Sporting

Manawatu Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 3478, 14 October 1926, Page 5

Sporting

FIXTURES, October 14, 16 —Dunedin J.C. October 16—Carterton Racing Club. October 23, 25 —Wellington R.C. October 25 —Waikato Hunt. October 25 —Waipawa County H.C. October 23, 25, or 25, 27—Waverley Racing Club. October 25—North Canterbury R.C. October 25, 27—Gore Racing Club. October 2S. 30—Poverty Bay Turf Club. October 29, 30 —Masterton R.C. October 30, Nov. I—Thames J.C. November 2, 3—Cromwell J.C. November 3—Birchwood Hunt Club, November 6, 8: —Auckland R.C. November 6,8, 10, 13—Canterbury Jockey Club. November 13, 15 —Waikato R.C. Acceptances. October 21. —Gore R.C. October 22—New Zealand Cup. October 22—Poverty Bay Turf Club. October 28 —Upper Clutha R.C.

The Dunedin J.C. meeting opens to-day. For the Mosgiel Handicap, 14 miles, Footfall (8.10) will probably bo favourite.

Set Sail (9.2) has come through her preparation well and will strip a very fit horse for the Electric Handicap sprint at Wingatui to-day. Corn Money (8.3) is to be recommended on recent form, as is also Carnot (8.2).

Among the contestants for the Dunedin Guineas, which will bo decided on Saturday, is Royal Game. His recent form on his southern tour was too bad to bo true and after his race in the Maungatua Handicap to-day, he should bo nicely sharpened up for the classic.

Three intending competitors in the Dunedin Guineas, Kilbox, Crossbow and Credit, are having a run in the Trial Stakes to-day. Paper Boy and Paper Chase are in the Electric Handicaps, Pink Terrace is in the Taihoma Handicaps, for which Credit is again an acceptor, and High Gear will have a chance to measure strides with Royal Game.

The McLean Stakes will be decided at Wingatui to-day, when some of the classy youngsters they aro said to have down there will have a chance of proving it. One of the most seasoned of the field is Pair Exchange, which has already got on the winning list. Rotor is another that is well spoken of.

Te Kara is reported to bo still standing up to his preparation at Te Awamutu. In all probability he will make his first appearance since last year’s Now Zealand Cup at the Waikato spring meeting when a better indication will be given as to whether he has made a full recovery.

Quincoma won twice at Whangarci, and on each occasion he was galloping over everything at the finish. He will be hard to dispose of in more important events this season. At present W. Townsend has him very well.

Muscari seems to be racing into form, and it looks as though his turn will come before the season is much further advanced. Ho ran two good races at Whangarei says- “Whalebone.”

M. McCarten is not returning to New Zealand —immediately at any rate —and he has accepted a 12 months’ retainer to ride for a wellknown Sydney owner.

The Trcntham mare Wactoa got such a buffeting on the Maori on Monday night that it -was deemed best to shoot her.

General entries for the Auckland Racing Club Spring meeting, forfeits for the Great Northern Guineas and Welcome Stakes and also nominations for the Auckland Cup and other principal events at the summer fixture, in December close at 5 o’clock to-morrow evening.

Tho two-year-old Ruanui, a halfbrother by Limond to the Thorn, will accompany Mandane, Bank Note and Tukia to the Auckland meeting next month.

The two-year-old half-sister by Paper Money to Body Guard Gardenia, Gardant. and Pretty Girl will race as Mandy. She may make her first public appearance at tho Wellington meeting this month.

Advices to hand from Wanganui state that Lysander has resumed steady work and is in great heart. It is considered probably that Kiosk will bo among tho contestants at tho Auckland spring meeting. So far the son of Tea Tray has only contested one race this season, a mishap having necessitated his being placed on tho easy list.

Tho Now South Wales sportsmen Messrs, J. . and C. H. Bricn are enjoying a iino run of successes at this year’s spring meetings in Australia. Already Rampion and Pantheon have crediled tho partners with something like £14,000 in prize-money.

