SPORTING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13160, 25 April 1906, Page 3

SPORTING.

TilK next metropolitan gathering to enga 4 - attention i? that of the Wellington Racing Club, which opens to-morrow at Trenthani. The Thompson Handicap, the distance? o. which is a mile, has the fine acceptance of 18, and it may be assumed from the manner in which horse owners have received -dr. Pollock's adjustment that the opinion entertained is that the winner is extremely well concealed. Sir George Clifford's representative, Signalman, who figures top weight, is considered to have an excellent chance, bur a couple of light-weight- that will probably keep the Clanranald horse busy are Stai shoot (7st 101b) and Mobility (7sr 211?)- In the decision of the Ea=ter Handicap at I'd" lerdie on the 14th inst., The Officer's daughter ran out the mile with a good deal o! dash, and in the event of Stewart Waddel • being in a position to laud .her at the pos. . to-morrow in the same nick as when sue | ran at Ellerslie sli.'.' should play her part well j in the decision of the Thompson Handicap. j j Mr. Stead's representatives will have j one more opportunity to measure .-.tride.s j with Achilles before the present son closes, and with bolt and Cuneiform to call upon when 'he North Island Challenge Stakes comes up for decision at Trent-ham to-morrow, the Porirua crack may have a stiffer task Ik-fore him than that which confronted him last week at Kiccarton, when Porcelain ran him to a head for the C.J.C. Challenge Stakes. The North Island Challenge Stakes, it may he remarked, is run over seven furlongs at weight-for-age, to which a scale of penalties and allowances apply. Achilles, Isolt, and Cuneiform, of course, come within the scope of the first-named condition, all three being strongly penalised. By their respective winning displays Achilles and Isolt have each incurred the maximum penalty of 141b, while Cuneiform will be required to carry 101b additional. The weights to be carried by the trio will therefore be as follows:—Achilles. 10st lib; fsolt, 9st 51b: Cuneiform, 9sfc 41b. Starshoot, who has been racing in the colours of Mr. E. .T. Watt, since he came on the scene in tlie spring of 1902. will fulfil his next engagement in the racing livery of the Canterbury sportsman, Mr. J. Buckley, the son of Hotchkiss and Orescent having been purchased by him to strengthen the team of racers ho has in training. Starshoof is enengaged in the Thompson Handicap, set down for decision to-morrow at Trenthani, with 7st 101b, and if he is caught on his best behaviour he may be able to repay Mr. Buckley straightaway for the outlay he made in his purchase last week. The Glenora Park studmaster, Mr. W. Walters, was a passenger to Sydney by the s.s. Zealandia on Monday, and all being well lie will probably cross over to Victoria in order to have a look at Wairiki's full brother, who reached 1100 guineas at his sale in January, and who is now under the charge of I. Foulsham at Caulfield. Horse-owners are again reminded that nominations for the Great Northern Hurdle Race, Great Northern Steeplechase, and Winter Steeplechase, to be run at Ellerslie in June next, under the auspices of the Auckland Racing Club, close on Friday next at nine p.m. The Auckland-bred mare Eljen (by Cy- j renian—Parera) continues to win races in Victoria. At the Epsom meeting last week she won the Mordiallio Handicap under Sst 51b. AUCKLAND TROTTING CLUB'S AUTUMN MEETING. THE SECOND DAY'S RACING. BY PICADOR. The second day's racing of the Auckland Trotting Club's Autumn Meeting will bo brought off at Alexandra Park this afternoon. With good acceptances, as the result of Mr. Edwards' handicapping, some interesting sport is promised, and in the event of fine weather prevailing, a large attendance of the public should be in evidence at. the trotting rendezvous. The following horses may run well in their respective engagements:— Manukau Trot.—Waitekauri or Miss lluon. Autumn Trot.—Ran an a or Eureka. Class Trot. —Mistle or Mooress. Pony Trot.—lsabel or Plaintiff. Novel Trot.—Miss Ruby or Verve. ' April Handicap.Fashionable (if started), 1 with Mat-aura and Forth next best. j Shorts Handicap.