SPORTING.

Taranaki Daily News, 26 November 1918, Page 2

SPORTING.

SPpJixiXO .voti^.

Taranaki Jockey Club have littio reason iw complaint in uto ma Her ui nominations lor their ciiristuuui nicetiajj- JSvciy skuws a response funu owuers, whilst tuu quality or the horses engaged, if not liuitu iiruiclaas, gives thy nope liuȣ racing Will result-

i'eilUiug acceptances, on the other hand, brittle v.iuii L'-ninuls of proved merit, and with 1-i left in tiio principal sprint and 12 in the mile and a quarter, with a hig average in other races, an excellent day's sport may bo anticipated. ■Kvery event will tato noma '-picking." A big price was pii'ered for liilboyne after the Cup meeting, but no business resulted. liilboyne will be in the first flight of handicap horses this season. iietard, who ricked himself badly while being landed at Lyttelton on the evo of tlic National Meeting, has now quite recovered from tlie effects of the mishap, and F. lind has got him again in wort at Napier Park.

The new electric tote will he in full swing when tho postponed AJLC. Spring Meeting is brought off, but the date has not yet teen fixed. Tlie new tote is to he partly staffed by girl clerks. Those at Randwick arc largely worked in that way, and have given satisfaction.

A southern scribo writes: —Sasanof seems to bo as well, if not 'better, now than at any period of his career. His condition certainly reflects great credit on his trainer.

The Wairarapa Racing Club's Meeting, which was to have been held on 13tii December, has been postponed indefinitely, consequent upon the epidemic. Nominations will not bo called, until further notice. It is quite possible the meeting will be abandoned altogether.

On all sides it is hold that the V.R.C. Derby was ju&t fired away on Finmark, who subsequently ran fourth in the Melbourne Cup. Why Killowcn was not started to ensure a fast pace for the favorite, will forever remain a mystery. Principal Lady should bo worth watching, as she has come on lately, shaping well over a mile on the track.

Crowhurst is another track worker pleasing the few whom tliq "flue" permits to watch the gallop 3. / A tip from tlio south. —Killard was not thoroughly tuned \ip at the Cup but the racing he had, together with a bit more work, should put him right for the Auckland Cup fixture. ~ Tho Hicrarch gelding, Iliero, who WTenched a joint on the eve of tho Cup meeting, is again doing easy work and may be given a run at Timara. In the history of tho Melbourne Cup fifty horses have started absolute favorites. Nino favorites have won, eight have run second, three third, and thirty were unplaced, of whom six finished fourth, and one broke down. Fifteen horses have shared tho position of first favorite in seven Cups, and they provided two firsts, three secondflj one third, while tie other eight ran unplaced, pno being fourth. The well-performed mare, Devotion, winner of the Metropolitan Handicap at the recent IT.Z. Cup meeting, at the conclusion of the fixture the daughter of All Black and Culmination became troubled with her kidneys and inflammation. Both to her owner, Mr J. B. McEw&n and her trainer, tho los 3 of such A useful mare would be severe.

Old Fiery Cross is pottering about the Riccarton track. To look at the chestnut one would not give ten "bob" for him. He will come to light before long.

"It Is said that in ratting tho authorities do not always excrciso their powers," remarks an exchange in commenting on inconsistent form and the apathy of the ruling body to demand a reason for a sadden reversal when it may affect a rich owner. A correspondent ia a Wellington weekly points out an instance. He says:—"l want to congratulate you upon your outspoken remarks about Sasanof: in last week's issue, hence my reason for asking you the question which I enclose. I am not aware what penalty Sasanof would have incurred had he won tho Champion Plate, hut it would purely have teen not less than 7ft>3., which may or may not have prevented liim from winning. But one fact remains, and will never be forgotten by tho racing public, who find the sinews of war: That the Trentham racecourse is the happy hunting ground of tho owner of Sasanof, when his horses raco without his confidence. Take the case of Shrill nearly two years ago, when the stipe did havo the courage to question her form in a hack race. Mr Stead told tho W.11.C. stewards how blind they were at the Cup meeting when Shrill failed in a hack race hut she won the Thompson Handicap in her next public performance- Mr Stead! made no secret to his intimate friends "that Sasanof would win tho New Zealand Cup, notwithstanding that lie had finished last ia the Champion Plato at Wellington a week prior to the New Zealand Cup, and was paying nearly a centnry dividend at Masterton a fortnight previous, only nineteen tickets being invested on him in a field of moderates. For a h"rse to run H miles in 2m. 55., a record for New Zealand, be should be equal to win any sprint raco in New Zealand. Good Bay, another horse in tho Stead stable, who failed to gaiu a place at Masterton with the luxurious weight of 8.0 in a welter race, camo out in his true form at the New Zealand C&p meeting, winning with 9-10. The performances of these two horses will no doubt bo long remembered by tho punters who find the sinews of gold for tho wealthy owners, who can u unply do as they please" The late Mr Hartgill, the well-known and popular racing judge, whose death reported a few days ago, was very well known in Taranaki. having adjudicated at the Tnranafci J.C. autumn meeting and at the Kguiont K.G- meeting for some veaw with -roneral satisfaction. 'He was bom in England, and came to New Zealand in 1-885, settling in Folding. Wliile residing there he took a great interest in athletics, being himself a first-class runner and putting up mom than one record for speed. He also figured officially as starter at athletic sports and assisted in various other ways in furthering that particular branch of sport. He will also be remembered as a keen cricketer and footballer. Mr Hartgill had. however, become mora widely known as a judge at the leading metropolitan and country racecourses, and it is needless to that lie had many very close finishes to decide. Is bis "Men of Mark," Mr J. Chadwick says: ,c Mr HartgilPs half-head and bare head and short nose decisions were given ■with as great promptitude as when horses won by long margins, and no judg« had the numbers hoisted with greater speed- There was no ds-mor- ■ iru r round Ms box stnd shouting Clw Raines of different hotses witen «. cteee

finish had taken pla.ce. 86 knew the facing colors -of owners, could pick tUeia like tlie florist does the flowers in his garden, and with a quickness that would be surprising were it not a gift and a study with him. H e was seldom out of the weighing room when the riders were going to scale, and was prompt to call the attention of authorities to the fact if a jockey was riding in different livery to that announced on the correct card. He (Jid not rely on the numbered saddle-cloth as some judges do, but mainly on liia knowledge of the colors of the riders. 3Trom the writer's experience lie was as keen an observer of incidents that occur during the running of races as anyone could possibly be, and took a lot of enjoyment out of the racing, so much of which lie was witness to." The chief clubs Mr HarigiLl was judge for were the Canterbury Jockey Club, Wellington Racing Club and the Manawatu Racing Club, but it was the Feilding Jockey Club for which he first acted. The late Mr Hartgill removed from Feilding to Dannevrrke some years ago when he was appointed manager oi Messrs Barraud and Abraham's establishment at that centre. He contracted influenza while attending the Christchurch Cup meeting.