FORM AT THE HUTT MEETING.

Evening Post, Volume LVII, Issue 23, 28 January 1899, Page 3 (Supplement)

FORM AT THE HUTT MEETING.

The Hutt course was seen at its best last Saturday and Monday for the Summer Meeting of the Wellington Racing Club, the weather being all that could be desired and everything having a beautifully fresh appearance. The attendance appeared to be a record one, but I understand that after making up the amounts Secretary Lyon finds that the gate money did not equal last year's. However, the totalisator receipts showed the substantial increase of £3091 on last year's figures, and had the old system of working the machine been adopted for the first day, I venture the opinion that a further increase would have had to be recorded. As to the new system, it waa tried and found wanting, and it is doomed for the future, as the majority of the stewards are convinced that the public has far more confidence in working the machines in the old style. The meeting altogether was a most enjoyable one, and the various officials carried out their duties in a capable manner. Perhaps never before has the course been so fast, and as most of the events were started some distance behind the post it thus gave the competitors a flying start. This was accountable for the excellent times recorded at the meeting, and another factor for fast times was the improvement made at the home turn. The two-year-olds which were seen out were a very good lot. Honours in this class went to Glenogle and Courtier. Glenogle is a fine lengthy colt out of Mr. F. Martin's mare Retina. He soon gets under way, and made a show of his opponents over half a mile in the Wellesley Stakes on the first day, running the distance in 48£ sec. Courtier finished second. The latter, who is a well-built son of St. George — Adulation, showing a lot of quality and plenty of power, ran very green on the first day, and besides running wide at the turn, hung in and bored on to Rossella when the latter was making her run in the straight. The gallop must have freshened him up, for in the Wellington Stakes on Monday he collared Glenogle at the turn and soon had him licked, coming on and winning easily. He finished straight and well, and impressed the onlookers by his determined style. His running was a distinct reversal of form, as he was galloping on at the end of five furlongs, while on Saturday he died out of it in the straight, although it was a- furlong shorter. It was said on the course that his victory was unexpected by his connections, but he must have been fancied in Christchurch, for the bookmakers there lost' a lot of money over his win, one firm having had to pay out over £350. Mr. Stead has a good colt in Courtier, and he may turn out as good as Screw Gun, for hje can yet be improved upon. Rosella is a taking filly, with a great dash of pace. She found more than a match in the two colts above-named, but had no difficulty in silencing opposition in the Juvenile Handicap on the second day, winning pulling up by several lengths. Advance, who was bred by Mr. D. Fraser, of Lower Rangitikei, and has been leased by "Mr. R. Edwards," a local legal gentleman, is a well-shaped colt by Vanguard — Laurel, and upset a great "pot" in Mr. Stead's filly Nantes in the Handicap Two-year-old Race on Saturday. He is a lovely mover, and should be heard of again. He was fancied by his owner and trainer (J. Prosser) for the event he won, and they also thought he had a fair chance in the Wellington Stakes, but the pace set was too sudden from the outset. Nantes run creditably. She is a t sweet filly, but the weight (Bst 101b) hampered her, besides which she was all at sea at the bend. A colt I took a fancy *o is Spider, a fine son of Stepniak — Cobweb. He has the gift of galloping, but is not ready. Mr. Ormond's colt Reliance did not shape very well, but may make a decent three-year-old. NgatueTe's half brother Last Spec is a compact colt, and looks like being able to gallop. Explosion stood out as the most strikin; three-year-old, and his performance in the Racing Club Handicap stamps him as gam< to the backbone. He also ran creditably in the Cup, coming with a rattle at the finish in time to snatch second money in the last stride. After riding him in thf Cup, Gallagher knew that to have a chance with Daunt on Monday he would require to make a solid pace all the way. And this he did, for he rode him all the journey, and was ultimately rewarded witt success. Cuirassier's handsome son ran as true as steel, and never flinched from his task. His form proves him an out-and-out stayer, and it will be bad luck for his owner if he does not secure a good prize with him one of these days — probably one of the autumn Cups. Brisa showed a. lot of pace in her engagements, especially in the Metropolitan Handicap on Monday, where she smothered everything in the run home, and it should b' remembered that she had Ideal, Female Franchise, Sedgebrook, Red Lancer, Tupuhi, and Titoki behind her. She had bat' luck to miss the Anniversary Handicap on the first day, for had her rider not allowed White to steal up on the inside with Bush Rose the filly Avould have Jtpen returned the winner. Of the other three-year-olds, Nihilist, Ideal, and Jabber shaped best. The former looked a likely winner in the Electric Handicap, for which he was well backed, on Monday, at th° turn, but failed to see it out. Ideal is n pretty little filly, and is built on galloping lines, but is on th"c small side. She wa* expected to do great things, and her owner (Mr. Ormond) was much disappointed in her running. She may do better, how ever, in the autumn. Jabber appeared pretty well, but "was not a match for Courtier and Glenogle. There were only four four-year-olds competing in the principal events — Daunt, Fulmen, Okoari, and Volley — and, oi' course, Daunt took the palm. He wa3 never in better fettle in his life l.eforo, and his condition reflected the credit on his trainer (S. Wardell). Mr. Ormond's hopes of being able to annex a Wellington Cup by the aid of Dreadnought's son were realised, and the manner in which he cut down Okoari when she had such a tremendous lead was a treat to witness. It was the easy iimnner in which he accomplished it that jmnresvl everyone, and he seemed to me to be only galloping at top for about a furlong, vrhen Davis gave him his head at the far turn. It was a very easy victory, ;md his running put all his detractors, who were convinced he would not stay a mile and a half to shame, especially as the watch showe^ 2min <37sec for the distance Although defeated on the second day he ran a great race with 9st 61b in the saddle, but he had to make up too much ground in the straight to be able to reach Explosion. I think that had Davis come with the sturdy chestnut a little sooner he might have got alongside the leader at the finish. Okoari looked very well, but still can be made better. This, lady demonstrated that she is very speedy, and on both days led to the home tujn, p,nd was responsible for the fast times in the principal events, but when called on was unable to respond. Fulmen, although looking well, was a rank

