WELLINGTON RACING CLUB'S MEETING REVIEWED.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1248, 30 January 1896, Page 25

WELLINGTON RACING CLUB'S MEETING REVIEWED.

[By " Tb Warn."J Proceedings opened with the Anniversary Handicap, nine horses facing the starter. Doris, the Auckland-owned mure, was the popular fancy, although Torpina, on account of Derrett being in the saddlo, was well supported. Solitaire., looking- wonderfully well, was also backed with spirit, but, being slow to move, she lost several lengths at the start, and the boy, being in too much of a hurry to make up his lost ground, ran the mare to a standstill. The distance was evidently too far for King's Bowman, although he ran a totally different horse in the Telegraph Handicap later in the day. Loveshot and The Miser both disappointed their numerous backers, and Tuhiwai and Legislator were outclassed. Orion's Belt, being capitally ridden, just beat Doris, and paid a very fair return. Torpina led for half the distance, and was then done with.

In the Nursery Handicap, Antares was picked out as a good thing and made a hot favourite in the machine, with Defiance second in demand. St. Elmo, stablemate of Antares, got well away, and led right into the straight, and the boy appeared then to look round for Antares to come up, instead of v-' •ti■ •' - Donanee came with a wet sad, u*i - a grutit finish resulted in the i <tter getting

home by a head from til. Elmo, witii Antares close up, third. Had. St. Elmo been kept going when leading at the entrance to the straight (as the race was run) he must have got home. Defiance, who is a son of the imported Australianbred horse Dreadnought, is a beautifullymade colt and likely to furnish into a red good Derby colt. The Cup was really a magnificent contest, and Brooklet is a wonderfully improved mare to be aide to silence such a field as contested the event. That she had a little luck to get homo nobody win; watched the race will deny, yet her win is full of merit, as the time, 3min 3G.\seo, eclipses all previous records for the same race. Saracen was the unlucky horse in the race, as when coming with a fast run turnin ir into the straight he unfortunately was bumped by the beaten Bessie McCarthy and knocked out of his stride. White soon had him going again, but the straight is too short to make up much lost ground, and although he finished with a brilliant dash he failed to quite get up to the winner. The manner in which Saracen finished dispels any doubt in the public mind as to his staying abilities, and we shall more than likely see him returned the winner of a big race before long. Spindrift ran exceedingly well and looked to have a big chance turning into the straight, but failed to stay it out. Skirmisher ran a good horse for a mile and a quarter, but his condition then failed him. The same may be said of Bessie McCarthy. The weight on Lorelei told its tale in such company, and she quite failed to run up to expectation*. The Shrew, game little mare as she is, found, the field too select, and Rangipuhi has lost all his old brilliancy. Panoply never showed prominently, and Dreamland looked stale and overdone and was never in it. Stopfeldt led the field for a mile ami then disappeared in the ruck. Kent ran like a rogue and could not raise a gallop. Pompom surprised many by his forward running up to about

a mile and a quarter, and is evidently am improving horse. Searchlight failed to> ruu up to expectations and took a lot outof herself before the start, being one of the worst horses at the post it is possible to conceive. The Avinner was trained until quite recently by T. Qumlivan, who had a lease of the mare from her owner, Mr W.Douglas, the Hawke's Bay studmaster. After the Rangitikei meeting the marewas taken over and placed in Geo. Hope's hands to train, with the result that she Avon the Cup. It was extremely unfortunate for her former trainer to lose Brooklet just prior to the Wellington meeting, but as litigation is j> rocee< iing over the matter nothing much can now bo said.

After the excitement over the Cup had' cooled down, eigiit faced the starter for the Hurdle Race, and Revolt shosved what a good horse lie is by leading from start to finish and beating Hopeful by a length. The latter ran a good game horse, buthad no show at the weights. Osman alsoran well, but Liberator, Clarence and Auroa never showed prominently at any part of the journey, while Steelking was out of his element in such company and Mutineer ran off at the first fence. In the Welter, a strong move was made in favour of Silver Spec, and a heap oi' Southern money went on the marc, but the; local peo|>le stuck to Strathbrann, who was? second in demand. The others were all well backed, with the exception of Johnny Faa, who looked as if in want of a wellearned rest. Salvo, Mr P. Butler's representative, carried the stable confidence., and Tuhiwai, on Rangitikei form, Avas given a chance, and many fancied thatSlaiden would be served by his light' impost. The result Avas never in doubt, as,, once the field were despatched, Strathbraars went to the front and simply spread-eagled his field, Avinning in a canter, with Tuhiwai second and Slaiden third —the favourite absolutely last. The President's Handicap soav only four face the music, and Lady Zetland was? pounced upon as a good thing-, but it was touch and go at the finish, and only White's good horsemanship brought the mare home. Little Leda astonished her connections by the way she finished, and had she been taken to the front at the early part of the race she, and nothing else, would have won. Orion's Belt and Revolution both finished close up, and it was a capital four-horse race.

