SPORTING.

Taranaki Daily News, 15 August 1916, Page 7

SPORTING.

NORTH TARANAKI HUNT DACES. Tlie lianip of Pink Pearl was omitted from the published list of nominations in the Urenui Handicap, to be ran at the North Taranaki Hunt meeting 011 Thursday, August 31. Gentlemen ridel's who wish to take part in the North Taranaki .Jlunt's steeplechase meeting should note that to-day is tlie last day. of putting in up. olication for their certificates. TURF TOPICS. p.Y '"Moturoa.") The Canterbury Grand National meeting opens at liiecarton to-dav, the chief c\ents to be decided this afternoon being the New Zealand (irand National Steeplechase, of 1500 sovs., run over three and a half miles, and the Winter Cup, of 700 sovs. r run over a niile. In addition, tine stakes are to be competed for by jumpers of lesser light, hacks and hunters, and minor Hat handicaps for hacks and open company. To-day's acceptances are first-class, and if the weather will only improve a mceting may bo confidently expected. The New Zealand Grand National Steeplechase dates back to IS7O, and during the past forty years some notable horses have had their names enrolled in the list of winners of the Dominion's premier cross-country event. Kiccarton ''country" is warranted to find out the best junipers, and next to the New Zealand Cup the race under notice is the interesting in New Zealand. Canard, who scored in 1886 with 12.10, holds the weight-carrying record, though Norton 12.8, Agent 12.7, Chemist 12.7, and Levanter 12.0, ran Mr. Lumi's champion very close. Agent won the race on three occasions, carrying 12.0, 12.7, and 12.0 respectively—a great performance. Mutiny, who scored with 11.5 and 12.4, was the only other horse to win more than once. Eclair .holds the time record, 7.10 2-5, for the race. To-day's field for the Grand National is not up to the strength of former years, though numerically it is stvong. With the exception of Braeburn (a winner at Wanganui, Gisborne, and Napier) and Waimai (an Ellerslie winner) there is hardly a good horse in the race. Last year's winner, Ngat-oa, is engaged again, but beyond, being a safe fencer lie is not brilliant. Fagot, Tarero, Bransfield, New York, Idealism, and the rest, have nut shown much form over a distance of ground such as they have to travel today. Of the bunch Idealism may be -the most likely to give the ton-weights a good race. Braeburn is alleged to have been heavily supported -from tile right quarter, and Aucklaiulers threaten to go "stone broke'' on Waimai. On the season's performances Braeburn looks the better treated of the pair. The Winter Cup has attracted twentylive horso-s, two-thirds of aliie-i have been assessed as not capable of carrying 10st., and cleveft of the acceptors are 011 the minimum, (Ist. The * topweight. Rorke's Drift, has not bsen showing attractive track form of late, and has gone out of favor. Gold Soi.t'it and Multifual are the nominal favorites, though good prices are on offer alt \'ou)id, showing that the race is regarded as very open. As the track is likely to heavy, .public calculations stand a good chance of being upset, and danger to the favorites may threaten from Flying Start and Aurore. The minor events should all produce good finishes. Golden March and Czaronus may have the confidence of the public in the Trial Hurdles; and Marconi and Master Hegel in the Jumpers' Flat race. Taranaki money wili be on Union Jack in the Hunters' Hurdles, though the Palmerston owned Cron Park is reputed to be something above the average. Otupai and Oratonu are not over-burdened in the Enfield Steeples; and Maid 0' Gowrie, Anzac, and Kukri have shown good enough form to suggest that they may run , nicely in the Avonhead Handicap. The payments received for the chief events at the meeting were highly ■ complimentary to the handieappcr. Only four—Vascular, Glcnmore, Nita and Darby Paul—dropped .out of the. fi.N. Steeples, and accidents accounted for the first-named pair's absence. Kooya and r Awahou were the only notable horses of the sextette withdrawn from the Winter Cup, and Banian, Rongahere and Sleight of Hand—two of which were ■ paid up for in the. minor events—were the only ones nosted missing in the fI.N. , Hurdles. 5 __________