WELLINGTON NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3003, 4 October 1911, Page 56

WELLINGTON NOTES.

(From Our Own Correspondent.) September 30. The Otaki Maori Racing Club had a successful day en Dominion-Day and Monday . last. The su.-i of £16,130 was passed through the totalisator, ; an increase of £7936 on the corresponding meeting last year. For the first time Sir Geo. Clifford's colours were carried at the meeting. His representative, Countermine, took part in the big race-on the first day of the meeting, and was sent out favourite. She was evidently short of a gallop, aaid finished in the ruck, but will'ho doubt do better later on. Equitasv, who is pretty forward for so early in the season, ran second to Projectile (Torpedo—Cbi-nfe-lian), who was in, receipt of nearly three stone. The stewards challenged Equitas's running, but accepted the explanation given by the owner as satisfactory. Mr J. R. M'Donald, a prominent official of the club and patron of J. H. Prosser's stable, won three events with Te Kahurangi (Conqueror—Valance), Kina ;St. Ambrose—Seashell),' and Te Ru (Birkenhead—Eider). The last-named is trained at Feilding by A. Afwood, a successful man with hurdle horses. He won the Maiden Race with Adare (Sweet Simon—Colleen), one of Mr Frank Moore's breed. He beat a useful filly in Our Queen (Birkenhead — Indian Queen), who scored on the second day. She is a half-sister to Aborigine, and may go into J. W. Lowe's Trenthaim stable, where Mr Parker has already placed Fort. William. The St. Ambrose colt St. Bees scored two seconds on the first day and won on the second. W. Davis, the Trenfcham trainer, who has not had much luck lately, won a race for one of his patrons with Deploy (Field Battery—Katriona), and took the big race on the second day with First Battery (Field Battery—St. Winifred). ' The successful light-weight horseman C Emerson rode both winners. The successful light-weight horseman was also upon Otahu in the first race he won, making three wins. W. Young had a similar record. Otahu also won on the second day when, ridden by R. Lawless, son of the owner-trainer. Otahu is by Nestor—Vapour, and is half-brother to Ngaruahoc, a horse Bill Keith took to Victoria and won races with. Vapour belongs to the Linament family. Lotion., Tradewind, and other per ; formers are related. J. Fryee won a Trial Handicap with Aurora (Conqueror—Marquis mare), who used to be a stable mate of St. Bees at Levin. Mr S. Messena. who did not win. a race last season, won a hurdle race on the opening day with Motoa"s brother, Waioru. C. Pritchard won a race with Rongomou (Conqueior—Punawai). By the Moeraki, which returned from Sydney on Wednesday, Mr G. D. Greenwood's Bandiera and Messrs Stead's Canute also returned to Yaldhurst from Sydney. Your correspondent has to chronicle with regret the death of Mrs .Fred Tilley, wife of the well-known Fordell trainer. The deceased lady was very popular with racegoers who had the pleasure of her acquaintance. She was as good as a mother to the boys connected with the Fordell stable, and Mr Tilley is to be sincerely sympathised with in his bereavement.

At the Otaki meeting Septimus was submitted to auction, and sold to Mr Whitehouse for 50 guineas. The iocai contingent did not meet with much success on the opening day at Wanganui. J. H. Frosser won the Hack Hurdle event with Hawick, whose dam, The Hempie (half-sister to Norton), won as many mile and three-quarter hurdle races as any horse the writer can remember, An interesting item of stud news from Napier is that Gossin (dam of Bobrikoff) has produced a filly to Royal Fusilier, _ At the Racing Conference the appointment of stipendiary stewards was lost by the action of the Wellington Racing Club in opposing the question. Mr W. H. Turnbull, one of the delegates appointed to represent the club at the conference, resigned on account of the decision of the stewards of the olub to oppose the paid officials. Mr Turnbull has a. notice of motion on the order paper at the annual meeting of the club this week, and spoke in-favour of the proposal. He was. heartily supported by Mr J. J. M'Grath, a local lawyer, who races as Mr P. Sai«field, and other members. None of the stewards,of the club made any objection to explain why they tilled the proposal at the Racing Conference. When any proposal is brought up a . well-known southern, delegate generally opposes it as. the cost will be too great. This was one of the arguments used asrainst the paid official. Considering that the levy on chubs in connection with the league which has been formed to secure the retention of the machine will run into £2500, the question of cost does not hold good. The appointment of paid officials to conduct the racing is more likely to help the machine from getting wiped out than all the leagues that can be formed. Insticking to his guns and getting almost the unanimous support of the members of the club, Mr Turnbull has done the Dominion good service. If the officials of the club, excepting one or two prominent owners, know ■ nothing about the conduct of racing, they are socially in the first rank, as hosts and entertainers.