THE Racing World.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIII, Issue 95, 23 April 1902, Page 3

THE Racing World.

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KACING FIXTURES,

April 24, 26—Wellington Racing Club April 30, May I—Manawatu Racing Club May 15, 16—Ashburton County Racing

Club •May 21, 24—Dunedin Jockey Club May

Meeting June 3. 4, 7—Auckland Racing Club June 3, 4, 7—Auckland! Racing Club's North New Zealand Grand National Meeting

Mr R- McMaster on Monday bought W from the Hon. H. Mosman's representa- |] tive at Mangere, the filly Putty, by St. I Leger.

Trotting' horse owners should bear in mind that nominations close on Friday for the Auckland Trotting Club's Autumn Meeting. . ..

Mr J. O. Evett left Onehunga on Monday for Wellington to be present at the •Wellington Racing Club's Autumn Meeting to-day. • .

Owners are reminded that nominations close on Friday for the Takapuna Jockey Club's May meeting. The programme is an attractive one.

Helensville races take place on Saturday The acceptance list appears in this issue: A special train is timed to leave Auckland at 9.50 a.m.

Goetzer was purchased during last week on behalf of a Fiji resident, with the stipulation that delivery should be given after the Avondale meeting.

To. meet the demands of the visitors Mr King, caterer to the Avondale Jockey Club, erected a marquee near the grandstand to-day, where afternoon tea was flispensed.

Mr James Beckett has again entered the ranks of owners, this time with Bufus, whom he purchased from Mr Nels6n on Tuesday. Rufus remains in C. Weal's hands.

Some sixty horses, mostly thoroughbreds and Carlyon ponies, are to be sold at Palmerston North on Friday, May 2. on account of Mr G. P. Donnelly, of Hawke's Bay.

Having decided to discontinue training and racing, Mr H. Franks will offer his horses for sale by auction to-morrow at the sale of Mr J. G. Ralph's horses, which is announced to take place at Sylvia Park.

Klondyke, who was purchased by Mr Pilling after winning the Auction Stakes at the Avondale meeting on Saturday for £20, was "turned heels over head," or otherwise stated, sold for double themoney on Monday to a city solicitor.

Mr Alison, of the London "Sportsman," who recently visited South Africa, says that Chesney is far and away the best horse there. Chesney, it will be remembered, was one of two Australian horses shipwrecked at the Cape about two years ago.

Wakeful, by many believed to be the best mare in Australia, is a first foal, an only foal as a matter of fact, as her dam, Insomnia, died in foaling the sec-

ond one,

Now, if the theories of some

j • people are correct that first foals are the j best, what would Insomnia have produced had she lived.

Jockeys found the distance between their room and the weighing room at the Avondale meeting rather far to travel. A room midway between the horse boxes and stalls and the weighing room would be more convenient, but it is advisable for many reasons to have the jockeys' room as handy to the official weighing room as possible.

.The time is drawing near for owners to nominate for the leading jumping events at the Auckland Racing Club's North New Zealand Grand National Meeting. Friday. April 25th, is the day fixed for receiving first payment of lsov for the Grand National Hurdles, Great Northern Steeplechase, and Winter Handicap Steeplechase.

A correspondent sends the following selections for the Helensville meeting:—. Maiden: Miss Flora 1, WaikTri 2, Charlie 3. Hurdles: Bob 1, Hylas 2, Awhitu 3. Publican's Purse: Lady Norah 11. 1, Matakokiri 2, Kitty 3. Helensville Handimap- Aurega 1. Swiftfoot 2, Ben 3. Maori Race: Matakokiri 1, Kakanui 2, Pukeatua 3. Flying Handicap: Repo 1, Aurega 2, Trooper 3. Farmers' Plate: Barb 1, Matakokiri 2, St. Patrick 3.

One of the flags was flying at half mast at Ellerslie for about ten days after the autumn meeting, and many were the conjectures of persons passing the racecourse. It was presumed that someone connected with the Jockey Club had passed away. It transpired that the custodian had been unable to haul the flagdown, owtag to the rope getting caught One of our light weight .trainers for a bet of ten shillings climbed the pole, and putting the gear .all straight brought down the Piece of bunting, a feat winch JTood many present thought would not be effected. It was T. Hodson who did the climbing.

Train arrangements for:: carrying hordes to and from £he Avondale rqeeting are not satisfactory. The train that left Ellerslie for Avondale on Wednesday morning conveyed twenty-four horses to the course, where over two hours and a haclf were spent in waiting before the first race, commenced. This in itself was irksome, but after the last race, run. at 5.5 p.m., tneie was no return train till alter seven o'clock. Only' a few horses were taken hack to Ellerslie by train,. indeed most of those that made the journey were back in their stable quarters before the time fixed for the horse train to leave, mey had been walked home. As a matter or convenience an alteration is required. A_9 a matter of business the railway authorities will require to make a change or .owners will prefer the road to the rail.

While out at Avondale a few days before the meeting, Mr Foley, the Chairman of Committee, who was showing the party, of whom I was one, round, led the way to the weighing room in which were a i'ew slides already painted, ready to be placed in the numbering board. The only ones exposed to view were those bearing the word "Buchanan" and the number "10." "That's the office," said one of the party. "I shall back Buchanan in p.j = first ride or number 10." I thought no more of the circumstance until I met my friend on Monday, when he reminded me of it, and I asked him if he had carriPd out his expressed intention of putting £1 on. "No," was his reply/"I did not invest a £1, but I put five shillings on each. Those who believe in coincidences ana those who do not, please note: Buchanan on No. 6 won, but number 10 (Au«ga) was second, and the respective dividends were £7 18/ on Buchanan's mount Warwick, and £5 3/ on number 10, Aurega.