SPORTING.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18324, 15 August 1921, Page 7

SPORTING.

GRAND NATIONAL MEETING. CONCLUDING DAY’S RESULTS. (Fbom Oob Special Reporter.) CHRISTCHURCH, August 13. Tho Grand National meeting was concluded in nice weather, which canv> as a. welcomo surprise after the very threatening aspect of tho previous day and night. Tho attendance at the out&et seemed to bo small, but tho enclosures became well filled after midday. The track provided firm going, but tho racing was not particularly interesting, as small fields were common, and some very decisive wins were witnessed during the afternoon. The proceedings opened with a rank outsider in Bed Blaze paying close on half a century in tho Longltcach Hunters Hurdles, in which the favourite (Pamplona) failed to show any dash. Apparently the race on the middle day settled both him and Ready. Fire Eater was a strong order for tho Aylesbury Steeplechase, but he struck very heavily at Cutts's fence and bumped O’Connor out of his seat. This left Tigerland to score a very easy win. Dainty Step was a hot favourite in the Heathcoto Handicap, but she was one of the last into tho straight, and Prince Martian just beat Caverock, who was showing around half a century dividend. General Advance ran a good race, and might have won with a good passage, na ho got chopped back to last on the rails, and had to make up 100 much ground. Phil May looked a sure winner when ho raced to tho last hurdle in his race about 10 lengths clear of tho field, but ho fell, and Master Boris comfortably defeated Tigritiya. To Oro was interfered with by bumping Phil May as ho landed over tho hurdle. Indus fell at the six-furlong post. Explorer came to light in the Sydenham Hurdles. Ho streaked away to a big lead, and, fencing cleverly, scored tho most decisive win of tho meeting. Waimai bumped his rider off at the first fence of the Lincoln Steeplechase, and First Line nearly came down when, crossing the same fence on the second time round. Sturdc© won all the way, and although he struck at the last fence, lie never allowed First Lino to got near him. San Sebastian broke down, and was pulled up. Corn Rigs scored a fairly comfortable win in the Redcliffs Handicap, and the programme concluded with Mustard Pot scoring a very meritorious win in the SeJwyn Handicap under a big load. Miss Muriel finished fast, but she was slow on her legs over tho first couple of furlongs. During the day ,£72,647 wont through the tolalisator, as compared with £68,102 on the final day of last year’s meeting. The total for the meeting amounted to £207,864, as compared with £213,475 last year. Results; LONGBEACH HUNTERS’ HURDLES, Of 200SOVS. One round and a distance. Mr A. G. M’Donald's Red Blaze, 10.7 (G. King) 1 M.T S. E. Richards’s Likelihood, 10.7 (J. Kaan) 2 Mr C. P. Nash's Birkenvale. 11.11 (P. M'Brearty) 3 Starters: Pamplona 11.4, Ready 11.9, Birkenvalo 11.11, Likelihood 10.7, Granges 11.9, Innisfallen 10.8, Red Blaze 10.0. The field were in line at the first hurdle except Likelihood and Beady, who punched it hard, and Innisfallen took up tho running and showed the way along tho back. Turning for home, Rc'd Blaze moved up, and ran to tho last hurdle well clear of Pamplona and Birkenvale. In the run home Red Blaze won by over a length from Likelihood, who beat Birkenvale by half a length. Innisfallen being three lengths away. Time, 3min 10 l-ssec. AYLESBURY STEEPLECHASE, Of SOOsovs. Two miles and a-half. Mr H. A. Russell’s Tigcrland. 12.7 (W. Bowden) 1 Mr J. W, H. Windsor’s John Bunny, 12.8 (R. Thompson) 2 Mr R. Acton Adams’s Joffre. 