The Hack Pace produced a capital field of thirteen starters, and there Avero 1460 investors on the machine. Ebor 11. carried most money, but the well-bred King's Own (owned by a well-known medico) beat the favourite, after a good race, and paid the handsome dividend of ,215 2s. The OAvner is reported to have had 30 tickets on the machine, and as the horse only cost .£3O six mouths ago, lie has turned out a profitable investment. Hillstone ran a good race for a mile, and Field Gun also shoAved up well, but the remainder of the field did not show up at all well. The Telegraph Handicap of six furlongs finished up the day's proceedings, and seven saddled up to contest the event. Acone and King's Bowman Avero the popular fancies, and to these two the race Avas confined, but Bowman never gave anything else a chance, and jumping off first ho made all his own running and won comfortably by a length, with Acone second and Searchlight third. The distance was done in the good time of lmin 10 3-ssec.

0)i the secoud day eleven went out for the January Handicap of one mile one furlong, Spindrift being most in demand, although The Shrew, Silver Spec, Orion's Bolt, Panoply and Lady Zetland were ail well supported. The Miser made most of the running, but Leda came out at the turn into the straight and smothered the field, Tin; Shrew coming - with a late run and securing second place, with The Miser third. Tim owner of Leda, after the first day's running, backed the mare to win a fair stake.

Eight saddled up tor the Hurdles, and Clarence was made favourite with Revolt and Hopeful next. Revolt, despite his Hot, was rushed to the front and led for a mile and a half, when Hopeful took the lead, but no sooner did Holmes move on Liberator than the old warrior sailed to the front Vin<i ran home an easy winner from Hopeful and Revolt, Clarence not showing up prominently at any part of the journey.

The Wellington Racing Club Handicap, was the next item, and only live faced the starter. Saracen was made a hot favourite and justified backers' confidence by winning handsomely at the finish from Lorelei. Stepfeldt again failed to run up to her track form, being done with after going seven furlongs.

Six went out for the Juvenile Handicap and St. Elmo on first day's running was looked upon to have a mortgage on the race and was well backed by the public, but a great surprise was in store, the despised Bavaria, who was dropped a stone in the handicap compared with the first day's race, getting" homo first and paying the nice return of «£ls 4s. The Welter saw seven weigh out, and Strathbraan was made favourite on Ids previous win of the first day, but the stable somewhat foolishly put up a strange jockey on this uncertain-tempered horse instead of Higgs, who usually rides hiin. When Strathbraan wanted to sail to the front at the start of the race, Holmes kept him back and got in a bad position, and. was bumped about considerably during the progress of the race. When he endeavoured to make Ids run he got disappointed, and although he came fast in the straight, he was uuable to get up, and Tuhiwai was first home, with Sea Serpent 'second and Slaitte-n third.

A g»ed field of eleven turned out for the* Hack Bace, and First Result was voted the pick of the basket, King's Own, the. first day's winner, and Ebor IT. comirmnext in public favour. Hillstone again, made aii the running, but Ebor 11. at°th.ei

top of the straight got to the front, and kept there, winning easily at the finish from Hillstone, with King's Own, who stumbled at the back of the coarse and who came very fast in the straight, third. The favourite was never prominent. Seven went out to contest the Metropolitan, of six furlongs, and King's Bowman, on his brilliant victory of the previous day, was a decided favourite, The Shrew, Doris and Searchlight being the best supported of the others. King's Bowman again got well away, and White kept him going at top, with Doris trying to pace it with him. King's Bowman led to the road, when Solitaire, on the outside, made a marvellous run and, outpacing the leader, came home a winner by a couple of lengths from Bowman, with The Shrew third. The time, lmin 16sec, is remarkably fast, and proves that Solitaire is one of the fastest sprinters in the Colony. Bowman also covered himself with glory by carrying his Bst 81b where he did in such capital time. The Farewell Handicap was not one of Mr Evett's best productions, and only three turned out—Pompom, 6st 71b; Kent, 7st 61b; and Legislator, 6st 71b. The former was made favourite, and won easily from Kent in the fair time of lmin 45sec. This brought one of the most successful gatherings that have ever taken place at the Hutt Park to a close. Now that racing in Wellington has again caught on with the public, many such meetings are likely to eventuate, and it will not be the fault of the executive of the W.R.C., aided by their secretary, Mr H. M. Lyon, if Wellington, in a few seasons hence, does not go to the front in racing matters and offer inducements to owners, by way of good stakes and liberal treatment, that as the principal city of New Zealand it should be in the position to do.