SPORTING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 16026, 18 September 1915, Page 10

SPORTING.

RACING FIXTURES. New Zealand.

September 15, —Avondale Jockey Club. September 23, —Wanganui Jockey Club. October —Napier Park Racing: Club. October 8, 9—Dunedin Jockey Club October 9—Hawke's Bay Jockey Club. October 20. 23Auckland Trotting Club. October 23. Wellington Racing Club. October —Waikato Hunt Club. October 28, —Poverty Bay Turt Club. November 3. 6Auckland Racing Club. November 6. 8. ID. 13—Canterbury Jockey Club. November 9. 11, 11— N.Z. Metropolitan Trottins Club. November 17, 20—Otahuhu Trotting Club. November 24. Takapuns- Jockey Club. December 4Waipa Racing Club. December —Bay of Plenty Jockey Club. December 37Kawakawa Racing Club. December 27. —Thames Jockey Club. December 27. 30. January 1, 3—Auckland Racing Club. December 28. 29. 31—Auckland Trotting Club. January 13, —Wbangarei Racing Club. January —Northern Wairoa Racing Club. January 26, 29Takipu i» Jockey Club. February 3, s—Gisbor-ie Racing Club. February 10, 12—Poverty Bay Turf Club. February 12—Te Kuiti Racing ClubFebruary IS. 13—Hamilton Racing ClubFebruary 23—Rotorua Jockey Club. Mar:'n —Onotiki Racing Club. March 4, —Te Aroha Jockey ClubMarch. 8. 11Otahuhu Trotting Club. March 17, —Ohinemuri Jockey Club. April F. SAuckland Trotting Club June 24Waikato Trotting ClubAcstralia. October 30, November 2, 4, Victoria Racing Club. October 2. 4. 6, 9—Australian Jockey Crab. October 9, 13, Victorian Amateur Turf Club.

DATES OF COMING EVENTS. New Zealand. September Avondale Guineas. September 23Wanganui Guineas. October 9Hawke's Bay Guineas November —Great Northern Guineas. November 3A.R.C. Welcome Stakes. December 27—Great Northern Foal Stakes. December 27—Auckland Cup. December —Auckland Trotting Cup. December 30—A.R.C. Summer Cup. January Great Northern Derby. April 22—Great Northern Champagne Stakes. April —Great Northern St. Leger Stakes. i una 3—Great Northern Hurdle Race. j one —Great Northern Steeplechase. _ ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. N. O'M.. IWhatatutu.Rivulet (dam of la) was got by Javelin from Cascade, by Sledmere. J.G., Hamilton.—-The following measurements ot Musket and Carbine were taken at the time they respectively ranged at 16 years and four years old: Musket: Height, ! 16h liin; girth, 6ft lin; forearm, 21iin; below knee, Sjin Carbine: Height, 16h Oiin; girth, Eft 7iin; forearm. 17in; below knee, 7jlnOld Hoasis. Hikurangi.—l. Cavaliero won the Great Northern Hurdle Race in 1900. Coeur da Lion scored in the same race the following year. 2, D. "Wright rode Cannongate to victory in the Auckland (Summer) Steeplechase of 1903. R. Hall had the mount on Ncr'-west when that horse won the same race in 1900. We have not the complete record. 3, Othello (Neill) defeated Bombardier (J. Rae) in the Takapuna Steeplechase of 1896. *

NOTES BY PHAETON.

AVONDALE IN SPRING.

The weather prophets have many times scored in. their predictions bearing on meteorological matters when race meetings at Avondale have been involved. To very general satisfaction, however, they were all badly beaten last Wednesday. On the day previous to the inauguration, and well beyond daybreak, matters certainly assumed the gloomy tint; but when the pressure came instead of expected rain , ■we got rays of -bright sunshine, and the inaugural afternoon's sport was held under weather conditions that might be termed ideal for September. Small wonder that in the swift and happy turn which the clerk of the weather made in electing ' to smile rather than frown on Avondale last Wednesday there was an air of joyousness at the western suburb. With everything working smoothly throughout the day "the gathering was altogether of the highly pleasing order. With fine weather an accompaniment today racegoers may be expected to again invade Avondale in strong force, for the prospects of a highly interesting and enjoyable afternoon's sport eventuating stand out prominently. I