dition, and this was manifest by the easy way he disposed of his field in the Electr'c Handicap after having previously finished out of a place in the Metropolitan. Louis dOrs son was in s-plendid health, and now he has come back to form he ought to wm a few races. Titoki ran a good race to Amoureux with 7st 121b in the saddle, but a rise of 131b in the Metropolitan proved too much for him He and Tupuhi were well up at the turn in this event, but they both collapsed like a pricked balloon. Female Franchise and Ruby Twist each performed fairly well, but Crusoe, Red Lancer, and Cannonshot were a long way below their true form. The racing they have done this season seems to have told its tale on them. The hurdle events have been disastrous at the Hutt Summer Meetings as regards the number of competitors, and while this was again the case, they were also unfortunate enough to cause the final exit from a racecourse of that grand old horse Liberator, whose deeds stamp him as the most honest and best all-round horse that has ever raced on the turf in the colony. Sympathy was expressed on all sides at the sad accident, and for a time quite a gloom was cast over the proceedings. Social Pest again proved himself a champion over the small sticks by giving Sabreur Ist 61b and an easy beating. The latter had a nasty " leg," caused through applying a blister, and this hampered him somewhat. The leg, however, could not have been as bad as it looked, . otherwise Homes would not have started the horse. Hack events continue as popular as ever at Hutt gatherings, and the increased prizes drew fine fields, 15 starting on the first day and 11 on the second. Orr^the second day the large sum of £1992 was invested on the totalisator on the Hack Handicap, which was the second largest amount held on a single race at the meeting the Cup naturally bringing forth tlje most speculation— £23ll. Indian Shot's fine sister Tortulla had a fairly easy win on the first day, but had to play second fiddle to " Ike " James's representative, Rata, in her second attempt.. Tortulla

It is not likely that Prosser's stable wiU be represented at either the Hawera or New Plymouth Meetings. On their Hutt form Sedgebrook and Okoari should be worth following in their Egmont and Taranaki engagements. Jessie, the dam of Chasseur and Hex, broke her leg and had to be, destroyed. A half-brother to Miss Delaval, by St. Hippo, has also had to be destroyed owing to injuring his spine. Fabulist has found a new owner in Mr, J. C. Booth at 305 guineas. "Andy" Robertson, who has trained Mr. W. Rathbone's horses for some time pasl, has left that gentleman's employ. Hippomenes broke down badly at the Lake County Meeting, and Petroline also went wrong at the Westland Meeting. It is said in Sydney that Mr. Stead intends taking Multiform over for th 6 A. J.C. Autumn Meeting. A gentleman once well-known in the Australian racing wor.v., who m>w lives in England, Avntea to "Terlinga" that " Georgic was lucky to win at Manchester. The other jockeys shut-in Sloan on Elfin (the favourite) when they thought he was going to win. Sloan told me he heard one of them call out to another to stop him getting through. Afterwards Sloan protested at Newmarket, and the stewards took his side and made it warm iW one of the jockeys. Sloan wins his races by simply letting his horses go in a sensible manner. Any good Australian jockey would do the same. An English jockey's method is to first drive his horse half mad at the start — they call this * getting off '—and then to haul him back and wait for a gallery finish. Of course horses get sick of being hauled back when they want to go, and then being flogged every time they come to the distance post. It is this treatment that causes so many English horses to become rogues. How are the poor brutes to know what to do under such a system? Tod Sloan is quiet at the post, and simply lets his horses run their own races. This I havo always maintained' is tho right way. Why not ride a race in the same way as a gallop on the track?" '

