SPORTING NEWS. RACING ITEMS.

Hastings Standard, Issue 77, 25 July 1896, Page 2

SPORTING NEWS.

RACING ITEMS.

[By Gipsy Gband.] The first day of the "Wellington winter meeting was successful from every point of view. The steeplechase course at the Hutt is greatly improved, and the " horse traps," as they were known among riders, have been removed. Although posters were place at various part of the Hutt course on Wednesday prohibiting bookmakers, the fraternity were in evidence and a number of them did quite a good business. The large number of Hastings horses competing at Wellington ran prominently in their respective engagements. Waiuku appeared to' be the best conditioned horse at the meeting, and his victory in the Stewards' Handicap stamps him as one of the best horses in the colony up to a mile. Strowan appeared to be very green and at the finish of the mile was completely out of it. The son of Lochiel, may, however, be seen to advantage later on. Rainbow was slow to start in the first race, and at one point was fully twenty lengths behind the leaders. Kauri Gum and Rangipunehu fough out a determined finish in the hurdle race. Revolt's sister, Violence, had too much foot for her opponents in the Maiden Steeplechase. Otaieri was in the lead for the first mile and then died away. Rainbow was lucky in getting into the straight first in the Parliamentary Handicap. St Kilda, Solitaire, Lotion, and Bona Fide rounded in a bunch, and were locked together. Lotion came very fast when the horses opened out. Flying Shot, looking very big, finished full fifty yards in the rear. Rossall had the easiest win of the day. If a person backed every horse that started at Wellington last Wednesday he would have come out £44 8s to the good. There were 80 starters, and the dividends amounted to £124 Bs. R. Kingan intends to make Hastings his training quarters in future. Paris ran second in the Liverpool Cup yesterday.