SPORTING

New Zealand Herald, Volume LV, Issue 16823, 13 April 1918, Page 10

SPORTING

FIXTURES. April Trotting Club. ApriJ, Racing Club. April 19—Manawatu Trotting Club. Apri!'-&-bt»nubu Trotting Club. April 26, 27—Hawke's Bay Jockey Club. ( May 23, Winganui Jockey Club. June 1, 3—Auckland Racing Club. June 1, 3—Dunedin Jockey Club. ANSWERS ?$ CORRESPONDENTS. Kia Ora, Renvucra.—l Iceberg carried 6st 131b when ho won the Feilding Cup. 2. Desert Gold's-first race in Australia was tho St. George'* Stakes at Caulfiold. L.A.W., Waihi.—Gluepot (by GlutenCloud) raced sb a six-year-old in the season of 1915 -16. and, assuming that to bo correct, he %\aa foaled in 1909, and is thus rising nine years old.

G.C. Newton—Seahorse was numbered the starters for the Liverpool Grand National Steeplechase of 1905, but he did n i Complete the course. So far as the r, cords available show. Seahorse never won a steeplechase, in England.

J.T.S.-Desert Gold ran her first race on October '24. 1914. On that occasion sho finished third, to Asteri&s and Battle Eve in the Wellesley Stakes, run at Trentham. She won her first raco oi November 14 of the same year, her weeess being associated with the Pipncer Handicap at Riccarton.

Avast.—At three years old Advance won the ARC. Easter Handicap lone miiel under 9?t 61b and the Autumn Handicap icnc mile and a half) under 10st slb. Certainly, Advance established his right to be included amongst the most noteworthy performers that have figured on the New Zealand turf. "NOTES BY PHAETON. TH& AWAPUNI GOLD CUP. With a field of seven engaged in the Awapuni Gold Cup, and Detert Gold, Biplane. Estland, and Impediment amongst the number, matters. shape,'wrll for a contest in every way up to expectations. Desert Gold has arrived , back in New Zealand, and she is reported to have made the return trip across the Taernan Sea under conditions (hat did not affect her condition. When, AH Black's daughter romped away with the Alleged Stakes at Raudwick on the 3rd inst she demonstrated beyond doubt that she was t,s good as over, and, with Mr.,T. H» Lmvry being in accord with that view, it/rasy be taken as pretty certain that. In (he event of the mare going on all right, she will be found on hand at Awapuni next Wednesday m order to contest the mile end a-quarter wcight-for-age raco. Birlare having acquitted himself with great distinction in the C.J.C. Challenge Stakes, such selves to invest his prospective meeting with Desert Gold next wtek with great interest. By all accounts, the brown colt is ri!,-htjback to form, and he is looked upon to make a-bol3Vbid for victory. A SYDNEY CUP SURPRISE. The victory of Rebus in the Sydney Cup, run on Easter- Monday last, was almost as preat a surprise as that recorded by Moorilla in the tame race of 1911. Rebus, who is an English-bred son of Radium. figured as a contestant in the Autumn Slakes, run on the preceding Saturday, and, though ho did not altogether cut an indifferent figure in the mile and a-half weight-for-ago race, his showing was not popularly held to be sufficiently good to make his Cup chance take hopeful shape, and the pencillers wer? calling 50 to 1 Rebus as the horses filed to the starting-post. How Rebus outstayed all the favourite division and defeated a brace of other importations in Shadowland and Lanius is well known, End his name is enrolled with horses identified with bringing off sensational surprises at Randwick. AUSTRALIAN WEIGBT-FOR-AGE _; ; ~: {TALENT. Bcme ftp '.Trjilers resident on different Bides of the Murray River appear to view matters from different standpoints » far as the weight-for-age talent in evidence at the present juncture is concerned. In a tccent issue of the Australasian " Goodwood" gave it as his opinion that Desert Gold ftnick.rafhcr a lean year in weight-lor-aga horses in Auatralia. ' On tile other