11.0 (G. Feikling) 3 Starters; Firo Eater 12.13, Tigcrland 12.7, John Bunny 12.8, Joffre 11.0. Fire Eater at once led out, and showed the way to Tigcrland up to the stand double. Going to Cutts’s fence Tigerland moved up. Fire Eater struck heavily, and unshipped his rider. Tigcrland went on, and, although headed by Jchn Bunny as they turned for home, came on again, and. won easily by six lengths, with Joffre a length away. Time, amin 16sec. HEATHCOTE HANDICAP, Of 400sovs. Seven furlongs. Mr A. M’Donald's Prince Martian, 9.0 (R. 5. Bagby) 1 Mr G. L. Rutherford’s Caverock, 9.0 (E. Clarke) 2 Mr F. G. Hanlon's Hciro, 9.0 (J. Barry) .. 3 Starters: Dainty Step 10.10, Prince Martian 9.2, Arch Salute 10.0, Pine Arch 10.2, Clean Sweep 11.7, General Advance 9.0, Link Up 9.0, High Heels 9.0, Mazama 9.0, Caverock 9.0, Heiro 9.0. General Advance was tho first to show out, But Ca,vorock and Link Up at once took charge and led Prince Martian and Macduff to the straight, whilst Dainty Stop dropped back last. Caverock came on from Link Up in tho straight, but. Prince Martian put in a challenge and: heat Caverock by half a length, with Hie.ro three lengths away, followed by General Advance, Dainty Step, and Link Up. Time, Imin 30sec. STYX HURDLES, Of SOOsovs. Once round and distance. Mr W. Garrett’s Master Boris, 9.12 (S. Walls) 1 Mr H. A. Russell's Tigritiya, 11.6 (J. Dcerey) 2 Mr C. Penglito’s Te Oro, 11.0 (W. Rennie) 3 Starters; Tigritiya 11.6. Phil May 9.10, Te Oro 11.0, Hyttus 11.13, Dribble 11.7, Master Boris 9.12, Endure 10.13, Parifonn 9.0, Indus 9,0, Silverlea 9.0. Silverlea ran off at the first hurdle, and Phil May took up the running andl had a good lead as they ran along the back stretch. Indus fell at the six-furlongs post. Phil May was still well clear of Master Boris and Tigritiya at the last hurdle, which brought him down, and Master Boris beat Tigritiva by four lengths in the run homo, with fe Oro four If- r,h» away, and Hyttus next. Time, 3min 3sec. SYDENHAM HURDLES, Of GOOsovs. Two. miles. Mr J. L. Nicholl’s Explorer, 9.13 (N. K. M Donnell) 1 Mr H. E. Jones’s Multivo, 11.5 (R. Thompson) 2 Mr R. M’Donald’s Sir Fanciful, 10.1 (W. Bowden) 3 Starters: Gladful 12.3 (coupled with Mill o’ Gowrie 10,10), Sir Fanciful 10.1, Demagogue 9.11, Crosswords 10.2, Multivo 11.5, Thrace 10.11, Whipcord 9.3, Explorer 9.13. Crosswords fell at the first hurdle, and Explorer immediately established a commanding load, followed by Mill o' Gowrie and Kauri King as they ran round tho top where Demagogue was lying second. Explorer gave nothing a chance, and won by eight lengths from Multivo, who beat Sir Fanciful by four lengths. Demagogue was a neck away fourth. Time, 3min 44 2-ssec. LINCOLN STEEPLECHASE HANDIw-P, Of 750sovs. About three miles. Mr C. F. Vallance’s Sturdee, 10.7 1 Mr H. D. M’lvot'b First Line, 11.12 .. 2 Mr J. S. Barrett's Manawaponga. 10.12 .. 3 Starters: First Line 11.1, Waimai 11.12, Sturdee 10.7, Manawaponga 10.12, San Sebastian 9.7. Waimai lost his rider at the first fence, and Manawnponga led to tho Kennels' double, where Sturdee took charge and was leading First Lino as they crossed the stand double. First Line struck heavily at Cutts’s and shot Kain out of the saddle, but ho made a good recovery. San Sebastian broke down and was pulled up. Sturdee continued in tho lead, and although making u mistake at tho last fence came on to win comfortably by over eight lengths from First Line, who boat Manawaponga by over 100 yards. Time, Gmin. REDCLIFFS HANDICAP, Of SOOsovs. Seven furlongs. Mr W. Gardiner's Com Rigs, 10.8 (A. H. Wilson) 1 Mr L. Harris’s Cantoris, 10.8 (C. Emmerson) 2 Mr F. D. Jones’s The Reaver, 9.3 (A. Ellis) 8 Starters: Royal Mac 10.13, Treaso 9.0, Cantoris 10.8, Corn Rigs 10.8, The Reaver 9.3, Lady Lucullus 9.0, Filagree 9.8, Linton 10.0, Bravo Deed 9.0, Grim Joke 0.4, Missland 9.0. Cantoris was tho first out, but Corn Rigs took charge and led round the top from Cantoris, Tho Reaver, Lady Lucullus, and Royal Mac. Com Rigs