WELLINGTON NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2523, 23 July 1902, Page 50

WELLINGTON NOTES.

Bt Onloomk.

July 19.

The glorious weather experienced on Wednesday last attracted a large crowd to the Hutt. The attendance was estimated as equal to last year, when the "first-second" system of paying out was introduced for the frst time. The totahsator turnover last yiar was exceptionally large, and it is therefore not ditficu'.t to account for the large falhcg-off in the turnover. The betting this week was good, the seven events averaging over £1000 epchBookniakers were present on the lawn in large numbers, and appeared to be doing a. good business. 'Ihere were a large number of prominent racing people present, including Sir Geo. Clifford (cluuimttii of the Racng Conference), Sir William Russell, Hon. J. D. Orrr.o..d, Messrs John M'Vay (Napier Park Racing Ciub). E. R. Guinness (president South Canterbury Jockey Ciub), W. 12. BidwiU (Wairarapa Racing Cub), \Y. Percival (Auckland Hating Ciub), G. P. Donne'-ly, E. J. WaU, H. P. Cohen, H. Gaisfcrd, Geo. Huntei, and Hon. Jas. Canoll. Gobo, who repeated his performance of la°t year in the "Wellington Steeplechase, is the first horse to win that event tv. ice. He also ga\e Ahck Hall bin firbt winning Tide in the race. Hall, who is one of our best steeplechase riders, had earlier in the season scored on The Guard Pt Auckland and Warjgai.ui. Gobo's display was a much better one than he hnd made" this seaeon. He looked m better trim than at Hpwke's Bay, but fences i.o.ie too well. This waa the first time Hall had ridden him, which goes to bhow that v. capable pilot can materially assist h:s mount, especially in a jumping rncp. The interference at the finish, when Gobo bored in and took Rufus's lunning, waa no doubt unintentional and unfortunate. The cross, although it appeared a. very palpable one, did not affect the result of the race, and therefore the stewards acted rightly in awarding the stake* to the winner. This is my opinion after seeing tlip race. There will be, I have no doubt, plenty of people who hold a different view. Rufus's running showed that he wrs ridden with better judgment than at Ha-.vke's Bay, where he was held back, instead of being allowed to run along when he wanted to. Certainly, the fences at the Hutt are not so formidable a.s those at Hastings, which favoured Rufus. There are only three decent jumps at th-e Hutt, and for about tlnee-quj-rlers of a mile the only obstacles are two hurdles. Ihe Xapier horse Awahuri ib a good sort for heavy going, and shaped well. He is the most hkelv of those that finished outside the placed horses to furnihh into a good horse. Suuor made a much better showing than her sUble mate, Kohunu!. The Somnua mare was beaten when she fell over the last of the brush fencas-. Cuicitft. winner of the Hack Handicap, gave one of the best exhibitions of determined ga.loping that has been seen on the Hutt course for miny a day. The eon of Quilt is one of the biggest horses in training, aud was bred at Te Mahanga. Ho was purchased as a yearling by Mr H. P. Cohen for 31gs. Ihe lunner-up, Aroha, also hails frcm H.i\vke'<j Bay, nt.rl has been a most consistent performer during Ins turf caieer. He is owned by a. pentlernan who races under the assumed name of "Mr C Stanley, ' and is by Sequah (Somnus — Louie) out of & daughter of the Yatterdon li< __i Patriarch. He acted as Tunner-up to Kc"py in the Bracelet at Xapiei Park. Th-e Aucklander, Riyal Conqueror, is a good bit of stuff, sent oi.'u in fine condition. Hia win was full of merit, as he had to make up some ground, and at the last fence the race appeared to be Kahuwai's. Mr Donnellv's mare fills the bill as a most likely Grand National candidate, -who ka* been ruuniua

with bad luck. Her record for hurdle events is two seconds and a third. Huku greatly disappointed hia connections. Smithy raced well for a mile and a-haif. Reliance's form was really disappointing. At Napier Park he rair a mile and three-quarters in good time, whereas at the Hutt he made no show at all. Waiwherra, who filled third place, was putting in good work at the finish. Will o' the Wisp, who won the Parliamentary, Handicap for the second time, was bred byi Mr W. Robinson, of Te Aute, and is a son oi the St. Iteger mare Ripple, a daughter of Foam. His sire, Mystical, by Wonderland — Mystery, was bred by Geo. Hunter, the genuine sportsman, of Pora.ngab.au, who was present at the meeting. Unfortunately the horsa showed signs of lameness after the race, as he was limping about the paddock. This is bad luck for Geo. Hope, the gelding's trainer, who bad got him really well. Platypus ran particularly well considering she had » raca out of her earlier in the day, when she finished second to Loch Eren. The New Zealand Cup candidate, Kelpy, whose previous record was three starts in as many races, ran absolutely last all the way, and can be written out of the Uiccarton race.

