SPORTING GOSSIP.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12064, 20 July 1917, Page 6

SPORTING GOSSIP.

RAGING AND TROTTING. (By "ARGUS.") FIXTURES. Aujuat 15, 17—Metropolitan Trotting 01 «b. August 16, IB—Canterbury Jookey Club. NOMINATIONS. August S—Canterbury Jockey Club. HANDICAPS. July 2S~Metropolitan Trotting Club, August B—Canterbury Jookey Club. ACCEPTANCES. August 3—Canterbury Jockey Club. August B—Metropolitan Trotting Club, August 13—-Canterbury Jockey Club. I have more than once pointed out to clubs that great care should bo exercised in framing conditions for races, so that thero could bo no possible c.hanco of any error by owners in making entries. A case <Toppod up at the last meeting of the New Brighton Trotting Club which showed how easily a mistake could lx> made. On the second day the Ladies' Bracelet Handicap had the following condition : —" For horses that have not done bettor tban "2min .'•J'Jsoc to tho mile or its equivalent.'' IVIr Cross entered his filly Bid ens for this race, she also beiug in a race on the first day. Bidens finished third on the first day, her time being 3m in 41 sec, and therefore she bccamo ineligible, under tho conditions to start in the second day's race. Tho handieapper refused to handicap the mare for the second day. and her owner applied to the club for a refund of his nomination fee, stating that, at the time oi entry his filly was eligible. The club refused the owner's request, and the matter was leferrcd to the association. Avliich held it up pending receipt of further information from the club. The whole trouble could easily have been prevented had the conditions of the second day's race been mad© more explicit. The words "at time of entry" or "at time of starting" would have made it quite a simple case and. left no doubt! in the minds of any owner as to his right of starting his horse. Tho question of refund of nomination foe opens up quite another question. Clearly, under the conditions of the race in question, Bidens was ineligible to start, having boon mado so by her owner starting her in a previous raoo, in which his filly recorded faster time than that proscribed for the second day's event. Under these circumstances it seems right that her owner should forfeit his nomination fee. especially as the club makes provision for horses doing faster time being eligiblo for other races. Owners entering horses for races practically enter into contracts with clubs under certain conditions, and if theso contracts ho brolcon by owners they have only themselves to blame if they have to pay the penalty. Tho governing body of clubs might, however, givo a definite ruling on tho question of entry, and so savo any further trouble on tills score.

The Metropolitan Trotting Club received a fine list of Nominations for its August meeting, t<j be held at Addingt,on on August 15 and 17. There avo 227 nominated for the first day and 18-1 for tho second day, making the total 411 for tho meeting. On the first day thoro are 37 in the Trial Handicap, 35 in the Queen Mary Handicap and 32 in tho milo saddle event. On the second day there aro 34 in the Federal Handicap and 30 in the Islington Handicap. The smallest nomination receivjHl is for tho Canterbury Handicap, a two-rnilo saddle race, on tho second day. All tho best hordes in Canterlfiiry are engaged, and there is a good nomination from other parts, no fewer than thirty horses trained outside Canterbury figuring in tho list. Visitors from Auckland, Poverty Bay, Taranaki. Haw Ice's Bay, Wellington, West ("oast, Oamaru, Dimedin and Southland are expected to take part in the meeting. A pleasing feature of the nominations is the good response made by owners in tho races for trotters only. On the first day, for the two trotting races, the nominations number fifty-three, whilst on the second day there are four less.

"Whilst at Addington yesterday „T noticed several pegs in the ground, just on the inside of the course at the bend going out of the straight, and on making inquiries learned that it was intended to try and improve the bend. Tliis has always been tho worst corner on thp course, and the club is to bo. commended for its endeavour to effect an .improvement. If the result is satisfactory a further benefit will accrue, in that, tho start for mile and a half races will bo a little further down the straight, giving the horses a chance to get on :their foot, before coming to tho turn. The track at present is six furlongs, but if tho alterations prove satisfactory ilio size will be reduced by between twenty and thirty yards, necessitating an alteration of all tho starring points.

O. James has recently had an addition to hi.s stable, a three-year-old gelding by Petereta from Uedmire. the: dam of that good trotter Redehild. having joined the ox-American's team. The young horse is a big, upstanding gelding, and looks a promising sort. So far ho has not done much work.

C. "Rhodes has sold his big trotter (.hiincolyn, and the) horso ""'ill go ,to tho Nelson district.

Tararu Jack was scratched for the Grand National Hurdlo Handicap at 11 a.m. to-day.

Evidence of the mildness of the present winter is to he found at "R.iiccaHton, where the Canterbury Jockey Club's staff has found it necessary, during tho present week, to cut the grass on course proper, owing to tho steady growth that has taken place lately.

