SPORTING.

Southland Times, Issue 18935, 23 September 1920, Page 3

SPORTING.

NOTES BY SIR MODRED,

The meeting of the three-year-olds Right and Left (5.7) and Winter Wind (5.2) in the Ashburton County Handicap (seven furlongs I on Friday will create a considerable amount of interest.

Mr A. Murdoch's four-year-old gelding. All British, by Solfcrino —Marta, ricked himself while galloping in a paddock a few (lays ago, and has been declared out of action for early spring racing.

If I.istowel. by Absurd—Lysislrata, shapes well in the Wanganui Guineas to-day, he will be sent on to Auckland to take his place in the field for the Avondale Guineas. The entries received for the Mastcrton

Racing Club's Spring meeting constitute a record for the club. The total is 459, including eighteen New Zealand Cup candidates. Mr W. R. Kemball has 19 horses engaged at the meeting, his nominations totalling 51.

During the progress of the Amberley meeting last week Mr G. L. Stead informed a Lyttelton Times writer that his new stables at Te Awamutu were well on the way to completion, and that his trainer, R. O'Donnell, would lake all the Yaldhurst team north at the beginning of December. Air Stead will return to his home in the Waikato after the Ashburton meeting, where several of his horses, including Right and Left and Starland are engaged. According to present arrangements. Right and I eft will not be raced after this week until the Wellington meeting, at the end of next month, which means that he will not be a competitor in the Dunedin Guineas.

Of the nine horse remaining in the Wanganui Guineas the only filly engaged is Maropa, by Martian —Grand Opera, who ranks as a full sister to Soldier’s Chorus and Cherubini. Maropa, who is also engaged in the Maiden Race (t>f. >, did not race as a two-year-old. The Guineas field will he comprised of North Island representatives.

The first racehorse that the writer has any knowledge of the lire Mr D. Morton Hoing connccieil with was that more than useful steeplechaser True Klue. The dcceased sportsman was very font! of the prey gelding and hr was a proud man when the seasoned cross-country performer rame out one day at Wingatui and unexpectedly won .v hurdle race over one mile and a-half, incidentally establishing a record for that distance on the books of the Dunedin .Jockey Club. True Blue's record of 2min 48 l-bsees. was set up in 1914, and held pood Until last season, when Tuticorn tied with similar figures at the Winter gathering. Fallowing on rhe jumper mentioned. Air Morton raced Muzzle, Ayclifte. anti Ivauwhero with varying success, and finally became the owner of Killowen, with whom he scored in the principal flat event of the recent C..1.C. Grand National fixture, viz., Winter Cup, the locally owned gelding being the second Southland horse to account for the rare. Magdala having won for the late Mr .1. Beck in 1012.

As was generally expected, that useful horse Marqucteur forfeited his Wanganui engagements, and will race at Avondale, where he will have the assistance of H. Gray. He will carry 9,3 in the valuable Avondale Cup. £ISOO (ID and report credits the son of King Mark with being a galloper of more than average merit.

At a recent committee meeting of the Gore Trotting Club tsaxs "Starter" iu the Mataura Ensign.- a recommendation was brought forward to inaugurate a Derby on the club's programme. It will, of course, he too late to do anything this season, but the committee will probably .arrange to have such a race included in the 1921 programme.

The development of early speed in Southland trotting eireies has not hitherto been widely attempted in this part, of the world, hence the proposal to establish a Gore Trotring Derby should rateh on. At the same time, an effort to encourage the early training of Southland three-year-olds by affording them protection and inducement in race? might help to pur the proposed classic event on a sound footing. The Gore Trotting Club might lead off with a race to tempt owners of juveniles at their forthcoming Boxing Day gathering.

So far 'write? "Starter." in Mataura Ensign i 1 have not heard whether the Gore Trotting Club has done anything with the recommendation brought forward at the annual meeting by Mr Donald Cameron, namely, "that no race he under the value of £IOO to the winner,” I am of the opinion that the suggest inn is a good one and one that would be appreciated by owners and trainers, Mr .1. Green in stating that the committee should consider raising the stake? pointed out that with the high cost of teed and gear there was very little in it for the owner when he did get a win. The course adopted by the club in raising the stake? gradually is a wise procedure and probably the committee will recommend increasing the stake? to £2001) next season. Of course, hj depends upon the success of the season, but [ do believe that if owners appreciate the rise that has been made iu the stakes and nominate freely we will see a £2OOO programme offering in 1921.

A Sydney cablegram. dated September 22. •tate3 that Chry solans. the imported prey horse by Roi Hcroile-Chrysis, who finished lame in the Rosehill Spring Stakes, has been seratehed tor the Metropolitan Handicap, hut not. for the Kpsom Handicap. He is not working and is still under the care of the veterinary surgeon. An Ashburton me.-sage, dated September 22, advises that the Ashburton ('minty Racing Club’s Spring meeting has been postponed to Friday and Saturday owing to heavy rain. N.Z. TROTTING CUP. A FURTHER PAYMENT MADE. (Per United Press As yoeiation. i GHRISTCHUROH. September 22. The foil owing horses remain in the New Zealand Trotting Cup; Author Dillon, Matchlight, Cello Sydney Wilkes. Trix Pointer, Agathos. General Link. John Dillon, Sherwood, Dean Dillon, Albert Cling, Willie Lincoln, Moneymaker, Erin’s Queen, Mington, Steel Bell, Reta Peter, Hal Junr. SWIMMING. SYDNEY, September 22. Mr Kelly, secretary of the Swimming Union of Australia, has received word that Kahanamoku is coming to Australia with Kealoha in December. Vemot has not yet replied. HOCKEY. SOCIAL TO REPRESENTATIVE TEAM. Th° Southland Ladies' Hockey Association last evening tendered a social to the Southland representative team, which recently distinguished itself by winning four out of five interprovineial matches. In the unavoidable absence of the Mayor (Mr John Stead I, Mr C. S. Longuet presided, and in congratulating the team on its achievements said that the present season was probably tjie best ever experienced in Southland a.s far as .•■port, was concerned. He was glad that it ■was so, and he believed that the visit of the team to other centres would do a great deal towards bringing Southland into prominence. He assured the members of the team that a great amount, of interest had been taken in their matches against, other province?, and that was evidenced by the enthusiastic reception which they had received on their return home. He hoped that ladies’ hockey would not lack support in the future, especially as it was such a fine thing from a physical point of view. During the evening numerous toasts were honoured and an excellent musical projn am me served to make the evening a most enjoyable one.