TWO-YEAR-OLDS UNDER SILK. No large amount of reason probably I exists for the sounding of the enthusiastic key bearing on the first batch of two-year-olds -which set out to carry silk in the initial iuvenile contest of the season at Avon-dale on Wednesday last: but all the gain© it can be said that several of the youngsters that were saddled up at the "western suburb carry a racy appearance. It is often remarked that in four furlong flatters luck almost invariably plays a part; but further than that she jumped into her stride nicely it can, I think, be fairly argued that fortuitous circumstances did not loom largely in

assisting Lady Jack to a victory in the Avondale Stakes. The half-sister to Jack Delaval was called upon for the last bit inside the distance to cut "down Lady Elysian, who had been making the pace in a solid manner, and the manner in which the daughter of Carl Rosa settled down to dispose of her brown opponent was decidedly pleasing. Though of diminutive stature, Lady Jack is of fairly sturdy build, and that she possesses the quality of gamenesa is an established fact. Lady Elysian (fay Elysian— Flora) can be depended upon to see a better day; as also can Lady General {by General Latour— and Ritasea j •by Achilles—-Aideen), and Homeric (by j Achilles—Paphia). For what would be termed a dashing appearance Ritas certainly took the palm; and the unplaced performance entered up against her name was the surprise of the two-year-old classic event.

AUCKLAND TROTTING CLUB.

Pressure of space last week prevented me from doing full justice to the attractive set of programmes framed by the committee of the Auckland Trotting Club for the three meetings to be brought off at, Alexandra Park this season. The receipt cf a copy 0 the neat book programme just issued affords an excellent opportunity for a return to the kE* n t prize money offered at tV»« object of The raising o£ the Trotting Cup to, 1000, ov» can ve priately be referred to as A aPPropacket of the season. It i B D w2i!, Pn f e note in connection with the b1^ mg ? that 200sovs has been allotted to second and 100sov E to the third wM^! fixing the limit at 4m 445, the cootie have taken a step that will win much approval The second day 0 the sum ' mer meeting finds the Summer Cud nt 400sovs the leading event, and on thl third day the:; President's HandfcL of 450sovs occupies chief place. oTLX day throughout the season two events are specially for trotting horses only and • that is ( a procedure calculated to wi'n all round favour. Altogether th« a I i, all J Trotting Club is to Se wlrSt i*° kU t nd lated on their proposals fm- ; and that a great vear will \£lt TSi If Island is a prediction m th ® N <*th

LEAVES FROM MY NOTEBOOK. Colonel Soult "was duly produced atMenangle Park, New South Wales, on Thursday last to contest the leading event of the programme, in the settlement of •which he was expected to play a leading part. The unexpected happened, however, for a cablegram to hand states that the Soult gelding failed to jump off ■when the barrier went up, and taking no part in the race, his supporters were confronted with that most annoying of all circumstances connected with betting .operations —losing their money without a run. Colonel Soult was nominated for the two leading events at the Bosehill Meeting today, but owing to the late arrival of the steamer carrying the necessary registration paper, such could not be lodged at the time of entry, and the Auckland horse has been declared ineligible to start. The only opportunity for "the Colonel" to get a race prior to the opening of the A.J.C. Meeting will be at Hawkesbury on the 25th inst. ""

John Williamson can always be depended upon to smile happily when Black Northern comes out of his shell; and when the erratic son of Salvadan and Astbore fairly romped away from the opposition in the settlement of the Grey Lynn Hurdle Race at Avondale on Wednesday last the face of the Ellerslie trainer carried an expression - that drew many quickly to his side to handshake in warm congratulation on another victory for the purple jacket In conversation with the owner of Black Northern at Avondale I gathered the interesting information that with all his vagaries there is one thing in which Black Northern has never once disgraced himself, and that, rather surprising to relate, consists of his always jumping wire fences properly. John Williamson does not romance; and with that tribute to Black Northern we must conclude that the black gelding is a horse whose orbs are of the perfect order for wire fences is undoubtedly a great test for equine eyesight. Had Black Northern been a thoroughly reliable horse he would probably have been given an opportunity to earn distinction at the forthcoming Australian Jockey Club's meeting. As matters stand the black half-brother to Irish will be left to earn his oat bill on this side of the T&sman Sea.