Mr Elhnglaam showed good judgment In purchasing The Phantom a few days prior to the Napier Park nicetiDg. The way he carried a welter weight in the Hunters' Steeplecua.se and the way he fenced gives him an o\itside chance in the big event at Christ-church. The Wairarapa district was well represented at the Hutt. Amongst the gentlemen I noticed were Hessr3 Jas. Macara, A. G. Pilmer, C. H. Smith, and Fred. Hill, of the Masterton Racing Club; Messrs "W. E. Bidwill (vice-presi-dent) ar.d W. Bock (secretary), of the Wairatapa Racing Club, »n<3 Messrs Gee. Hume (Lower Valley Jockey Club), A. M'Cormick (Woodville ih3triet Jockey Club)

July 21-

Beautiful weather was experienced, for th« concluding day of the Wellington Steeplechase meeting. There waa a laTga attendance, and the sum of £9213 passed through the totabsator, making £18,187 for the meeting. Thi* amount is £3578 less then the sum handled last year. St. O'ga, the favourite for the Hutt Flying Handicap, got left, and was never dangerous. Titoki, who led all the way, won liis lirst race for T. Quinlivan, sen. He had not scored since New Year's Day, 1900. Zealous (Seahorse's sister) wai beaten half a length, with Hokio a good thiid. Ringlet was fourth, but the latter wan placed second and her backers received a second dividend, which waa tho only mistake Mr T«Uy ( who succeeded Mr Scales) made during the day. Titoki paid the good pries of £19 153 One or two of the unplaced division will do better Inter on. The Porirua colt Clovelly (Russley— Spire), who was making his first appearance, had Jenkins in the saddle, and was made favourite for the Maiden Hack Race. He jumped back when the barrier rose, and was never in the lead. The Auckland two-jear-o!d Geordi (Seaton Delaval — Cuirassier mare) made most of ths running, but tho Porirua two-year-ed filly Dodona (Hotchkiss — Sybil) won easily at the finish. Hufus, who was best backed for the July Steeplechase, made a very poor show compared with his first day's display. He w»s toiling in the rear for the greater part of th*» journey. VVhangaroa, Straybird, Sudor, and Awahuri weie responsible for the pac2. The two latter came to grief, and Sudor, who broka one of his legs, was shot. Plain Hill went freer than o'i -tie first dsy, and settled Straybird in tha last bit. Straybird won tne rt-ce last year and was third two years ago. Plain Bill had not won a race sine* he pulled eff the Wellington Steeplechase two years ago. WhangaToa and Shyloek were both run out before ths finish. St. Ofga waa brought out s^2in for the Winter Oats, and finished a good fourth. The favourite, Crupoe, was never dangerous, and after Platypus hied made most, of the running Loch Eren came on and won in grod style. This win increased Jenkins's record for the season to C 6 wins. Osborne waa well bandied in the Winter Hurdles by W. Fahoy, b«ing taken along in front without being bustled. The Rus3ley gelding stayed better than usual, having failed on previous occasions to tjet to th» end of a mile and thiee-qunrtera. He was in receipt of nearly 3st from Royal Conqueror, who held a nice position throughout and acted well in the heavy going. The success of tho veteran Hutt trainer, Albert Peters, was wall received. Hippowai stuck <o Osbonve for a lnila and a-balf, and Strathnairn made a gocJ show. Frost pulled up the 'east diF + r;ss?d of tho field, «.nd may do better at Chnstchurch. With A. Hall in the saddle, The Swjmmpr won the Hunters" Steeplechasp easily. Phantom was anchored by weight, but did not shape ss well ns ou the firs. day. This pair are a rut above hunter class. Of the others, Hutana is certainly uatful. Only one of the 17 acceptors for the Final Hack (Belhmte) was scratched, and there was more betting on ibis event than on any o'her race at the meeting. Laureate looked a winner, but Waiwbera (who won her first race for Mr Patterson) arid Liasa both beat him in tl"? run home.