WELLINGTON NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2437, 28 November 1900, Page 41

WELLINGTON NOTES.

By Orlooxbb. November 24. . - The weather experienced on both days of the * "Wellington- Ulaemg Club was beautifully fine, consequently the attendance was large. There appeared to be a larger number of -well-dressed ladles than u&ual at local meetings. The racing throughout was xeally interesting". Speculation in the totalisator was heavy. On the first day £9994 was put through, being an increase -of £1143 on the corresponding day last year. In the absence of Mr Nat Grace, ' who has acted as the club's timekeeper for a great many years, and seldom missed a meeting at the Hutt, Mr P. E. Baldwin acted as timekeeper. The course was fast, and the favourable weather conditions account for the . good times recorded. Alf Jtore, the popular Blenheim native owner, scored his first win this season with Hotu (Foul Shot — Westlind), who was well handled by M'Morran, and had a nice racing weight. His half-brother, "Whetu, was in the lead for about a mile and a-half, when he was done with. This was Whetu's only appearance at the meeting. Hangfire, ridden by a son of the owner's, and brother to the owner of Plain Bill, made the pace from nagfall right into the straight, where he finished with sameness under punishment, but Hota passed him and won without an effort. Hotu's performance on the flat was certainly better than any of the others. Frost, who was made a- good favourite, ran badly, and was never closer uv> than thkd at any part of the journey. His display was disappointing. His gallops early in the week were good, and that was why the public picked on him as a good tiling. On the morning of the race, however, he was no use to Euamahunga over four furlongs, aud ev : dently he was not improving. The whole of the iive starters were backed. Jack Maher, the well-known trainer of Palmerston North, formerly of Hastings, has leased Rubin from his owner, Mr T. Bevan, of Manukau. The son of Tasman — Rubina is pretty forward, and he finished resolutely after being Aid-de-Camp's nearest attendant from the start. Had the horsemen been reversed Aid-de-Camp would have won. He was -ridden by Hugh Telford, a stable lad in J. Lowe's em- ' rjlpy. Although Crusoe finished third his performance in such company was disappointing. If he does not score to-day he should win at Feildmg. Walter Best's horse, Oracle, was again made favourite for this race, hut he ran disappointingly. Perhaps the fact that Jenkins was riding him may be accountable for the strong sifpport. He was certainly one who did good track work. Sir George Clifford's Scottish Minstrel made his only appearance at

the meeting in thi3 race, T>^> jyofr a*3S.« ■■*** minent. Mr Joseph Paul s Ths^Suji* »V?> j Perfection shaped well. "Mr Jj. i gelding Transport was selected Q* the but onj I the lot engaged in the Maiden B*ofc Iton*. Üb' I was reported to have done sonieti.rr,g £oc4r priori \ to the .phristchurch meeting. Cr*<.ioe',» .t^blo companion Maro (Lebel — Duras), v-'.o »vasi meeting Transport on even terms leg most Jt the way. The favourite came awuj in the straight and won comfortably. He paid thegood dividend of £3 10s. The Goldsbrou^i- *r Ta Ta gelding, Heritas, fornerly owned by Lav O'Brien, occupied third place. Mr Stead's Skobeloff was made favourite for the Wellington Handicap, and it was confidently expected 1 that the son of Stepniak would at last reward his owner for his perseverance. He again ran. into a place for about the sixteenth time. There are few unsuccessful horses Mr Stead' has kept for so long as Skobeloff, and perhaps: there is something in him. He will not again perform till the Auckland Cup. This was Skobeloff's only appearance at the meeting. To briefly review the win of Hubin (who put up 31b overweight to have the seryices of T. Brien, who had bidden him earlier in the day, a lad connected with Murray Hobbs's stable). He* made the pace for nearly six furlongs, when 1 Sirius took up the running. Two furlongs from home with" a mile gone Tortulla galloped away from -the field, and was four or five lengths away from "anything vrhen their heads turned' for home. Jenkins took matters easy up the straight, Nand as the others were being ridflen out he'had to "shake^her up 'in the last 50 yards .to win -by- a long, neck, Skobeloff,' who was> going faster than anything else ab the finish, and would have won