WELLINGTON NOTES. By Onlooker.

Otago Witness, Issue 2516, 4 June 1902, Page 47

WELLINGTON NOTES. By Onlooker.

May 31.

Although Ostiak and Laureate were both taken to Auckland, neither appear among the acceptances for the first day. Mr Evett has to give Ostiak something tc stop him, but Laureate was not well handicapped in the same race (Cornwall Handicap), being too close to Crusoe and Field Battery.

The Guard put up a time record for the Wanganui Steeplechase— viz., Gmin 24sec. The previous best was 6imn 27sec, by Bradshaw, in 1597.

W. Holmes, who was associated with thi victories of Screw Gun, Multiform, Formosaa, Tolstoi, and other Yaldliurst-trained horses, and F. Jones will probably do the riding foi Mr Stead's sti-.ble next seaso;;.

Haydn 11.6 has the same weight in tlie Remuera Hurdles that he received in the Grand National.

Mr 1?. W. Pafrsrson's team, consisting of Doctor Bill, Waiwera, and Ringlet, will not fulfil their Auckland engagement*. The Hutt-train-ed Field Battery is to make the trip to Axickland. He is nicely handicapped in the Cornwall Handicap, of SOOsovs, one mile, with 9.9. He meets Ostiak on 171b better terms than in the Flying Handicap at Wanganui. Crusoe, with 10.2, looks to have a good chance in the same race. At Wanpanui the last time they met Mr Evett place-* 21b between Ostiak and Crusoe. Now the difference is a stone and a-half. Laureate docs no> look veil in the race at 2Jb below Field Battery.

Glory, full sister to Laureate, sported silk in the Maiden Hack Race at Wanganui. She does not resemble her brother in any way, being a chestnut mare bu;lt on quality linos, and has beautiful action. She raced with Ghoorka for about fcur furlongs, and should bs heard oi in the future. She is leased from her breeder by a popular sporting medico. A gentleman who recently saw a yearling colt by Sou'-wester — Balm (by Dunlop — Frou Frou) m the Feilding district informs me that he is a particularly well-grown youngster. So far Balm, who was brought to the colony several seasons back, ha< not been successfully; represented o- the turf.

Rufus, who won the Steeplechase at Takapnna or Wednesday last, has performed consistently in hurdle und steeplechase events this season. At Takapuna, in, fie spring, he no: the Hurdles on. the first day, but waj beatei by, Regulia, II on th- second day. He also woa the Steeplechase. At the North Shore meeting in the summer he was second to Evening Wonder in the First Steeplechase, and fell iit the second cross-country event. At EllersEe, in the summer, after getting placed in thres hurdle races, Rufus rail second to Voltii geur II in the Steeplechase. At the Autumn, meeting he pulled off two hurdle races. Unius is a Bix-^ear^old gelding by Muskapee (Musket — Venus Transit), aire of Lottie, from Haricot (Feve— Clipper), full brother to Victory, both of whom won races for their breeder, Mr J. AllwilL Victory won. races at three years of >age, and^ later on he passed into the hand* of. Mr J. Kean, in whose colours he won. nuroei rous races in tho Auckland country districts; also the Egniont Handicap, the Takapuaa Steeplechase, and a hurdle race at Ellexslie; TJi© following season he won several gooo) stakes for Messrs G»ult and, Evane in. th«

Southland district. Victory afterwards changed Stands on several occasions, being once pur(Onased out of a selling race for £15. His last >wner was Mr J. Tennant, in whose colours ie was racing in 1896. As Victory was foaled, p. 1880 he was racing at 16 years of age, and aaust have had a cast-iron constitution. Hariiqb'B name does not appear in the Stud Book. j?hft following is & list of her progeny: — 1895, iufus, by Mu3kapeer; 1836, eh c, by Tasman; .897, b c, by Hornpipe; 1898, b If, by Hornpipe; 1899, eh f, by Leolantiß. Clipper, the [rand-dam, of R.ufus, was by Pacific out of an Lrab mare. ,'( -jfc. friend who was present »t the Wanganui Beetine informs me that Lifebelt won the lack Race on the first day like a racehorse n "two strides." The three races won by this illy were worth £150. W. Homes has not had much luck the past few seasons, but Lifebelt should win a few decent stakes for him next leason, Mr S. H. Gollan gave 230gs for Fororn Hope (dam of Lifebelt) as a yearling at Middle Park. : Jemima, Stepina, Livonia, Cornea, Volga feister to Ostiak), and Spun Gold have been iteken out of training. The bulk of them will probably visit the imported Soult, but one or Jtwo will go to Stepniak. !• A Kereru breeder has purchased from the Dunedin gentleman who races under the norn ] de course of Mr "J. Smith " the six-year-old chestnut mare Santa Katerina. (by St. lieger — Puwerewere), a half sister to Spun Gold. H. Fletcher has a bay filly by Euroclydon — Santa Kwterina, rising two years, in training at Pofciruft. Santa Katerina arrived from the south Jtesi week, accompanied by the six-year-old bay frn»re Santa Barbara (St. Leger— Yattaghan). JEhe dam of this mare is full sister to the fiam of The Guard and three-quarter sister to Defiance and Defiant. Santa- Barbara pro.duced a. chestnut filly by Ruby, rising two years. Should Cavaliero succeed in winning tiie Great Northern Steeple and Hurdle double, l&ucklanders will at once proclaim him one of the best ever Been out at Ellerslie in the /Winter meeting. Levanter was a steeplechaser (with a great record, but Cavalkro has yet to jequal the deeds of Liberator— whom Free {Holmes is once more endeavouring to patch up at Ricca-rton — on the flat. Levanter won the Great Northern Steeplechase two years in succession, but Liberator is the only horse to win both races, which performance he put up in 1895. On the first occasion that Liberator Visited Ellerslie he finished fourth with 12.8 In -the Grand National Hurdles to Melinite JLO.S. He did not take part in the Steeplechase, but with the same weight up beat most of the horse 3he met on the first day in a iburdle race run over a mile and three-quarter course. J. Rae rode him iH both races. Next wear he won the Steeplechase with 12.9, and fche Hurdles with 11.9, F. Holmes riding him. fThe following season Liberator finished fourth in the Hurdles with 12.10, and second with 12.9, in the Steeplechase, to Levanter 10.0. This teas a great field, including Mutiny, Tiritea knd Donald M'Kinnon. The latter baulked, but made a better exhibition in another race — the Tallyho Steeplechase — later in the day. Levanter had run fourth just behind Baruardo in the Maiden Steeplechase on the first jiay. Cavaliero won the Grand National Bhirdleß two years ago with 10.0. The Guard tlO started favourite, but was brought down by fforpina. On the second day Cavaliero scored Kain with 11.5. Last year, after winning the {Remuera- Hurdles on the first day with 13.13, fee finished third in the GTand National Hurdles {with 13.1.