SPORTING.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 61, 7 November 1907, Page 3

SPORTING.

RACING IN AUSTRALIA. THE MELBOURNE CUP. AN INTERESTING ACCOUNT. Melbourne. November G. Melbourne was more intensely crowded this year than ever. Every place of accommodation was packed with visitors. Included in a large party of Viceregal guests were Mcsdaines Melba and Clara liutt. The weather was delightfully cool after the rain. Both from the aspect of the backer of horses and the sportsman the actual racing was a success, though the number of starters was not by any means in proportion to the entries. There was not a ruuaway finish all .lay. The Cup race roused as much enthusiasm as ever, but the popular horse of die field was Poseidon. That was manifest as he cantered to the starting post bv the cheers from thousands of throats

which greeted him. Apologue's victory was well received. The New Zcalander was n warm favorite, and that alone assured him a line reception. A mule would have got it under similar circumstances, but the trowd wanted to see Poseidon win. Then there would have been some eheering; but iie never came nigh, probably being anchored by his weight, though, it was said aferw.irds, he had a bad passage. The result of the Cup re-opened the question of the Caulfii-1,1 Cup running, and the supporters of Apologue are more emphatic than ever a.s (o the New Zcalander being terribly unlucky to lose that raee; hut in a measure Apologue was lucky to win the Melbourne, t up. Evans, who rode him, was so weak on dismounting that he reeled and fainted while cairyiug his trappings to weigh in, and had to be assisted on to tile scales, after which the doctor's assistance was necessary in the jockeys' room. Thousands of people"who collected their winnings after the race, and thousands of others who will receive to-day, knew not how close a shave thev had of losing their money. Had faintuess seized Evans a minute earlier, the race would have gone to another. It was a great Melbourne Cup lor Sydney - trained horses, the first four having had their preparations engineered at Rundwick though Apologue is New Zealand bred and owned.

There are several good winner, over Apologue but none bigger, perhaps, than u. Lyons, who had Ins. management. Uc is understood to hue thrown in lor some thousand, having b.ckcd Apologue both rigUi out an J i„ Ulc doubles with the Caulucld Cup winner. ii.e time f ur tlie tup has never been beaten, and only onee eiju.illcil-by Hue • pee a couple of years ago. Since 188J there has not been a smaller Held contesting the Cup race. The race was fairly easy to follow. i-»nie was responsible for most of the til in i- ° iim took the field along at a great rate. Ife a ron . F<i out at the turn! .Mountain 2 "ho had never been far front theft ud the finish all to themselves. M oun tarn Jung „ t k(| • -Woun "here it was seen that he wa, Cen iouu.ui anj Apologue. It »■„ ,i, ' :i would prevail, but Apologue without much assistance from l,«"nVlo"a-----erted himself in , sh enuous fehion »nd gamed the judge', verdict bv t «.' garters of a length. It was an inter".ng hmsh and there was a -Hat excitement as til.- pair i.a-sed !!"' I' 0?-,. - Uou >""in King was three lengths Mnnd the second horse. The others were altogether out of it ConMdering the pull Apologue had in weights over Jlooltan, it was rather surprising to see Jlooltan backed in such confident fashion by his stable, but Jlooltan was believed to have come en since the A..1.C. meeting, while many people had a doubt as to Apologue's behaviour, if tightly pinched. Mooltan's rider stated after the race that he had Apologue beaten for a few strides at the distance, where Evans, weak from riding, momentarily left oh" riding. Apologue, however, took it upon himself to settle the question, and that he did in decisive fashion. Karnshaw is no great believer in spurs, and Evans was withiut them in the race. He carried a whip, but did not onee u-e it. Poseidon and Welcome 'Prist. though much fancied, were never dangerous, their running being a disappointment to a great numlier of admirers.

K. Clel.iml, of Auckland, owner of. Apologiip. stated that ho was more than ever certain now tliat he ought to have won the Caultield Cup. He was a Utter horse than Poseidon at (he weights. <>t' course, he is p'.eiscd at having won the race, lait says lie has not made imicli out of it except, the stake, as lie did not |mt imicli money on him: hut he is pleased for New'Zealand'* sake. Apologue is the |ir-t horse hred and owned in New Zealand that has won the big rare. "And," he added, "they will he inneh pleased over itcrc." He concluded, "J am not going to take Apologue 'jack again. lam going to sell him oy auction next week, and it is very doubtful if he will start again before then.''

