THE DUNEDIN WINTER MEETING.

Otago Witness, Issue 2934, 8 June 1910, Page 66

THE DUNEDIN WINTER MEETING.

The Duns-din Jockey Club opened! their winter meeting under very favourable circumstances. The weather was excellent for the time of the year, although it became somewhat cold towards the latter part of the day. The attendance was very large, and included sportsmen from parts of the South Island, and also a few from, the north. Matters climatic were not so favourable on the second day, as rain, which set in overnight, was at times mildly in evidence during the afternoon, and the going- was rather inclined to be greasy. Despite this drawback the attendance was again very goodi, and the club will have both a financial and fine sporting success to place on record. It was pleasing to note the splendid muster of people at the gathering, as it furnished ample evidence of the still growing popularity of Wingatui. and as far as could be learnt the general tone of the racing left a good impression on those who had the pleasure of witnessing it. The fields maintained a failstrength numerically, and some good finishes were fought out on several occasions, whilst falls that occurred in the steeplechases did not carry any disastrous results in their wake. All those that coloured on the card went to the post for the Bircliclwy Handicap, and in a good betting race Paragon was made a sightly better favourite than My Lawyer; whilst St. Aidan ranked as third choice. The field looked a good useful lot, and ready for business. Stratagem was a good deal lighter than when winning at Invercargill, and the racing St. Aidan got through at Oamaru had fined him down, and made the son of Montdraad look more up to racing. At the start Paragon" got three or four lengths the worst of the ciMpatoh, and Grand Slam was also a bit slow off the mark. St. Aidan was always in a good position, and drew out to win handsomely when once in the straight. St. Aidan was bred by the Hon. J. D. Ormond, and purchased by Mr J. Buckley with the object of converting him into a hurdler, but after being schooled at Riccarton. he was thrown out of training. St. Aidan was got by Birkenhead from Montdread, by Dreadnought from Montmartre, by Apremont— Martyr, by Daniel O'Rourke—Raupo. Ae a two-year-old St. Aidan won three times out of eight starts. He won his initial race by scoring in the Juvenile Handicap at Napier Park, and his next win. was in the Pioneer Handicap at Riccarton. The Ormond cerise was in great form that afternoon, as after St. Aidan's success in the Pioneer Handicap Zimmerman followed up with the Jubilee Cup, and Oxton completed the "hat trick" by annexing the Randolph Handicap. As a three-year-old St. Aidan ran 13 times, and only scoredonce, and that was when he scored in the Avon Welter at Riccarton. On the previous day he had finished second to Husbandman in the Derby, anci was followed home by Diabolo, Master Soult, Gold Lace, Nobel, and Sunglow. St. Aidan was unplaced in the Great Northern Derby, and his subsequent form was rather moderate. On being purchased by Mr Buckley St. Aidan was gelded, and made his first appearance this season by winning at Waimate. He was unplaced. at Timaru, but ran two gocd races at the recent Oamaru meeting, where he was not too well ridden. Sharpshooter was made favourite for the Tradesmen's Handicap, and was closely followed s by Balacjava. The latter was slow* away, and Octave scored after leading from end to end. This win. gave J. Beale the honour of riding the winning double. Octave, like St. Aidan, ran two good races at Oamaru. On the first day she was badly left, and showed a lot of pace in attempting to concede several lengths to the opposition, whilst on the second day she wad allowed to run out at the turn, and was just beat for second place by Rock Ferry. Octave has always been capable of showing speed, but has been troubled with a tad knee, which, however, now seems sound enough. She was got by Obligado from Quatorze, by Nelson from Tres Deuce, by Traduoer —Gitana, and is thus one of the Gipsy family, of which Calumny, Manton, Gipsy King, and other good horses belong. Twelve was the main for the Provincial Handicap, the chief event on the second day'a card, and Genius took up the running when the field were settled in their stride. Genius, with his "flag" hard at work), -was still showing the way at the far turn, and turning for home the leader was being followed by a well strung out field. At the distance, however, the horses closed: up, and an exciting fight to the post saw Gunboat beat Oronstadt by half ahead, whilst Tikitere was about three part® of a length away, and followed by a close bunch consisting of Bt, Aidan, Paragon, Waiju, Stratagem, My Lawyer, and Genius. The winner was bred by Mr J. C. # NGrigg, and got by Oalibre (son of Light Artillery) from Ripple, by Perkin Warbeek beck II from Aparima, by Apremont— Becky Sharp, by Traduoer—Miss Flat, by Peter Flat from Mountain Nymph, and thus beloners to one of the "oldest familiW

in the Dominion, as the last-named was bred in England in 1855. The chief sprint was formed- by the Wai-rongoa Handicap, and attracted a field of 12, anc" winning honours went to Officious after a good race. The winner is in the same stable as Oblong, who paid the sensational dividend at Oamaru. Officious is proving excellent property to Mr 0. Clarke, as she has von. several races since he "purchased her for something in the neighbourhood of lOOsovs. She was "bred by Mr H. A. Knight, and was got by Finland irom Busybody, b* Aprcmont from Tell Tale, by Traducer. Bu=vbody, the dam cf Officious, was foaled in 1890, and was bred by the Middle Park Stud Company. She also produced a good sort in Busyland, but nothing of much note in a lengthy stud experience. The minor events also provided some very interesting racing, and apart from the bad) wcathor which s?t in the meeting was one of the most enjoyable ever held on the course.