SPORTING.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 252, 24 April 1912, Page 5

SPORTING.

TURF TOPICS. (By "Moturoa.") Avondale and Mana w&tu meeting! open to-day. Husbandman will de stud duty ill Taranaki this season. Lloyde has recovered from his aiahap, and will be dangerous at Avondala. Zante shaped fairly well on Saturday, but the opposition was a very tired l°t. A Hawera scribe reports that Coroneted is bowling along nicely in Tie# of next month's engagements. Golden Loop figures in the Karama Hurdle Handicap at Hastings, but wfH probably start in the Cup for preference. Big things are expected of Espartero this winter, but the Hawke's Bay horn went wrong last week, and will have to be spelled. Deeley's mounts, Sir Solo and Maka.ro, : were hot orders away from the course on Saturday, and both scored decisively. Eurocco has been galloping very freely •at Wanganui of late, and will carry a pile of ratoney at Awapuni in »tjcl£ events. Only seven first favorites won at Trentham on Saturday! A stay-at-home layer states that* the bovs rooked him for the whole card—not excepting Dirge either! What an innings Clifford's horses have liad this season. It has been Sir George's best, as already bearers of the blue and tnfoldi chequers have won well over £IO,OOO in stakes alone. The jumper Allure has been troubled in the wind for some time, and an operation was performed a few days ago, which, it is hoped, will do away with the respiratory trouble. The Waverlev trainer. M. ■ Gardner, went through o'l Tuesday' to • Awapuni with a string of horses Moahau and Zetcs are reported to be in canity] trim, but Koran would be all the better for a gallop. The prices quoted about the double. Masterpiece—lleatlierbrae, for Manawatu, are just about the shortest on record. Still, double-layers are reported to do good business. Last week many punters backed the Gip«y Belle-Merrv Frank combination straight out, and only landed about one-fifth of the amount a pound on Gipsy Belle "all up" on Merrie Frank weuld have brought in. Deeley and Olliver, the leading horsemen, each rode two winners at Trent ham last week. Deeley has lifted'his total of winning rides" to 66 and Olliver's successes number 42. With such a commanding lead Deeley's premiership seems secure this season. To-day's Manawatu Stakes promises to be keenly contested, and the presence of such high-class two-year-olds as Autumnus, Brown Owl, Prince Soult and Ermengarde lends grea,t interest to the race. At various times each of this quartette have shown brilliancy, and the result of their meeting to-day is hard to forecast. Probably Clifford's elect will come in for most support; then Prince Soult. Should Boanerges start as well as Ermengard#, the Highden pair will carry a lot of money. On recent form either Autumnus or Brown Owl should keep the apposition very busy. Heatherbrae may be the rattling good mare some people imagine, but her task in the Telegraph Handicap looks, no cinch on paper. Of the nine acceptors there is not a horse that one would, care to cut out as without a chance. On recent form Hermia must be a vert" fit mare. Labor Day is well again and may run well, and the same applies to Gladiole. It is very open. Masterpiece finished up his task in the N.Z. St. Leger on Saturday in good style, and the Chokebore horse promises to start favorite in the Longburn Handicap at_ Awapuni. As a rule he does not shine in a crowded field but with only Sst filb be must run well if favored with a good passage. Coromandel is coming down in the weights, and reads well. with 7st 111b. The Rover failed at Feilding, but there is no doubt that his trick "nvk lfv item very simrt. Manawhakaha, Golden Loop and Mescal have been running consistently and may have "rough" chances. The Taranaki horses. Crown Red Lupin, I)uro, Glenf?rn, and Sandy Paul have trot in well at Avondale, and will carry n lot of local money in'their vn ,: ou* engagements. Te Waharoa was again made the medium for a plunge on Saturday and once again failed badly He must, be over-rated. What a beauty Bronze is! The Autumn Handicap was hers three furlongs from home, and she easily held the opposition at the finish. For a three-year-old to_ carry Ost and give away heaps of weight to good performers of all ages was a sterling performance". Steady rain feH at Palmerston yesterday, and it promises to be wet for the meeting.