Sporting Notes.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLI, Issue 8144, 24 July 1906, Page 7

Sporting Notes.

■"BY " GEBAINT."]

W. McConky has a stable fall of horses at present, but owing to the continual wet weather, and the consequent wet and heavy tracks no work of any moment is being done. Mussel, who has been spelling since the Otaki meeting, has been taken up again. His spell has pushed him up wonderfully, and he is now very fit to commence work. McConky intends to keep him at the jumping business and will give him a thorough schooling before starting him. The Capt. Webb gelding Hydroscope, previously owned by Major-General Babington, is also in McConky'e care. The gelding is well, and is being restricted'to quiet work. Other inmates of the stable are a mare by The OfficerEos, another by Gipsy King—Slip by Natator. The latter has just been broken in. McConky. has also broken in and isnow riding about a couple of youngsters by Seaton Delaval—Certificate and Euroclydon. The latter is an exceptionally well grown relative of Aeolus and English Channel. The latter is still in the paddock, suffering from an injury to his foreleg, and there seems no chance of him racing again. Rosewood is also in the paddock and will be sent home at an early date. Reports reach me that Mr C. Harrison has the steeplechaser Hutana and the hurdler Peruvian looking very well at Feilding. Hutana is being prepared for steeplechase events at the Marton and Rangitikei meetings, and Peruvian for hurdle races at the same meetings. Hutana, it will be remembered, won both steeplechases at the Rangitikei meeting last year, when the other gelding raced successfully under T. Scott's tuition. He was on the retired list for some time due to a strained knee from which he has entirely recovered.

Mr Hood, of Palmerston, has disposed : of his Australian-bred sire Patronus to j Mr Greaves, of Hawera. Mr Hood suffered a heavy loss a few days ago in ' the accidental death of a yearling colt from the Medallion mare Cornea by Pilgrim's Progress. The colt who was full of promise came to an untimely : end by falling into a ditch during the recent wet weather and from which he was rescued only to die. In conversation with returned dele- j gates from the Racing Conference the opinion was expressed that though the decision of the Conference in granting three days to the Manawatu meeting against the expressed desire of the Rangitikei and Ashhurst Clubs would seem to bear hardly on the latter Club, it was not so m reality, as during the whole of the Conference it was generally 1 recognised that in a very short time the whole of the totalisator permits will be revised, and a reduction of, at least, 25 per cent, effected. In fact it is more than probable that a motion ay pointing a committee to confer with the Government as to what permits should be abolished will be table! for the next Conference. It was further considered ■ that whenever this occurs clubs racing within a certain radius, of each other must infallibly be affected. Such clubs as Marton and Rangitikei, and Ashhurst and Manawatu will have to join issue, and it was felt by the delegates that if any of the clubs situated as indicated were contemplating heavy expenditure, and possibly taking large liabilities on their shoulders, it would be wise for them to realise the position as soon as possible. Montigo, who won a double at the Gisborne meeting, is a particularly wellbred gelding, his sire being a son of Lochiel, and his dam Immensikoff (not Mensikoff) was got by Monaco (son of St Leger and the imported English brood mare Lady Ravenworth). Montigo's trainer, W. G. Moore, brought back from Gisborne last Wednesday (sajs the Weekly News) a new inmate for bis stable, the stranger being Stroller, a three-year-old gelding by Strowan out of a Dorringer mare. Moore intends to shortly shift his quarters to Palmerston North. Miss Adeline, another of his string, is being treated easily at present. She will not be asked for any great exertions till well on in the spring. The correspondent of the Marlborough Herald m a reference to the proposal before the recent racing conference with regard to the compulsory payment of racing fees prior to starting, says : —" In the course of the discussion it was mentioned that a well known cross-country rider recently had to lepve the Taranaki district and go to Hawke's Bay because he was unable to get payment for the great proportion of his losing mounts. Nearly a hundred pounds was owing to him from one horse-owner alone." The Wellington writer but faintly conceals the identity of the rider referred to. H. Jackson is putting the Mahaki mare Armistice through ber N.Z. Cup work at Wanganui. Chivalry made his debut in Sydney rather inauspiciously, asafter the running of the Tramway Handicap at Moorefield last Saturday, his rider, G. Price, was cautioned for the manner in which he handled his mount. Chivalry was prominent for about half the journey, when he faded away rather suddenly, but as it was his first run sincehis trip over some allowance could easily be made. "While riding Debenture in the Maiden Hurdle Race at Flemington on the opening day of the V.R.C. National Meeting, the New Zealand rider, C. O'Neil, had his left thigh fractured, as the result of his mount falling with him. The accident will keep O'Neil out of the saddle for some time, which is bad luck, as the New Zealander had a large number of riding engagements to fill. Wirrall, the representative of the Ormond stable, who won the Trial Stakes at Wellington last Saturday week,-is a big-framed, strongly : built, well-developed colt by Birkenhead from Nixie. All the Birkenhead ■stock are comely, but Wirrall possesses special claims. His performance in the Trial Stakes showed him to be a good goer, and if he trains on well he should prove a tough problem in this year's New Zealand Derby. For eight seasons (including the one just ended 1 ) Mr G. G. Stead's total winnings amount to- £63,382. His largest winnings in one season were in 1901-2, when the amount was £12,325. Mr Monk's total winnings extending over five years amount to £12,820. Mr Prosser's record for eight years shows £7286. At the Point to Point Steeplechase Meeting of the Rangitikei Racing Club on Saturday last the Welter Handicap was won by Mr Preshaw's Tam (Mr Jas. Coombe) Lochade and The Shark filling the places. The Light 'Weight Handicap fell to Mr H. J. Cameron's ,Senorita (owner), Ben Ledi and Columbine second and third. The Members' Steeplechase was won by Captain Campbell's Elmwood (D. Bennett), Mr D. McLean'd Dick Roahi. (owner) ' second? and Mr P. Wotton's West-

