SPORTING.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 11418, 19 June 1915, Page 5

SPORTING.

RAGNG AND IROITIG, BOTES BY "AKDSL" I nSTDRES. ' June S3, 26-!>-aT)i<?i . :> ; Club, ■ July 1, a-oisb;n:3 lire nig C.nb. .Tn!v C—Por-.-rt;- Uaj' Trotting Club, i Juiv S~Sautli "Ch.iiisjrbt.rv Tivitr.it; Club. ' July Li, IT—'iVcl'.inghm KaeiH<: Club. ' IV New Oaks. th« A nice for three-year-old fillies, ieplaciuj.; for this year iln Kn.wffl Oaks. wa« decided at Nmv : .lKirCct 021 Tlmr.-sfiny. It will probably : b;> found ihr.t the failure of Y.av.clnsn cam* as a. Mirprise, as :i low weeks a.eo she u'on tlio One Thousand Guineas, i beat-'ir-'- SiWor Tan; by tlmx'-quarters of : n with Brifibt. «■ length fine] a i Kilf further back. Snow Marten vras : among the unplaced, division _on that ' ocasJnn. r.r.d she mnst hnvo improved ' -i deal in the interval to turn the : tobies ns she did this week, raucluse. then known ns the Vnlvo idly, started onh- onco as a two-year-old when she . v.'ts second to Bosoland 111 the I itr.wi!- ' liam Stakes. So far as iwo-Tear-old i : o'-ui was conn-Tiicd. Silver '.t .-v<i' ""as quit,, at tlio top of the tree among the fill;?-- J-ist season. Slv> was unolarod in her fnv,t engagement and was th»n second to King Pr:nr.i at Ascot, "after wlr'ch she won five races on end, official estimates at the end of the season placing her practically on an cqualitv with Friar 'Marras and Rnselaiict, 'and ahead of aM 'the other colts. Her owner, Mr E. Hulton, had many r.-ord two-year-olds _ while the 'Vuslralnm trainer. R. IVcetion. ba charge of his horses, but they failed consistently in three-year-old classic races and'the bad luck st'll follows him. Snow Marten, though not a. firstclass performer as a two-ve.ir-old, ran some good race?. She only won once, but was second in three other events, in one of wh'ch she ran Friar Marcus to a head, Bricrht being a poor third. Bright raced five times as a two-year-old without winning, though she was second once and third in two other events. Snow Marten is by Martagon —Sibera, bv St Simon— by Gallinulp—Concussion, by Reverberation. Siberia, the dam of the Oaks winner, is a half sister to Tournament, who was second to Pommern in the Two Thousand Guineas, while Electra, a half-sister to Siberia, won the One Thousand Guineas in 1909. The two filk'er, which finished behind Snow Marten in the Oaks are both by Sundridge, who is how at the stud in France, though orior to poing there lie left some brilliant performers in England. Anions them wss Sunstar. who won the Thousand Guineas and Derby in 1911 and who is a full brother to Bright. TV-is, the dam of Bright, also produced Princess Dorrie, winner of the One Thousand Guineas and Oaks last season. Doris is by Loved One, a son of the famous mare Pilgrimage, tha dam of .Teddab. Pilgrim's Progress and Canterbury Pilsmm, the last-named being the dam of Swynford, a high-cVss racehorse and now one cf the most fnslr'ons.blo sires in Entdaud. Loved. One has b'-en rory prominent lately as a sire of successful brood mares, as Gondolett», another of his daughters, is the dam of Lot Fly, who finished second to P<v,ime.rn in the Derbv Kst Tuesday.. Silver Fowl, the dam of Silver Tag, is a dauditor of Wildfowler, who is by Odlnnde from Tragedy," the dam of ; Birkenhead. i

