SPORTING.

Taranaki Daily News, 14 November 1923, Page 3

SPORTING.

■ Taranaki jockey club. JUBILEE CUP MEETING. The committee of the Taranaki Jockey Club met last night. Present: Messrs. L. A. Nolan (chairman), W.T. Hookham, A. Alexander, L. B. Nicoll, J. McLeod, N. King and B. H. Chaney. Apologies for absence were received from Messrs. 0. W. Sole, W. C. Weston and G. Fraser. It was decided to ask Mr. Bennett to procure a suitable cup for the winner of, the T.J.C. Jubilee Cup at the next February meeting. Several alterations to the February programme were recommended to the programme committee, the principal suggestions being that the cup, now one and a quarter miles, should be one and a half miles, and that the two hurdle races should be open. A donation of £2O was made to the war memorial. It was decided to alter the dates of the meetings to the last Tuesday in the month. Accounts amounting to £537 were passed for payment. TURF TOPICS. (By “Moturoa.”) The Pahiatua Racing Club’s annual meeting, this year a two days’ gathering—takes place to-day and to-morrow. Satisfactory acceptances fill to-day’s card, and the majority of the events should be well contested. Considering the very modest stakes offered a fair class of horse has been attracted, particularly In the open races. The programme opens with the Malden Race, run over six furlongs, all carrying Bst. 71b. Nineteen were nominated, but the scratching pen Is expected to reduce the field considerably. Sensible, Prideaux, Awangawanga and Bonnie Marion are the only ones with placed performances to their credit this season, and the form of the last-named pair has been the most attractive.

Only six remain in the High-Weight Handicap, a mile and a distance, and the public may be most Impressed by the good showings of Proclaim and Good Mark in recent efforts. The Ngaturl Hack Handicap, six furlongs, is another race that offers little Inducement for spirited wagering, and the bulk of the totalisator investments may be expected to stand against the names of Import and Atapo, if these horses go to the post. A fine crowd of fifteen promise to contest the Restoration Cup, one mile and a quarter. Trespass has the honor of leading the handicap, but he appears to have tired of racing, and is not the horse he was a couple of seasons back. Arch Salute has raced fairly consistently this season, scoring one win, two seconds and a third in seven starts. Bitters finished third in his last start, and is evidently on the up-grade, a remark which applies to Prlntemps. Megan won a mile race at Waipawa, but the extra quarter may not be altogether to her liking, and she may show up more prominently on the second day. HalloWroz won the race last year in heavy going with 68, but has exhibited no form this season. Lady Kotlrlpo and Star Ranger read as well as any of the lightweights. Possibly the public will watch Star Ranger and Arch Salute very closely in to-day’s race. Only half-a-dozcn were paid up for in the Konlni Hack Handicap, including Bonecto and Merrimas. which have recent placed performances to their credit.

A better betting race will be the Makuri Hack Handicap, in which thirteen fair flve- ' furlongs horses are engaged. Hytinus and Mangawhero can both begin smartly, and at the weights the latter reads fairly well. Import (if reserved), would probably show up, but the pick of handicap appears to be Rene Mavis, which is evidently a good sort, registering a first and a close second in her last starts.

The President’s Handicap, six furlongs, has filled well, a dozen horses of good class being accepted for. Speculation may be mainly directed at the top-weight division, and with Walpatu, Prince Hal and Amber Tips engaged, the public will have something to punt on.

To-day's racing concludes with the Eketahuna Welter Hack Handicap, seven furlongs. Nine are carded, but the field may be further reduced on the course. Tawehi struck the writer last season as a promising horse, well up to welter-weight, and It will be interesting t j note how the Kilbroney—TaringamOtu gelding shapes to-day.

Five favorites strolled home at Riccarton on Saturday, and the public must have had a good time —at least, those who followed form. The price returned by Sir Fanciful must have hurt the layers, and with Refrigeration, Red Wink, Tresham, Razzle Dazzle. Tukia and Bonetter all paying handy dividends the Bar Vons must have had. a bad day. The only severe setback the public had was when Glentruin failed to see out the Member’s Handicap with a welter weight, though others again backed Rational to beat the younger and smarter Tukia In the Electric Plate.

Gientruln's defeat with 10 5 in the Members' Handicap proves that Weight will stop the very best of them. She was always in the fighting line, and had every chance, but the last bit of a torridly-run seven furlongs —Limelight register Imln. 26 l-ssec—found her out. Her failure to gain a place was regrettable, this being her only unplaced performance in New Zealand.

The principal winning owners as Riccarton were:—R Heppner £1750, C. E. Elgar £ls9u. C. G. Dalgety £ 1505, W. T Hazlett £ 1480, W. R Kemb&ll £1360. and A. Chisholm £lO5O. During the Christchurch racing carnival the Christchurch Jockey Club put £237,802 through the totalizator, as against £259,825 last year—a decrease of £22,123. The Metro-

politan Trotting Club's turnover was £210,436, as against £221,943—a decrease of £11,507. The investments at the two gatherings aggregated £448.138. as against £481.868 last year. In the South the "peak'’ has been reached, and the falling off was quite expected.