SPORTING GOSSIP.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12244, 16 February 1918, Page 11

SPORTING GOSSIP.

■ BAGIN6 AID TROTTIIfi.

(By “ ARGU9.”) FIXTURES. February 16—Hamilton Racing Club, bsbiuary 20—Mat'borongh Trotting Club. February 22-Wanganui Trotting Club. February 21, 23—Vvarvgimii Jockey Club. February 27-Rcioi-ua Jockey Club. ■f obruiry 27—Dannnvirke Racing Club. ■March 2—Waikato Trotting Club. Jiarch s—Akaroa Counlv Racing Club -March 6-Gore Racing Club. M' lrc b 6, 7—Nelson Jockey Club. March 7—Timaru Trotting Club. March B—Opotikiß—Opotiki Jockey Club. ■March 8, 9—Napier Park Racing Club. March 9-Te Aroha Jockey Club. March 14—Wanrratc Racing Club. March 14, 15—Wairarapa. Racing Club. March 16—Ohinemuri Jockey Club. March 16—Westport Jockey Club. March 18—Opunake Racing Club. NOMINATIONS. February 18—Wnimato Racing Club. February 18—Gore Racing Club. February 19-Timaru Trottii g Club. February 22—Wairarapa Racing Club. February 22—Auckland Racing Club. February 23 —Ohinenniri Jockey Club. February 25—Opunake Racing Club. February 26—Westport Jockey Club. HANDICAPS. February 18—Eolonin, Jockey Club. February 19—Waikato Trotting Club. February 25 —Te Aroha Jockey Club. February 25—Timaru Trotting Club February 25—Wnimate Racing CluD. February 26—Gore Racing Club. ACCEPTANCES. February 18—Wanganui Jockey Club. February 20—Dann’evirke Racing Club. February 21.—Rotorua Jockey Club. February 22—Akaroa County Racing Club. February 22—Waikato Trotting Club. February 23 —Nelson Jockey Club. March I—Timaru Trotting Club.

When the new conditions relative to the reduction in racing came into force-, at the commencement of this racing season, many of the clubs which raced formerly on more than one day a season and which were effected by the reduction, were not at all certain how they should adjust their days in order to secure the best results. This was particularly noticeable amongst trotting clubs. Locally,, the Metropolitan Club decided to adhere to three days at November, cutting out the summer meeting in February and one day from the August and Easter meetings. Canterbury Park and New Brighton each lost a day and both clubs decided to adhere to their usual fixtures, but to race ou one day instead of two as formerly. Forbury Park, which lost two days, deducted one from the November meeting and the other from the May meeting, keeping its February fixture intact at two days. Greymouth lost two days, and abandoned its October fixture altogether, preferring to have two days at Christmas time instead of one in October and one at Christmas. Other clubs fell into line ns they thought best, Auckland and Otalmhu deciding to race as close together ns possible in the spring, and thus practically make a, two days’ meeting for owners early in the season. Locally, the reduction has not made the difference to owners that has been experienced elsewhere, because there are so many horses in training in Canterbury that each of the local clubs is assured of a good entity and large fields. I was surprised at the excellent meeting of the Forbury Park Trotting Club in November, although only a one-day fixture, but this is partially accounted for by the fact that the club gives good stakes, attracting the best class of horses even for a one-day meeting. In addition, it must bo remembered that with the restricted number of days' racing owners, if they wish to win a share of the prize-money being given by the clubs, must travel”, despite the fact of greatly increased transit charges.

opmp of the so-called smaller clubs, which in pre-war times had two days’ meetings, but which lost a clay in the general reduction, are now feeling the position. To a large extent they depended on the patronage of outside owners and they are finding it very difficult to make any headway. Many owners are adopting the policy of keeping their horses at home instead of travelling, at expensive rates, on the chance of winning the. small stakes put forward by these clubs. It seems, therefore, that in the very parts where the sport requires a help along it is not to receive much assistance, owing to the disinclination of outside, owners to patronise these minor meetings. The n estport Club, which had a two days' meeting in normal times, suffered’in the reduction, racing on only one day tms season. Although there were not so many visiting horses as usual, the -act of the Greymouth Club’s mentiim following in the next week attracted a ' fuHfoient number to provide the Westport Club with satisfactory fields, and its one-day meeting was'saved from comparative failure. The club had, in .met, quite a successful one-day gathering. The Marlborough Trotting Chib whose meeting is near at hand, has pot a fair entry and the meeting promises to be more successful than usual out the Jselstin meeting, to be held next week, looks like having to depend chiefly on local horses, with only mm SrmerU m i, tS n OrS ; T anfioni,i ' Cll,b •jormerlj held a two days’ meeting and it was gradunHy working up to a capital fixture, local interest in the sport haying grown very much during the few years, but this season’s fixture which will ho confined to one dav does uot appear as though it will be up to the chib s best standard. The Wanganui and Manawntn Trotting .Chibs would be well advised if they hold a conference and followed the policy of tlie Auckland and Otahnbu Chibs of racing as closely together as possible nnd thus encourage visiting owners’ nho might be tempted to make a trip fPr two meetings, when they would nit c n fffi red fcn . travel long distances S one clay a racing.

