CAP & JACKET
Observer, Rōrahi XXXVII, Putanga 24, 17 Huitanguru 1917, Page 14
Mō tēnei niupepa
CAP & JACKET
[By thk Early Bird.] The Te Kuiti Racing Club held the annual race meeting on Saturday in fine weather. The course was in capital order. There was a bumper attendance and good, speculation. Although the prices paid out in some instances were a bit cramped most of the runners-up made amends by paying good second dividends to their supporters. Sixty-three horses started during the afternoon in the eight events carded, nearly an average of eight horses per race. Mr 0. O'ponnor made some good starts, and the long delays in some cases were probably owing to the barrier shy country-trained horses. frhe totalisator staff were kept busy during the afternoon, handling £15,879, as against last year's turnover, £13,662, an increase of £2217. The town punters seemed well armed with regard to the chances of Porphyry in the opening event, the Maiden Plate.. She won all out, being an odds-on chance. The runner-up, St. Carl, by Carl Rosa-Sunette, kept the winner busy in the concluding stages of the race, and subsequently ran unplaced. Pink Tie showed a glimpse of her best form at the Taumarunui and Te Kuiti meetings, winning at both meetings, and running second' the latter fixture. Mill 'o Gowrie finished up her fourth consecutive winning race in the Farewell Handicap on Saturday with 8.4 in the saddle. Mr R. Hannon's team have proved a little gold mine this season. Te Papa seemed very sore in the Te Kuiti Cup, and tailed right off at the finish. Torotoro also shot has bolt quickly. R. McMiken had Munster in splendid fettle in the To Kuiti Cup. The Spalpeen gelding gave nothing a chance when it came to finishing. W. Sharp had his three horees, Fionnuala, Glendalougih and Seadeil in splendid condition. The former ran second in the Cup, and the others each, won a race. The wins were long over due for Billy. Another Ellerslie mentor that had hie team in good nick was J. Lambess. Lightning won the Stewards' Handicap like a racehorse in 1.15 1.5. Paddington Green was looked upon as one of the home and dried division in the Farmers' Plate, with Dr. Ring up, but the big chestnut petered out to nothing, although well handled.. El Gallo'a full eister Lady Lobelia showed plenty of pace while she lasted in. the Farmers' Plate at Te Kuiti. This fine mare should be useful over timbejr. Glendalough showed good promise of something later on by the way she stuck to her task in the Hack Handicap Hurdles. The runner up, Tennessee (Elysian-Miss Hippo) looks a useful sort. Sleepy Jack, the winner of the Ngaxuawahia Cup, again came into prominence on Saturday by running second in the Te Kumi Handicap, paying nearly a tenner. The eight races went to seven different owners, Mr R. Hannon taking t#o and Messrs S. McKinnon, R. McMiken, A. L. Raven, J. Lambess, J), Tye, and A. A. Brook one, e^efc.
The successful horsemen were: B. Deeley three wins, J. Robinson two, and Preston, R. Reid, and Mr Cockerton one each. Except for a couple of falls in the Hack Handicap Hurdles, in which neither the men nor horses were injured, the meeting passed off without a mistake. The work at Alexandra Park is now commencing in earnest for the Otahuhu Trotting Cflub's summer meeting. Quite a number of horses are very forward. The Otahuihu T.C. are piling up big figures. The nominations which came to hand totted up to 286, or very nearly 18 per race. The Opotiki Jockey Club's meeting took place last week, and the Ellerslie trained horse Gold Fran won the two races, the Opotiki Cup and Borough Handicap. The meeting proved successful, £2078 10s going through the machines. The. Ellerslie-trained horses Hohungatahi and Monorail ran a second each. Mr Billy Abbott took Strategy and Tim Doolan to the Poverty Bay Trotting Club. The pair started five times without finding the judge with a win. The Poverty Bay totalisator showed a shrinkage of £546 over last year's handling. The fields wore small, but several close finishes were witnessed. Lady Glen was evidently not herself at the Te Kuiti meeting. Although well placed in the Stewards' Handicap, she went steadily bf.ck as the race progressed. Colonel Soult put up an attractive gallop on Saturday morning with Tobasco in the fir.st part and Frabriquette the last seven furlongs. The Colonel's stock has gone up in the Wanganui Cup, in which he has been handicapped at 8.9. The Hamilton Racing Club's annual meeting takes place this week. The acceptances arc very satisfactory. The meeting, with fine weather, should be one of the best held to date. All that is wanted is fine weather to ensure success. The acceptances for the. Hamilton Racing Club's opening day average over fifteen for each race. The public have plenty of recent form to assist them in solving these intricate problems. The Trial Handicap has one less than thirty paid up. Porphyry (7.10), Pink Tie (7.6), and Sleepy Jack (7.6) cannot complain of being badly treated. In the Claudlands Handicap, Lightning (8.3), Last Call (7.5), Blue and Black (7.3) are well satisfied with their poundage. The former has been putting in. useful toil at headquarters. For the, Tamahere Stakes the Ellerslie-trained two-year-oldte Demotic (8.7), Empire (8.7), and Woody Glen (7.0), and the three-year-old Bellacity (9.0) are all fresh and well. In the Hamilton Cup, ten out of fourteen have cried content. Bedford (8.4) and Munster (7.13) are up to their neck in the race with their weights. The Hautapu Hack Race is a severe facer for the lion hearted punters. Mill o' Gowrie (8.13) is not over burdened with the weight, being such a good beginner. The mare has been rehandieapped at 9.13. The Waimai Hurdle Handicap has three slippery customers in the light weight division, with The Celt, Glendalough (now 9.5), and Dandy Breeze with 9 stone each. Loyal Arch (8.13), Gold Fran (8.3), and Fionnuala (8.1) are quite masters of their weights in the Karamu Welter Handicap. The former was a probable non-starter at the meeting, but has recovered again from a bruised foot. Tinopai (8.1), Glenspire (7.11) and Hiero (6.8) all look in their proper places with the poundage in the Stewards' Handicap. (Continued on Page 23.)
