SPORTING.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 56, 15 June 1910, Page 8

SPORTING.

TURF TOPICS. (By "Moturoa.") A Napier Press wire states that Lovell has 'been scratched for all engagements at the Hawke's Bay Jockey Club's ingThe Hawke's Bay winter meeting opens at Hastings to-day, when the ITiiiwke's Bay Steeplechase (about three miles) mnd'the Heretaunga Handicap (seven furlongs) will. he the principal I events of the day. T'he Hawke's Bay Hurdles will be run on Thursday.

Eight horses have .paid up for the Hawke's Bay Steeplechase, and the race (promises to be of an interesting character. The top-weight, Jackpot, scored in the Wangailtti Steeplechase, atul would only have to be Well to have a good chance to-day. Eurus; with a 'big record ibehind him, has been jumping well at Riccarton, and is reported to be in good niek. Audax, on Wariganui and Ellerslie showing, must be accounted well in with list 51b. His display in the Great Northern Steeple stamps him las a great horse over ibig country. Nothing can be found fault with as far as his jumping is concerned, and up to three miles he has few equals in the colony. He should just about start favorite to-day. Lovell may be depended upon to run a good race, but the distance may find the Poriruatrained one out. Prospector was jumping well at Pahnerston 'North recently, and Sir Lethe and Northern Star have jumpers' chances. Needlework has not sported silk since running second in the Grand National Steeplechase a couple of years ago, and may be a light of other days. The tap-weight brigade should make an interesting race of it. California got back to form again at the 'Otaki meeting, and on his showing there cannot be accounted harshly treated with list 51b in the Heretaunga Handicap at Hastings. Hawke's Bay scribes wax enthusiastic about the jumping of Corazon iand Full Cry, and this pair will probably meet in the Maiden Steeplechase. Fuli Cry has been off the scene for some time, and his recent accident may tell against him, "but last week he was going as well as ever on t'he tracks. Several cute Tarana.ki sports have gone across to back Nero, and tliey iboast that the old horse can jump anything and is well up to the distance. This scribe would like to see tliem land the money, but he has great doubts about it.

Cullinan proved too good for Lamsdorf in a ten-furlong gallop the other morning, and this horse is said to he <a very promising 'bit of galloping machinery. The "boom" horse Oxton will make his initial effort over the small sticks to-day, 'when he will be up against Glen, Rosegrovc, and a fair crowd in the hack hurdle race. Rosegrove and Glen showed good form at Levin recently. The Turamoe Hurdles promises to bring together a fair crowd of jumpers, and if Prophet (who won at Ellerslie), Paisano, and Polyanthus s.port silk great interest will ibe attached to their meeting. A 71ib penalty sends Prophet up to 1 list 51b —at the head of the handicap.

Multiple lias been threatening to win a race for some time, and will most likely -be amongst the runners in the Hack Scurry at Hastings. W. Windsor, who rode Red McGregor to victory in the Great Northern Steeplechase on Saturday, must be one of the oldest cross-country riders at present actively riding. Windsor rode in the first Great Northern Hurdle Race, run at Ellerslie eighteen yeans ago, when he rode Never Miss into third position, Belmont being the winner. Some .people are .proverbially lucky. A visitor to Auckland who was present at Ellerslie on the opening day of the A.R.C. winter meeting opened his .book at the wrong race, and, fancying the name of Antarctic, went up and put a pound on him. After the race was over lie found out that the race Antarctic was in had been run, and that his ticket was on Dogger Bank, which returned a substantial dividend. Several would J be buyers 'Were after Master Sou.lt -after he won the York Welter on Wednesday last, and two separate offers, one of 1500 guineas and another of 1750 guineas, were refused for the son of Soult. Master Sou It has 'been nominated for all the principal Australian spring events, and, all going well in the meantime, there is every probability of his ibeing taken across to Australia to fulfil his engagements.

W. McKinnon, who was so badly injured that his life was despaired of when riding Irish at Ellerslie just twelve months ago, made his re-appearance in the saddle on the opening day of the A.R.C. 'winter meeting, riding Freevata in the Maiden Hurdle Race. The 'New Zealand-tared gelding Heathen was sold very cheaply in Sydney recently.

At the sale of the late Mr. J. B. Williamson's horses at Ellerslie Mr. G.Currie gave 335 guineas for the brood mare Allanah with a colt, !-v Soult. Mr. Pattullo went to 295 gr'neas for the brown filly Condamine (S ult—Catherine Gordon). Mr. H. E. Mackenzie purchased Royal Irish (Soult—Asthore) for 240 guineas. These were the highest prices among the eighteen lots disposed of, a total sum of 1805 guineas covering the sales.

Speaking as a member of the deputation which recently waited on the Act-ing-Premier of West Australia in connection with the gambling question, Mr. T. Walker, M.L.A., said: "So long as men live in their present state of despair, with 'wages uncertain and even life itself uncertain, the instinct for gambling which was inherent in the people would show itself, and if it were not given open chances with the eye of the -public upon it, it would be driven into dens and otner places. That would undoubtedly be the result if the Government took precipitate action," These remarks just about correctly summarise the position; but unfortunately the anti - gamblers can never ibe brought to see the matter from -such a common-sense point of view. They are firmly convinced that human nature can be altered ibv Act of Parliament, and no amount of argument will ever convert them to the opposite way of thinking. Four New Zealand-bred horses have arrived at Flemington, namely. First Gun (by Botch-kiss), Okirie (by Sylvia Park), Hinuera (by Freedom), and Haurihi (by Freedom).