SPORTING.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLII, Issue XLII, 16 December 1922, Page 7

SPORTING.

NOTES AND COMMENTS

(By Maecenas).

Ranoi. which ran a creditable race ovei hurdles at Woodville, was sired by Coalition's half-brother, Maharanui. Tongatotoa is a geiding which should break his maiden status at holiday time. He ran excellent races at Feeding and Woodville.' Royal Box is looking remarkably well,- and although stablemate, Scion, is nicely handicapped in the Auckland Cup, Royal Box may reverse the New Zealand Cup position with, him.

1 # Labour Day's daughter, Merry Day, is a decidedly useful filly, and-ridden by a more experienced rider, may have won Loth at Ashhurst and Wo-xlville. Merry Day may play a leading part in the settlement of the big autumn handicaps. ; 5 , About . a dozen Auckland-trained horses appear in the list of nominations for the Taranaki and' Stratford meetings. AsV Glentruin ; was not aomi aated for j the Dunedm meeting, it ppeass as if v he .will certainly run in the Railway Handicap at Ellerslie. The imported mare is in great heart at present, and on different mornings created season's records by running four furlongs in 47 1-5 and six furlongs in 1.15£. J. H. Jefferd will have Rapine, Bathos, Epitaph, King's Trumpeter and Grotesque at Ellerslie to represent Mr A. B. Williams, and it will be strange if the bearers of the black and whitte livery do not pay expenses on the trip. \-Flora McDonald, the dam of] Royal Mac, recently dropped a colt foal to Absurd. Tritfy, Mr Curries fine horse has a great selection of matrons. 'Although Cupidon is one of the best supported*, horses nominated' for the Auckland Cup, reliable South, Island sources state thiat Mr Greenwood's gelding will not run in the event.

At the Kinlqch stud sales last year, Mr G. Gerard' bought the Martian — Polymnia colt for 425 guineas and the Martian—Lady. Lucy filly for 225 guineas. While, strange to' relate, that of a lithe yearlings offered this year r the pair of youngsters bred the same way as the pair mentioned, fell to the bid of one man (Mr H. Nathan). Pluto ran a great race in the Jockey Club Handicap at Riccarton, and, has since done well, so this gelding can be ticked off to pay expends on the_ Northern trip. ' "" ;1 '; Considering the' prize money offermg, the nominations received by the j Stratford Racing Club for the Cup and Douglas ■ Handicap were not auite as "classy" as expected. Certainly there are a few good handicap horses engaged in the Cup race, but the Douglas /Handicap class in indeed weak. •-

There appears to be little or no chance of Amythas and Sunart\ going North for the Auckland meeting, as each is "under a cloutf.' 1 The District Committee of the Canterbury Club decided at the last meeting to Tefuse the nominations of Kilbrogan, Simonides and Passin' Thro. In reference to the last named two, the committee could have saved themselves the trouble, as there was little chance of the pair ever going ekmth.

vUp till last autumn. Q. Coleman prepared for engagement Poanui *nd other horses owned by Mr W. Casey, but during the winter meetings, H. Eva had charge of this'team, and during a period won the Century, Great | Northern and Campbell Hurdle races with Poanui. x - Mr Casey has again decided to give his horses to C. Coleman. As anticipated,. the Taranaki and I Stratford Clubs will have to rely on provincial stables to provide fields during the holiday fixtures. Taranaki is no exception to the rule of local owneTs providing most of the horses in the nomination list, as a perusal of lists from all the smaller clubs reveal the same state of things. Tray- ! elling and accommodation is too costly, and money too valuable to- go very far 1 .rom horn*.

: Palestrina, Royal Star and Foo Ohow - ! have been working together at RiccarI ton, and .of the trio the frrst- ! named pair are going the best. When at her best Palestrina is decidedly useful over a middle distance, but it may be. found that over a trying two miles like that at FJlerslie, Royal Star may be her master. . Many looked on Fleeting as unbeatable at Woodville, but her form in public was not up to track work. This filly is sure to win races,.- but may da better in the autumn. In private. Still Sea has shown Trainer Dwyer that he was exceptionally good, and his party were prepared to gamble very heavily on' the son of Absurd in Australia had he done well, ■ but as all is 1 not well with the gelding a spell may be necessary. I When not well seasoned, Gazeworthy showed great pace in the Stewards' | Handicap at Riccarton, and for nearly j five furlongs was just in the wake of Rational and Bon Spec. With the great advantage of. a couple of races* and seven week's graining, Gazeworthy should be prominent ; at Ellerslie. •The Enalish-bred mare Polymnia i (dam of The Cypher) originally cost only 85 guineas, and went to the stud at the early age of 2^ years. She has been a great financial success for Mr j Buchanan, for although not yet seven I years' old, her progeny has brought ! 2805 guineas. Assuming Polymnia ' reaches the age of 20, and produces say 1 ten more foals, her earnings under this bead should reach in the vicinity of £20,000.