Sports & Pastimes

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2439, 2 March 1909, Page 2

Sports & Pastimes

THE TURF. • NOTES AND MEMORIES. Racehorses being high-spirited fightable animals, they mm greater risks of injury or disablement than an ordinary cold-blooded hors© who is less liable to take chances. .'When the excitability and courage of a racehorse are considered, the comparatively few accidents which do occur are remarkable. Mi J ames Ecdiearn declares to this day that an accident robbed him of the Victorian Derby, when his Niagara colt Aquarius met with railway njuries which cut short his three-year-old career. While writing in this strain in a recent issue of the “Sporting Times,’’ Mr Corlott harks back to Galtee More’s Derby, and tells of a narrow escape that- colt had on Derby day. The writer was .one of "a bodyguard which accompanied the colt to the racecourse, and after; being denied admittance through a back ,ga;<' they ’ were compelled to make a detour, and pass through a long lane of carriages. gCoachmen flicking their whips in every direction was sufficient to upset most thoroughbreds, but Galtee More behaved as became ah aristocrat, and an Irishman at that. “Presently .(continues the writer) we came to the racecourse, and there were ‘held up,’ as "a race was being run. For a moment, in the midst of the turmoil, Galtee More seemed to get excited, and there fortunately being room enough to turn him round, the lad managed to get his head round the other way. He was becoming excited, and if he had lashed out or ‘backed,’ as ninety-nine out of every hundred Derby favorites would have done, an accident must have happened. All this time we kept on thinking as we "surveyed the critical situation, ‘Some fellows over there arc laying 4 to 1 on this thing.’ It did not look to us even money on his getting safe into the paddock.” . The New Zealand mare Amboise. who is trained at Kensington, won a six-furlong handicap at Cootamundra, N.S.W., last week.' .. , , It is reported from England that Tod Sloan is at present nn the Old Country and intends to apply for li cence to ride during the coming season. Sloan is recognised as one of the greatest horsemen ever seen in England, and that fact may go a long way towards restoring him to favor. Full Cry, who was sold in Gisborne recently for bigs, was disqualified during the pleasure of the.stewards at the last winter meeting of the Wellington Racing Club. If the disqualification should he removed, however, he should be a bargain to his new owner. „ A Sydney writer is responsible for the following: —It is stated that only for Husbandman being a warm public favorite for the Wellington Cup from the appearance of the 'weights lie would not have been started. In Australia we know of many individuals boosted as “good sportsmen”who regard the fact of a horse being made a favorite by the public as a greater reason for its withdrawal than tor its being a runner. At the Victorian Amateur Turf Club's meeting on February 13 the 3t. George’s Stake, of one mile and, a furlong, weight-for-age,, with allowances, was won by Soultline, by iSoult —Castorline. Since then the brilliant New Zealander has romped home in the Futurity Stakes and the Newmarket handicap. These performances stamp his as being undoubtedly the best sprinter in Australia at the present time. The New Zealand horse Signor, who was taken to Australia a few weeks ago for the purpose of racing at the autumn meetings, has not impressed the Melbourne critics. One writer refers to him as a very ordinary-looking l'ttle chap, and goes on to say that h:s looks would never have gained him 9st- 41b in the Australian Cup. The only bid called when, the steeplechaser Pilot, who won three of the big steeplechases- <Tt the spring meetings at .Randwick and Flem-in-gton, was put up for auction in Sydney recently was 50gs, made by -a Victorian rin-gman. Needless to say, the Ncw Zealand “cart-horse,” as Pilot was called, did not change hands. Wo have sometimes wondered what has become of the New Zealander,, Moifaa (says the Ron don “Pink ’Un” of January 2). As far as big jumping is concerned, we never saw a horse go over the Liverpool country as he did. He was sold to the King, for whom he did nothing, .and eventually was presented by his Majesty to one-of his equerries for a hunter, and, to the disgust of the equerry, he would not jump even the most trivial of fences. When he won the Grand National he had a long tail reaching to the ground, and up to then he had always run in that trim. Possibly cutting his tail had the same effect as Delilah’s haircutting business had on Samson. We know what is often the result of shifting the ballast of a racing yacht. She never seems to come back to the same trim again.

is making rapid strides in membership and the general standard of play the time has not yet arrived when" it can meet the pick of the older ,club on even terms.' As events proved it. would have' been an exceedingly good contest if the four best skips of the. Gisborne Club had been counted out before the teams were chosen and I should like to see something of this kind done Ay hen the return match is arranged for.

