SPORTING.

Manawatu Times, Volume LXIV, Issue 279, 3 December 1907, Page 6

SPORTING.

FEILDING JOTTINGS.

(By "Augur.")

Mr J. E. Henrys has good reason to feel proud at results he obtained at the meeting. He set punters an extremely difficult task both days and the bookmakers had they got on would have had a right royal time even after paying £40 each for tbe privilege. Mr Henrys' record for the two days was 190 starters for 16 events, which takes a lot of beating, 96 the first day and 94 the second. Several of the finishes were bitterly fought out and in several instances had Mr Hartgill declared a dead heat, there would have been few discontented at such a decision.

Mr Hartgill's duties in the box were no sinecure but his work throughout was characterised by the unhesitating declarations which have made his services so much in demand with so many New Zealand racing clubs. One very important feature of any race meeting, especially when only a short distance of ground has to be covered, is the control of the barrier. It must be conceded that Mr T. Cameron had no easy task to perform in this direction at the gathering under review. But, making most liberal allowance for this, no one could be accounted anyway harsh in stating that Mr Cameron's efforts at Feilding were not such as owners and backers should reasonably expect from one with his experience. Omitting the two hurdle races each day he used the barrier for 12 dispatches and only in one single instance, the Kiwitea Welter, 1 mile, started opposite the stand, were the runners sent away on even terms, while in several other races they went off in Indian file.

A fact that escaped the notice of many was that neither Chatterer or Sandix, although sent to the post for the Manchester Handicap, took any part in this race further than going to the barrier and remaining behind it when the other eleven were dispatched on their journey. Doubtless this to not a little extent accounted for the good price paid by Chatterer in the Railway Welter run later in the day. In this event George Price on the useful St. Andrew—Whisper mare rode one of the best races he has done for some time past. He had Arthur Olliver on The Stake to contend with at the finish, which was a desperate one.

Martyrium, 8.6 in the same race was voted by not a few the pick of the handicap, but the Birkenhead mare was one of the last to leave the post and Freddy Jones rattled her through her field and at the end of two furlongs she was up in the front division, of which Gawain was at the head. Two furlongs from home Martyrium and Gawain both looked well in it but they died right out at the distance.

A horse that was putting in very solid work at the end of Chatterer's Welter was that fine looking Gold Reef colt, The Rand. He made up a lot of ground from the turn and got to within half a length of the headdivided Chatterer and The Stake.

Toney 'Messena has more than a nseful dort in the upstanding Conqueror horse Motoa. With 8.13 on his back this promising 4-year-old left the six furlongs behind in 1.15 2-5, equalising the time recorded by Moriarty in open company in the first race on the second day.

The public have clamoured loudly for the completion of the totalising before the barrier rise. Their wishes were acceded to at Feilding with disastrous results to the club as fully £3000 must have been shut out the first day. The recording of the first day's results in "krect" card ror the second day is always appreciated by turf patrons. ■ The weights carried should be included, but they were omitted by F.J.O. management, and much questioning arose thereby. A rather peculiar feature of the Feilding second day's cards, which is a new idea I think, was m every instance '' To start about '' The new system of closing the machine five minutes before a race certainly seems to be defeated by such an intimation. Quite apart fxom that fact I do not think the innovation a wise one.

I have frequently used my pen to urge upon managements of racing clubs that every racecourse should have a casualty ward on the course, and an ambulance waggon and corps to attend to horsemen who meet with accidents. Unusually strong evidence of the necessity for such provision being made was supplied at Feikling. Both McGregor and McOornbo were left lying for some considerable time practically on the hard floor of the jockeys' room in McGregor's case and that of the passage running through the centre of the stewards' stand in that of McCornbe.

S.P. C.A.'s exist in various parts of the Dominion to protect, animals against cruelty, but it seems to me that something akin to these is required for protection of human beings when men with fractured

ribs and injured spines are left lying for half an hour or more on a canvas stretcher on tlie hard floor.

Many clubs should take a leaf out of the book of the Wanganui Jockey Club, where for many years a casualty ward has been: in existence where the injured can obtain such alleviation of their sufferings as can be given by an ambulance corps well versed in "first aid," trader the direction of a qualified medical man, with necessary bandages, &c., at hand. WANGANUI GUINEAS, 1908. The entries for the Wanganui Guineas, to be run at the Spring Meeting, 1908, of the Wanganui Jockey Club, closed on Friday last. It is gratifying to note that the enterprise of the club in restoring this classic event to its programme has been rewarded by a satisfactory response from owners, there being 49 nominations, as against 44 for the 1907 Guineas, notwithstanding that two-year-olds only were eligible this time, whereas the nominations for the 1907 Guineas, called for in April, 1906, were for yearlings. Tbe following are the nominations:— Mr Wiri Tokena's Paione. Mr Toxford's Lady Lucy. Mr G. F. Moore's Guiding Step, filly by Sylvia Park—Nightingale. Mr W. E. Bidwell's Gravitation. Mr G. G. Stead's Sunglow Nobel. Mr G. P. Donnelly's Teluride— Formative. Mr J. R. McDonald's filly by Conqueror—Lorelei, colt by Conqueror —Vallance. Mr T. H. LowrvN Chan tense. Mr T. O'Neills'" Eclogue. Sir W. R. Russell's Astiglione, Berengaria. Mr J. Goring Johnstone's Viborg, Knutsford. Mr T. Crosse's No Trumps. Mr H. McManaway's Projectile. Mr W. Lovett's colt by Daystar— Prioress. Mr G. Clarebutt's filly by Menchikoff—Sister Frances. Messrs Douglas's Kopu. Mr H. M. Speed's filly by Sylvia Park—Tottie. Mr C. J. Parker's cblt by Hotchkiss—Crescent. Sir George Clifford's Fleetfoot, Discipline, luchbonny, Husbandman, Millionaire. Mr Wm. Percival's filly by Merriwee—St. Olga, colt by Menohikoff— Electra. Mr James J. Taylor's Featherston. Mr E. J. Watt's Aborigine, Wimmera, Separation, f/br. g. by Merriwee—Float. Mr J. Monk's Claribel, colt by Stepniak—Tortulla. Hon. j. D. Ormond's Diamond Star, St. Aidan, Contendent, Bollin, Mandola, Simois, Pellicle, gelding by Birkenhead—Enna. Mr D. Buick's Aberbrothock. Mrs Coombe's Master Soult. Mr Alexander's colt by Sylvia Park—Vivat.