WELLINGTON NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2356, 20 April 1899, Page 38

WELLINGTON NOTES.

Bi Onlooxub.

.April 15. 7. H. stood on the mark in the Mile Harness mt Peton?, but came out in the following race '(in saddle^ and beat Gazelle at a difference pf 4sec. The latter had tc do 2min 35sec to win, but was beaten by syds. Angus drove J. H., who has travelled this island, also the West Coast of the South Island lately, and picked up a good few stakes. He has had a pretty, lengthy career and been through a good few hands, but appears one of the wear »nd tear sort. Patron (who was objected to at Hawke's Bay last month on the ground that he ran at 3?ahuna Park in a name other than his own) Won a race at Petone to-day. He gave Eureka |L (Angus) 33sec and a beating. Prince Albert had only to do sm in 50 3-ssec in the big harness. J. Campbell drove Prince" Albert and, rode Common, who won the Pony Race in 3min B8 '3-ssec — slow- time. JThe Wairaraoa Racine-Club has decided to

have a new grandstand built at a cost of £2700. The present arrangements would h,ave done lor a few years. If the club is making money they might have given owners and trainers, the benefit of it in increased stakes.

Prince Albert lost too much at the start of the big harness race at Petone the first day to have any chance of success.

Flavia, who won the Pony Harness Race at Petone, is a thtee-year-old filly. '

J. A. Connell rode Boss (the subject of the court action Connell v. M. Edwards) at Petone. The gelding ran in the name of Mr A. M'Kenzie. Ocean, who is supposed to be a half-brother to Newhaven, was said to have shown improved galloping powers at Bulls prior to his departure for Blenheim. In the Hack Challenge Stakes he could only run second in " 39 " (seven furlongs) to Te Taiaha, who is a four-year-old brown gelding owned and trained by Kenny M'Kenzie at Featherston. He is one of the late Mr W. Douglas's breeding by Torpedo — Swivel line. Foremast would probAoly have won had she not met with an accident. Mr Ward's victory would have been popularly received.

The Juvenile Harness Ra«e at Petone was contested by the two-year-olds Brookfield (Brooklyn — Jessie) and Dean Mangan. The former won comfortably. The latter is a son of Electioneer and Beauty, the Huon mare Bert Edwards recently scored with at Christchurch. Brookfield is the first *of the Brooklyns to score.

The Otaki Maori Hack Racing Chxb gives £900 in stakes at its meeting on May 24 and 25. J. J. Russell was in, town this week with the trotter Claret, whom he rode at the trotting meeting. Claret ran in the same colours as Waiuku's rider used to bear (claret;. The first of the visitors to arrive at the Hutt are the West Coasters, Quiltiri, Sr.ecu-' lator, Surrey, and Paladin. Nearly all the stable accommodation has been bespoken. I hope the club is favoured with fine weather. George Price rode Lady Helena the first day at Blenheim, and sent it across as a good thing. The mare paid £5. On the second day, when she ran third, the mare was not supported here.

The General (the gelding Jim Wright had in Christchurch) won the two principal harness "races the first day at Petone. He was driven by Angus, #ho Christchurch horseman. The General is now owned by Victor Samuels, a young local sport who drove his colt Brookfield to victory in the Juvenile Harness Race. Waitawhile, the winner of the Selling Handicap at Petone, was submitted to Dutch auction and passed in. Volley managed to win a race the second day at Blenheim. She had only Ejector and Lady Helena (%vho had started earlier in the day) .to beat. Cress's other string ran unsuccessfully. Sing Song only raced the first day at Blenheim and has probably not recovered from her enforced spell. Jerry Sullivan scored with Omega on the second day. She had not much to beat, but may be a useful filly. George Reid, the well-known" Bulls horseman, got his leg broken by n kick from Hotu while at the post in the Scurry Handicap on the second day of the Blenheim meeting. Gladstone was a cut above the Maiden Hurdle candidates at Blenheim, and won easily enough, but lost the stakes on account of having dropped a lead bag. The Hutt candidate Czarina was third.

£789 was the amount put through the totalisator the first day at Petone. Osborne now runs in the name of "Mr G. W. Watson."

A Dunedin writer in a local paper .of Saturday complains about the treatment Red Lancer is receiving from Mr J. O. Evett. The correspondent, who signs himself "A Disappointed Sport," stated that he backed him every time during hia northern campaign, with the exception of his last race run at Auckland! Yet Mr Evett did not take much weight off his back.

W. Davis did not journey to Blenheim with Osborne and Ruby Twist, who were in charge of L. Mathews. The reason given for Ruby lwist's poor display the first day is that the .course was sloppy, and he slipped into a hole and got down on his nose. He was much better backed by his connection the second day, and paid the good dividend of £6 12s. A protest for inconsistency was dismissed. Tho stable also scored with the fast, but inconsistent, Osborne, who paid £7 6s. He was not started on the second day. Osborne did not receive much support here, the stable commission, it is said, going to Christchurch. Viotta, who won the big saddle race at Petone, is one of Mr Buckland's breeding. Sheis an aged bay maie, and had only to trot 6min ssec to win. Viotta is owned by Mr W. T. Whitaker, a local sport, whose maiden victory in saddle it was.

The Hutt Park racecourse was measured on Saturday, and all tho distances found to be correct, or rather a few feet over. The alteration to the turn into the straight had the effect of making the course faster. Revenge, who won a race at Petone on Saturday, would make a good double foi Manton, a pony who won a double at the Southland Trotting "Club's meeting in April 1897. Revenge is in the same stable (W. Sharpe's) as 800 who bore a striking resemblance to Rasp (who won a double at Southland on the same day as Manton). J. Sharpe won the selling race with an aged roan gelding named Wait-a-While.

Fragment, the grey Burlington mare (who used to trot in Canterbuiy^ won a mile harness race on Saturday. Only £1 was on her in the machine, the dividend being £78. A protest for inconsistency against the winner was dismissed.

The General won the local Harness Race, but the stakes were awarded to Jennie on acccunt of galloping. Patron won the Two-mile Saddle from Viotta. The latter would have won only for Murfitt making her break. The stewards considered a protest for interference, and warned Murfitt to be more careful in future. Six or 12 months' disqualification would more properly have met the case.

'Gazelle won the Final Handicap in 2min 36sec, and paid 11s for 10b.' There was only ono ticket on Comet, who finished second. At the monthly meeting of stewards of the Wairarapa Racing Club Mr Bidwill reported having seen a letter in the Wairarapa Star in reference to certain persons being on the course at the Easter meeting who were connected with the mare Ethel. Mr H. S. Izard said the club could not take notice of anonymous writers. The matter should be brought before then* officially. The persons referred to are po well known that the stewards could not help noticing J.heir presence.

Some clubs do not take any notice of local people put under the ban by other clubs : in other words, they do not recognise the disqualification. At the local trotting meeting this week a well-known disqualified owner was in tho enclosures both days, and was allowed to stay there. On Saturday this person had a dispute with another man, and it ended in a fight.

The protest entered against Whario by the owner of Sir Agnes, on the ground that <he former is trained by W. Donald, will be considered on tho 22nd inst.

Compassionate allowance equal to one year's salary (£164- ss) has been granted to Constable Hole, who, on account of failing health, has been retired from the police force. He has beeh 20 years in the New Zealand force, and was formerly in the Australian police.