The forthcoming Australian Jockey Club's Sparing Meeting -will probably find a good sprinkling oi New Zeatmders present at- Rand wick. By the s.s. Makura, leaving on Monday, Messrs. W. Casey. G. M. Currie, F. J. McManemin, and JWilliamson -will make the voyage to Sydney. Whether Mr. J. C. Gleeson will make the trip to Rand-wick to see Colonel Sonlfe ran at Randwick will depend on the date when he is required to take his place with the brave boys who have enlisted to uphold the nation's honour. The Auckland Racing Club's book programme for the season has made its welcome appearance, and in a buff and gold cover, with " A.R.C." picked out prominently, there is much to please the eyes, while* those who seek figures on the inside pages will experience no difficulty in finding £42,550 standing out as the amount of prize money for the 11 days' racing proposed to be held at Ellerslie. The annual meeting of members of the Otahuhu Trotting Club is convened to be held on Friday next at 3 p.m. at the office, Vulcan Lathe. The nominations lodged yesterday with the secretary, Mr. F. D. Yonge, for the seats on the committee not being in excess of the number of vacancies, an election will, therefore, not be necessary. STUD NOTES. ' BY PHAETON. • When the announcement of the death of the Blairgowrie mare Lady Musket reached me last week from Glenora Park, I felt pretty certain that something -if an extraordinary nature had happened, for when paying a visit to the Fapakura estate last month I remarked to Mr. Walters, who accompanied me in a ramble over the paddocks, how well the old mare was carrying her 20 years. When I met 1 the Fapakura breeder at Avon dale on Wednesday it may be guessed that the defunct Lady Musket was quickly a subject for conversation between us. It appears that a thunderstorm of great violence swept over Fapakura on the sth inst., and it is conjectured that Lady Musket suffered _ a shock that eventually led to the foaling crisis, which proved of such a character as to baffle all veterinary skilL Fortunately there are two daughters from lady Musket at Glenora Park, and one of the number, March, who was got by Marble Arch, is this season to be mated with General La tour.

With no descendants of Maltster winning high honours during last season there seemed at one time to be a. good prospect of Wallace greatly reducing the lead ■which the Bill of Portland horse has held over the son of Carbine for several years in the lisjt of prize money captured. However, so far from this" being the case Maltster's descendants captured £10,339 more in stakes than those of Wallace. With this addition the total sum won by descendants of 'Maltster is brought up to £198.913, which is £19,940 in advance of the sum credited to the progeny of Wallace. lb® fact of Wallace being five years older than Maltster would appear to make it pretty certain that should the younger horse continue to survive, he will now I always have the lead in the matter of j prize money over the Carbine horse.

There are many interesting records bound up in the careers of Wallace and Maltster; and one . outstanding is that both horses vron the Derby insignia at Flemington, while descendants of each earned similar honours on the great Australian racecourse. Wallace is well ahead

of Maltster in the matter of Derby -winners, for in V.R.C. blue riband contests F.J.A., Lady Wallace, Mountain King, Wilari. and Wolawa, who claim him as their parent, have scored ; -while Maltster only claims Alawa and Beverage. Then, again, Wallace won the Sydney Cup at three years old, a feat which is also, down to the credit of his son Trafalgar at a lite age. The latter stands out as the most noteworthy descendant of Wallace, and for stamina ho clearly proved himself to be in front of any descendant of Maltster that has f») far figured on the turf. Alawa, who filled the role of runner-up to Prince Foote in the Melbourne Cup of 1909, would probably be popularly cited as Maltster's most noteworthy descendant over a distance of ground.

The highly-bred pacing stallion. Dillon Bell, is to stand the season at G rat ton Downs stock farm, Manurewa. Dillon Bell is the grandson of Sydney Dillon, the sire of Lou Dillon, -who clean trotted a mile in lm 58is.

WELLINGTON SPRING MEETING.

POSTPONEMENT NECESSITATED. [BY TELEGRAPH. —SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.] Wellington, Friday. Up till a late hour this afternoon all arrangements were in train for the holding of the spring meeting of the Wellington Racing Club on the Labour Day dates, and the programme was to be advertised next week, but unforeseen circumstances have again arisen, and the meeting will have to be held over. There is every probability of the club racing on December 14 and 17. j These dates do not clash with any other meetings. NEW ZEALAND HORSES IN ! AUSTRALIA. COLONEL SOULT FAILS TO START. By Telegraph— Association-Copyright, (Received September 17. 9.15 p.m.) T . , . SrDXEY Septemoer 17. W disip e pofe rer 0 S f i in public. Firethe lost th® ife? 1 * Inform the Roaehill run « pliance with the regist-rSf™ non^omMotr^ r ' J ll ihe : on Thursday he defeated five him a gallop i n corneal Sr - oa 40 feavo the mark with the homs. mg to