SPORTING.

Taranaki Daily News, 22 July 1925, Page 4

SPORTING.

TURF TOPICS. • ' ' > (By “Moturoa.”/ The 1924-25 racing season is rapidly drawing to a close, the sole remaining fixtures being the Gisborne steeplechasa meeting, which takes place to-morrow and Saturday; the Waimate District Hunt meeting to-morrow; and the postponed South Canterbury Hunt meeting on Saturday. Hunt clubs will open the new season on August 1 at Christchurch and at Gisborne, and then—on Tuesday fortnight—the more, serious racing of 1925-23, will commence with the Grand National meeting at Riccarton. Fair fields will be seen out at Gisborne to-morrow and Saturday, although the stakes offered are very poor. The Gisborne steeplechase course is a very tricky one, but horses like Mahia and Ranui would show up in the open events, and it is hard to go past Kovno and Silta in the hack races. The hurdlers are a moderate lot, but Kendal and Woden have shown fair form lately. In the open flat races are good performers like Startle and Battle Knight, while the hack fiat events have attracted Blue Jay, Kenyon and Princess Ngata. According to a Gisborne scribe the course and tracks over there are wet and sodden, and practically no fast work has been accomplished. Mahia has been schooling in fine style over country, and, knowing the course so -well, should earn a stake there this week. Highway, Garzon, Waioeka Jack, Startle, Barrier, Scotch Mixture and Manutai are all reported to be in good condition for early racing.

■ First acceptances for the Grand Nationals and for the Winter Cup were Very satisfactory, seventeen remaining in the steeples, twenty in the hurdles and thirty in the Winter Cup. The absentees from the steeples were Master Peter, Peter Arnaus, En Route, Bonibrook, Sir Wai, Waikawa, Red Cent, Luke, and Silverfish, but those paid up for include fancied ones like Sir Roseberry, Eerie, Tigerland, Fireblight, and First Line. The scratching pen accounted for Lochson, Comical, Loughrea, Omahu, Peter Amans, Wench, Dubious, Adjutor, Molyneux, Le Forte, Askari, Tenterfield, Otauru Kid, Eonmark, and All Wind in the hurdles, but of the above Comical was the only one greatly fancied. As the field now stands. Sir Roseberry, Nukumai, Highway, Boomerday, Vagabond, Lucullent, Many Colours, and Penury Rose all appear to have hosts of admirers, so a good race is assured. The principal defections from the Winter Cup were Count Cavour, Tarleton, Imperial Spark, Kilfaire, Zircon, Duo, and Rowley. The favourite division appears to include Killoera, White Comet, Kilfane, Deucalion, and Anticipate, but with such a big field the issue is very open. Roy Reed, J. Barry and 11. Goldfinch have riding engagements at Gisborne this week.

The Winter Cup candidate Kuhio is said to be galloping well at Trentham. Roy Reed will ride him at Rleearton. According to a Chronicle writer Santiago is in good nick, and will go south to contest the Grand National Hurdle Race, in which he ran so prominently last year.

From the same quarter we hear that Royal Divorce, Black Cat and Fool’s Paradise are doing pleasing work at Wanganui. Jack O’Shea is due baek again in New Zealand shortly, and if his services are available at the Grand National meeting he should not want for rides'.

Gloaming’s sire, The Welkin, which died in Australia recently, had a great stud record, his progeny winning over a quarter of a million in stakes during the past dozen seasons. Tigerland has been fencing in fine style at Riccarton, and promises to play a leading part in cross-country events at the Grand National meeting. The disqualifications imposed upon Maurice MeCarten and F. D. Jones will be lifted a few days before the Grand National meeting. MeCarten will ride for Tilley’s stable in the coming season.

TARANAKI JOCKEY CLUB. THE ANNUAL REPORT. The annual report of the committee of the Taranaki Jockey Club states:— “The club has suffered a great loss by the death during the past year of the lion. Oliver Samuel, K.C., M.L.C., who had been natively associated with it tor a period of forty years, first as a steward, afterwards as a member of the committee, over which he presided most ably for many years, and latterly as president. His knowledge of racing law in the Dominion was almost unequalled, a fact that was recognised by his reelection year after year to the position of member of the New Zealand Racing Conference. His death was, therefore, not only a grievous loss to this club, but also to the racing community generally. “A perusal of the balance-sheet shows a satisfactory result for the past year. After providing the sum of £982 19s 3d for depreciation, a profit of £714 8s 5d is shown. The weather conditions during tlie Christmas holidays undoubtedly reduced the earnings very considerably, the second day’s races having to be postponed. Racing is still bearing a heavy burden of taxation. Daring the year just past, the Government received altogether the sum of £468,088, of which your club subscribed the sum of £8163 2s, made up as follows: Totalisator tax £2763 0s 9d, dividend tax £4974 ss, tax on receipts £B6 9s, amusement tax £235 9s lid, land tax' £lO3 17s 4d, total Government taxes £8163 2s. Representations in this connection are still being made to the Government. During this season the stakes tax was reduced horn 10 per cent, to 5 per cent. It is confidently anticipated that some further relief will be granted, probably in the direction of a reduction of the totalisator tax.

“Local rates provide a big proportion of the year’s expenditure, the amount paid this year being £417 14s 2d, in addition to which the club pay as rental for the racecourse reserve (part of the club’s property) £l4O per annum. During the year an arrangement was made with the Taranaki Agricultural Society relative to their building programme in Gill Street, whereby the club assisted financially, and 32 loose-boxes and feed lockers were provided on the Molesworth Street frontage. These were completed in time for the February meeting, and were the subject of complimentary remarks by visiting owners and trainers. In addition, an implement shed was provided on the racecourse. No work of importance on the improvement scheme was put in hand, your committee feeling that the time is’ not opportune for raising money for the major works.”