It was thought that Star Bluo would bo jumped yesterday, as his owner was present to witness tho work, but hi.s task was easy pacing. He appears to bo very sore.

T. Sheehan lias Sport and Antiopo in commission again. Thoy wero given steady pace work yesterday.

The two-year-old filly, Ivilrea, showed a deal of fractiousness 011 the tracks when she was being trained earlier in the season. Her manners have not improved during her spell, and 6he showed a lot of temper yesterday morning, sticking up for a long time before she could bo induced to settle to the mild task that was required of her.

Dionysius has been on the easy list! since his return from Trentha.ni, where he met with some injuries while contesting the Winter Hurdle Handicap. Tt is pi'obablo that ho will have a lengthy spell before he resumes work.

During the progress of the Wellington Racing Club's meeting the Mahaki gelding, Naupafea, was purchased by a patron of W. H. Thomson's stable and he is expected to arrive at Riccarton thLs week. Naupata, who is a six-year-old, has done a. fair amount of racing over hurdlos and country.

P. M'Grath has taken Thestius in hand again, 'but the son of MartianLady Lillian will probably have a few weeks' exorcise on the roads before more severe tasks arc required of him.

It is understood that Madam Butterfly aud Malvolia, who formerly raced

in the interests of the late Mr D. Rutherford, will be submitted for safe by auction during the progress of the Grand National meeting next month.

Gamecock, one of the leading two-year-old winners of the present season, is again bowling along freely in hia track work. He has don© well sine® he was recommissioned, and appears to have good spring prospects. Sisyphus, in the same stable, has no two-yeaiv old credentials, but he looks an improved colt, who may develop into a userul performer next season. H"is listers, Miss Mischief and Counterfeit, were rare good gallopers, but Delusive has left nothing else of note.

Mare Anthony looks none the worst* for his racing at Trentham, where lie performed well on the third day, after two unsatisfactory efforts earlier in the week. Ho lias never been a free culloper on the training tracks, and there is an impression now that he requires vigorous handling to get the best out cf him with the colours up.

Adjutant put on a, lot of condition during his recent spell, and he is in excellent order to commence a preparntion /or spring engagements. The sen of Martian—Discipline improved a lot during the present season, and he may be an even better performer during next season.

Reports from Auckland state that Gluepot. winner of the "VVanganui Steeplechase and Great Northern Steeplechase is doing good work at Ellerslie, and that he will probably bo seen out in the Grand National SteepleGluepot should have no diffi-* culty in negotiating the country, ns ne made light of the Riccarton fences i year ago, when he won the Enfield Steeplechase.

Nothing seems to he definitely known concerning the future movements of El Gallo, but doubts are expressed in tho north about the prospects of the Auckland crack visiting Riccarton for the Grand National Steeplechase next month.

Croesus has been verv expensive to Mil admirers during the last few months. Before his compulsory retirement he was a brilliant performer, one of his last efforts being to win the Stewards' Handicap at Riccarton under Bst ISlh. Since his reappearance at Easter he has been fancied more than once, hut he has consistently let. his backers down, second money in a five furlonp race, at the recent meeting at Trentham, being the only return he has given his owner.

Tho most consistent performer at tho Wellington Racing Club's meeting, where some of the form was very mixod, was Rajput, who was third in one engagement and second on two occasions. Rajput is a three-year-old by Rokeby from Rnnoe Nuna. ■ by St George—Waterspr'te. Ranee. Nuna was foaled in 1888, and some of the earliest of her progeny did exceptionally well. Her first foal. lima, had a tmo< cessful stud career, among her progenv being Obsono, ]'jor(l Burnside, and Grand Opera, the last-named the dam of Soldiers' Chorus. Tnnuhauser, Cherlibini and Madam Butterfly. Romanoff, who came two years after lima, won the Welcome Stakes, a. performance which was repeated the following year by his sister, Indian Queen, Inter known to fame as the dam of King Billy, Aborigine, Maori King and Our King. The stud career of Ranee Nuna, however, rests entirely on the doings of her first, three foals, the eight produced since then having failed to add much to her record as a producer of winners.

Lord d'Ahernon. owner of the One Thousand Guineas winner, Diadem, han only a small stud, and he never hn« more than three or four mares, whilo be only races animals. of his own breeding. He has had his fair share of auecesse.s, however, and he has much to thank Orby for, that, horse having sired Eos and Diadumenos for him, the lust« named being a full brother to Diadem,

Last Mason's English crack, Hurry On, is unlikely to race again. This year the tendons of his fore log have given a lot of trouble, and early it was nrophesjed that. if ho started at all it would be very Into in the season. Now it appears there is practically noehaneo of his reappearance on a raeeeour.se. Hurry On did not start as a twn-year-old, and last season won each of tlio six raee-s in which he ran, therefore ho will retire undefeated.