hand, " Milroy,". hi tho Sydney Mail, jq v,ri;in(i,,i>f "thd' field that opposed Desert Gold in the Autumn Stakes, said:—"There nenr pas a better field of weight-for-age horses .at Randwick." " Milroy" should know v.-imt he 13 talking about, for he has been in very clos< touch with the sport a", important centres for a good stretch of y(%W ? I wonder, however, if the millversed -Sydney writer has overlooked the autumn? of 1889, when the fo'lowine select ' lot were contestants at Randwick:— ■ Abercorn, The Australian Peer. Lochiel. Mclos. 'Jfeeall. Plutarch. Kussley, Honeydcw, and Cranbrook? LEAVES FROM MY NOTEBOOK. In appointing: Mr. W. £. Spence to succeed the late Mr. J. V. Hartland as secretary of the Auckland Racing Club the committee of that body took a course that was on all lands anticipated. When acting, as he did Jor many years, as lieuenant to the late Mr. Hartland, Mr. Spence 'e loyalty of service ' and his industry was always ap-parent.-and thoss who nave bad occasion to visit-.the A.B-.C. office know the unfailing; courtesy, under all circumstances, that everyone received at his hands. With a strong grasp of all thirl appertains to the secretarial position and possessing the quality of tact in a marked degrte, there is very much to rejoice over in the appointment of Mr. Snence.tind that*.he may live long to hold office is- a wish that. I am sure, will find expression far .beyond local boundaries. During the present week Aucklacdcra had the pleasure it welcoming back to Maoriland an • old and popular identity in the person Mr. H. E. 'Whitaier. who has been absent from these chorea for a period extending'to some 27 years. Prior to his departure • Mr. Whitaker filled the post ol secretary for several years to the New Zealand Stud Company when tljat body was enzjigcd- in extensive breeding operations at Sylvia Park, and he held that post to the date of'the liquidation of the company in 1821. After leaving Auckland in the year named Mr. Whitakcr spent some timo in Victoria? • afterwards proceeding to South Airica, *Jh which"' 'country he was resident during toe stirring times of the Boer war. Arch .Lassie, the two-yeartold daughter of Marble Arch and Lassie Doon, who led the field* home in the Juvenile Handicap at Avondale -on; Saturday last, tormed one of the c-Dlle'cTiori of yearlings sent up for sale at Epsom in December, 1916, by Messrs. W. Dunn and Sons, and she was secured cheaply at 65sris ' Arch Lassie won her race in such 'good style that her owner was encouraged "jo send her to Palmerston North in ore. />to fulfil engagements at the Manawatu meeting. *. - »- t BiEpgne. 'who'• seemed to havo been improved by-- the , galloping he received at Elleralie. was produced at Avondale on Saturday last to contest the leading handicap. ..The son of Bezonian finished up in sixth position. Mr. Alexander has paid up for his horre in the Awnpuni Gold Cup. so that ij'would seem ho considers the chestnut is rapidly regaining form. It ja stated to bo quite probablo that the last has been seen of the English-bred horse as a racer. Mr. Hislop, who im-ported-the - in of Polymelia, has disposed of the; horse to a Gisborne breeder, and it is understood that he will enter upon his ettfd career in that district next season. Miss! Ellice, the highly-bred daughter of Bronstino and Elegance, was out early making the pate in the Juvenile Handican decided at Aviphda'e last Saturday, and she looked like winning at the head of the straight. The final (Stage, however. fo:nd a weak spot in Miss Ellice r >«nd, fad'nr away rapidly, she failed -to gai|V«» «ituat!jn. Miss Ellico was backward, and'-tte can. I think, be expected to see<o better day. The-EngliY'i-bred aorses engaged fn racing fit thp; Australian Jockey Club's Autumn Meeting put tip a good record. In the Sydney Cup Rebus, Shadowland, and Lan'us filled /the whole of the p'accs, and in the decision .-of tha „ Cumberland Stakes and A.J.C. Plate Lanius led the field home each day, while Redfern won the Coogeo Handicap. . The'"tw<pyear*>!d. Dunwil fby Cooltrim— Lady Molba). who was purchased by Mr. J. Wren i for '£2000' after recording three wins at the V"JfLC.' Autumn Meeting, gave his; new owner an early return by capturing the Easter Makes of £500 at the A.J.C. meeting last week. Full details of the sale of yearlings at Sydney last week are not yet to hand. The cabled account makes no mention of_ any lot reflcniips a sum of four figures, ana it would seem that th;re was an absence of what would -t-r'terrrieij.r high-prico lota ot the lea,, „•'-.:'. . Northern" Crown, a two-year-old daughter of the-Auckland-bred mare Gladsome, registered $' v. in,'in the Juvenile ■ Handican run at the WilliajTiEto*n meeting on EasterMonday. Northern frown, who was got by White-Star, was bought cheaply as a yearling for. 200gns, A vAlutble imported stallion named Piquet fby Cyllene-j-Prusquinette) fell and broke lis neck while being exercised in Victoria recently. ' .... ■. The " "Mystification gelding Indigo, who of unsoundness some little time back, has been cased up for the season, and will.be allowed to rest until the spring rolls round. • *,y Harbour Light is stated to be training .-in iplendidly, and a good race is expected item Jam when the.winter meetings roll round A three-yest-old-Jcolt named Saxby (by iaxham--lhoramaid), imported from England by Mr, J. C. N..Grigg, la »id to show n good deal of premise. ¥ -

