WELLINGTON NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2490, 4 December 1901, Page 51

WELLINGTON NOTES.

Bt Oxlooxsb.

December 2. THE FEILDING MEETING.

Favoured with fine weather on Friday and Samrday last this popular club had a most successful meeting. During the two days no lese than 177 horses competed in the 16 events The totalisator, the principal source of revenue, showed an increase of £4550 compared with last spring. The most pleased man on the course was Mr J. E. Henrys, whose woik resulted in his "old club" having such a sue cessful reunion The Feilding Club was the first that Mr Henrys made the weights for. The improvements on the course compare favcurably with tiiose of any club on the Coast. Sir George Clifford (chairman of the Racing Conference) was present on both days. The officials of the ;.lr.b acknowledged the compliment by toasting his health, and when Goldir.ere (who bore the blue and gold chequers; prevailed on the second day, the victory was received with cheers.

Windwhistle w»s started in the St. Andrew's Handicap, but has gore right off, and was net biought oat again. When Mr Laurent (who laced Full Cry last season) purchased Legion of Honour cut of a saleyard at New Plymouth fo~ £15, he got hold cf a bargain. Since then the son of Medallion — Ins has run second to Benefactor at Wanganui, dead-heated with Cc riiea at Otaki, won a double at Wavorlcy, iind £275 in stakes at Feilding. Tho Najner Park Kahuwai and Sirius wer.? best backed in the St. Andrew's, but both ran badly throughout the meeting. The latter i :ui third when the others were easing up.

Young Cress, the Wairarapa horseman, rode Legion of Honoui. Plaidie, who was making her first appearance m big company, was the onlj' one able to keep with Legion of Honour, who put up 2.40. The victory of Mr Macarah's co .ours in such an important race would have been •well received. That the Medallion gelding's win was no fluke he demonstrated in. the Manchestei Handicap. Raised 161b, he .came away from the field a furlong from home, but could not catch Toa, on whom Jenkins was ssen to pdvantape. Of the oiheis there was Jiothing between Robin Adair, Fashion, Queen's Guard, and Plaidie when they passed the post. Kobin Adair should win over nine or ten furlongs before long. ■ The only protest at ILe meeting was entered lay Mr Laurent, owner of Legion of Honour, against the winner for inconsistency on the first day. Toa was with Queen's Guard up to about a. mile and a-quar-ter, but was then beaten. On the second day, after Daphne had had enough, Toa took up the running, and never being challenged, won by two lengths from Legion of Honour, whom ho was meeting on 13lb better terms. The protest was frivolous, and wa? dismissed. The stewards, however, should have impounded Mr Laurazit's £2, as there were really nc grounds for the objection. At Wanganui, the same owner protested against Benefactor, on which occasion his jockey was fined £5 for interference with another horse in the race. The stewards had altered the programme so as to allow the Wellington visitors to s"ee the Eailway Handicap mn, but the delay caused by the protest prevented this being done. "Mr Launceston" (owner of Fakir), Mr Davis (owner of Motor), and ilr P. E. Baldwin had to miss the race. The Napier contingent sent Torowai and Warwick out favourites for the Flying. Stepina, who was also supported by her connections, led with Warwick to the turn, where Torowai went on and finished by herself. Muscovite, lidden by his owner, carried the steadier of 9.13, and ran into second place. Kowhete again let her connections down in the Maiden Hack Plate, for which she was best backed, but failed to get a place. Three of the half a dozen fancied candidates filled the places. The winn«r, Van, is owned by Mr T. S. Bristol, the well-known Wanganui sporting butcher, who used to race Camomile. She is one of the Vanguard tribe. Gladiator, who acted as runner-up., filled a similar position behind Loch Erin at Waitara. It is said that the connections of Last Spec (Gun; cotton— Speculation), who is owned and trained by W. Homes, would have won £1000 had the gelding been placed first instead of third. Cave (Kempenfeldt— Sunbeam) showed out for six furlongs, and should score at some of the Christmas meetings. The well-bred Ontario (Captain Webb— A amoa) carried Mi "Te Wihfred's" bird's-eye, but was outclassed and outpaced in the St. Andrew's Handicap. Queen's Guarl — who was making her reappearance — ran a nice race in front for a mile and a-quarter. She did not shape so well on the second day— in fact, seldom does run better after her first race. . Eoer and Sylvanus made the pace interesting for nearly a mile and a-half in the Spring Hurdles. " The Hempie shortly afterwards went to the front, and won with something to spare from the local-owned tnd trained First Shot (ridden by Frank Cochrane), who put in a good run in the last half-mile. Stockade, who was second favourite, ran into a place, but Evening Wonder and Troubadour -were never prominent. , Eirnu was the only withdrawal from the Waituna Hack Hurdles, for which 15 started. The favourite, Bones, was well up at the finish, but was no match for the Natator mare Nea, owned by J. Green, of Marton. Nea, who scored at Waverley earlier in the month, paid £12 2s. Tokotea was ridden out at the finish, and beat Bones for second place. Cobra showed the way over the first few fences. When she becomes more proficient she should secure -a jumping race or two for Mr J. T. Blake. • Oil her Carterton form I expected Strene to make a better show, but taking the tote as a - guide she -was- not much fancied. The lot Benefactor beat in the Aorangi Hack Flat were not much class. The Stepniak gelding, who was first favourite, ran along behind Cavalier to the turn, where he came away and had an easy victory. Elusion was supported on her Waverley form, where she ran second to Legion of Honour in the Cup, but could only get third. Fashion, who was paying a nice price, looked at the bend to have the Kiwitea Stakes in safe keeping, but Motor put in a slashing run and smothered everything in the last furlong. Motor is a fullbrother to Korowai, who raced successfully m Australia last season. This was his first victory eiaoe joining Mr W. D&vis's stable. $lo-

