WORLD OF SPORT

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 31 July 1928, Page 3

WORLD OF SPORT

FIXTURES. Aug. 4 —Chris tCliur eh Hunt Club. Aug. 4 —Poverty Bay Hunt Club. Aug. 14, 16, 18—-Canterbury J.C. Aug. 15 —Dannevirke R.C. Aug. 16—Dannevirke Hunt Club. Aug. 25—Hawke’s Bay Hunt Club. Sept. I—Marton1 —Marton J.C. Sept. I—Otagol—Otago Hunt Club. Sept. 3 —North Taranaki Hunt Club Sept. 13, 15—Wanganui J.C. Sept. 22- —Ashburton County R.C. Sept. 22—Napier Park R.C. Sept. 22, 24—Avondale J.C. Sept. 27, 28 —Geraldine R.C. Sept. 29—Pakuranga Hunt Club. Sept. 29 —Hawke’s Bay J.C.

NOTES AND COMMENTS. (By “Maecena-s. ’’) Considering how isolated Gisborne- is, the Racing Club there had a most successful meeting last week. Prior to going to Awapimi, G. New was a public trainer at Gisborne, buthad little -success on that coa-stt. New took Wanderlust and Pee Simple, to last week's meeting -at Gisborne, but the expensive trip proved fruitless. T. Green had a lead of two winners over R. Reed at last week’s meeting of the G-iiahorne Racing Chirr. On. the opening <la,y Reed reduced tine lead by his success on Dishonoured-, but Green again got a lead of two by his win cn Abisogne on Saturday. Not onilv did rival jockeys T. Gireen, R. Reed and A. B. Ellis display much activity and extraordinary keenness to iseeirr© the premier position amongstthe jockeys, but racehorse owner® and followers of -racing were -also keenly interested in the- ultimate result. It is rather a pity for owners and hackers alike that the riders concerned, a® well as the lesser -lights, do- not nft ways display the same energy r.nd ambition,. It would certainly be for the betterment of racing in general. The well-known thoroughbred breeders Messrs W. and b. Masiett -have tire couirage ot« their opinions with t-lie result t-nat a-t every public opportunirty they raise their voices a-gamt the oppressive taxation levied -against i-oflot\. - ers or -racing. Their contention is turn as suoii- a JoD or money is concenieu m tiie xaoiiig business, mo only way lor racing ciubs (autl liicidentaaly owners ana nequen lists or racecoursei® as ive.ij co get redies-s is to raise tne question before tiie general election, turns finanig out who are tne friends or racing. All horses, will rank a,s a year older to-morrow, August 1. Trie new -season s racing w-ill be opened i next Saturday by t-lie Ciiiistchui'cii ami Poverty Bay Hunt Clubs. in the Home by Steeplechase last-year, Mauuga gavo a- great exhibition when ridden by R. MeScveny. That rid’.er has been engaged to rule tiie gelding ,in tiie .same- event next Saturday. Jt will be interesting to s <*> liow Maunga goes ior iMcHeveny tills year. I'm? Dunedin owner L. C. Haslett has Pamplona and Dubious to -representhim in this year is Grand National Steeplochaise. At his best, Pamplona was a high-class steeplechaser, and even when on-iy half ready won at the June meeting of the Dunedin Jockey Club. It is stated that Pamplona, who has previously broken down many times, hais stood u-p to a lot of worn since this success. If that is true, and Pamplona is well on the day the Grand JN afionait oomi3s> up for decision, tlien our iioirthern horses will have to show their best to hea-t Otago’s representative. Despite the glowing accounts of Pamplona’s condition, it i.s doubtful if it is possible to bring him up to “National” condition. Regarding, Dubius, it is worthy of note that he succeeded over country at the Dunedin meeting, and in what is a. weak year, might prove equal ito winning at R-iecartoii in August. There is a large number of New Zea-land-trained horses, in Australia at the present time and many more Willi, b® sent there within the next few weeks. The latest to he b ooked for Sydney are ilaaisa-y and Gesto. Up till the last few seasons, a visit to Australia- by any of our horses was looked oil a® exceptional, now it is most common.

Prior to the recent Gisborne meeting, Sing.’pton was well written up in this column. That lie was not overrated was islhown by the easy manner in which be' won on each day of the meeting. As a. matter of fact, Singleton is much above the class of those opposed to him last week, and it isi only a matter of his keeping right to make has presence felt in wo me of the fair-sized 'handicaps that come up for decision in spring. A question often asked is, Why are so many owners smelling their horses to race in Australia ? First and foremost, the big prize money offering and the chance to win a lot of money through hacking your hor.se early at long odds is the magnet with many; but another reason is the costly train journeys of our Dominion, heavy incidental expenses, and comparatively email prize money, caused through an unsympathetic Government demanding the hist cent, possible, thus stifling racing clubs financially, and' forcing them to reduce their prize money. It is really extraordinary that the Minister of Finance 1 cannot be persuaded, or will not see, that a continuance of the existing .form of taxation will surely send many racing ci'iuib.s into oblivion, thus considerably reducing the amount gained .in taxation from racing.