SPORTING NOTES.

Mataura Ensign, 30 September 1913, Page 7

SPORTING NOTES.

By "Starter."

At a meeting of the Gore Trotting Club Committee on Saturday evening the following programme for the annual meeting on. Boxing Day was approved of:—Novice Handicap of 85 sovs., optional, one mile and a-half; Mataura Handicap (for unhoppled trotters only) of 110 sovs., optional, class 5.20, two miles; Christmas Handicap of 100 sovs.. .harness, class 4min., one mile and a-half; Gore Trotting Club Handicap ot 175 sovs., optional, class 5.8, two miles; Croydon Handicap' (for unhoppled trotters only) of 85 sovs., optional, one mile and a-half; Boxing Day Handicap of 130 sovs., saddle, class 2J», one mile; District Handicap of 100, sovs., optional, class 5.20; Final Handicap of 125 sovs., optional', class 2.40, one mile. Most liberal provision has been made m regard to money for secondhand third horses, and the nomination fees asked should meet with general approval lne total sum to be given m stakes w ±aw. The programme is drawn up on mrucn the mm% lines as last year exoepxwg that the Christmas Handicap has been altered from 4.5 to 4.0 and the Gore Trotting Club Handicap from 5.10 to 5 8 The Final Handicap has been altered to a mile and a-quarter, class "3.12. Last year this race was run over a'mile, class 2.40. At a committee meeting of the Gore Trotting Club on Saturday evening Mr T. Green was elected a life member., Owners and trainers should bear m mind the fact that nominations for the Gore Spring Meeting are due next week. A good programme has been prepared and the stakesi are an improvement of £250 on those of last year. Indications point to the fact of satisfactory nominations being received for the two steeplechases on the Gore' programme. Information is to hand that the well-known Riccarton trainer F. Holmes has. a horse in preparation for these events. The Tananui Racing Club held a meeting of stewards last week for the purpose of selecting a starter for the coming races, but after fully discussing the matter no definite conclusion was arrived at. At a meeting of the Southland Racing Cflub onFriday evening 'Mr A. Jones was reappointed handicapper on the same terms as last season, and Mr H. Piper was also reappointed starter for the season. The sum of £3OOO was allotted' in stakes to the summer meeting, and the following programme drafted—tf'irst day: New fear Handicap, for horses that have not won a stake exceeding £SO, £llO, six furlongs; Makarewa (Class 5.8) Trot, £l5O, two miles; InTercargill Cup, £650, one mile and a-quarter; Waikiwi Handicap (district), £llO, seven furlongs; Flying Handicap, £220, six furlongs; Oreti Trot, £1.30, .one mile and a-half; Avenal Welter Hack Race, £llO, six furlongs; and Waihopai Handicap, £220, one mile. On the second day the Summer Hack Race, seven furlongs, carries £110; Koslyn (class 3.50) Trot, one mile and a-half, £140; Southland Handicap, one mile and a distance, £400; Gladstone Handicap (district), one mile, £120; Shorts Handicap, six furlongs, £135: Electric Trot, one mile, £110; SoutMand Guineas, of 105 sovs., second horse 10 sovs. and third 5 sovs. from the stake, for three-year-olds, w.f.a.. winners of any advertised race of 50 sovs. to carry 71b extra, of 75 sovs. 101b extra, and of 100 sovsi 141b extra, entrance (due October 22) 40s, one mile; and Final Handicap, one mile, £2OO. All nomination fees have been fixed at a sovereign, and the total fees have been reduced to less than two per cent. London files by the mad confirm the cabled advice that Mr W. H. Walker refused an offer of £30,000 for the stallion White Eagle, which is at the stud in Ireland. White Eagle was foaled m 1905. He won the City and Suburban and other races of the value of and went to the stud in 1910. His stud fee is 200gns, so that the price said to have been refused for him is rather extravagant. "•