at "another furlong, a. head away third. That was th<fc official verdict. Neither Messrs G. G . Stead nor the Hon.' Capt. Russell was -present to see their horses run. Materoa is excused -by reason of having broken a blood veesel. Tortulla was xidden by Jenkins. He also rode Ostiak in the Shorts, the Porirua horse making no race of it. lOondyke was quickest away, and led for a furlong, but after that it was Ostiak's race. Hissmary, who was slowest off the mark, ran well, .and JSTgaparu, who is now trained by Frank 23oTton, showed a glimpse of her old form, lsinene ran disappointingly, and I did not like the way St. Denis or Airtaia shaped. The form of the . Dunedin sprinter was too good to be true. Tukapa showed a 10l of pace in the Hack Race, and led right into the straight, but was then beaten. The Napier Native-owned Lady Link, by _ Chainlink (Chainshot— Nautilus)— Kitty Totara (dam of Whitirea), just squeezed home from Redoubt, "who came with a great rattle on the post.' The latter was made favourite and -was ridden "by Jenkins. Each of Mt Best's horses were made favourite and failed to score. The Porirua team started Whitney in the Welter, and scored the third win during the day with three starts, a pretty good TecordJenkins had the ride and scored his third win during, the day. Whitney was in the front all the way and won comfortahly. Ruarnahunga, who was made s a good favourite, 'came too late and fought out a good finish, with Whitirea, the judge being unable to separate them. Derringcotte, who was -sold after ,the Cartertpn meeting fpr'dEl7o,' and is now a member of Dave Wright's* team, made his first appearance in the colours" of Mr" F." Bedior4,'the" assumed name of a Napier sport, who. came ._ down to see him run. ., Proposal and The D.ndfr j.-iin badly." Lady Lome was making her s%cSnd' appearance during tfhe day, and ran off ahotvfe • three furlongs" from home, but dropped tack again. She did no galloping on the track. She has been , served ,by Torpedo. v Mr, J. R. Macdonald is busy ,shearing at present,' and could.hot get down to see -Whitney win." .This was the second victory for Foul Shot during the day.^ * Perfection, Jvgaparu, Oracle, and Kissmary were started again in the Flying Handicap, and' the latter was the only one to run up at the finish. Chasseur and Glenogle cut out the running into the straight, and half-way down the straight The Shannon* put m a strong claim and won by two lengths. She swerved right across the leaders from the ou jide on to the rails at the finish, but did not interfere with Any of the horses. ~ > Sir George Clifford was present at the meeting to see his horse run, but neither of the bear.ers of the blue and gold chequers was accepted with on the second day. Percy Johnston brought Battleaxe down from Taranaki, but he was not started at the meeting. Caretakei White had the course looking better than it ever did "before. He has effected great improvements to the club's property during his residence at the Hutt, and is the best servant the club has had. The -only Dunedin visitors I noticed were Messrs TV. Crossan, D. M'Kewen, and H. Goodman. Mr Crossan tells me he is going on to Feilding, and may go from there to the West Coast. Coi-a Linn hurt her ietlock on the boat coming up from Christchurch, and was not galloped till this morning (Saturday), when J. Coffey rode her and she snar>e'd well. Zither -was galloped on- the track with W. M'Kewen' s" horses and is going to Feilding. Old .identities 1 noticed on. the track her<» were "Kaiser" Myers and Plying Shot. The Wellington 'Trotting' Club had favour-, able weather -for "its -spring meeting, held at Petone on Wednesday and T?riday. During the two^ays the sum of £2577 10s was put through' the totalisator. - Tickets on the bis race each day were £1, on all other races 10«. As usual at local trotting meetings the brokers B. and!" M. Edwards were greatly in evidence. Mr James Pettie's Faithful, driven "by Tom Price, a big gelding by Honesty, won the Subscription. Trot in 5.15 3-ssec. M. Edwards won the Trial with Elsie T., who trotted 5.47J, and paid 15s.Val -won in 2.28 i, and paid 12s. Sailor Boy trotted 2.48, and Eosella 2.45 3-5.