SPORTING.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 184, 21 December 1912, Page 7

SPORTING.

RACING FIXTURES. Dec. 26, 27.—Taranaki Jockey Club. Dec. 26, 28—Dunedin Jockey Club. Dec. 26, 27, 28. Manawa'tu Racing Club. Dec. 26, 30, Jan. 1. 2.—Auckland R.C. Jan. 1, 2.—Stratford Racing Club. COMING EVENTS. Dec. 26.—Auckland Cup. Dec. 26.—Great Northern Foal Stakes. Jan. I.—Great Northern Derby. TURF TOPICS. (By " Moturoa.") Rates everywhere next week. North-East was sore on Wednesday. Bon Ton promises to see a short price in the Auckland Cup. The Waverley-Waitotara meeting re•ulted in a profit of £7U). Awahou pulled up lame recently, and may not start at the holiday meetings. The Bon Ton-rCulprit double for Auckland is quoted at famine prices. Manawahaka has left R. Brough's stable, and will be trained by Jimmy Barlow at Noijmanby. Suratura, who showed good form at Woodville, has had to be spelled, owing to some skin affection.

In some quarters the hurdle race at New Plymouth on Boxing Day is supposed to be an exercise canter for Simla*.

Lady Mildred's defection from her Taranaki engagements is explained by the fact that she has been sold to a West Coast sportsman. Miscount has been added to the list, and will not sport silk until the autumn. Semaphore will make her first appearance in open company in the Fitzherbert Handicap at Awapuni, and she will'beat more than beat her. Another promising lepper unearthei at Hastings is Kirkby. This horse promises to make amends (over the small sticks) for his long string of failures ,on the flat. Southern scribes report that Bon Eeve was left in the Palmerston Stakes through an oversight. The Canterbury champion went right through to Auckland with the rest of E. O'Donnell's team. From Hawera comes news that Ngatiruanui has been shaping nicely in his schooling efforts. The Maniapoto gelding is just the cut of a hurdler, and when caught in the mood might win a good race. Latest quotations from alleged defunct show that Bon Ton is a short-priced favorite for the Auckland Cup. Midnight Sun, Bobnkoff and.Masterpiece are knocking on his heels, and at further intervals come Goldfmder, La Reina. Los Angelos, Domino and Monoplane. Ngatimaru is at your own price. Goldfindcr has favorably impressed the touts at Ellerslie, and there is no doubt that the Hawke's Bay horse is at present in great nick. As the field thins out towards the death the prospects of the top-weight linking the gold visibly brightens.

Gladiole is in the boom for the Palmerston North Stakes, but at the weights the two-year-olds, especially Peronilla, appear to hold the mare quite safely. Another filly that may race best at home is Ermengarde, whose condition is said to be excellent at present:--

Labor Day is at present at Ellerslie, and it looks as if the Waverley neddy will really sport silk in the Auckland Cup. On Rangitikei form, it reads like a losing proposition. ■■■:■■.' Vocation injured his back at the Feilding meeting, and has been withdrawn from Tauherinikau engagements. Mr. Pidwill has had a bad run w r ith.his gallopers lately. It transpires that Mowbray's name was inadvertently omitted from the telegraphed list of first forfeits for the Great Northern Foal Stakes. The Canterbury flier is at Ellerslie, and don't you forget it! Thus a Sydney paper in sarcastic vein; The John Wren stewards decided, after a four hours' enquiry, that the pony Ladylike is Truelove. After a hearing extending over some weeks the Victoria Supreme Court has come to the same conclusion!

Gipsy Belle and Royal Soalt, two lor- ' mer winners of the A.R.C. Railway Han- j dicap, are engaged in next's weeks race. ' Those who are singing the praises of Bon Ton for the Auckland Cup should remember that it is just sixteen years i since a three-year-old triumphed in the northern long-distance handicap. "Time it was done again," some will say. Well, have it your own way. brother sports. Bobrikoff is reported to be well forward for the Auckland Cup contest, and the black horse is certainly "well in.'' The distance looks beyond him, but one of the shorter handicaps on the succeeding days of the meeting may be his for keeps. St. Tbney is said to be making a good recovery from his Masterton injuries, but it is still doubtful whether he will be able to chase the elusive money-bags at the Christmas meetings. From all parts come trainers' complaints about hard tracks, and it is eeltain that unless a general downpour occurs before the New Year a good number of horses will be found stepping oui gingerly. Horses racing at the Mnnawatu meeting in particular will feel the strain of three days' racing right on end. Shuja's withdrawal from the Port Adelaide Cup probably means that the horse has shown signs of unsoundness. Since leaving Taranaki the son of Soult has done a heap of hard racing. Final payments for the Auckland Cup and acceptances for Auckland, Marton, Reefton, Taratahi-Carterton, North Otago and Hawke's Bay meetings fell due last evening. Punters will have plenty of brain exercise the coming week, and clear heads do not go with Christmas beer—l mean cheer!