Iceberffj the grey boh of Coronet, who won | tho Feilding Cup on Easter Monday, is thus referred to by " Wayfaror ":— Iceberg, who won the two principal handicaps at tho Feildin? meeting, bringing his immediateconnections, it is understood, a good deal more profit than was represented by the value of the stakes, has proved » >ery vieful money-earner during tha last 18 months or bo. He la always on hand when there.is a nice litflo handicap that docs not require too much winning to be picked up, and last year he credited his owner with ' between. £800 and £900. This year ho is well on the way to earning at least as much, and yet he appeared in tho Feilding Qup on the 6st Blb mark. He can gallop five furlongs or a mile and a-half, or jump hurdles, when he is required to divert the attention of the handicappers from his ability on the .flat, and alto?other he is a very desirable sort of customer to own. He was turned out in rare fettle at this meeting, but lobbed around the paddock in the most unpretentious and unconcerned fashion, and oven after winning the cup and paying an outside price, he was allowed to start in tin Easter Handicap, just as well treated, with little more attention from tho public"

NOTES FROM ELLERSLIE. Sportsmen will regret to learn of the death o! J. McLean, who was killed in action in France. McLean, after serving his apprenticeship as a light-weight, scored many successes in the saddle as an amateur horseman, after which he figured as a professional hurdle horseman. He won hurdle races on Florist, and will be remembered as having won a hurdle raco on Npapoto at Ellerilie. ! He was greatly esteemed by a large circle of friends. •Juito a large number of Auckland sports. I men intend to be present at the Manawotu ] Kacing Club's meeting next Wednesday to witness the contest for the Awapuni Gold Cup between Desert Gold. Biplane, Estland, •ogne. and Co. Should Desert Gold ana Biplane be found in competition on tho day oth will claim admirers from this Quarter. So far Tame te Eapu has not run up to •xpectations. The three-year-old son of Robert the BruceTakatumu had the set vices of Deeley in the Maiden Handicap at Avondale but third was the best ho could do. ,:ig'e candidate held a Quiet reputation at ■lie stage, but has given no real promise of urnlng out first-class. Notability, a three-year-old ton of Sarto— Noblesse, who carries the same colours as Meltchikoff, may yet turn out a payable proI position on the turf. He has given some promise in hit track work, and next season may,be looked for to show improvement on previous efforts. Moneymoon and Rangi Aroha are two | maiden hack performers who havo failed to • raco up to expectations during the autumn. ' Both these hacks hail from To Aroha, So | for neither of the pair has displayed sumj cient pace to justify the boom which accomI panied their arrival at Rotonia, at which meeting, it will be remembered, they were declared ineligible, starters. R. Hannon's King Abbey was not produced at Avondale. This two-year-old half-brother to King Lupin (by Quinn Abbey) displayed sufficient pace in the Great Northern Champarnc Stakes, won by Finmark, to augur well for his future success on the turf. Ho is in the right hands to bo given an opportunity to acquit himself well. It may come as a surprise to sportsmen to learn that Padding-ton Green has already been supported by a Taranaki sportsman to win the next New Zealand Cup. Needless to say the quotation about the son of Flagfall was of a very remunerative order. Complaints come from borse-traineri M the Tbamca that some very unaattsl&ctory regulaI tions are bein« imposed; upon them by the i racecourse authorities, and*the committees of the country club may do well to investigate the cause of the grievance. The local hurdle horseman, 8. Hendenon. was classed C2 during the week, and w'll bo free to follow his occupation in the saddle during the approaching steeplechase err ton. Hopye should perform well over our try during the winter, for at Avondalo he fenced in good style, ana finished on fast in tcond ! place. The grandson of Carbine looks 1 thoroughly sound in limb to start or the ■ career over country mapped out fir h'm. I When Golden Glow contested the Cneviber I Steeplechase at Avondale last 'V.urlay he was adorned with bandages, which indicated ' unsoundness. However, he finished ri t the course in front in such a fashion as to suegest ho will need some consideration in any I cross-country event he figures in. j It docs not look as if Tho Channel will , every stay out a long course over country nt a solid pace. The aged son of Captain Webb would certainly be better suited in the hunters' class, even with a deal more weight . than he is asked to carry in the open class. Kauri King should be a vastly improved horse by the racing indulged in at Ellorslio and Avondale, and as the wintei season advances his career will be keenly followed in anything up to mile events.. Glencpal can be quoted as a mare who completely lost her true form towards the end of the autumn. After making a run- | away race of the Takapuna Cup in January she went on and gave Gold Fran 2lb and a beating in the Taumarunui Cup, while on Saturday last, at a difference of 7lb less, the daughter of Glengowrie failed to find a place in the Titirangi Welter at Avondale, when Pendoon finished in lino with Gold Fran foi

