “distanced” his rivals, who thus ran “nowhere.”