WELLINGTON NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2674, 14 June 1905, Page 51

WELLINGTON NOTES.

BT O.NLOOKJHK.

The entries received last season for the Wellington Racing Club's winter meeting constituted a record for the club. From the appended comparative table it will be seen that this year's total is even better than 12 months ago: —

In nomination fees owners have contributed £-106 of the stake money, which amounts to £2105. In the Trial Plate the fees come to £54 out of £80, and in the Hack Hurdle Race owners have put in more than half the stakes. The club only requires fine weather to ensure a successful gathering. Mr Chadwick's handicaps are not due until the 26th inst. On the second day of the Otaki meeting JNgatitoa was submitted to auction. The best price offered was 45gs, which was below the reserve, and the Flintlock horse did not change hands. H. Fletcher also took Sardonyx and Montague to the meeting, but neither sported silk. The latter's name appeared among the acceptances on the second day, but he had to be withdrawn on account of striking himself in a gallop. Moccasin and Nitrate weie engaged at the Wellington meeting, but were withdrawn before- the hour of closing. Moccasin's owner wired from Auckland that the horse had broken down. Nitrate cut herself through striking a hurdle on the second day of the Otaki meeting. She is a good cut of a mare, by Torpedo— Melinite (winner of the Great Northern Hurdles), and is said to be a good jumper. The going at Otaki was very greasy. Nitrate received some support for the race, probably on account of L. Miller, who scored on Valima (a stable mate) on the first day having the mount. Mr J. R. M'Donald (owner of Nitrate) has not had much luck ■with jumpers since he sold Opae and Toriki for England.

The attempt to get another race out of The Guard has evidently been abandoned, as his name is missing from the list of entries for the Wellington Steeplechase. Previous winners of the race engaged are Nor' -west (1898 and 1903), Gobo (19"O1 and 1902), and Kaitere (who scored last year). Slow Tom and Shrapn&l Shell, winners of the Winter Hurdles and Parliamentary Handicap respectively the year before last, are the only previous winners of the events named a°-ain appearing in the list.

, Tke lenient handicapping of Valima and St. Claimer at Otaki was a sore point with owners. Valima ran first and second at Wanganui, and Mr Pollock gave her lecss •weight at Otaki, and asked her to meet horses she beat at Wanganui on practically the same terms. She won easier the second day than the first, and would have scored again had there been a third day. The same remarks apnly to St. Claimer.

Nightingale, dam of Bowman (by the Maxim horse Bowshot), Polycaste (by Nestor), Inniskillen (by Fraternite;, and Loch Erne (by Lakeshell), has proved herself a successful brood mare by getting the above-named quartet of performers from practically unknown sires. Nightingale was bred at Orange (New South Wales), by Forest King (by Maribyrnong—Xarifa) from Alloway (by Chester). The price Pretty Maid paid in the Otaki Hack Handicap (£9 13s) came as a pleasant surprise to her backers, and cost layers a lot of money. Valima, St. Claimer, Recreation, The Clipper, Amaryllis, Kuroki, Lass o' Gowrie, Barca, and AsteroiS were all well backed each day. St. Joe was fancied on the second day, when he won. Ballarat, Matuku, and Shrapnel Shell carried a good deal of money when they went down. Altogether, backers had a bit the best of it.

St. plements has a couple of smart representatives in St. Bill and St. Claimer. On the second day of the Otaki meeting the latter conceded Captain Shannon a couple of stone, and beat him easily. St. Claimer is out of Faulthra, by Foul Shot — Volunteer mare. He is trained by W. Millsn at Xoriuanby.

A special meeting of stewards of the Masterton Racing Club was held on Wednesday last, when it was decided to purchase a totalisator similar to that in use by the Hawke's Bay Jockey Club.

Fifty -entries have been received for the Wairarapa Hack Guineas, 1906. The list includes several well-bred yearlings, the progeny of Swordfish, Saracen, San Fran. Mali aki, The Workman, Robin Adair, Worry, Merrie England, Gipsy Grand, Sir Lancelot, Paddy's Land, Torpedo, Eton, Knight Errant, Lethe, Mauser, Strathbraan, Master Agnes, Fraternite, Lakeshell, Orion's Belt, Rebellion, Conqueror, St. Ilario, Hotchkiss, St. Clements, and Soult. The principal

nominators are Mr C. J. Tully (who has en gaged five yearlings by Saracen) and Messrs J. Cotter and J. Macara, who each have three representatives A local syndicate is negotiating for the purchase of Pilgrim's Progress. Messrs A. J. Abbott and H. F. Johnston have been appointed the Wellington Club's delegates at the Racing Conference. The metropolitan club has again made application to the Racing Conference for Labour Day for its spring meeting. The Otaki Club, which at present has that date, has been asked to select another. Applications from Waikanae and Greytown for the registration of new clubs were declined, as it was con sidered there is already enough racing clubs in those districts.

A plough gallop has just been completed on the Horowhenua track, and trainers there also have a grass track and sawdust tracks to work on. A. J. Shearsby, who occupies the boxes erected by the chib, is the principal trainer there, iiapids and Blink Bonny are running out by day and boxed at night. Sir Geraint is going to winter at Palmerston. Whataroa is also going to his owner. Nitrate is making a good recovery from the accident she met with at Otaki. Probability (by Tha Possible— Seraph) an,d a filly by Sir Lancelot —Total Eclipse, both two-year-olds, have just been taken up. The members of the team, are Elton, Flying Cloud, Seagul, and Valima. Regulation is engaged in the hurdle races at the Hutt.

Hukaaka and Martin O'Brien, which are owned by Mr A. Smith, of Wellington, are trained by Arrnitage at Palmerston North. Both horses are entered at the Hutt. Martin O'Brien won a double at Kaikoura las! Boxing Day.

Stewards' Handicap .. .. Mirimar Hack Handicap .. Parliamentary Handicap Wellington Steeplechase First Hack Hurdles .. .. IV inter Hurdle Handicap .. Cc Aro Hack Handicap 3nelow Handicap . . . . . . Frial Plate Fuly Steeplechase Winter Oats Handicap .1 Final Hurdle Handicap . * Second Hack Hurdles .. .. rhorndon Hack Handicap .. .. 25 .. 32 .. 27 .. 24 .. 25 .. 24 .. 35 .. 24 .. 23 .. 34 .. 35 .. 27 .. 26 .. 40 27 19 29 22 40 26 31 27 27 25 38 28 41 26401 406