At the Oaniaru meeting on Saturday Tarloton managed to interrupt the long series o£ defeats registered against him since he won the Timarn Cup on May 1, 1925. The rac< in which Tarlcton scored at Oamaru was the Waikaua Handicap, which was run over a mile and a(luarter, and he won by a neck from Mountain Lion, who was conceding his rival 91b. Tarlcton is engaged in the Now Zealand Cup with 2,2.

Diorama, who won the Canterbury Stakes at the Australian Jockey Club’s meeting last Saturday, is a Now Zealand-bred gelding, by Leighton from tho Boniform rnaro Gold Painting. Diorama formed one of the batch of yearlings sent across to Randwick last autumn, and he was bought by Sir Hugh Denison for 475 guineas. As tho winner's portion of the prize money attached to the Canonbury Stakes amounted to £877, the New Zealand gelding has placed himself well on the right side of the ledger at an early stage of his career.

Sons of Tho Welkin are doing exceptionally well at tho stud in Australia, and 'JGreenstcad promises to take a very high place as a sire. Outside of Gloaming, Groonstcad is probably entitled to rank as the best son of The Welkin. He was a groat weight carrier, with many good wins to his credit, among them being tho Epsom Handicap, in which he carried 9st. filb. The earliest of Greenstead’s progeny raced as two-year-olds last season, when five of his youngsters won seventeen races, worth £5831 in stakes. Greenstead has started this season in great style, as in addition to handicap winners he sired the winner of the Breeders’ Plate, the first of tho important two-year-old events in Australia.

No doubt J. H. Jefferd will take Star Stranger back to New Zealand as soon as possible for the New Zealand Cup, in which tho Metropolitan winner hah Sst. 101 b (says the Sydney Referee” just to hand.) He is liable to be rehandicappcd, but as the conditions say that no horse can be rehandicappcd to carry over weight-for-age he goes up New Zealand there is no allowance for geldings in standard w.f.a. races, and Star Stranger’s penalty will be computed on those lines. Tho gelding allowance permitted by Australian rules would send him up only 11b. If he shows the same form as on Monday last, it will take something specially good to boat him, and if he wins, it is safe to bet that there will be revision of penalty conditions for next years’ Now Zealand Cup. The minimum weight in that race is 7st.

Tho total value of the A.J.C. Derby was £9345, and of that £BOO was added money, £4OO breeder’s premium, and only £945 sweepstake and forfeits. Rather different from the English Derby, with its £3OOO added money, and nearly three times that much in forfeit and sweepstakes.

At one time we heard a lot concerning the heavy bettors of the

"good old days,” in Austria, but I am of opinion there aro more big punters in Australia now than at any previous time. When Windbag was an odds-on-favourite for the Spring Stakes some backers thought the time ripe for a plunge, and laid odds on in thousands, only to be again taught tho truth of tho old saying: “Nothing is certain in racing.” -—“Pilot.”

Commendation’s probable programme at Riccarton next month will be the Stewards’ Handicap, Derby hnd Stead Cup.

If the going is very heavy at Wingatui to-day. the chances of the "mudlark” Full Swing in the Mosgiel Handicap will be considerably enhanced.

The imported horse. Grand Knight, figures in a number of races at Ricdarton next month, and he will have full opportunity for distinguishing himself from six furlongs to a mile and a-hull'.

The Hawk is due to race at tho Canterbury Jockey Club’s meeting next month. He made his last appearance at Riccarton four years ago, when he ran third to Glentruin and Mireusonta in the Stewards’ Handicap, dead-heated with Anomaly for first place in the Jockey Club Handicap and was unplaced in the Stead Cup, won by Many Kittle.

The hurdler Ngata is held in high esteem by his owner, as is shown by the fact that his engagements at Riccarton next month include the Canterbury Cup and the Stead Cup. It is hard to fancy his chance in either of the weight-for-age races, but his prospects are not nearly so forlorn tis are those of a few other horses figuring in those events.