APOLOGUE'S NEW ZEALAND CAREER. Mr Clelaud, the Auckland peuciller. is the first New Zealand owner to win the Melbourne Cup. When Carbine put up his: record performance in IS'JO he was owned by Mr Donald Wallo.ce, of Victoria. Apologue w.is bred bv .Messrs L. D. and N. A. Nathan at Sylvia Park stud. Auckland. lie is hall-brother to GladisLi, Gladsome and Gladstone. His sire, l'hoebiis Apollo, was imported by .Mr T. Morrill, but died afer a sea-

.-on and a-half. Then; was a strong prejudice in Auckland against IMioelms Apollo's stock. Some of the best of them were taken to West Australia as yearlings by Mr J. liae, now private trainer for Mr G. P. Donnelly. Hildebrand (from Hilda) was a Successful performer in West Australia, and Prophesy (from Problem I, half-sister to Solution and Count Witle, stands out as the champion of the West. This season The Libyan, runner-up to Dawn at Riccarton last Sat.urdav. is by Phoebus Apollo—Drown Alice. 'Mr ('Maud has -tuck to Apologue when mmv an owner would have tired of him. As a threeyear old he ran fifteen linn- without scoring a single win. He ran third in the Auckland Derhv to Multilid and .Master Delaval, and .second m the Auckland Autumn Handicap to Paritutu. His best performance last «eason was in the Dirtitd.iy Handicap, carrying 7.' J. and beating Master Delaval, 7.1". The latler has since won the Auckland Cup, ami ran r-cwid in the New Zealand' I 'up. Apologue lias been several month., in Australia, and had bail luck to met lii o stabhmate, Poseidon, in the spring Stake- at Randwick, the Caullield Cup, and Melbourne Stakes. He was second to Mooltau in the Metropolitan, but has turned the tables in the Melbourne Cup. The only unplasaut incident of Apologue's trip was the owner asking for an enquiry into the Caullield Cuji.

UK-HANDICAPPED. Per Press Aaiochl.ion. Slastcrton, Last Night. jYull Rate lias been re-handicapped at 9.7 in the Railway Handicap at "the Taratahi-Cartcrton Racing Club's meet-

CT.C. MKIJTIM.;. Per Tress Association CUri.-tchurch, Last Night. The weather was dull but no- unpleasant for the third day oi the New /inland Cup meeting. The attendance was fair, though not up t„ the slaadard of the preceding days, l,„t the totalizator investments .showed , t mail;,,! advi-nco on last year, ,120,210 being put throu-h as against .ei7,!KU. The ra.-iicr was again extremely good, the linMi l»"tween .Mnnjeet.aud King Billy being very line. Til his race, lied Gauntlet fell fifly'vards from the post and broke his shoulder. It is doubtful whether lie can lie saved Results:—

Suburban Hurdles Handicap, of 200 Fovs.; once round and a distance— Itlack Reynard, 10.11 .. .. 1 Le Mean, J|i.];j ~ #j] g> 2 dolls Roger, p.t g Also started: Tirole 0.0. ATo'n by a length. Time ■>.„:„ o-..„„ ~• -i , , - • -nun. ..mi,] 2-.isec. Dividends, t-2 4s. '

Spring Nursery Handicap, of 350 sovsfour furlon<»__ ~ *' Angelus, SO t -i Diamond Star. 7.5 ~ "'. "" ■> Kautuku, 7.0 , r . " " n Also started; JUiilionairo'&O, auidrng

Step 7.9, Seafidd 6.13, Arzib 6.10, and Officious G. 7. Won easily by two and a-half loughs. Time, 49 2-ssec Divi- | dends, £1 ISs fid and £1 6s fid. Avon Welter Handicap, of 250 sovS.; seven furlongs— Paragon, 8.2 „„ Kii M I Morinrty, 9.9 2 J'etrovna, 0.13 .. .. ..3 Also started: Kairoma 0.5, Pas Seul 8.11, Rose Noble 8.11, Marv of Argyle 8.9. Grnflon Loch 8.!), White Cockade 5.7. Swimming Belt 8.7. Waihuku 7.13, The Libyan 7.12. and Gold Braid 7.10.. Won hy a head. Petrovna a length away Time, Imin 2!) 4-ssec. Dividends £°o •Is fid and ,£2 2s fid.

Canterbury Cup, of 700 sovs.; two miles and a-quartcr— Elevation, 7.6 .„ ~ ~ 1 Bonny Glen, 7.(! .. .. ",'. 2 Master Delaval, 9.2 .. ..3 i\lso "started: Armistice 9.1, Seal Rock n.O, and Lapland 8.11. Won by a length and a-half. Time, 4min 11 2-5 sec. Dividend, £2 7s.