ward .Ho (owner),: third. latter fell at- the last 'fence and was - remounted. -Tbfrohly pther starter," Fiji, also felt 'The Farmers' Steeplechase was appropriated, by Mr D. McLean's Howitzer (Mr F. McLean), Mr A. H. ■Ingle's Avoca (owner) second and Mr F. A. Smith's Bluebell (owner) third. At the distribution of prizes Mr, J. G. Wilson congratulated Captain Campbell on his win m the Steeplechase and he also mentioned it was Captain Campbell's intention to take his horses Home.

Martello and Apa are each doing good work at Fordell. Martello is receiving his Cap preparation. Lady Erench, Delamere and Nova, other members of Tilley's team, are also looking well.

Fontenoy, who was very prominent at the close of last season's racing, has been blistered and turned out Fontenoy has been off the scene for a long time past. " It is probable J. Hall will ride the Feilding team of jumpers in their southern engagements. Hall is a brother of A. Hall, the mentor of the team. It appears Lull and Apiti did not go with the team yesterday, but Kremlin did. The horses are due to leave Wellington to day. It is probable that Halberdier will be seen out at the Marton and Rangitikei meetings. The old fellow is still standing up to his work.

The Wellington meeting closed the racing season in New Zealand for 1905-6. Multiform, according to the figures compiled by " Pentagraph " in the heads the HsVof winning sires with £11,634 10s. Then follows Stepniak (iJ9388), Soulfc (,£6517). Seafcon Delaval .(£5932), Clanranald (£5335), Merriwee (£4623), Sou'-wester (£3625), The Officer (£3541), St. Leger (£3315), Gold Reef (£3184), and Medallion (£2927). Last year Stepniak held pride of place with £8785. Noctuiform, tops the list in winning hoises, with £3747, which amount includes his wins in Australia. Isolt comes next with £2699, and the other leading horses are as follows :— Boomerang (£1890), Achilles (£1745), Kirriemuir (£1705), Paritutu (£1680), Putty (£1380), Nightfall (£1328), Cuneiform (£i2oo), Sol (£1077), Lyrist (£1060), Landloek (£1040), Solution (£1005), Multifid (£977), Exmoor (£975), Melodeon (£975), King Billy (£940 , Gawain (£870), Ability (£807), Cambrian, Cross Battery, Quarryman, and Ropa (each £800) Mr Stead's total winnings for the season amount to £10,800, and is over £5000 above the next highest on the list, Sir George Clifford, whose total is £5747. The names of other large winning owners are: —Mr E. J. Watt (£4622), Hon. J. D. Ormond (£3735 , Mr J. Monk (£3205), Mr J. George (£2095), Mr J. Buckley (£2054), Mr J. H. Prosser (£1687), Mr D. O'Brien (£1485), Mr T. A. Williams (£1380), Mr T. H. Ljwry (£1330), Mr W. Foss (£1310), Mr R. W. Patterson (£1282), Mr F. W. Arnold (E1235), Hon. G. M'Lean (£1202), Mr G. F. Moore (£1110), Mr J. M'Laughlin (£1105), Mr W. C. Morgan (£1097), Mr C. H. Smith £1087), Mr H. Friedlander (£1082), Mr G. Hunter i£1080), and Mr C. Coleman (£1040).

According to late English files, the ex-New Zealand horse Noctuiform had not begun to display anpthmg like his true form. He iiad, howeyer, begun to get down in the weights, but with 8.9 in the saddle ran only seventh in the Holiday Handicap, of 390 sovs, a mile and a quarter, at Hurst Park, which was won by Given Up (7.11), with Borghese (7.7) and Yincula (7.12) second and third/espectively. There were ten starters, and Noctuiform was quoted at 100 to 7 offered. By the time that Noctuiform returns to form he is likely to be handicapped at a weight that he can successfully handle.