TARANAKI

NZ Truth, Issue 999, 17 January 1925, Page 8

TARANAKI

During the past few days* things have been quiet on the-vtracks, most of the horses getting a let-up after the Christmas racing.

.Both the Taranaki and Egmorit Cups are worth, chasing this year and Muraahi, Stork, Avola and Co. can be depended upon to do their best to kesp the big end of the money m Taranaki. Muraahi returned from Auckland looking fresh as paint. The racing up north did him no harm- and he will strip a great horse at Trentham. Stork got knocked about a little on the homeward trip. It was nothing serious and he Will be. ready to journey to Wellington if wanted. Avola will not be seen out m. public again until Egmorit. Rational is after the Eleventh Taranaki Stakes this year and as there are no Gloamings, Silver Links or Glentvuins engaged he should be hard;,

Another win will see Papaponga put of hack classes. The richly-endowed Nolan Cup is a prize worth winning, but the distance, eight and a half furlongs, may be too far. ,Te .Kawa has, been eased up for the February meetings. If kept for the winter, hurdle races, the Hawera horse should prove useful. ' : .

„ Star Area has not ' yet recovered from the cold caught prior to the holidays. . .''.'.'; „ •.-■■ .

Euphonium is going to Wellington and it Avill have to' be a smart one that the son 'of Elysian plays second to.

Prior to the "Stratford Cup an offer of • £ 650. and £ 100 out of the first win was made for Sunshot, but A. Grant evidently set a higher value on the Kilbroriey gelding as no business, resulted. ■

Sunny Vale ran very consistently during the holidays. Trainer Jackson has the Sunny Lake gelding well now

and should add to his stake earnings m February.

Nearly £10,000 stake money is to be given away at Hawera and New Plymouth. Sure to attract plenty of outside talent.

Wee Sandy suddenly went off color at Stratford. The Absurd gelding has been turned out for two or three weeks, but Trainer Anstis hopes to have him light again for the February meeting.

Rbburite and Roburant are both going along well m J. O'Neill's charge. The former, was not at her best at Christmas.

Hipo returned from Auckland m great nick and should play a prominent part m the next few engagements.

Irapuka is to go to Foxton and f Will have a lot of friends m the Cup there.

So will Yoma m the Anniversary,

Glengariff will have plenty of followers at the February meetings, especially if ridden by a vigorous boy.

Tuki, after a lengthy spell, has again been taken up by J. O'Neill.

Savory is moving along quietly under Jerry O'Driscoll's ■ charge.

Sid Brereton has arrived from Hawkes Bay with a team that includes Ore Ore, Athens 11., and Roller. He will probably make New Plymouth his headquarters.

The northerner, 1 General Pryde, is remaining over for the Taranaki Cup meetings. His connections think the General Latour gelding is capable of better things than he produced at the holiday meetings.

Pat Scally is also spending a few weeks m New Plymouth with Esthonia, Gold Clip and a youngster that he had seat down from Auckland.

The latest addition to Ernie George's string- is the two-year-old Oration, for which Newton King paid SSO guineas recently at the Ellerslie sales. Those who have seen the newcomer on the tracks speak highly of the youngster.

From Mr. D. J. Malone, chairman of the Judicial Committee of the Stratford Racing Club, I have received the following letter: "A statement is made m your issue of January 10 that would appear to reflect on the finding of the Judicial Committee of the Stratford, Racing Club, m a case of disorderly conduct which occurred m the jockeys' room on the first day of our recent meeting. In fairness to Mr. W. J. Morrison, the steward m charge of the jockeys' room, I feel that the true facts should be made known to your readers. Mr. Morrison, I may say, is an ex-president of the Stratford Racing Club, also ex-member of the District Committee, and a man possessed of very sound racing knowledge. The facts are as. follows: During the progress of the meeting an altercation took place m the jockeys' room. which resulted m a. violent bout of fisticuffs. The aggressor twice struck his opponent, felling him to the floor. I saw the incident from the door of the weighing room, where I happened to be standing at the time. Mr. Morrison, who was at the far end of the room, immediately quelled, the disturbance, and reported the- matter to me, with the. result that both offenders were called before the committee. In evidence, the chief offender admitted striking the other boy. The committee viewed the breach as a serious one, and decided to inflict a fine of £10 on the chief offender, while the other boy was severely cautioned for his part m the affair. The usual attempt was made by the offenders to gloss the matter over bs r stating that they were the best of friends, but, having seen the incident I am convinced that the seriousness of the offence warranted drastic action."