WELLINGTON NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2362, 1 June 1899, Page 38

WELL INGTON NOTES.

Bt Onlooxgr.

WELLINGTON, May 27.

The youngest member of the Somnus — Wai/uareka family (to which Wairua, Manawanui, and Rangiatea belong) appeared at Otaki in 'the Maiden Plate, a three-year-old filly, Somnolent by name. She acted as runner up in the ■Maiden Plate, and won the Final Scurry, payang £1 14s in a field of 11.

The amount put through the totalisator at the Otaki meeting by Mr Joseph Ames was 'j£7747, a decrease of £2721 compared with last season. The weather was very bad the first day.

The Porirua stable had a- fair win over Black •IDust in the Birthday Hurdles at Otaki, the dividend being £4 lls. He was ridden by Joe Hughes, one of Mr Prosser's lads. Black Dust as a pretty ancient gelding by Bull's Eye (son 'of Dead Shot — Bayleaf). The last time he raced .•was at the spring meeting at Otaki two seasons •l)ack. In a Maiden Hurdle Race Tidden by one 'of the stable lads (H. Francis) he was beaten. J. Hughes was substituted in the big hurdles ilater in the afternoon, and he won comfortably. ;-He won a Hunters' Steeplechase at the Hutt (three years back, and was aged then. Bay King had a representative in the Maiden •Plate at Otaki named Athos, a four-year-old /bay gelding, who ought tc make a jumper. 'He is in the same stable as Rodara (Voltigeur — Mascotte), winner of the trial Hurdles. I R. J. Seddon's Her Majesty (sister to His Jiordship) was among the unsuccessful competitors at Otaki. 1 Marina, who won the two huTdle races at [Wanganui, scored three times over fences at Otaki this time last year. By running second in the Raukawa Cup, •■winning the Champion Stakes and the Otaki (Handicap, Pistol Grip clearly demonstrated he jwas the best horse at the meeting. Josh Proscer had Gobo (who promises to prove a worthy Jdialf brother to The Miser) at his best. In Jthe Raukawa Cup he was giving Pistol Grip *Üb. In the Champion Stakes they met at level and in the Otaki Handicap he (Gobo) jwas receiving 81b from the Martini-Enfield Jgelding. Pistol Grip inn third in the Cliarujpion Race last season to Oiac'e and Rubin.

W. Orange made his reappearance at the E-reytown North Trotting meeting on Queen's [Birthday. He had been standing down since Jie rode Windfall (a fast bay mare) at Master|ton. Tarawera also made her last appearance in this island the same day, but made a poor jdisplay. At Greytown Orange rode Miro, a gelding locally owned for a long time, but now tunning in the ownership of D. Orange. Miro Bhowed improvement on anything he had previously done, although he had not to put up .■with anything in the way of fast times, and lie won the mile race in 3min 14sec, and paid 163 12s. He then came out in the two-mile race, fend paid £16. After this performance he was put back to scratch (on the same mark as iwilkin), but won again and paid one supporter i£Bo. After winning the second race Miro was JBold to a Wellington man for £15, and after Jtho last race he resold him to Mr Alexander {Cooper, of Carterton, for £25. Morning Herald <the roan Childe Harold horse) won the mile and a-half race and paid £4 10s. The besthandicapped horse Comet ran second in the mile. Sally and Miss Hanlan were both twice placed. Recoil (the locally-owned Derringer pony) won the Hurdle Race, beside being twice Becond to Fairy Tale in the two Flat Races. In the first race Fairy Tale paid £15 Bs, and in the second only £1 12s. Ruby Twist went wrong a couple of days before the Otaki meeting, and was not taken up. Leda, who is said not to be quite sound, tan prominently over short distances at Wanganui. On the first day she won the Winter Oats and paid £19 dividend, and on the second day was close up to Return. W. Holmes, the Yaldhurst horseman, rode Leda.

Tukapa, winner of the Raukawa Cup, is a four-year-old gelding by the Nordenfeldt horse Jjebel from the steeplechase mare Jenny. He won comfortably the first day, but appeared to be all out in the Winter Oats on the second flay.

Tom Scott's team of four jumpers failed to win one race at Wanganui.

Agent General (Ahua — Lady Evelyn), formerly in D. Rutherford's team, but now owned \>y Mr Hutana, the Martinborough sportsman, paid a great dividend (£42 3s in a field of six) in the Welter on the second day at Otaki. Mr Tancred is said to have been so disgusted with the running of In-the-Swini in this race Hi at he sold him for £20t

Gipsy Queen, who won the Maiden Plate at Otaki, is a two-year-old filly by Gipsy King — Voltarina. She is a half sister to Recluse, and, I believe, the last of Voltarina's progeny. Much interest was manifested in a match run on the Taratahi course on Saturday between J. Corlett's Soretna and A. M'Phee's Sweet Oil, the stake being £15 a-side and the distance five furlongs, 11.0 up. The owner rode Soretna, whilst W. Buckeridge was up on Sweet Oil. A most exciting race ensued as they ran locked together the whole distance, and a dead heat was declared. • The time was lmin 13 2-ssec. The owners decided to run it off. They raced together for half the distance, when Soretna got into difficulties, and from this out Sweet Oil won as she liked.