The once great mare, Sceptre, and her filly foal by Glenesky, are to he disposed of in Kngland on behalf of thu 'Red Cross Society. There is a proviso that 10 per cent of the net amount realised should bo divided among the stud employees of Mr .T. Musker, who at,, present owns Scoptro. As a yearling Sceptre realised 10,000 guineas, and, after winning various races for -Mr Sievier, was sold as a four-year-old to Mr W. Bass for £25,000. Subsequently she and her two-year-old daughter, Cun'a, wore bought for 7000 guineas by Mr Musker. Tn common with many other mares that havo distinguished themselves on the racing track, Scoptro has not been a stud success. CANTERBURY- JOCKEY CLUB.

Tho following handicaps have teen dee' ir* ed for the Canterbury Jockey Club's Grand National Meeting: — GRAND NATIONAL STEEPLECHASE. of 1500 sovs. Three miles and a half. st. lb. •t. lb. El Gallo . 12 a Nita, . , 0 A Waimai < 12 1 Kirkby , 0 8 Crib . . 11 13 Fagot , 7 Braeburn . U 10 Arlington . 9 7 Crluopot 11 5 Penniless . 0 7 Master St rowan 10 11 Collector . 0 7 To Onga . 10 0 Bodenham n 7 luirapai , 10 fi Silver Monarch ■n 7 St Elmi: . 10 2 The Brewer 'o 7 Wirokino . 10 1 Mawson. , 9 7 Merry Lad 10 0 Cokely , , 0 7 J ack man . 9 13 Burgess . , 9 7 Record 9 13 Rolling; Tide !) 7 Soporific 9 12 Oratonu . , !) 7 Sandy Paul 9 11 Waioture . , 9 7 Ronsahero 9 11 Golden Diavolo 9 S Buttwrfly 9 7 GRAND NATIONAL HURDLE HANOI. CAP, of 1200 sovs. About two miles nnd n, half. at. lb. Hi. Ib. El Gallo . 11 9 Mummer . 0 5 Art . . 11 ft Rongahere 0 4 Rewi Poto 11 1 Flying Camp . 9 2 Crib . 11 0 Arlington . , 9 0 Leonta . 10 13 Want » . 9 0 Ivooya Tararu Jack 10 13 Cast Iron . , 9 0 10 9 Moulii . , 0 0 Bon Reve 10 9 Penniless . e 0 To Onga . 10 8 Compulsion 9 0 Sir Fisher 10 G Master Moutoa 9 0 Sleicht of * Gluetanus 0 0 Hand 10 6 Dionysius . , 9 0 Master Timi 10 2 King Chiara , 9 9 Naupata Marconi » 9 13 Jeannot . . 9 0 9 13 Kohinahina , 9 0 Fisher • • Tenacious . • 9 13 Black Heart , 9 0 9 9 Peronilla .• , 9 0 St Elmn • • 9 9 Sir Tarka 9 "0 Sir Solo . • 9 8 Brown Loch 0 0 Multicipal 9 8 Golden Glade . 9 0 Princo Delaware 9 7 Swinton 0 0 WINTER CUP, of 700 sovs. One mile. st. lb. Rt. IB. Rewi Poto 11 2 KilteRS . 0 d Oxenhopo . . U 1 Redshire < . 0 (1 Bisogno . . 11 1 Zuland . . 9 6 Fiery Cross . 10 9 R*ing Chiara . y 4 Kauri King 10 8 Black Ada , 9 I Varnish . 10 7 Griind Idea . 9 3 Parisian Sir Agnes , 9 3 Diamond 10 C> Thames 9 a Mies do \ al . 10 6 Johnny Walker a 3 Snub • 10 3 Disdainful . 9 3 Orleans 10 0 Cardrona , 9 0 Wardnncer 10 0 Otara • . 9 0 Sartors . . 9 13 Jeannot , , 9 0 Raumanawhiri 9 13 Rajput r 9 0 Postillion . . 9 13 Matty . . 9 0 Lady Penary . 9 13 Xanthos . , 9 p Cherry Blossom 9 12 Rylptone , 9 0 Gold-stream 9 11 Alteration , 9 0 George 9 10 King Star , 9 0 Sedd-el-Ba.hr . 9 9 Colonade . , 9 0 Prince Delaware 9 9 Hythread , , 9 0 Marc Anthony . 9 9 Rowanga . . G 0 Heeltap . 9 8 Probation , 9 0 Starengo . . 9 8 Glorify . . 9 0 Brambloty© 9 8 Torotoro 9 0 Kiljoy • . . 9 8 Black Hill 9 0 Potentiality . 9 7 Rio 9 0 Tip-up . 9 7 Euripos 9 0 Multicipal 9 7 Thoughtful 9 0 Gold Paintins . P 7 . 9 II