WANGANUI NOTES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 154, 1 July 1936, Page 18

WANGANUI NOTES.

W. BAYNEH'S TEAM. HUNTING MAID'S PROSPECTS. WANGANUI, Tuesday. W. Rayner has a team of eight in work, comprising Spiral, Entail, Moquette, Imposture, Missal, Icing, Scarf Dance and Ithaca. Three of them—lthaica, Moquette and Imposture—are engaged in the Wanganui Guineas, to be run in September. All three fillies are going along nicely, and from present appearances should be in good fettle early in the new season. Moquette especially is furnishing into a fine-looking filly and has built up well. Entail has made his reappearance on the tracks after a spell of some weeks, which has evidently done liiin a lot of good. The son of Posterity has built up a good deal and he looks very healthy and bright. He should prove better than ever as a four-year-old. The amount paid in taxation by the Wanganui Jockey Club in connection >vith its winter meeting reached nearly £3000. It is understood that the club made a profit of probably £300 at least over the fixture. As the club gave away an extra £1000 in stake money this result must be considered very satisfactory; and will encourage the committee to increase the stakes for the spring and autumn meetings. It is the latter fixture which is in need of being made more attractive. The prizemoney for the Cup is likely- to be substantially increased, while : it is possible the Jackson Staked,.will again figure on the programme. This weight-for-age event was formerly run over six furlongs, and though it did not draw big fields tliey were invariably liigh-class. It may be decided, if the race is reinstated, to make it a mile, as there would probably be. more starters if the distance' was lengthened. Two or three members of the committee strongly favour the reinstatement of this event, even if it is not likely to bl ; i.ng in the tote returns that a back race would. The fact .that Peter Jackson, put in such a good finishing run' to get third in the Connolly Handicap afforded proof that he is coming back to something like his old form. The racing here brightened up the Nigger Minstrel gelding, and lie has been hitting out in good style during the last few days. A mile might be a bit short for him, but» if Peter Jackson is well placed when the .final stages of the Whyte Handicap are entered upon he will be handy at the finish. The longer distance in the Parliamentary Handicap should, however, be more to his liking. In view of the fact that Mother Superior was "off colour" on the first day of the Wanganui meeting, her good performance on the second day was the more noteworthy. That race has still further improved the Chief Ruler mare, and consequently her prospects in the Stewards Handicap at Trentham are favoured by followers of the Fordell stable. Though Midian did not get into the monev at Wanganui, he ran fairly well each 'day and stood up to his racing all right. F. Lind gave the son of W eat ! ler ' vane a few days' spell after the meeting,, and this freshened him up well. Midian is engaged at Trentliam., and if .started there should show still further improvement. Present intentions are to take the son of Weatliervane there. Bantry ran a good race.to get second the first day at Wanganui, but on the Kings Birthday had his chance spoilt through being interfered with when going particularly well. The Acre gelding promises to hard to beat in his engagements at Wellington. . On her form at Wanganui Hunting Maid should be worth watching at Trentham, where she figures in the mile hack handicap. She was flying at the finish of the Balgownie Hack Handicap and ±1. Dulieu should win some good races with this Hunting Song mare. . Though some considered that Windsoi Lad had very little left in him at the finish of tlie Wanganui Steeplechase ■others are of the opinion that he could have won by a big margin had he been ridden out. In the circumstances it will be interesting to see how. the Little England gelding shapes in the Wellington Steeplechase, for which some good judges are picking him to be hard to beat. PREFERS SOFT GOING. Although it is some time since Santoft has done any racing, he is well forward in condition, having done a solid preparation. 'He is engaged in hurdle and flat events ; at the Wellington meeting and is due to : leave for Trentham next Friday. Santoft I has always raced best in soft going, and the conditions at Trentham, where the ground is usually heavy at this period of the season, should-be to bis advantage.