Association, the gross takings being £1303 against something under £200 for the match last year. The Association got £500 as an equivalent to the loss sustained by the visit of the Britishers. The profit, £840, is the largest on record in a match against South Australia at Sydney. Commenting on Reedman's display for South Australia against the Welshmen, " S'hortslip" (Sydney Mail) writes: — His contribution to the match was 98 for once out. He had played a sterling innings, so sterling ill fact that it is thought by a number of people to pass current for the Australian Eleven. His fellow Wheatfielders are keen on this point, and certainly on immediate form he has a better right to inclusion than Donnan or Trumper. Three or four years ago I thought he was worth a place in the then Australian team, but I thing he was fielding better then than now, not that I have anything to complain of in the' last mateh — he was bowling better, and, in my opinion, a surer batsman." " Shortslip's" opinion of Jones's innings in the same match : — "Jones exhibited a great improvement on his display last year. Instead of banging at everything as was his wont, he now plays the correct i, f ame, and at the same time hits precious Hvd. There were many, seeing his improved form, who were after all not so surprised at his 82 against New South Wales at Adelaide, ariU his batting may b$ regarded as of no inconsiderable value uo the next Australian team." On the question of whether 13 or 14 players should compose the Australian team, "Not Out" (Referee) sincerely hopes that the larger number wil be agreed upon, chiefly for the reason that with so many new men there is sure to be some inequality in English and Australian form. It is well known, says the writer, that the players are averse to taking more than 13. This matter should not be decided by the mere £ s. d. argument, especially since it closely concerns the thorough re{iresentation of Australian cricket in Engand. If 13 thoroughly tried and expe-

rienced campaigners, used to the climate, the cricket, and the grounds of England were available, the number might be sufficient to carry out the programme. There will be several men who have never yet seen England, and whose knowledge of the game, as played there, is necessarily not of a practical nature. " Not Out " has some interesting remarks on the uncertainties for the Australian team, from which I take a few extracts : — "Next to Hill, Darling, and Gregory, the batsman for an English tour whom 1 like most is Truinper. There is no righthand batsman in Australia, bar Gregory, who is so clever and sure in his on-side strokes as Trumper. Gregory himself has I no more or better strokes, bill of course he is a greater bat, owing to his wider experience. Trumper is a master of all those slow and queer wicket strokes so valuable in England, and is, I firmly believe, destined to go far towards realising the prophecy of Ranjitsinhji that within a short time he will be one of the first bats of the day. Of this, I feel sure, if he be unselected one of Australia's most finished and most gifted batsmen will be left behind. Graham has clearly shown us that he has deteriorated as a cricketer. He may come again, but it would be unjust and unwise to include him, after having been a comparative failure in Australia for three years, and having proved the one batting failure of the 1896 team. Geo. Giffen, too, seems to have lost much of the old skill with botk bat and ball, and as a bowler should not be considered before either M'Kibbin or Howell. He has done nothing to warrant his selection in preference to men wjho are admittedly at the top ot the tree as bowling specialists. Possibly he is in better form with the ball than his recent showing in Sydney suggests. There will be no left-handed bowler in the team, and there will be no bowler of the Trott stamp. These are two powerful reasons for M'Kibbin's inclusion, especially since we know that his form has not, as has been thought, materially deteriorated. The complete success of Noble and M'Leod as bowlers on English wickets is by no means a foregone conclusion. Upon the very best wickets and against the highest class of batsmen Noble, backed up by a strong field, is probably equal to any bowler in Australia. Under these particular conditions he is more dangerous, if less precise, than Trumble, more accurate than M'Kibbin, and about equal to Jones. But during an arduous tour he and also M'Leod will have to devote a good deal of attention to batting. You rarely find a player possessing their allround qualifications who is able to command high success in both departments in the one match. Thej' will certainly try hard, and play the game all out, and no doubt do well, but I would feel more satisfied with Howell in the team to perfect the bowling strength. Against the highestclass batsmen he is always dangerous. The better the batsmen the better he bowls. Pye, I should think, possesses a chance, owing to his ability to bowl a very accurate leg-break." At Windsor there is an aboriginal named Barker who has shown great batting form this season. He has notched four centuries, and has an average of over 50 runs. Says the Bulletin: — Clem. Hill is easily Australia's champion batsman this year. Clem, has made 502 runs in South Australia's four shield games ; average, 62. The next nearest aggregate batsman to Clem, is Worrall, with 264 runs in three matches. Hill's record since he first played for South Australia is unparalleled in cricket annals, and it is marvellous to think that he is about to go to England a second time although not yet 22 years old. Strange that C. iv Leod, one of the Australian eleven certainties, picked for his batting, has only made 27 runs in three innings this season, although Layer, who has made 237 runs for three times out and has. top average in shield matches, is not even considered. Another man who should have an excellent chance is Stuckey, who has made 230 runs for five innings, and is a splendid field.