WELLINGTON NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2928, 27 April 1910, Page 56

WELLINGTON NOTES.

Bt OwLooxua.

April 23. From Castlemaine (Vic.) the death is announced of Mr J. S. M. Thompson, a former resident of Wellington. The deceased gentleman was a life member and, popular former vice-president of the Wellington Racing Club. The Highden stable will be represented at the Hawke’s Bay meeting by Gloss, Boanerges, and Nyland. Polymorphous will not race again this season. Perolina and Celeano are to go to the stud. Two West Coast stables were represented at the Nelson meeting. George Murfitt took up Blessbok and First View, but failed to win a race with either of them. The latter was unlucky enough to run second in each of his three engagements. The Tasman —Leap Year gelding is surely entitled to a place among the veterans. He has bean racing seven years, and is now 11 yeare old. Ja.s. Egan, of Reefton, was the other Coaster to put in an appearance. He trains at Reefton, and took up Mangrove, Miss Gift, and Supplement. Miss Gift w*as the only one of the trio to score. She showed winning form at the Greymouth and Reetton meetings. She is a four-year-old mare by Coronet —Keepsake, and was bred in tho H a wot a district*. If the Stud Book can, be relied upon. Miss Gift is not one of the progeny of the St. Leger—Bangle mare Keepsake, who was owned in the Wanganui district. One of the latter’s progeny (Featherston, by Birkenhead) competed recently on the Coast. According to the Stud Book, Peathereton was foaled in 1905, but according to the Greymouth card he is a four yea? old. Coronet was

himself a good' performer, and has sired one decent performer in Coronetted. Miss Gift should have no difficulty in paying her «way on the Coast next season. Perhaps her clam is a mare by Forerunner (Vanguard's half-brother), from a mare named Gift, that raced up Opunake way about 15 years ago. In the big event on the second day the same three runners finished in exactly the reverse order. The winner, Gkn, is the best of Glenogle's progeny that have raced so far. To prove that his win was no fluke he again put down First View with a 101 b penalty later in the afternoon. Glentui placed a third win to the credit of Glenogle, who is making a stud name with limited opportunities. H. Pritchard took across Fares (half brother to Penates) and Ahuapai (half sister to Ataahua), but neither of the pair managed to score. The North Island was not so well represented as usual. The- Hutt owner-trainer, Mr A. Peters, has been going there longer than your correspondent, who saw Awarua Rose win the Jubilee Oup in 1892, can remember. Mr Peters won the Cup two years prior to that with Sincerity. He took across the much-travelled Waiata. On the first day he was beaten by Curator (by »£ure), but on the second day turned the •tables on the Blenheim horse. Mr i-'Septor," who owns Curator, also took the Cup with Fawn Rose, who had a very poor lot to beat. . Auha (San Fran—Riim) is on his way home after competing successfully on the Coast. The only other North Islander to score was Clemain (St. Clements— Vanguard mare), who was .among the winners at the Warrengat'e meeting last month. Balmy Breeze, a winner on the second day, hails from; the Murchison district, and went through last season without a win. She is a four-year-old mare by Hotchkiss. She won two races at Westport last month, and would have won another had she been more judiciously handled by Mr C'urtin, one of the part-owners. Her dam is returned as Seabreeze. This is probably the Sou'-wesfcer—Barbelle horse who competed successfully in the Nelson district about the. same time another Sou'-wester mare (Seabird) was racing there. Seabird is the dam of Gold Bird. She won races in Nelson; also Loveshot (Nelson Cup winner), sire of Gold Bird. The Sou'-wester gelding Moose, who put up a good' record in hurdle races about Christmas time, is to be turned out for a lengthy spell. Riccarton trainer Free Holmes, in company with Mr J. Furze, passed through on the way north this week. They catch the Mokoia for Tahiti, where they tranship into the Mariposa for San Francisco. Your correspondent would not be surprised if they brought back a couple of decent trotteYs. H. Cutts passed through yesterday on the way to Hastings with four members; of Sir George Clifford's team, who will compete at the Hawke's Bay meeting. R. J. Mason also went through on Thursday with Formedan and Lady Reine. The steeplechaser Tilson has been purchased by a patron of G. Delaney's stable, and is being worked at the old Hutt course in company with Gold Bird. Lady Medallist, Truganini, Diabolo, Gipsy Belle, and other successful performers are engaged at the Marlborough meeting. All Red was recently shipped south to his owner at Oamaru, in which district the Stepniak horse will do stud duty next season.

In my last letter mention was made about horses racing three times a day in the old times, and sometimes winning three races. Howie put up such a record at the Le Bon's Bay meeting this month.