j first honours. > Five yearlings purchased at the recent Melbourne sales arrived in Auckland during the week, and are now quartered at D. Moraghan's. They comprise a bay gelding by Pendil—Tunis, a bay filly by Berriedalc— Georgia, a brown filV by Bobadil—Sesaa, a bay colt by Pistol— of Roses and a chestnut colt, by Trafalgar— Pilgrim. They arrived in good condition. Two other thoroughbreds also irrircd by the came 1 (learner, and are now located at C. ColeI nan's. 8. Henderson left for the South by last I night's express. He will ride Lord Nelson I in the Hurdle Race at Palmerston Norfh I on the opening day. and may be found on I Iceberg on Thursday. I Banza Mist, who finished fourth in ihe Chevalier Steeplechase at Ayonda'e, has not been taken up long. He is being trained by G. Lindsay at Avondalc. Hciro is now located at the same stable. Nothing of note has been executed on the track since the Avondale meeting, though the jumping brigade are receiving somo at- | tention. I Informal, Demotic, imd Blue Cross were entrained to Palmerston North on Thursday last in charge of C. Coleman. This trio are engaged at the Manawatu meeting on Wednesday. The half-brother to Bathlin (by PenuryOrange and Blue), purchased at the Ascot dispersal sale by Mr. H. Wilson, has been placed in A. Julian's care in the hope that he may prove a suitable competitor in the hunters' cass. He is now Qualifying. The two-year-old filly Arch Lassie, who got on the winning list at Avondale, was taken to Palmerston North on Thursday last. The daughter of Marble Arch is engaged on the second day of the Manawatu meeting. The Robert the Bruce—Sannic filly in Mobberly's stable has been named Eirene Bruce. She has been handled and ridden and will receive a preparation for spring racing. Penniless was schooled over hurdles during the week, and gave promiso of acquitting himself well in his winter engagements. , Winterbourno is now an inmate of W. I Sharp's stable, and should he stand a preparation will probably figure on the racecard in the nomination of a well-known patron of the stable. i Colonel Bouk and Bedford remain in work ;in view of winter engagements. There seems every hopo of the latter standing the noccs--1 eary preparation. Gold Fran was schooled in company with Bloommo during the week. Both fenced safely. Analogue has been sent home to Tauranga, where he will irdulgo in a spell in the paddock. Soalfish haß been noticed on the roads of , late being used as a hack by W. Sharp. I COUNTRY RACING CLUBS. I A circular sent out by the members of the North Island executive of the New Zealand Country Racing Club's Association gives an extended account of the business which was dealt with at the meeting held in Auckland last week In referring to certain resolutions passed at a meeting of clubs, held at Hamilton in February last, the circular says:—The meeting took strong exception to tho cutting out of the Avondale and Takapuna Jockey Clubs and the Pakuranga Hunt Club from any association of country clubs as if they were pariahs, and -therefore below notice. These clubs are country clubs within the meaning of the New Zealand racing laws; they are efficiently and honestly managed and provide the best of sport, and are entitled to the courtesy and reiipect of their sister clubs, and must be so treated if wo are to exclude discord and net with unanimity lor the amnion weal. The fact that any candidate, or candidates have been defeated at an election for delegates on the District Committee or in Raring Conference or through any particular chin having lost one of its racing days through the younger ciub being allowed by the District Committee to retain its one day's racing, at tho request of all tho clubs in the district with the exception of Hamilton, is not of sufficient importance to be made a burning question to tho exclusion of tho larger and broader questions on which not only the welfare of the country clubs as a whole must rest, but. on winch also their very existence depends. Local potty iea'n.isics and personal ambitions must be excluded from our programme if wo arc to be of any use as a fighting force in the maintenance '4 our liberty and privileges. With the endeavour of avoiding disruption—and it'beintf in accord with the views of tho association—the following resolutions were adopted unanimously by the meeting, vis,: — "(1) That for the purpose of electing five delegates to represent the country fotalisator clubs on the district committee, the Auckland metropolitan district be divided into three parts, the division of the > district to be at the discretion of the district committees, is also the number of delegates to represent each part. (21 That for the purnose of electing representatives for the Auckland metropolitan district on the New Zea'and Racing Conference this meeting rcicmmends that the Auckland metropolitan district be divided into two combinations of tot»lisatcr clubs; and that the District Committ/o Bo requested to approve of this recommendation. (3) That the Auckland District Committee be requested by the president of the Country Racing Club's Association to «ive effect to the resolutions end recommendations now affirmed by this meet-