SPORTING.

Southland Times, Issue 14096, 30 April 1909, Page 3

SPORTING.

NOTEg BY SIR MOORED. . There is a keen demand amongst troti Hug men for copies of the Wlnton Trotting Club’s programme. Nominations are. not due until Tuesday, May 11th, whicn will enable a number of Southland horses to be tried out at Tahuna Park next week prior to having engagements made for them at the Winton fixture. The appeal lodged by the owner of Conocrah against the decision of the Beaumont stewards (says “ Starter ” in _ i the Southern Standard) has been acceptj ed by the N.Z. Trotting Association, and ‘ the club officials are to be asked to state an what grounds they disqualified Conocrah. The Club will probably- be asked at the same time to explain why they refused to accept an appeal which was lodged in proper order. Despite the strict supervision exercised by the authorities (says “ The Possible” In the Canterbury Times), there is reason to believe that a large trade in “ ringers ” is still being done in New Zealand. If the information that has reached me is correct, and I have great in my informant, there is at least one man in the dominion who is making a first-class income trading in " wrong ’uns.” The Gore R-C. have called tenders for the erection of a caretaker's cottage on their course, and the orks Committee have adopted a plan of future improvements which will be effected Rs opportunities arise. The racing track has been overhauled and is now in excellent condition, while the training track has also come in for some attention. The Gore R.C. are now in possession of a very fine property, and with the railway facilities which they must always have at command they cannot help but progress from year to year, while the totalisator is available, and it is not going too far to say that they could carry on without the machine in a fairly large way, a claim that but few Southland clubs are in position to advance.

Visitors to Dunedin next week in connection with the Forbury Park T.C.’s meeting on Wednesday and Saturday will find matters to interest them outside actual racing operations for the last time on Tahuna Park, where the Club has held tenancy for seventeen years. No doubt many will find their way out to Forbury Park to inspect the formation of the new and up-to-date track which is now in full swing, while a sale of trotting stock on Saturday morning will not fail to prove a drawing card.

The Columbus Driving Park (United States) has fixed upon the plans for a big handicap to be raced next September, open to all horses with no better record than 2min, osecs. The stake will be worth £7IOO, and will be for trotters only. Seven preliminary heats will be trotted, the first heat to be for horses with records of 2mln. 17secs or better : the second, for 2mia. 15secs. ; third, for 2min. ISsecs. ; fourth, for 2min. llsecs : fifth, for 2min. Ssecs. ; sixth, for 2min. 7 secs. ; and seventh, for 2min. ssecs. horses. The first, second, and third in each heat will receive £l5O. £9O. and £6O respectively. and will be eligible to start in the final race, which will be handicapped on the times in the preliminary heats. The handicap will be by distance, over a mile and a quarter, with 2min. 17secs horses ‘on scratch ; 2min. ISsecs., 50ft behind ; 2min. ISsecs., 100 ft behind ; 2min. llsecs., 150 ft behind ; 2 min. 9secs., 200 ft behind : 2min. 7secs., 250 ft behind : and 2min. secs., 300 ft behind. First horse will receive £3OOO, second £1250, and third £750.

If. as is surmised by the writer, the Western District steeplechaser Tapes is out of a daughter of Wee Lad from Molly-up-the-Orchard, there is no reason why he should not be able to gallop. Battlefield, the sire of Tapes, descended from a galloping family from whence came Prime Warden and Sultan, while Mol!y-up-the-Orchard could also go some. Tills mare was owned by Mr J. Bridge during the period when he was mine host of the Princess Hotel, Invercargill, and raced Pathfinder, Mayboy, and Sprite, and she was used to gallop the individual members of the string home over the last half mile of many working spins. It was on the back of Molly that M. Campbell, at the time of his death first horseman to Mr J. Loughlin, first learned to sit in a racing saddle. Campbell was not taught the art of horsemanship as a boy, but acquired the ability to steer a racehorse about Jhe time he reached manhood's estate. How Molly was bred is knowledge that has sunk into oblivion, but in the writer's boyhood days she looked like a galloper, and could go fast over a short course.

Mr Harold Byrne, well known in Christchurch sporting circles, died in a private hospital last week after an operation for appendicitis. Mr Byrne was at one time a prominent footballer, and represented the Canterbury province in interprovincial matches in 1904, while be was not unknown on the turf.

UAZTA'WATXT BACHS.

(Per United Press Association.) PALMERSTON NORTH. April 29. The Manawatu R. C. Autumn races concluded to-day. There was fine weather and a large attendance. The totalisator returns showed a decrease on the meeting of £3SI2. The bookmakers' license fees amounted to £.i73. Results— Tiritea Hack Hurdles mile;)— Rangihaeta 11.2 (C. Erieei. 1; Papatawa 9.13, 2; Somali 9. Id, 3. Ail started. Won comfortably. Time ?min 51 1-5 secs. Hack Flying (six furlongs)— Brilliancy 6.7 (M. Fraser) 1; Mondip 2; Illustrious 3. All started. Won by two lengths. Time Imin. 15 2-5 secs. Borough Handicap (six furlongs)— Nicotine 6.7 (F. C. Coleman) 1; Flitaway 2; Lady Menschikoff 3. Also ran— Sir Antrim. Won easily. Time Imin. 15 secs. Dominion Handicap of 300 guineas (one mile one furlong)— Roosevelt 7.S (W. Aynes) 1; Tangimoaaa 5.5, 2; Sandstrcam 7.7, 3. All started. Won by a head, a neck between second and third. Time Imin. 55 secs. Ava Hack (seven furlongs)— Master Douglas 5.2 (C. Jenkins) 1; Watpuhui 7.5. 2; Strategist 9.2, 3. Scratched— Twinkle and Liquid Air. Won by three lengths. Time Imin. 30 sees. Juvenile Handicap (5 furlongs)—Elysian S.ll (R. E. Brown) 1; Kilwinning S3, 2; Seraphic C.7, 3, Also started— Tepuia, Conquestina, and Rangikura. Won by a neck. Time Imin. 1 4-ssecs. Farewell Handicap (one mile)— Effort 9.1 (W. Ryan) 1; Seaton Dale 7.12, 2; First Mate 7.9, 3. Scratched—Paisona, Castiglione. Won comfortably. Time Imin. 44 secs.

HAWKE’S BAT HEHAETEES.

PALMERSTON NORTH. April 29. The following re-iiandicaps have been declared for the Hawke’s Bay Autumn meeting by Mr H. Coyle:—Hack Hurdles: Corozan (lOlbs) 10.9. Porangaliau Handicap—Flita'way (Tibs) 9.1. Hawke's Bay Cup—Sir Tristram (albs) 5.2. Karamu Hurdles —Kairoma (lOlbs) 11.1. Pokawa Hack —Illustrious (Slbs) 8.7.

LAD ITS' HOCK*.?.

A team from Lewis and Co.’s Ladies' Hockey Club paid a visit to Wyndham on Wednesday to play a game with the Wyndham Ladies’ Club. The town girls were not in form and It was hardly to te expected that they should prove victorious in their first game, especially against such a strong combination of players as are to be found in Wyndham. The local girls won by seven goals to nIL

The Turaklna Club, of Invercargill, will, in future, be known as the Invercargill Girls’ Hockey Club.