SPORTING NOTES.

Lake County Press, Issue 2158, 28 February 1907, Page 5

SPORTING NOTES.

[By “Peeping Tom,”]

It was at a prominent racing fixture that a canning owner engaged a wellknown jockey to ride his horse in a certain race, but not to try and win. The trainer for the owner ytho. had first call on the jackey in question, got wind of the little game. Meeting the jockey just after he had donned the strange owner s colors, the trainer remarked, “ You are riding so and so in this race? “Yes, sir, the jockey answered. “ I understand you xe not a trier ?’* the trainer. continued. “That is so, sir," the jockey innocently replied. “ Look here, young man, we have first call on your services, lou belong to us ! If you ride that horse, you ride him to win, or you stop on the ground. We’ll have none of these little hanky panky tricks while you’i’e connected with our stable; so please yourself, was the trainer’s stern rebuke. It was just tune to go to the post. The jockey had not much time to hunt out the owner and ask him to get another rider. Consequently he went out and registered a meritorious win, his mount paying a bigi dividend, very much to the disgust of the exceedingly clever owner, who had not a penny on his horse, but who was waiting for higher game. .It is to be hoped that the iockey will always remember the trainer s stern lesson. If he does, his future success in his calling as a first-class horseman is well assured. The late Dunedin race meeting tarnishes another striking example of the glorious uncertainty of the game, and that racehorses more especially mares, are kittle cattle. The winners of the double and Publicans—on the first day had Ah raced at Christchurch a fortnight previously. Their performances were of the most disappointing nature, so much so, that all the, leading sporting wnteis in the South Island did not give either Stepdancer or Aimee Soult a winning c “^Q ce in their respective races at Dunedin, ifie former, it is true, came into notice a day or two prior to the decision of the Dunedin Cup,' bufi it was only in a half-hearted manner that Mr Dalgety’s marc was mentioned as a probable winner. Yet we find that Stepdancer had the Cup won a quarter of a mile from home. In fact she won even more easily than she did last vear. Aimee Soult not only won the Publicans’ Handicap, beating a field composed of member of the fastest sprinter s in the South Island, but she pub up some other very solid performances during the meeting, finishing prominently and "anielv in all her races. A notable feature of the late D.J.C. meeting was the fact that Sir George Clifford, who sent down a very powerful and numerous string of horses, did not secure a winning bracket during the three day’s racing. Prior to the meeting the average punter would have thought it fairly safe betting to invest on Sir George Clifford’s horses every time they started at Dunedin. As it now turns out such a lino of backing would have left . a considerable debit balance. Several local trotters and gallopers are likely to "o over to the Wanaka race meeting. Mr Richardson will bo represented by General Babington and Arrow Flat. Mr Jopp will take over Mcrriimc II and I hear that Black Jack will be sent over from Queenstown. The presence of the above-named trotters, with the addition of Mineret and several others less known to fame ought to make the trotting events at Wanaka especially interesting this year. All true lovers of a good horse and a rrond sportsman will be pleased to hear of Mr Jack Cotter’s success with J.C. in the Tahuna Park Cup. J-C. pub up a solid performance, but I very much question the correctness of time taken by the official docker. 4.69 for two miles at Tahuna Park is a bit of a snorter for a tussock-trained horse to accomplish. Ihe fact that J.C. only returned his backers L2 16s of a dividend, suggests that some of those behind him were admiring the Wildwood horse’s gait.

At, the Dunedin Jockey Club Races £1740 more than last year -vas put through the totalisatoi. The results of Saturday s racin" was as follows • Hurdles Wild Cat 1, Narcissus 2. Dividend £5 2s. Fly in" —Zetland 1, Fireiron 2. Dividend £2 8s! Hack— Lupulate 1, Imaginary 2. Dividend £4 2s and £2 4s. Anniversary Handicap—Astrakhan 1, Appollodoris 2. Dividends £ls 18s and £1 10s. Hopeful Stakes —Amboise 1, Cockelsbell 2. Dividends £2-8s and £2. Welter Handicap— Secret*!, Replete 2. Dividends £44s and L2. Waihola Hack—Harvest 1, Jack Ashore 2. Dividends L 7 6s and L2 18s. sVingatui Handicap—Appollodoris 1, Aimoe Soult 2. Dividends L 4 4s and LI

6s *At the Caulfield Races the Futurity Stahea was won by Corroboroe, Stepout 2, ami Collarit 3. '

Tahuna Park Trots.

mL Ar n was a good attendance for the first dav. The sum of £3,797 was put through the machine, compared with bo ojg last year. Results ; Trial Handicap. 1J mile-Bell Metal nasacM Kingman (osec) 2, Lettiedalo S“3)S. Time, 3,55. IS. and U “ a T»huna ou|>, 100 so™, - mta-A; VW 1 C. (•!. Cotter), scr, 1, Piracy (o S 2, Dick Turpin (5 secs) 3. Time, ‘SS," “dW 2 m iles-G.T.F. (e> „ ecs A i Osborne R (scr) 2, Sea Lass a secs) 3- Time 5.25. L 3 4s. (7 S°h Class Handicap (m harness) 2 •w -Pnsee (18 secs) 1, Wild Arab (12 secs) 2, Duchess of Rothschild (13 secs) o. Handicap, one miie-Music (1 aeS 1, Teddy (2 secs) 2 Piracy (o secs) 3. Vanish (scr) 3. Jome