J. Bryce returned yesterday from Nelson, where ho drove Lord Agapanthufi and Agasenia. He was tmsun cessful with the former, getting So a place mi two occasions, but won with the latter. Bryce will leave early next week with Little Hector, who will he racing at the Wanganui Trotting Club’s meeting.

,? T r ice 'win lcnT * with Sweet IVut tor Wanganui next weak, his pacer being engaged at the Wanganui I rotting Club’s meeting.

Cfeenvale, who won a race at the last meeting of the Forbury Park Trotting Club, will be a competitor at the M angamii Trotting Club’s meeting next week.

N. L. Price is at present working a thre-year-old gelding by Wildmoor from’ his old roare, Kola Nut. and he is

also handling a younger member of the family, in the shape of a yearling colt by 'Wildwood Junior. They are both pacers, and the threo-year-old shows lair promise, while the yearling, though not tried yet, is a well-gaitecl .youngster. Kola Nut produced King Col© to Ribbonwood, after which side "as mated with three other stallions, producing Betel Nut to Peralta, Sweet Nub and Lila Girl to Galindo and George the Fourth to Prince Imperial. Price then decided - to go back to Wrildwood horses, and in addition to the pair already mentioned, he has a. two-year-old Driftwood colt who shapes like being useful.

Whon offered at auction in Auckland recently, to close a. partnership, the pacing stallion Waverley, by Galindo— Thelma, was secured by Mr J. Weston, one of his former owners, for 395 guineas, while a yearlino- colt by Wayerlcy was taken by Mr L. Richards at 100 guineas.

The Auckland Trotting Club is firmly pui using the policy of encouraging owners and breeders to set a high standard in the qiass of trotter kept in the province. Two years ago the flub sot out on this policy by institutting the Great Northern Derby, at a value of 350 sovs, and though only moderate response has been made, mostly from Canterbury, the club recognises that time and perseverance are required to accomplish its object of raising the standard and making Auckland a recognised centre of first-class pacers and trotters. To this end the committee has decided not only to keep the Great Northern Derby on the Christmas programme, but to pvogressively raise the stakes, and has sent along for the confirmation of the Trotting Association proposals that the Derby next summer meeting should bo for a stake of 600 sovs, and that the race the following Christmas (1919-20) should be for 630 sovs. The conditions are that the race should be for throeyen r-olds at the time of running, and a further provision is made that "of the money for the 1919-20 race 60 sovs shall go to the breeder of' the winner, thus furnishing the owners of present likely yearlings with an incentive to persevere with the youngsters.

The rain which sot in on Friday has given the Riccarton tracks a thorough soaking. There was no work on them this morning, and from present appearances it will be some days before the plough is in good order again for fast work. Fortunately, the break is not serious for the trainers, a number of horses being absent at Wingatni, while of those remaining at home few are wanted for immediate engagements.

The North Canterbury sportsman, Mr TV, A. Nichnlls, has been on the look out, for some time past, for stables at Riccarton, and it is understood that he Ims .secured the property which was formerly occupied by ,T- Bridges. It is expected that TV. Hibberd will take up his quarters there shortly, and that Mr Nicholls's horses will in future bo trained at Riccarton. In the meantime, the team is small, hut it will probably he increased before long, as there are several yearlings to be broken in for next season’s juvenile engagements.

Nominations for the Waimate Racing Chib’s meeting will close on Monday.

When Demagogue races in the. Jackson Stakes at Wanganui on Thursday, it will bo in the joint interests of Mrs M. A. Perry and Mr H. E. Trontbeek.

Out of four starts the two-year-old Demos has been twice first and twice second, being beaten in each of his failures by Finmark.