The game old battler. Battle Knight, met his death at Woodviile a few days ago through getting into a bog on his owner’s property, from which he was unable to extricate himself. Ho w-as found dead. Btlttle Knight won his earlier races in the colours of Mr. H. M. Campbell, but later he passed Into the hands of Mr. George Graham, for whom he proved a good stake-earner. In welter events he was especially successful, having a big dash of rlace and being a good weight-carrier. He was given away by Mr. Graham some time ago.

Rcremoana has numerous engagements at the Canterbury Jockey Club’s meeting. He is a great galloper up to a mile and his presence in the Stead Cup is welcome, but it i s surprising to find his name in the Canterbury Cup, as he lias never appeared as a horse i likely to get to the end of two miles and a-quarter.

R. Reed has been engaged to ride Degage in the handicaps at Trcntham and Tallisker in the Wellesley Stakes.

In what lookls like a not over-strong Derby field at Kiccarton neat month

Battlement will now have to be taken into consideration say “Vedette” of the “Post.” He carried only 6.9 in the Waverley Handicap on Saturday at Randwick, the opposition being very moderate, top weight being Piastoon with 8.9. At the same- time the distance was a mile and threequarters and there is thus no doubt that Battlement is a genuine (stayer. In addition he is a real Martian, and took his own time to come right, although in the process he caused one. or two serious misgivings. The most surprising thing about his win on Saturday was his starting price, which was remarkably liberal, considering his attractive effort of two day before.

White Fang, who was taken to Sydney recently, has gone into R. O’Donnell’s stable at Randwick. The Bast Coalst gelding is a remarkably good galloper of unprepossessing appearance, and a golden opportunity was lost when he was not taken to Australia in the first instance when his form was not exposed.

New Zealand horses won approximately £II,BBO during th e four days at Randwick, a sum which explains the attraction of the big- Sydney Course. Star Stranger’s Metropolitan was worth £5420, and Eulalio’s Gimcrack Stakeis win was £2079. In addition Battlement’s two successes returned Mr J. F. Buchanan £I6OO (approximately). Limerick’s seconds In the Derby and Craven Plate were worth £2200. Siaosi earned £IOO for third money and Rapine’s second In the Randwick Plate last Saturdayplaced £SOO on the,credit -side of his account. Royai Tea and Cawnporc, who are now trained in Sydney, also earned minor place-money, and both are New Zealand owned. MANAWATU TROTTING CLUB. FIFTEENTH) ANNUAL REPORT. In presenting the loth annual report and balance-sheet, the committee of the Manaw'atu Trotting Club regrets that the year was not very successful from the financial point of view. In accordance with arrangements made the previous year, the annual meeting tvas held on the Ashhurst on March 10. Good nominations hnd acceptances were received, and the racing was excellent, but the weather was most boisterous and marred what would have been one ol the most successful meetings yet held by the Club. Owners from all parts of New Zealand were represented. The Ashhurst Racing Club officials rendered good service during the meeting and arrangements had been made to have various improvements and alterations made to the course and conveniences and tjhe Trotting Club was assisting in this to the extent of the rebate of tote duty received from the Government. The Club during the season had laid down a training track, a little over 6 furlongs round, on Mr. D. Buick’s property on Boundary road for trainers of light harness horses. The track had been well drained and a good scraping shed and yard erected. The expenses incurred in this undertaking would not be recurring to any great extent. The long-loo’ked for extra tote permit had not yet been gAinted, but the Club still had hopes of obtnaining one in the near future.

The Club’s annual meeting is to be held on Saturday night. The balance-sheet shows an adverse balance of £453 on tile year’s operations. Rent and improvements to the trotting track had cost £123, stakes had absorbed £1145 and taxes £237. Nominations and acceptances had realised £414 and tbs tote £704, while the gate takings totalled £197. The Club’s assets were estimated lat £1257.