WILD CAREER’S WEIGHT

Southland Times, Issue 23768, 16 March 1939, Page 10

WILD CAREER’S WEIGHT

HANDICAPPERS DIFFER IN OPINIONS FIGURES FOR OAMARU AND BANKS PENINSULA /" The weighting bf Wild Career for the Oamaru Cup has caused some discussion and it is understood that it is intended to ask for an explanation. When Wild Career was handicapped to carry 7.7 in the Banks Peninsul? Cup by Mr W. P. Russell it was generally agreed that he had been well treated. .Wild Career could not, however, do better than finish third behind Rabble and Parquet. A much higher scale of weights is in evidence at Oamaru, where, however, in comparison with the Banks Peninsula Cup weights, Wild Career meets Parquet on 61b, Argentic on 91b, Top Row on 111 b and Nightdress on 121 b worse terms. Parquet beat Wild ,Career at their last meeting (Banks Peninsula) and now Wild Career comes in on 61b worse terms, so on paper he has little chance of beating Parquet. The Oamaru handicapper, Mr C. E. Hassall, has a much higher opinion of Wild Career’s ability than Mr Russell. This is not surprising, as Mr Hassall saw Wild Career racing at Winton and Gore, where he won twice and was twice second, in four starts. On the other hand Mr Russell has not seen Wild Career since he has returned to form. On Mr Russell’s figures Mr Hassall’s Oamaru weighing of Wild Career, in comparison with Parquet, and their placing at Banks Peninsula, looks ridiculous. When a handicapper frames his weights for a meeting his judgment is an all important factor, and not the opinion of others. Mr Hassall makes no secret of the fact—by his Oamaru weights—that he considers Mr Russell blundered, or at least let Wild Career in 71b too light at Motukarara. It is only natural that one handicapper, who has seen a horse win two of his last four starts, has a higher opinion of him than one who has not. The latter is “shooting in the dark.” Mr Hassall had the alternative of accepting Mr Russell s judgment as being correct, and escaping any criticism, but he has preferred to adhere to his own opinion. A comparison of the weights of the horses who contested the Banks Peninsula Cup and those engaged in the Oamaru Cup is as follows:

FINANCES IN HEALTHY STATE RAILWAY TABLE TENNIS CLUB The annual meeting of the Railway Table Tennis Club was held in the railway social hall. Mr J. Orr presided over a good attendance of members. The annual report and balance-sheet showed that the first year of the club had been most satisfactory and that the finances were in a healthy state. The following officers were elected: President, Mr G. M. Beck; vicepresidents, Miss Jones, Mr A. E. Hargreaves, Mr A. Leggett, Mr H. Davie, Mr Latimer, Mr J. Orr; club captain, Mr J. Corkery; vice-captain and secretary, Miss J. M. Hopper; treasurer, Mr L. J. Bentley; auditors, Mr A. H. Martin and Mr D. B. Kilgour; committee, Misses A. Weir, L. J. Titchener and J. G. Speirs, Messrs G. Newton, F. Wills and D. Couling. Mr G. D. Smart, who was primarily responsible for the formation of the club, and who leaves this morning for Greymouth, was elected a life member. It is anticipated that the club will enter teams for tournament play during the forthcoming season. BLUFF RETAINS ROSE BOWL TE RANGI DEFEATED IN CHALLENGE MATCH The Bluff Ladies’ Bowling Club’s rink, which won the Southland Centre’s rose bowl last week when it beat Waikiwi by 19 pointe to 17, played its first challenge match against Te Rangi on the Bluff green yesterday. The game resulted in a two-point win for Bluff, which retained the trophy. Results were:— B. TeR. Mesdames Applegarth, A. E. Budd, Long and A. Vincent 20 — Mesdames F. Holloway, Gordon, Weavers, McKenzie — 18

GOLF FIRST OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP AT TITIRANGI (United Press -Association) AUCKLAND, March 15. The Titirangi golf course has been chosen as the venue for the first of the three big open golf championships being staged in New Zealand, beginning in October next. The New Zealand Council left the selection to the local advisory committee and the Titirangi Club has agreed to conduct the championship on October 23 and 24. The New Zealand 1940 championship meeting is to be held on the Middlemore course.

B. Peninsula. Oamaru. Wild Career 7.7 8.13 Argentic 8.1 8.12 Top Row 8.2 8.11 Parquet 7.4 8.4 Nightdress 7.1 7.9