led Royal Mac into the straight, and the former came on to win by over a length from Cantoris, who beat The Reaver by a nock, with Lady Lucullus and Linton next. Time, Imin 30scc. SELWYN HANDICAP, Of lOOsovs. Six furlongs. Mr G. B. Starkev’s Mustard Pot, II.R (S. W. Walls) 1 Mr W. R. Kemball's Woldonc, 9.0 (E. Lowe) 2 Mr R. Acton Adams's Miss Muriel, 10.4 (Andrews) 3 Starters: Mustard Pot 11.8, AVeldone 9.3, Will Oakland 10.8, Fahrinaile 9.6, Miss Muriel 10.4, Couuteratroke 9.0, Killowen 10.9, Warlike 9.7, Seaside 9.0. Killowen led Fabrinado to the straight, with Mustard Pot well up. Inside tho distance Mustard Pot and Welclone went past the lenders, and the former, finishing strongly, won by a length and a-hnJf from Weldone, who beat Miss Muriel by over threo lengths, with Killowm and Fabrinado next. Time, Imin 13 4-sscc. A message from Christchurch states that Mr Rickliforrl has decided to send Coalition, who won the Grand National Steeplechase last Tuesday, to England to compete in tho

SIDELIGHTS ON THE RACING. A BAD ATMOSPHERE. (From Our Special Reporter.) CHRISTCHURCH, August 14. The meeting marked! the birth of a new season, and taken all round it was a great success, auguring well for the future. The running on the first two days ot the meeting was full ot interest, and the Grand National Steeplechase as fine a racing spectacle as one could wish to see. There seemed, however, to be a different atmosphere abroad on the final day of the meeting. The fields were smalt, and instead! of the opening cards providing better balanced form and keener contests on the final day some of the races were comparatively tame. Some very decisive wins were scored, and although the running may have been quite free from trickery in one race at least eom© of the runners were apparently keener on “escorting’’ others instead of going out after the leaders. The race referred to was the Heathcole Handicap, in which, for some reason or other, a hot favourite in Dainty Step seemed to get a bad passage and others did not show anything like their correct form. It was a much-discussed race, and only two or three of the horses obtained a clear run, and nothing seemed to be able to get near Prince Martian and Caverock at the finish. Experience of racing teaches one to b© cautious in expressing opinions suggestive of suspicion, but the atmosphere surrounding the Heathcote Handicap did not show that healthiness which should be identified with true sport. The performance of the winner, it may be remarked in passing, was remarkably good for a horse which, it was persistently rumoured, had been off his feed lor several days. In connection with another race the owner of the winner wore a somewhat sombre countenance after the race. He was apparently at one and the same time pleased, pained, and surprised. He was pleased at his win, pained at the smallness of the dividend, which was remarkably short for a horse showing indifferent form earlier in the meeting, and surprised a.t his horee showing a pronounced improvement in form for no apparent reason. All these things may admit of easy and honest explanations, but be that ns it may, they caused a vast amount of talk. RACING IN AUSTRALIA. THE AUSTRALIAN STEEPLECHASE. Praoa Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. MELBOURNE, August 14. (Received August 14, at 5.5 p.m,) The Australian Steeplechase, of 2000bovb, about four miles, resulted: Gazonip, 9.3 (Treen) 1 Wooloo, 11.6 (G. Lennon) .. .. 2 Doiran. 11.2 (Mooney) 3 Eight started. Wooloo and Haoma made the early running, and when the latter fell Doiran took charge and led into the straight the lost time round from Gazonip, Mountain God, and Wooloo. The leader was overhauled in the last stretch, Gazonin winning by four lengths. Time, 7min 49‘sec. Rosyth fell and was killed.