SPORTING.

Taranaki Daily News, 7 April 1927, Page 5

SPORTING.

WARWICK FARM RACES. By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright. Received April 6, 9 p.m. Sydney, April fl. Scratchings for the Warwick Farm races are as follows: —Steeplechase, Aberfeldy; Cabramatta Handicap, Reonul; Liverpool Handicap, Giggle. TURF TOPICS. (By "Motorua.") The Masterton R.C. autumn meeting takes place to-day, and in view of the big Easter handicaps, the running of a number of horses will be watched with interest. Good fields are carded for all events. Mr. C. O’Connor will act as starter and Mr. W. P. Russell as judge, while the weights were framed by Mr. J. E. Henrys. * * * * Racing commences with th e High-Weight Handicap, one mile, the thirteen acceptors including fair horses such as Killocra, No Favours and Lady Ben. « * » • The maidens in the Trial Stakes, five furlongs, are not a good lot,»though Colarina and Mandarine go fairly fast. * >» » ’ » Fourteen figure in the Telephone Handicap, six furlongs, and include Imitation, Jemidar, Addlepate and other smart hacks. * • * w The Flying Handicap (open), six furlongs, will see Royal Divorce, Mireusonta and Polyphemus in action, and of the trio, Mireusonta may be the best conditioned. The light-weight division includes Standard and Lady Ideal, and the better of the pair should keep the topweights busy. First Acre is engaged in the Autumn Handicap as well, but if saddled up for the sprint, should run very prominently. * * # «’ A small field will contest the Autumn Handicap, one and a-quarter miles. Tanadees and Hynanna represent good class, but they are giving away a lot of weight to the consistent Beaumont, who, on Bulls form, should be quite capable of running out a strong ten furlongs with 8.1 Opa appears to have gone stale, and none of the lightweights appear to be dangerous. * * # # Two-year-old races in the Wairarapa attract remarkably good fields, and the Juvenile Handicap, five furlongs, has drawn no less than sixteen. The topweight, Cosmetic, has not shown good form lately, and the public may prefer the more consistent Arrow Lad, as well as King Midas and Chips. # • » * Ten accepted in the Stewards' Handicap, one mile, and amongst the number are Black Mint, Bonhomme and Killocra. If the last-named is reserved for this event he may start favourite. **, # # Racing concludes with the Dash Handicap, seven furlongs, but the majority of the field claim engagements earlier in the day. Henna is a certain starter, and raced prominently at Bulls. * * * * It will surprise most people on this coast if Ardath is taken to Auckland for the Brighton Hurdle Race, in which he was awarded the absurd weight of 11.0. To class Ardath as a better horse than Archibald, and as within 131bs of Sir Roseberry suggests that Mr. MacManemin has been given a false impression of a very ordin ar j' hack. # * * • Followers of favourites had a very bad time at Whangarei, and it was not surprising that the tote turnover dropped £2192. Not one first favourite won on Saturday, while only one returned a portion of the original investment. * * # # Young Lochinvar’s winning performances at Bank’s Peninsula and Ashburton meetings brings him into the limelight as a Great Easter possibility. As a matter of fact, Shirley is the only one more favoured at present. * * « « Down in Palmerston they talk of little else but Piuthair for the Great Autumn Handicap. The daughter of Kilbroney has a good weight (8.13), but she always runs her best races on the big Riccarton course, and there is no doubt about her fitness at the present time. MANAWATU RACE MEETING. NOMINATIONS CLOSE TO-MORROW. Owners and trainers are reminded that nominations for all events in connection with the Manawatu Racing Club's autumn meeting close to-morrow (Friday)7 at 9 o’clock, with the secretary, Palmerston North. At the same time the forfeits are due on the 19th. Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes and the 23rd Manawatu Stakes.

Rampion has finished his racing for this season at least, and it is to be hoped his retirement is not permanent (remarks “Pilot”). However, as his leg occasioned so much trouble in Melbourne as to cause his withdrawal from the V.R.C. St. Leger, which was a certainty for him, and, as he now has to miss the A.J.C. autumn meeting, the outlook is not bright. It is remarkable how often the best three-year-old coli of his season has, for some reason or other, not added a St. Leger to his account. Even if Rampion does not race again, the Messrs. Brien have reason to be pleased with declining to let him go for less than 15(H) guineas at the 1925 yearling sales. In his early association with racing, Mr. J. E. Brien was not exactly unfortunate, and, in partnership with his son, the luck —and shrewdness—still holds. Rampion is to bo spelled at his owner’s stud until it is time to try whether he will stand another preparation. A Doncaster and Cup double which was substantially backed in Melbourne is Fool’s Paradise-Heroic (says a Sydney writer). Seeing that Mr. Otway Falkiner has most of his horses trained at Mentone, where Heroic also works, the ftfet of cupling the Valais champion with his own horse indicates the Mentone opinion of his chance. Although Mr. Falkiner bets so heavily when he fancies one of Ms own that it is often brought to a price shorter than its performances warrant, Fool’s Paradise is entitled to be given a chance in the Doncaster with 8.3. The fact that he is by Absurd is not the strongest recommendation for him, as few of that sire’s stock have shone at a mile, although The Monk did finish third in a fast Doncaster. Fool’s Paradise, however, won over that distance, at the Canterbury spring meeting •when, with 7.12, he led practically all the way from a pretty good field to win by three lengths in 1.38. It was on the strength of that success that Mr. Falkinerbought him for somewhere about 1500 guineas. The only decent performance of the gelding in Sydney as his success In the Flying Welter at Rosehill last month. The field was certainly not a

strong one, but he won in a little more than a hand canter, running the seven furlongs- in 1.26 1-4, The mere fact that Overyssel was second indicates the class of the opposition, and it is a big jump to Doncaster standard, which runs the mile nowadays in under 1.37.