Jockey Club Handicap, of COO sovs; one mile— Munjeet, 9-0 1 King Billy, B.S , 2 Gwenilolina, 6.13 3

Also started: Maniopoto 8.10, Frisco 8.5, Zimmerman 8.5, Cross Battery 7.13, Aeolus 7.12, Red Gauntlet 7.8, Grand Slim 7.8, Medallist 7.2, Saga 6.11, Aeflrakhan 0.10, Ohmjt-lmttam «.!), ; and] Apnlladoris. A good race, won by half st head. Dividends £ll 2s Od and £1 8s 6d.

Oaks Stakes, 0 f 400 sovs. (for three-year-old lillies, weight 8.10), one mile and a-half— Mcrcv , ~ J l'™»* ~2 Sister Anne 3 Also sartel: Amboise. Won by two lengths. lime, 2min 41 4-ssec. Dividend, £9 2s. . ~ .j, _■ j Ashley imndicap, of 120 soya.; six! furlongs— Golden Way, 0.13 1 Aimameuto, 7.1*1 2

Oxton, U.2 • j Also started: AH Red 9.4, Tremulous 8.11, olodia 8.10, Hillarity 8.7, Koran 8.3, Monkey Puzzle 8.3, Ard Heigh 7.13 Somal 7.9, Ney 7.4, Giovanni 7.3, &a Gup ..3, .Master Leslie 6.7, far 6.11, The Orient «.y, The Brat 6.8, and llealiauths h.i. Noil ,by thi-ec-quarers of a length. Time, lmin 16 4-osec. Dividends, X 5 and £3 12s Od.

Lkcuic P.atc, oi SOU sov,; four furlongs— l'leetloot, (j.l .„ „ - ■ - Armlet, U-1 (carried (U)" "■> ■Lord Soult, 8.12 .. __ " ~ Also started: Lup'uiite "& 11 ' 'j n „i„. ncuk b.lO, and Xaurnai 7.13. VoTby Is "(id I '"' K '' 4 ' Jat,t ' J>iTiJ wd J jeia

i'lli; GAMING BILL. kaclng JiEXjxijiuvu'Wia). Per Press Association. Christchurch, Tuesday. Ihe provisions of the Gaming and erics Bill introduced into the House w Kepresentatives by the Government luu been one ot the principal topics of discus,,on m sporting circles during the indent week. The general opln on «e,ns o be that the Bilf requires extea *'\ c . alt f"tioiis to make it workable, .„> , " , I '-" t '' L ' luii ™«u of the Canterbury Jockey Club, was seen by a ires, representative, and gave his oi-ini.u „t the Bill -Mr. Pyne Explained at what he said represented hfa own individual opinions, based on a brief consideration of the Bill, and did no ep.csent the views of the committee of he club ,u any way. A special meeting of u.e committee was to be called for he purpose of considering thoroughly tlie various provisions of the Bill anu a statement containing the committee's opinions, objections, and suggestions was to lie prepared and forwarded to the Government.

'I think/' said Mr. Pyne, "the clause directing the closing of the totalisator Ave mi n„te S before the advertised time of starting of each race is a great mistake. A start might be delayed for ten minutes and the totalisator would then be closed for a quarter of an hour before lie race started, and that would cri Ve a tremendous advantage to the "bookmakers, who could carry on their operations without the totalisator opposition during that period of time. I think it is much better to el*e the totalisator as we do now—two minutes before the actual start."

Mr. Pyne expressed entire disapproval of the proposal to abolish the second dividend system, which worked well Another clause to which .Mr. Pvne takes exception ,s that compelling racing clubs authorised to use the totalisator to grant licenses to bookmakers on applicatinn being made. "That clause is a most objectionable one," he said, "and every effort should be made to secure its elimination from the Bill."

Tlie lion. George McLean, who was also asked his opinion, said he thought " 10 ra R people throughout the country .should join together t.o point out to the Government the objectionable feature; in the Bill, in order that those features might be eliminated and a workable measure evolved. There were a number of defects in the Bill, but they eonlil easily be remedied by the House when in committee. He considered the "double'' totalisator should be abolished, but was opposed to the closing of the totalisator live minutes before the advertised times for sfarting, on the ground (hat it would give an undue advantage to tffe bookmakers.

Mr. .(. B. ITareourt, president of the Wellington Racing Club, expressed the opinion that a good workable measure might be evolved from the Bill, but there were many defects which required to lie remedied. An informal meeting of the stewards of the Wellington Racing Club bad been held on the previous day. after which a telegram was despatched to the Premier to the effect that they coii-idcrcd the Bill of such importance to racing clubs ns to warrant further consideration. Therefore, they suggested the appointment of a committee to hear evidence on either side. Mr. TTarrourt n'lji- inl -d rniicrlv to the clauses making it cnniDiiNory for Ihe ebib to license bookmakers and compelling (ho closing of (he totalisator five minutes before ihe ndv rii-ed lime of starling a race.