—Frederick or Kaipaki. : THE ACCEPTANCES. MANUKAU TROT HANDICAP, two miles.Le Rosier 125., Waitekauri 155.. Harold Ahdallnh i 155., .Stranger l&s., Duke C. 18-s.. K.D. 13a,, Sir Robert 225.. Happy 245., Redleaf 205., Miss flnon 283., J.l'. ?0.5., Withington 32a. AUTUMN TROT HANDICAP, one mile and a- ■ half.—Stranger Is.. Tailioa Is.. The Mooter Is., [ Colenso 75., fiertlcaf 95.. Farewell 11. 10s., Eureka i 125., Mongonui 155., Little Paul 155.. Takapo 165., Ranana 18s., Wellington 135., Snip 18s. ! CLASS TROT HANDICAP, one mile.Mistle t scratch. Le Rosier 75., Waitekauri 75., Tailioa Bs., , The Mnore.ss Bs., Yum Yum 95., Colenso 135., , Happy 135., Farewell 11. lE*. ! PONY TROT HANDICAP, one mile and aI quarter —Mongonui scratch. Verve Is.. Special 1 Light (late Specialite) Is.. Isabel 25., Fibre 75., Plaintiff 75., Cleveland's Pride Bs.. The Weed 14«. NOVEL TROT HANDICAP, one mile.Verve scratch, Olive (late Jessie) Is., Miss Ruby 25., Lena C. 25., Lady Rothschild 11. 45.. Prince Tuxie 55., Cleveland's Pride 65., Ilrown Alice Bs., Porangi Bs., Manjrere !K, lluon Clair 10s., Mack IQ»., Miss Vola lis.. Wee Pony 12s. APRIL HANDICAP, six furlongs and a-half.— J Fashionable 10.5, Lady Nannie 8.10, Forth 8.7, Matuura 8.3, Solitary 8.1, Manoeuvre 8.0. SHORTS HANDICAP, about, four furlongs and a-half.—fJirton Uirl 9.1, Mataura 9.0, Orange and Bine 8.9, Frederick 8.8, Solitary 8.8, Pantry Girl 7.10, Baricale 7.10, La Annie 7.5. Rapid 7.5, Kaipaki 7.0, Bengola 7.0. The first event is timed lo be started puneI tually at one p.m.

1 * INTERPROVINCIAL GOSSIP. > |BY TELEGRAPH. — OWN COItUESFONDENTS.] CANTERBURY. Tuesday. By his Wanganui Cup and Great Autumn Handicap performance Boomerang has proved himself a high-class colt over a distance, and if there were any books open 1 lie could find plenty of backers, even at this early stage, for the New Zealand Cup. ' Delaware's running in the Great Autumn » Handicap was a wonderful improvement on anything he had shown previously. He is eref dited with be m;' a very lazy horse, and I have heard that his rider was blamed for being too easy on him in the race. However that may be J do not think he could have i beaten Boomerang. l In the Great Autumn Handicap Starshoot ran a good race under difficulty owing to his , wayward habit?. At the post Mr. Piper let the field go when he was walking up a couple of lengths behind the rest, of the field. The result was that lie was badly placed till the back stretch was reached. Then he put in a good run, and at the half-mile post be was looking very dangerous, but he met with s bad luck at the turn, being disappointed £ twico when looking for an opening. Once in the straight he commenced to improve his ■, position, and judging by the way lie finished it looked as if he might have been very * handy with a little more luck in the eariv 1 stages. Mr. Montgomery, a Mellx>nrne visitor who was present at Riccarton this week, lias purchased from Mr. Stead the two-year-old coir, Equiform (by Multiform— This colt- injured himself when a yearling, a mis--0 hap which was a great disappointment to Mr. Stead, who had great hopes of the youngster turning out well. Mr. Montgomery ha- , also purohased Handel, and lie is reported to have secured Melodeon as well. He was after several other horses here, but so far as I can learn at present he has not bought ■» any of them yet. -Mr. .1. Buckley added to hi* team during i lie week by purchasing Starshoot and Ability. ' Ability has already shown some aptitude for jumping, and being a halfbrother to Slow Tom, he may be worth watching by the time the Grand National a Meeting rolls round. e Mr. G. G. Stead has sold Savoury to Mr, K. J. Price, in whose interests he will pro bably run at Wellington this week. Sa vourv has been a disappointing horse, am it. will surprise me if he turns out a profit it able investment. it Local stables will be well represented a' ?- Wellington this week. Signalman, Czar e evna, and Glenowlet should be worth watch d ing. The firstnamed is very well, and i c- will not be surprised to see him win th< , Thompson Handicap

