SPORTING.

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 2901, 10 January 1911, Page 4

SPORTING.

[BY " Bexdle."] At the annual meeting of the Punedin Jockey Club some few months ago a suggestion was afforded that some of the members of the executive of the Metropolitan body should be present at the country meetings under its control to detect defects in the management of those meetings. As one who has attended both metropolitan and country race meetings, I am of the opinion that the small country are conducted on as cleau lines as the larger ones. At the last Dunedin summer meeting it would have done no harm to have asked some questions as to why a certain horse was left at the post on the second day; and coming further South, at Invercargill, the management cannot be complimented on the loose way thiugs are done there.

Punctuality was not strictly observed, the big race each day was over an hour late in starting and consequently all those races following were late. A plausible excuse offered the first day was the opening of tha new grand stand by Sir Geo. McLean in a brief speech, while other lesser lights also -made speeches of more or less duration. The second day the horses were ordered to saddle up and yarded for the Southland Handicap at the appointed time, but owing to the arrival of Sir J. G. Ward they were made to wait close on an hoar and twenty minutes while he was entertained at lunch and a few other stewatds were deciding a protest in the previous race (a trot) for crossing in tha straight. As everything happened in front of the stand a few minutes should have sufficed to decide that protest.

The club's new starter was only moderately successful, many of the races being robbed of all interest through iudiffereut starting. As there was no barrier at the mile and distance post, the field was despatched by the flag and got away faiily well, the winner turning up in Astrakhan owned by Mr W. T. Hnzlett, president of the club. He won from end to end. The previous day this winner in a mile and quarter race was whipped in about 120 yards in the rear of the winner Warsaw. Astrakhan is put down as a deceiver. Whether it is true of him or not I don't know, but I do know that such a somersault of inconsistent running requires more explanation than that the horse only tries when ho likes, The locally owned horse, Obsono, was a starter the second day at Invercargill but did not get a plaoe. The light weight rider, A. H. Wilson, locally known as the pilot of Linda, was in great form at the Southland meetings. One win and a second at Wyndham and five wins and two seconds at Invercargill was his performance.

The Wyndham club—a one day meeting—eclipsed its last tote investments by £1897, the figures being this year £5730 as against £3833 last year.

The Forbury Park Trotting Club have issued their programme for their autumn meeting, February 24th and March Ist. There are a number of well endowed races, the lowest stake being one race each day of £SO for amateurs only while there are fourteen races from £IOO to £3OO each, a total of stakes for the two dayg of £2220. Nominations close on the 3rd February.

Races are to be held at Gore, 18th and 19th January, and Wellington 21st, 23rd, 24th and 25th January. Obsono is engaged in the latter meeting in the Telegraph Handicap of 6 furlongs with 7.9. The owner of Goldfinder, the hone which ran second to |Waimangu for the Auckland cup and two seconds to Danube in the Northern Derby and Auckland Plate, has just refused an offer of 2000 guineas for the colt.