Ngatirannui is reported to be going I on well in South Canterbury, where he is being prepared for big cross country j events later in the year. He figures ! among the nominations for the princiI pal steeplechases at tho Wel- | lir.gtou Racing Club's meeting I next, month, and his form at ' Trentham will be 'awaited with interest, in view of engagement at the Grand National fixture. When first tried a« a est, _in view of engagenvnt at the Grand hurdler ho acquired a great reputation and he was boomed as a likely winner of the Grand National Hurdle Handicap. For some time past he has been I owned in South Canterbury, and ho has j on several occasions shown good hurdle j form, though his unruly habits at the starting barrier have been a severe handicap. He competed in the Liverpool Steeplechase, on the first day of "the South Canterbury Jockey Club's autumn meeting, finishing in fourth place. His effort was quite creditable for a beginning, and there was a general feeling that he would be worth keening in mind for more important events" when he became seasoned to cross-country I racing. ! A Sydney exchange which came to i hand ajavr days ago contained the news that Stevedore, by Treadmill—-Fair-haven, had won a seven furlong welter race at the Queensland Turf Club's meeting. According to another Australian paper, however, the winner was not- the New Zealand horse, but another of the same name, by Providoro (son of Grafton) from a mare of unknown pedigree. This is more- likely to he correct. It is extremely unlikely, in any case, that it was the New Zealand Stevedore, who was at Riccarton till early in May, when he was sold' bv Sir George Clifford and went to Otago. There would, of course, have been time to take him to Queensland, hut as lie had had no training for about three months, he could not have been ready to race at such short notice. ' Grey Renown has acquired a big reputation as a. cross country horse, but he is proving something expensive to follow. He whs favourite in the HackSteeplechase at the Wanganui meeting last month, when Soporific was successful, bnfc failed to stay. At the Hawke's Bay meeting yesterday he was again sent out favourite in "She Woodlands Hack Steeplechase, but fell at the last fence.

Pond Memory appears to have registered a smart performance in winning the Woodlands Hack Steeplechase at the Hawke's Bay Jockey CluVs meeting yesterday. It is. however, difficult to assess the value of Iris win. as- f,o many of hi.? opponents came to grief, and there is no occasion' yet to regard him as anything exceptional as a cro;*; country performer.

The Diver, who finished second to Soporific in the Hawke's Bay Steeplechase yesterday, had a similar experience when the pair met in the flack Steeplechase last- month, on \he second cl.'iy. vhen Soporific won the Grandstand Stee?>iecha«e, Tho. Direr filled third place. Tho DVer is an ireldim; by Opt-.%in "Webb, most of whose progeny scero able- to jump well. Sopot ifio. who won tho Hawke's Bay Steeplechase yesterday, has been

spoken of for a. long time as a horse likely to take lugii noncurs over country this winter. He scored his first win at the Rangitikei Hunt Club's meeting early this season, and a. few weeks later lie was successful in a hack and hunters' steeplechase at OtaJri. He took part in a, similar event at tlm Wellington spring meeting, but fell when leading. He was then tried on the flat, and won two races at the summer meeting of the Manawatu Racing Club, failing at Wairarapa a. few davs later. Last month, at Wanganui, lie won the Hack Steeplechase on tho first day, following up that success by easily beating a decent field in the Grandstand Steeplechase on the second day. when The Pole finished second. Altogether, the performances of Soporific this season have been unusually creditable, and he now has claims to bo considered among the best cross-coun-try horses in commission in tho Dominion at present. At one stage of his career it was suggested that he could not stay, and this may tell against him later, when he has to meet stronger fields over Jofig courses So far as ho has gone, how?ver, be has done practically all that has been required of him. His sire, Letho, is a half-brother to Conqueror, being by Cadogan—-Siesta, by Traducer—Hammock, while his dam, Charlatan, is by Trickster, a son of Leolinus and Revoke, by Sir Hercules.

When Glenmore finished third in the Bawke's Bay Steeplechase on Friday, he was making his first appearance in publ.c after >a. long spell, and 1 he was therefore at a great disadvantage compared with his more seasoned rivals. He is a very capable performer when at his best, and, provided he remains sound, he should play a prominent part in somo of the big cross-country events still to be decided this winter. _ He has more than once shown a partiality for the Riccarton country, and by the time the Grand National meeting arrives he should bo equal to tho task of keeping all his opponents very busy.