tor improved on his form at the Hutt , while Calceolaria appears to have gone off. The most exciting event of the meeting occurred before the horses weighed out for the Hack Flying. A Maori claimed Eeclaimer, and endeavoured tc take possession of him. The police interfered, and led the horse into the weighing-m enclosure. Mr Bennett produced a receipt for the horse in hus name. The stewards decided that as he was the nominator he should be allowed io start, but that if he won the stakes would be impounded pending a settlement of the dispute. Mr liankms, of Palmerston North, who is acting for the Native, informed me that his client alleges he advanced Mr Bennett money to buy a horse, and that an action would be immediately brought to recover Eeclaimer. The trouble notwithstanding, Eeclaimer was sent out a good favourite, and, getting to the front early, none of the others could foot it with him. Roseplot, who was in receipt of two stone and a-half, ran second, and Hardwork, who is game if unlucky, third. Roseplot is nicely handicapped at present, and should score this month. Reclaimer's breeding on his dam's side is obscure. Mr Bennett thinks his darn is a Napierbred mare, taken to Hawera by Mr Heslop. Reclaimer's dam, with foal at foot (.the Recluse gelding), was bought at a sale for a few pounds by Mr Honeyfield, who sold the speedy Recluse gelding to his present owner for £10, and balance (£2O) to be paid within 12 months. Reclaimer is ?*t present worth £300 or £400. Rita, who competed in the Fitzroy Hack Flying, was entered as by Childe Harold, someone evidently confusing her with the well-known Christchurch trotter.

Goldenmere's victory in the York Handicap was one of the most easily achieved at the meeting. Hardwork did Fred Tilley a winning turn in the Ladies' Bracelet. The trainer of the Fordell team has had very little luck of late.

Aguinaldo and Merschaum. were resuonsible for the pace in the Rongotea Hack Hurdles. Strene headed the last-named at the turn, and won in a style which was a great improvement on her first day's form. She carried £97 in the machine against £25 the first day. Sportsman came a nasty cropper at the hurdle entering the straight, but George Gaing escaped with a shaking. Strene can muster up a lot of pace, and is a good sort over a mile and a-half journey. Greensleeves got a great break on the Welier Hack Flat, and when she stopped In-the-Van shot out by himself and made no race of it. Van was going strong at the finish, and ran a good fourth, which might be made a note of. Muscovite was backed for the Railway Handicap, but failed to get a place. Kowhete ran hi the name of Mr L. Freedman, but finished in the ruck. Some of the runners in this race may show improved form at Woodville. Convoy, on his running in the Maiden, was best backed for the Scurry. and won all the way. Mairehau, also by Vanguard, was well backed, but finished in the nick. Jenkins's mount, Explorer, a three-year-old Flinders gelding, came in for a lot of support. - Tyrone, who acted as runner-up, is a useful sort, by Strephon— Queen Rose. Mrs Quinhvan started a useful sort named The Ganger, by The Workman. Vigorous Dexterity is a three-year-old sister to Elusion-