, At. no time did the visitors secure a lead, and the only close game was that in which Sawyer skipped against Crawford and succeeded in running ihe victor to within four points at the finish.’ Gaudin made a good showing for the greater part of his game, against Hennessy, but in the last few heads the latter ran right away and won easily. J. J. Martin started fairly well against- Simson, and when lie secured a five on the fourth head ihings looked promising. It was, however, but a flash in the pan, for Simson’s team never gavo him another chance, and won comfortably by 33 to 12. Nasmith*-senr., had an in-

teresting match with \Vitty, but never looked like winning. The visitors' were, of course, at some disadvantage in playing on-a strange green, but this handicap will be reversed when the return match takes place. The afternoon -was perfect for play and the presence of a number of lady friends assisted materially to the ~enjoyment of the gathering, j As the result of the inter-club tournament intervening the Match ’ Committee of the Gisborne Club decided to extend the time for playing i the first round of the Martin Medal ■"'Fours for another week. ; During the month very slow progi’es has been made with the Bennett Cup singles of the Turangamii Club. J. J. Martin has drawn up into third position, and has a good chance of , overhauling the leaders. He obtained i - victory by. four points over liatcliffe ' ) a fter a good contest, while *• be had to put bis best foot foremost j to beat that promising colt, Somar- ! veil, whom he overcame by five points. Somervell is to be congratulated on I | be good fight he put up. Hallam j ’had the best of Ratcliffe in his j “bout,” the scores being 23—13. In. 3the earlier part of the game Hallam ( 'hot in some big scoring, which stood , him m good stead. The surprise of the week in the competition was the | defeat of Sawyer by Zachariah. Some | of the heads played were exceedingly ! good, while others were poor. Zacliariah did well on the whole, and well deserved his victory. Sawyer, by t his defeat, has now ’been put" out of | the running. Hird, who for some | t me past had been anxious to meet j Zachariah, but with dread as to the | result, gave battle to mine host of j the Record Reign last week, but the ; result turned out favorably for Hird, ! who Avon by three ]>oints'. On the | 16th head Hird had a commanding i load, but on all the remaining heads lie failed to seoire, “,Zach” putting up five consecutive singles and suffering' defeat by three points. Zachariah j next essayed a contest with Martin, j On the Bth head ho had established a j lead of five, but Martin securing the | jack put up. long heads and put his ,j opponent out of his stride. Then j Martin gradually assumed the lead ! and won by five. The game v\ r as a : good one throughout, the first ten | heads or so being especially interesting and close. In the latter part j some good play avas shoAvn, but the heads were not quite so close as in j the early, stages. Zachariah is to be j complimented on his good shoAving. j The position; of the various players noAV stands as folloAvs:

In the Handicap (Pairs of the Turangamii Club a splendid game Avas Avitnessed in the second game of the finals, when Somervell and SaAvyer met McPherson and Ratcliffe. The former pair, -aaJio had to concede the latter five points, Avere regarded as favorites, but it Avas a ease of the favorites being beaten, though by the narroA'v margin of three points. Had Sawyer and his mate achieved victory the competition Avoukl have been theirs, hut under the circumstances Ratcliffe and his partner have now to meet Douglas and Martin (who Avero beaten by Sawyer and mate), and should they be victorious the 'trophies Avill he theirs. However, in the event of Douglas and Martin securing a win, the three pairs will bo level, with one win and one. loss each. The “sudden-death” would then be played, two pairs Avould be drawn aginst each other, and the winner 'would play the holder of the bye for the honors. Thus the coming game will be keenly iva.telied by the interested pairs. It is expected that the game will ensue next Thursday afternoon. *> ' •, " ' - The Turaiirganui Chib’s “Colts’ ... competition! 'hasjcompleted its second round. 'ln tTfolast game played S. Skillicorn met W. McPherson. The

hoary-headed “colt” proved too super, ior for the younger “Mac,” seven

points separating .the contestants at the finish- Again and again did “Skilli” sort the bowls as lie sorted Wool; placing oi good one on .the jack and a poorer_ono oh the back hand, each in position according to quality. “Mac” tried all his skill gained in the delivery office to obtain, delivery of the ‘ game, but his opponent bluffed him repeatedly, Till his knowledge availed him 'nothing. Thehval! and Creamer were the other pair to battle in the round. The genial umpire of the cricketing field, avlio also holds honors iii the range -of rifleshooting,- sliOAved himself an adept on tlio bowling green, placing his bowk •alongsido the jack as he placed his bulls-eyes with the rifle. Time and again Creamer. essayed to get the game on to his blacksmith’s anvil, but Thetwall kept getting his “touchers” cm the jack and blocking his opponent. Thus did Creamer “go doAvn.” The semi-final is .now to be played between Somervell and Thelfwail, Skillicorn having the bye. Next Thursday afternoon a points game is to be played on the Turanganui green.. I regret to say the entries fare small lor the competition.

B. Hird Wins Losses ... 15 3 A . Sawyer ... 12 4',-: J. J. Martin ... 11 1 J. Stormont .... 9 3 M. G. Nasmith, junr. ... 7 7 M. G. Nasmith, senr. ... 5 4 M. A. Neill ■ .... 5 5 P. Hallam ... 4 3 W. J. P. Gaudin .... 4 4 J'. Somervell .. .... 4 o C. J. Bennett .... 4 5 W. Hay .... 4 5 W. llatcldffe' .... 4 6 J. Colley .... 3 4 A. Zachariali ... 3 •5 W. H. Douglas .... 3 12 J. P. Williams ... 2 3 C. F. Lewis i 1