WELLINGTON NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2652, 11 January 1905, Page 51

WELLINGTON NOTES.

Bt Ohxooxkb.

January 5.

. Mr Chadwick's handicapa for the' principal. ' handicap event at the Wellington Racing Club's summer meeting appeared this morning.. In the Cup Mahutonga 8.13 and Convoy 8.12" appear the pick of the top-weights, and Nightfall 8.2, Quarryman 7.9, and Ghoorka 7.5 appear .the best of the others. Convoy is very wel*l at present, a-nd, being a good performer on solid going, may score a well-de-served win. Th« Vanguard gelding has run with particularly hard kick this season. Ailsa's success in the Telegraph Handicap for a similar reason would be quite as popular. If Machine Gun accepts, he will probably be a good favourite. The turn at the Hutt will not suit him like the straight at Riccarton. Others with chances of success are Golden Vein and Ailsr. on Auckland form; also the 'ightweighted Solution and the pick of the Porirua stable, which is represented by Exnsoor, Boris, and Chivalry. About a dozen horses may accept in the Cup, and the same number in the Telegraph Handicap. Acceptances for both events are due on Monday next, and should appear in the same issue as these notes.

Mr E. Stevenson purchased Galahad at auction at Palmerston .North recently for i>7gs, and has since resold the gelding to a Hutt sporS for 70gs.

The opening day of the Wairarapa Racing Club's meeting was spoilt by wet weather. The club had a good meeting, although the totalisator turnover (£14.132) whs £842 behind last year. The Porirua-trained Maui (by Mahaki — Jeuzail) made his first appearance in the Maiden Hack Race, five furlongs, and scored from the Hutt-trained Hukaaka. Maui was bred at Te Mahanga. and is a half-brother to Plaidie, Te Pake, and Undine. The useful Merrie England mare Platypus deadheated with Solution in the Tuhitarata Handicap, six furlongs. Talune, who was making his first appearance in the colours of Mr H. Brown, owner of Moccasin, scored in the Te Awaite Hack Hurdles, and paid the good price of £9 Bs. The stewards were not satisfied with George Laing's riding of Valkryie, wha finished second, and disqualified the horse and rider for the rest of the meeting. The Horo-whenua-trained Guelder Rose was made a big favourite -for the Rimutaka Hack Handicap, but again, let his connections down badly.

Whatever the Waterfall gelding is able 1o dcv on the track, he is not much good with tLe co.ours up. Hamua, one of the Porirua castoffs, scored, and paid £9 Bs. The Hawke's Bay-owned mare Douche (Jet d'Eau — Cartouche) put up her best performance m the Wairarapa Cup. With her trainer (W. Whitaker) in the saddle, she scored by half a length from Convoy, who had: nearly two stone the worst of the weights, and Jeanne d'Arc, who showed good form at Manawatu. Rungaraua, who has lateiy given up hurdleracing for sprints, won the Pukio Hack Handicap, six furdongs. He scored again on the second day, and paid the good price of £6, on account of the support given Maui, who was third. The latter got left several lengths a'" the start through being unaccustomed 'o the barrier. The Hutt-trained Coxswain, wno acted as runner-up to Rungaraua on the first day, scored in the Ruamahanga Hack Handicap, five furlongs, on the second day. Mr Prosser scored with the Gold Reef gelding Go.d Crown in tho Reynolds Handicap, seven furlongs. Notos. a winner at Lower Valley, got home in the Mokai Hack Welter Handicap, one mile. Waitarere unseated his rider in the Cup, but fortunately A. O'Leary, the Porirua light-weight, escaped unhurt. In th. Hack Hurdles on the second day Mr R. WPaterson, scored his first win with Lissa, who ■was bought to win the last Grand National" Hurdles. The Blenheim mare Rose Petal (Handsome Jack — Spring Rose) scored in the Rawiri Handicap, five furlongs. This was her first success in open company. Jeanne d'Arc, who showed good form at Woodville and Mauawatu, got home in the Racing Club Handicap from Noneen and PladieThe Cup winner (Douche) was among the other runge^s. Variation (The Workman— Yariejjte£#ao * s a member of a useful family, scorecPaSbther win for Mr C. F. Vallance. and will soon be out of the hack class. Shrapnel Shell, who appears to have lost his dash, had to put up with second place in a weak field in the Russell Handicap. He was beaten, by the Featherston-trained Sunfish at a difference of 10lb.

Mr J. M. Johnston, secretary of the Yifunawatu Racing Club, returned from a visit to England this week very much improved in health.

Riders at the Wairarapa Racing Club's neeting this week wore crape as a mark of respect to the late Mr Nat Grace, a vice-president of the club. The deceased gentleman was president of the Taratahi-Carterton Racing Club, and for many years acted as timekeeper to the Wellington Racing Club.

Amongst the arrivals by the lonic was a well-known English jockey and trainer, Mr W. Bainbridge. who has brought ut his faroilv, and intends to settle in Auckland, where h« will take up training and riding. Mr Bainbridge the season before last trained 63 winners foi Major Edwards, and he rode San Toy to victory in the Jubilee Stakes, iha Brighton Cup. and the Free Handicap at Newmarket. He has also trained and ridden for Captain Gordon.

Martian, Sungod. Noctuiform, Savoury, and Nightfall arrived here yesterday by' the Victoria from Auckland, in charge of R. Mason. The. whole of the team, with the exception of Nightfall, were taken on, to Christchurch. Tha latter was sent on to the Hutt in charge of one of the stable lads.

Solution was withdrawn yesterday at 11 a.m. from the Wellington Cup, and has also been scratched for all engagements at ?ahiatua. The fiUv will start in .short-distance events at the Wellington meeting. The colt Novgorod "(by Stermiak— Seaahell). which was purchase dby R. T. Turnbull and J. Monk as a yearling, died at Featherston, yesterday.

Smarting under the impression that handicappers hold too exalted an opinion of the capabilities of horses racing in his name, the local sportsman, R. W. Paterson, has decided to dispose of his string of horses and retire from the ranks of owners. Lissa has consequently been transfered to Telforcl Bros., who will in'nture race the son of Lethe — Miss Gert. Solution has been leased to Mr Mackay,' of Stratfordand will probably find her way into Tilley'a stables. Other members of the team are under negotiation to other patrons of the turf. Sungod is feeling the effects of the galloping he did st EHerslie. and will not be seen out at the Wellington meeting. Mr Stead has Vim {pet and Delaware 12 the Wellington and Wellesley Stakes.