Toki, who fin!.sh v 'd third in the Winter Hurdle Handicap at Ilastings <>:; Friday, has beeoi spoken of more tlu.n once as a likely customer for the Winter Cup. His* latest performance was sufficiently attractive to keep him promieentlv under notice for the mile race at Riccarton.

There was nothing specially impressive about the form in the Hawke's Bay Hurdle Handicap on Friday. Tho three placed horse;-, Wain tin on. Cornelian and Araake, all took pa.rt_ v.\ the Century Hurdle' Handicap "at Wanganui, but finished among the lot. though Wa/ipunoa was given credit for running a. good race. None of the placed division at, Wanganui competed at Hastings, the field being far from d good one. It is wae that Hereford. who started favourite on_ Friday, a great reputation, hut his failures at Wanganui and Hastings leave room for doubt whether he is quite _<o good as was thought. Waipunoa is by Martello, full-brother to Royal Artillery, True Blue and Screw Gnn. MarteUo was a. high-priced yearling, but leg troubles curtailed his turf career. lie has sired a few useful performers, and there is no reason why he should not be a, big success at the stud, if given a chance.

Ardent was responsible for a smart performance when he wou th" Heretaunga Handicap at Plaiting*, on Friday. Last November he created a big impression when ho ran away from a big field of hack? at Riccarton. He has ni'.ver quite fulfilled the expectations which were then formed, but- his latest effort shows that he /will have to be seriously considered in sprint events ahead. 110 is a half-brother to Sanguinary, being by Royal Fustier— Sanguine, by Apremont-—Last Chance, by Sir Hercules—Finesse, whose pedigree contains a lot of Arab blood.

Doon, the winner ci" the "VThnkatu Hack Hurdle Handicap at. Hastings, on Ftkkvy. made her first appearance over hurdles at Wangaiiui last mouth. w!v?n she finished second to Awyb.ou. Since then, she has *hown good form in private, having the reputation of heine; a very fast and clean jumper, so that her success this week -I'd nor. ocmo a-i ■any surprise. Doon only started racing this season, making her early essays irftho colours of Mr H. A. Knudit. who clispos-cd of her some time a:ro to (.lio "Wellington sportsman, Mr "W. Smart. "With a little id or** experience. I>eou may be found holding; h<<r mm Ui t hebest hurdle company.

It i« reported from Auckland thai J. Williamson has taken the si-ocpi*-chaaer Hautere in hand again, aicer a, long spell.

It was stated recently that Obsono, by ObHgado or Gipsy Grand—-Ilnvsi. had rim his hist race, and h is understood ho will take np stud dirties next season in Southland, probably in Lake County, where his owner resides. It is now reported from Queonsle-ud rh:u Lord Bwniside, & half-brother, by Va-s----co, to Obsoiio, ha? also finished racing. He pulled up on three legs nfver the Brisbane Thousand and examination showed that he had fractured two small bones in the near foreleg. Tf is hoped, however, that he will he. saved for the stud.

The racing and trottinr clubs or the Dominion have done (heir pan, well since the war began in the diuv.-vion of contributing to various patriot!;.: fund;. The committee of the Otalmhn Troi-.ting Club recently took up th--. cos:.: oi th* maimed and wounded, vvhen the following resolution was passed:—"That, aS tho committee of ill is club is of opinion that provision should bo made, for th" wounded and maimed heroes from I\*o:v Zealand who are defending our independence and that of tho Empire at the front, it is our duty to create u fund for the benefit of the men and thoir dependents after the war is over. In furtherance of ih's object we therefore determine to subscribe the sum of

£IOO from the club's funds for this purpose, and also agree to vote a further sum of. £lO monthly, until the conclusion of the war. And, also, that the secretary of this club suggest to all trotting clubs in New Zealand that they fall into line with this resolution, as far as their funds will permit." A copy of this resolution has been posted to all tho racing and trotting clubs in New Zealand.

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