WELLINGTON NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2376, 14 September 1899, Page 37

WELLINGTON NOTES.

By Onlooiler.

September 9,

The Horowhenua Racing Club will this season race on New Year's Day. Their first meeting last season was held .on St. Pat.'s Day. The amount of stakes has been increased from £195 to £220. This meeting will find strong opposition in the T/airarapa meeting, held at Featherston, which is most popular with Wellington people.

Eucharist, who won the Hurdles at Marton, is a six-year-old gelding by Wonderland—lncense, and half brothel to Vesper. He was bred by Mr George Hunter, M.H.R., who gave him to his nephew, Mr W. G. Hunter. Mr &. Hunter raced Incense, wlio was by Hercules — The Fox mare, bred by Sir William Fox in Marlborough.

Marina's sifeter, Hauriri ran most consistently at Maiton, and after being beaten by Pansy and Will o' the Wisp the first day, she beat the

same horses in the York Farm Handicap on tl;9 second day. Hutana, who accounted for tha Trial Hurdles, is one of the Voltigeur tribe, and hails from Martinborough. Pansy (Dreadnought—Queen of Trumps) and Will o' the Wisp (Mystical — Pipple) arc two of the Napier contingent, and should soon win enough to get them out of the hack class. Waiwera, who paid a sensational dividend "in the Hurdles on the first day, is a five-year-old mare in the same stable as Rubin, and she is by Gipsy King — Starwater, and made her only appearance last season in the Trial Hurdles at Otaki. The Bugler (Vanguard— Volunteer mare) who scored his first win in the Flying, is a stable mate oi Waiwera. Bob Conuow reckoned that St. Lemon would have won the Hunters' Steeplechase at the Hutt but for meeting with a mishap. He went straight at Marton, and secured the Hunt Club Cup, and paid a fair price. Two sons of St. George had winning representatives at the meeting. These were Strenuous (sire of Ronald) and Exchange (sire of Discount).

None of the Hufct stables or Porirua were represented at Marton.

Ostiak, Leah, and Vanderdecken are in the Flying at Bulls, and Dundonald is in the Steeplechase.

To avoid clashing with the Caiterton meeting the Otaki Maori Racing Club have decided ia hold their Spring meeting on October 11 (Demonstration Day) and 12. The amount of stakes is the same as last year — £540. Ronald, who won a douote at the Marton ' meeting, is in W. Homes's stable, and was rid- " den by W. Higgins.' Victor Harris was in town this week ou business, and patronised tho local books over Wedlock in the Welter at Timaru. The son of Maxim paid £'6 16s. Followers of Platt's ' horses followed First Bicod light through the meeting, and were awarded with a dividend of £5 7s ,he fourth time he started. There was a £50 commission for Benzoin the first day, but he was r.ot supported from the 3ame quarter when he won on the second day. Some good local commissions were wired away for . Dundas both days. Walter Armstrong, handicapper to the Carterton Racing Club, was in town this week. He informed roe that he would handicap the second day at Lower Valley and Mr Henry the first — the same arrangement as last year. Me Armstrong also informed me that Dromedary was in foal to Saracen.

The local man who advanced money on Rata took possession of him this week. I understand he will in future be trained in the Ashurst district.

The annual meeting of members of the Wellington Racing Club has been fixed for the 25tlf inst.

Mi John Coyle, the well-known handicapper, died yesterday morning and was buried at Karon this afternoon. Among the followers to the grave were Messrs George Hutchison, Joseph Saunders, Jas. and Joseph Ames, J. E. Henry, and H. M. Lyon. The deceased was 50 years of age, and was veiy popular.

The stewards of the Wellington Racing Club in their annual report congratulate members" on. the success of the year's operations. The programmes were framed on a much more liberal" basis than in former years, the stakes having' been increased to the extent of £2300 — a step which has given general satisfaction. During i the year £1110 was-expended on the racecouise, in renewing the training tracks destroyed by the floods of 1898, extending the carriage and saddling paddocks and fencing the same, forming a new grass gallop, etc. With a view to" securing the dates and also to avoid clashing, with other club 3 the stewards have issued the programme for the spring meeting on 2Bnd and 24th November next.. The conditions oi the two principal races at the summer meeting and of the Challenge Stakes at the autumn meeting have also been advertised. The additions and alterations to the buildings on the racecourse are in a forward state. The club's balance sheet shows that the receipts for the year, including a balance of £1673 5s lid fiom \!ast year, net totalisator receipts £5861 2s lid, and entries £2573, amounted to £13,179. The principal items of expenditure were: Stakes, £8759; improvements, repairs, plant, etc., £1110; salaries, £445. The bank balance ia £1149 10s 4d, of which £882 11s 6d is on fixed deposit. The following have been nominated officers of the chib for the ensuing year : — President, Mr T. G. M'Carthy; vice-presidents— Hon. C. J. Johnston and Mr G. Hutchison ; juddge,Mr G. H. Scales; trea3urer,Mr G.P. Harbroe; auditors — Messrs D. T. Stuart and E. Bucholz; stewards — Dr James, Messis P. R. Baldwin. Jas. Ames, W. H. S. Moorhouso, J, Saunders, 3. Wilkins, E. J. Rudiford, and J. B. Harcourt. Notice of the following motions bns bec-n given: — By Mr J. Salmon : That it be :m i?istruction to the incoming stewards to appoint a judge who shall bo paid ; that tinder no circumstances shall any person be allowed to enter the judge's box while the judge is engaged in his official duties. By Mr G. Hutchison : (1) Tknt ruling 33 be struck out ; (2) That all the office bearers shall retire annually, but shall be eligible foz re-election. Should any vacancy or vacancies occur during the then current year, such vacancy or vacancies shall bo filled up by the stewards until the next annual meeting; (3) That rule No. 36 be struck out. By Mr F. Turnbull: That rule No. 6 be amended as follows — " The candidate shall be balloted for by the stewards of the club as hereinafter provided (vide rule 18). One black hall in three shall exclude." To amend rules 26 and 27 m conformity by striking out tho words "or for membership." To amend rule No. 6 by striking out the words "three guineas " with the view of adding the words " one guinea." (This refers to the entrance feea for members.) That the*club procure three up-to-date 20 horse totalisator.s, cost about £750. By Mr T. K. M'Donald : That it be a recommendation to the incoming stewards to have the following works executed during the forthcoming season : Formation of asphalt or concrete path, roofed in and as far as possible protected from the weather, from the railway aiding to the grand stand; formation of an asphalt or concrete path from the grand stand to the tea room, ladies' stand, and saddling paddock ; erection of sufficient machines to show the number of the horses starting and jockeys' names, so as to be visible both in the grand stand and to the outside public; the erection and equipment of a luncheon and tea rooms for membprs. By Mr P. E. Baldwin: No office-bearer or official or servant of the club shall directly or indirectly bet either through, the totalisator or otherwise upon any race run on the course, provided that this rule shall not preclude any, office-bearer who shall own in part or in whole any horse running in any such race from betting upon such race, but such officebearer shall neither directly nor indirectly exercise any official duty or connection with such race ; any office-bearer violating the above rule shall ipso facto vacate his office; any official or servant of the club violating the above rule shall be instantly dismissed.