Mr. ,T. Buckley has placed Convoy in D. ! Moraghan's hand*, to l>e prepared for the approaching jumping campaign. Convoy was shaping well in his schooling last winter when he went wrong and had to lie spelled. With Convoy, Ability, and Phaetonitis to represent him Mr. Buckley should hold a strong hand in the big jumping contests this winter, and it will be surprising if he does not capture some of the chief prizes. Treadmill (by Bill of Portland—Catherine Wheel), who has had two seasons at. Sir George Clifford's stud, is back at Choke-bore. I understand that he i= to be given another chance of distinguishing i himself on the turf, and with that object he j w-ill be put into work shortly. 1 learn that j Treadmill i- represented by several promis- | I ing foais at Stonyhurst. j Kirriemuir is not to he persevered with ; any more this season. The brilliant daugh- j ter of .Nl,i(lowla is to be driven a rest, and I be I ore she is again put into work efforts will be made to overcome her 'knee trouble. WELLINGTON. i ! , Tuesday. | With t he exception of the Thompson Han- , j dicap the fields in the handicap events on j j the first day of the forthcoming meeting of j j the Wellington Racing Club are disappoint- ' j inglv small. Out of the 161 horses liandi- j I capped lor seven events only 13 remain in. ■ I Solution is in the Thompson Handicap. and ' j ISourrasque and l-'iamen will not compete in 1 - that event. j On arrival from the South, Achilles went out to Trenthani, where ten of the Porirua team arc* stabled. Achilles will he seen at his best on Thursday if the weather conditions are favourable. He will have to carry 10sr lib in the Challenge Stakes, and should j add that stake to his list. There is a likelihood of Isolt starting, in which case the contest will he made more interesting. Starshoot. who was purchased by Mr. .7. Buckley alter the C.J.C. Meeting, for 200g5., remains in T. Quinlivan. jun.'-. charge until after the local meeting. The double machine on the first day will lie open on the Thompson and Railway Handicaps. The favourite picks are King Billy and (ilenowlet. and Signalman and Gawain, who will be hard to beat in the sprint race it the going is heavy. NAP Tuesday'. Munjista and Mystification left for Wellington yesterday, and to-day Polyanthus and Grand: Slam were despatched for the scene of action, in connection with the Wellington Racing Club's autumn venture. Probable is again an attendant on the training tracks, and the rest that The Possible s son lias bad has apparently agreed with him. Gold Seal is being put. through a course I of studies over the little sticks on his owner's (Mr. (J. P. Donnelly) private track at Ngatarawa. One of the best-looking of the juvenile band of workers at Hastings at the present time is Comedian, the younger full brother to Operetta, whose trainer, W. Stone, is making satisfactory progress towards the recovery of good health. The cross-country fences have been placed in position on the preparing grounds at Hastings. This morning No Shot and Eclair _ were associated in a sprint over the impediments. The former ran off at, several of tho fences. Eclair, who is looking in great heart, never made a mistake, jumping quite up to his usual high-class grade. WELLINGTON TRAINING NOTES. [lIY TELEGRAPH. —PRESS ASSOCIATION.) Wellington, Tuesday. A heavy fog ob-cured the Trenthani training tracks this morning, and very little work was done before breakfast. The track is a bit heavy, but- the trainers say it is' less heavy than the Hutt course. Signalman and Clanchattan opened proceedings with a j brisk gallop once round, finishing together. I Signalman is looking , particularly well. Chryseis and Lady Wayward did a mile, Chryseis finishing' in front. Mystification did two rounds at a steady pace, showing a desire to do better. A good seven-furlong gallop was done by Mobility, Lyrist, and Starshoot. All three appeared fully extended. Lyrist, under the whip, finished first in a shade under lm. 375. Starshoot was a, length away, and Mobility a length and a-half further back. Medallist and Ito ran five furlongs, but the fog obscured the start,, the former finishing in front. English Channel trotted or cantered once round, and Achilles was led round for exercise. Ex- j moor also did light work. Both the Porirua horses look well. Boomerang, looking well, was restricted to easy exercise. SALE OF BLOOD HORSES. By Telegraph.—Press Association.—Copyright Sydney, April 24. To-day Mr. A pear purchased' Airloeh. The prioe is not stated,, and he with EitzGrafton is to be sent to India.