SPORTING.

Wanganui Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15335, 25 September 1917, Page 7

SPORTING.

BY "ACHILLES." A feature of the racing at Otaki yonterday was the successful re-ap-pearance of Hector Gray in the sarti"'-? after a three-season spell. He showed that he still possesses the skill which formerly characterised his riding, as he was first past the post on two occasions and also rode a second and a'third. His wins were received with great applause by the public, and his win on Lady Beaufort was a great bit of horsemanship. Merrie Poto's win in the Flying was full of me'rit, as he gave Sweet Tipperary a good start and a sound beating. This made Merrie Poto's third win in succession on the course. Sleight-of-Hand put up a sterling performance in the big event by winning nicely from Lady Louisa. The latter's leg filled after racing at Marton, and there was some doubt as to her starting, but she was kept going and, aided by the soft track, ran a good race. Sleight-of-Hand has done excellent service for AJf Shearsby lately, by winning the ■Grand National Hurdles, the big money at Dannevirke, and scoring again yesterday. T>he son of Mystification is engaged in the N.Z. Cup, and such a great stayer might be very hard to beat. F. lilley has six horsey engaged at the Mastcrton meeting, including Client, Endure, Aere, Coc-lpan, Moufcoa Queen, and Arrow field. In addition to Tilley's team, the fol- s lowing Wanganui-trained horses are engaged at Masterton:—lnterlude, Star-, engo, Dasher Doy, Moulu, Turangapito, Zela, Pennon, Rewa Rewa, Little Ann, Petruchio, Son, First Consul, and Austin. Nominations for the Waverley-Wai-totara meeting close on Wednesday, the 3rd October. In these days of ill-feeling between master and man it is good to find an. instance of the old spirit. of human kindness existing between the man who riays the wage and the man who takes, it Moneybags-was a rich man—a fatman he would he called—but he had a kindly heart, and always. treated those ho employed with consideration and courtesy and generosity*.. His actio'is were not misplaced, for at one of the big meetings at Eandwiok he met a touching instance of appreciation and gratitude. No sooner had he arrived on the course than he saw one of his stable-boys hanging about, apparently anxious to have a word with hinrT Excusing him from his party, he strolled over to the boy, who stepped up and whispered, "If I was you, Mr Moneybags, I'd have a bit on your 'ovse to-day. He's goin' ter win." In a' reference to the late Tom Cannon, the London sportsman says he was ihe hero of a curious incident at the Weymouth meeting in 1870. He had been engaged to ride the celebrated Paganini, but when the entries appeared it was discovered that Pag<3nini's only opponent was The Bov. Paganini '» owner, Mr T.. Smith, disliked the idea of paying a big fee t-j Cannon for what he expected. wiulci be a walk-over, and at length persuaded tire jockey to relinquish the mount in favour of a stable-boy. But if the owner thought Cannon was done with he was mistaken, for this astute rider was successful in getting the leg-up on f'ne Boy, in the hope of being able to teach the shifty owner'a lesson. So far a* relative merit went, The Boy had not even an outside chance, and during the greater part of the race appeared ".topilessly beaten. Approaching the distance post Paganini'f rider, thinking the '?m was as good as won, dropped his This was Cannon's opportunity, and, coming with a characteristic rush, he beat the favourite by nearly a length.