- Monte Carlo did 2.25 -1-5 and paid =616. TDolly Varden, &■ big mare "by Brooklyn, ridden by M. Edwards, won pulling up. Monte Carlo only had to do 2.40 the second time he won, and paid 13s. Silver Grey, who won at Christchurch, ana Plunge were disqualified for galloping in the Pony Race and Comet got the stakes. Jessie Paling, 4.53 2-5 and Viotta (Burlington B—Violetta) ran a dead heat and paid 14s and £16 14a per £ Jessie was in saddle and Viotta in harness. Elavia (by St. Louis) a pony," trotted 4.21. Monte Carlo won again in 2.30 and paid 13s. Hilda II (by Lincoln Yet) did 2.58 in the Final. . . The meeting was concluded to-day m beautifully fine weathej. £10,152 was put through the totalisator, making a total of £20,146 for the meeting. The amount is aD increase of £4397 on the corresponding day last year. The local trainer W. Davies won three events with TMelwosd and Waterford (Jet a'Eau —Forlorn Hope), who has been in retirementsome time. Melwood, who was making his first appearance in open company, shaped like a racehorse. On the second occasion he put up 81b penalty and made hacks of the lot opposed to him. Volley ran a good race in the Petono Handicap. . Any chance Coin might have had in the Hui'dles was spoilt by his striking the two first hurdles hard. Frost showed a great reversal of form, and won easily from Hotu, -the previoiis day's winner. The stewards awarded the xace to 'Hotu, who paid £4 7s. They also returned the investors on Frost their money. Frost, who would have paid £S 15s, was disqualified during -the pleasure of the stewards, and will be unable to compete at Feilding. The decision gave great satisfaction. On the previous day there was more than one sleeper in the Hurdles. Percy Johnston rode Hangfire to-da-T.

Whitney, who had ran a good race in the Petone Handicap, accounted for the Welter in good style. Jewel Gun ran a great race from flagfall, and finished second, and Kent third. ; In the Hutt Park Spring Handicap Kissmary ■was the only one within reasonable' distance 'of Molwood at the finish. ', Westguard, who did not sport silk the previous day, was made favourite in the Hack (Flying, and, ridden by T. Wilson, she had the Jrace in hand from flagfall. Lady's Lmk shaped {better than she did earlier in the day. [, Klondyke went off at a great pace in the fWaiwetu Handicap, but could not keep it up, fend Chasseur won comfortably at the finish prom Sentry, /who galloped well; Cherrystone Jchird, and St. Denis was not prominent, i" Tortulla was made favourite in the Pearce Handicap, and ran a good lace, buY was never an the leading division. Oingo and Rubin jjwere responsible for the pace during the early fpart' of n the" race.' .Materoa came on the scene at the distance, and The Shannon came through iin' the straight. Materoa won comfortably at |.-the finish from The Shannon with Oingo, who jcame again after dropping back, - third. [The first and second horses are ,full sisters. I'Materoa carried the huia- colours. She was [liddUn -by. the well-known -jockey W. Holmes. [The Hon. James Carroll was an interested {(spectator. Ma,teroa' ran a better race than, on the t>revio\is day, and paid £15 10s. P Mr W. M'Kenzie, secretary of the TaratahiCarterton Racing Club, was present to-day. | The reason for Mr Nat Grace's non-appear-ance at the meeting was on account of his being >biisy shearing. I Among the visitors on the stewards stand /to-day was the Eon. C H. Mills, the newlyappointed member , of the Ministry; Mr H. D. Bell, a former presideirt of the "club :* Sir George piesident of the Canterbury Jockey jClub ; and Mr Walter Clifford, president of the Marlborough Racing Club. l\ Although Cora Linn was accepted for two 'laces to-day she did not start in either, i The meeting was capably managed by Mr (OE. M. Lyon, assisted by Messrs R. J. Barnes 'and H. M'Kenzie. ' The Hutt course did not suit Mr M'Kenzie s Jior3es. St. Denis may win at Feilding. i A 'well-known frequenter to local meetings -■with horses I noticed present this week was iPatsy Butler. I Derrett and Hewitt were present at the rueetkng, but neither got a ride. Jenkins and Price 'iode most w.ork on the .tracks, and were the ianost successful in races. \. Flying Shot walked away from the course ito-night -very dottily after his exertion in the iWaiwetu Handicap. The grey gelding - was never in the running. -He ran in the "rose" (jacket of Mr Lance Wood, the assumed name '■of a well-known local sport, and was ridden by 'C Pritchard, who was associated with * the •T?oul Shot gelding in his many successes of Mr F. R. Young, who was alsb present to-day. Being a very easy horse to ride Pritchard -was mounted on a pound and a-half saddle. ,