Hawkes Bay Happenings

NZ Truth, Issue 1017, 23 May 1925, Page 11

Hawkes Bay Happenings

(By "Demosthenes.")

The Hawkes Bay Jockey Club for some time has not enjoyed the confidence and popularity of its own populace that it might, and much adverse criticism on its administration has generally been, made at the conclusion of each race meeting. "Demosthenes" has not always seen eye to eye with the public, as most of their grievances have been nothing more than pin-pricks. ' Since the conclusion of our recent meeting the man m the street has made the mismanagement of this meeting the topic of his conversation. Many complaints were so justified that it was quite unnecessary to~ seek confirmation. Let us hope the club will profit by the lesson. ' • The gatekeepers did their best; and have come m for much- sympathy from the public, all the abuse being: levelled at the club. Our club is. fortunate m possessing the class of gatekeepers 'it does, but its action m reducing, these men's wages some little time ago was nothing less than paltry, if not amusing. Fancy reducing the pay.from £1 to 19s per diem. It is an ever, money bet that they lost instead of gained by such an insignificant action. That, useful little handicap, horse Correspondent had to be destroyed on Wednesday last, being afflicted with paralysis m the hind quarters; He won many races, the most important being the Hawkes Bay __Cup a couple of years ago. .'.'"" Mr. C. H. Slater,, who has not had any luck whatsoever since joining- the ranks of owners, has decided to give the game best for a while. -.-.... ' Killoch has. been leased by Mr. . J. Fitzpatrick, and has gone into Harry Hickey's stable, while Waitaunaha has been leased by his trainer, Billie Woods. ; Tigeroy, the two-year-old full sister to Kilris, is to remain m D. Kemp's stable, having been leased by him.' This filly has come on nicely, ; and will be given a chance to win the Trial at Trentham m July. • Old Tari is. another who has changed hands, the price paid for the'^old, Mystification : gelding being 80 guineas. Will; take some work to get evens. Mrs. M. A. Perry, who as yet has not purchased any blood stock, has leased from Mr. „T. S. Mcßeod Crishna and Teiga. The former has just been brought m 'after a spell dating from November last. „ • ; Killian (Kilboy — Lady Nolan), who so far has been disappointing on the racecourse, ha.s been purchased by M'ral W. Paul. This gelding was .jumped last Saturday, shaping well. At last 'we have had some rain, and now trainers are busy schooling their charges, getting m as much as they can before Wanganui. 1 During the week-end "Demosthenes" was ' motored out to see ' Mr. J. S McLeod's Lord Quex yearlings . (all colts), which are a great advertisement for the imported horse. They are a fine lot, the one from Fair Rosamond (Kick Off's. dam), to my. mind, being , the pick. - "'"'•.;■. Riinnymede, looking none the worse for his hard try to head Gloaming off m the Stakes, is to be kept doing easy work, and should he go on all right will be taken over for the A.J.C. Derby m the early spring, , ,• . Born m New South Wales, it is naturally Mr. J. S. McLeod's ambition to win this Derby. - In Runnymede he has more than a possibility. ■■■■■'; Simpnette has been thrown put of work, and will not be raced again until the spring., Oak Rose, looking the ' picture of health, is striding along strongly m his work. Bound to pick up a few small 'chases again this winter. ' W. Griffiths is handling a fine cut of a two-year-old by Warplane, halfbrother to White Ensign, the property of Mr. Hughie McLeod. ' Kaotane is now being hacked about the roads, but will not go into active work again until the late winter. What a clinker hurdler the big -son of Gay Lad should make. ■ Immediately after the recent meeting Gold Box contracted strangles. So this would be the reason of his not producing his best the other week. Gaze is making slow recovery, and now that the track's are soft again his recovery will" be hastened. tßad luck, for owner J. W. Craig should he lose the services of his useful prad this winter. . . ; , • Great nominations have been.received by the Trotting Club for its first tote meeting be held at the end of this month. ■ . . ' Duo ! felt no effect -after his race m the Burke Memorial on the hard going. The old fellow will be taken through to -Otaki for the Raukawa Cup next .month. „; ■ .-•' ...'-;'•■. •. ■■■ •"'..' ..■ '.•_... So far, Purseproud has failed to produce anything like his old form on the tracks. A young horse, he must come. to hand again after a while. Moi-e than inquiry of late has been made for Mr. V. Collelo's gelding Nine of Spades, but Vern is loth to part with the promising Elysian gelding. Watchman has had to be eased up a little,' a slight blister' being administered. ~ ' ■•■■'';■..■:■:.'.■..■••• ' ■''•-■•■■: ' ■ Leo Goodwin, who was so unfortunate m losing the services of Palestar last Wanganui Cup meeting, has , that gelding m hand, again,, fully recovered from the: accident. : ; Many Colours has done well since racing m the. hurdles at Hastings. Next time out he will have a big local following. ' ■, ■ ( Old Admiral Codringtbn is taking a/ lot of time 'm .getting down, to racing condition. Will- require a couple of more races before being supported with any confidence. Joe Lawry -has decided not to- persevere with Sly AVink. This Crown Imperial filly is developing into a use-ful-looking,sort. ■;'■ . .. ?: Similarity m colors was most noticeable m, a race recently at Hastings, three different horses being difficult to distinguish. .A , well-known trainer wjent to a local sportsman and stated that it would be better if ,he (the sportsman) should change his' colors, but got a nasty smack when he was, informed that his colors had ■ been' registered for thir.ty years, and if any change had to be, made it would not be his. ...- ■' ,■■ ; '.;. - .-. :.; ' '■ ..". •.-•.,.,' : Otarie,. . a .small '.township about twenty miles from Hastings, can 'boast of the, greatest tipster of the decade,: as the following story,, which is absolutely true, proves : The morning, after the . Gloaming-The Hawk ' contest a well-known hurdle horseman while m conversation with a local sport' .outside a Hastings^ livery stable, was join-, ed by a : stranger who inquired for the;

proprietor. On their reply the stranger went on to explain that he came from Otane to see this important race, but he, from the country, knew that Gloaming would win, and before he left his job went round all his friends and told them to be on the old horse. "I knew he would win! I knew -he would win." This dry gambler went on to »ay, when he discovered he was not getting the desired hearing: "You fellows now listen how certain I was. After investing a poundj on G-loaming I immediately went around to the payoiit window and waited for my dividend!" Can anyone say they know of any other person who was so dry as to be present at a meeting of such champions and have no desire to witness the contest?