Piano, who was a winner at the Egmont meeting, is a three-year-old sister to Hyginas, by Hymettus from Paean, who comes from the Hammock family. Piano realised 210gs at the Kara mu sale.

It is reported from the Maira.rapa that Ilymostra has recovered from the effects of his recent mishap, and will be a starter at the Wanganui meeting. ‘Other .members of W. Hawthorne’s team to make the trip will be N'anna, Snub, Fabisco, and Li viand.

The sale of Mr E. J. Matt’s brood mares, yearlings and two-year-olds, is announced to take place in Hawke s Bay next month.

Mr T. E. Whelch, who did so well with Multiply, is the now owner of Silver Tongue, the three-year-old gelding by Demosthenes —Gold Powder. His recent form has been disappointing, but earlier in the season he demonstrated that he was a smart galloper, and lie has oniy to come back 'to his best form to win good races.

Gay, a five-year-old mare by Gazeley—Amusement, in foal to the imnorted horse Heather Mixture (son of the St Simon horse St Serf), was sold in Gisborne a few clays ago for ICOgs. As Urn mare is a half-sister to Chortle, the price seems very reasonable.

Mr E. J. Watt has purchased from Mrs M. A. Perry a colt foal by Demosthenes—Lady Delaval for 300gs. This is a big price to pay for a foal, and the youngster must show considerable promise.

Ka.ro, the two-year-old sister to Impediment, has joined T. F. Qninlivan's team. She showed smart form in the spring and it is predicted that she may have to be reckoned with in some of tho chief juvenile events in the autumn.

While in Hawke’s Bay recently the Feilcling sportsman, Mr E. Short, purchased from Mrs M. A. Perry a yearling brother to Elocution (Demos-thene&-—Rargjiao) and a yearling

brother to Simonides (DemosthenesGold Thread). Both juveniles show quality and should pay their way on the turf. Mr Short has every reason to think highly of the progeny of Demosthenes, as Demos has raced well in his colours this season.

A returned visitor from Gisborne estates that Marenga, who won the Maiden Scurry at the Poverty Bay meeting, defeating 'War March, a hot favourite, is a particularly smart horse, and will later on take high honours. On the tracks on the morning of the race he galloped half a mile outside the trestles in 49sec. This so confounded his owner that he thought some mistake must have occurred, so the horso was sent back to gallop the same distance again, but this time against the rails. To the surprise of all he aoyered the distance in 47sec. so his trainer this time believed bis _ watchIn the race he ran right up to his host, and at no stage of the race did War March look like defeating hinn Dike iho majority of the Multifid tribe, he is n well-grown horse, who can jump hurdles omartly.

The recent good form of Movement, who is regarded as the best hack in Taranaki, has caused some inquiries into her history in be made by “ Sir Launcelot,” of the “Evening Post.” Movement is a six-year-old mare by Advance-—Tarat-ahi, by The Officer — Dryad, by 8b Leger—Wood Nymph, by Musket—Sylvia, by Fisherman—.Juliet, so that she comes from a line which has produced some great racehorses, including Goldsborongh and Martini Henry. Taratahi, then known as the Dryad mare, was purchased by Mr Frank Weine at one of Mr Donald Eraser’s sales, held at Feilcling about live years ago, for digs. Movement, then a yearling, realised 42gs on thci same day. The mare was in foal to Advance'at the time of her sale, and the foal, who figures in the Stud Book as War King, in due course went into F. Btonning’s stable at Ellerslie. He took part in the parade- as a. two-year-old, and on being sent home gob staked and died. The mare missed to TVaimangu, so that' Movement is her Inst living foal. The mare succumbed last year to an attack of blood poisoning.

A Wairarapa writer is responsible for the following:-—The recent purchase of high-bred horses by Messrs Kernball, A. M’Donald, Cooper and others is going to have a beneficial oll'cct on the Slasterton Racing Club. The valuable horses which these Mastorton sportsmen have become the owners of are going to raise the. standard of racing locally, and we may expect increased, stakes and a much better type of horse in future than wo have hitherto seen out at Masterton. For years past, we have had wealthy Wairarapa sportsmen purchasing the “ £SO hack type of racer,” and never getting beyond winning a hack race, whereas the, expenditure of a. thousand or two would have given them something class enough for a New Zealand Cup. Messrs Kernball, M'Donald and Cooper have set the pace by purchasing high-class animals, which have in several instances already practically repaid their cost, and we shall no doubt sec some of our squatter sportsmen following suit. If one can write a cheque for several thousands, what is the use of dabbling in £SO hacks?