WELLINGTON NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 4048, 13 October 1931, Page 52

WELLINGTON NOTES.

(From Our Own Correspondent.) October 8. The nominations received for the Wellington spring meeting, although some 70 less than last year, are considered satisfactory. Among those in the Wellesley Stakes are this season’s winners Merry Ruler, Rippling Waters, Mister Quex, and Tankard. The race at Avondale improved Historic, and at Ellerslie he just failed to equal his performance in the Mitchelson Cup of two years ago by dead-heating with Prince Vai, who was in receipt of two stone. Historic’s next appearance will be on his own track.

When they failed to get the services of A. E. Ellis to ride Autopay at Sydney the owners of Autopay did the next best thing in engaging M. M'Carten, who has ridden him in his three wins in succession. Both owners are in Sydney, and as the horse has been supported each time, they have thrown in for a good win. The Epsom stake was about £2OOO, and that was his best performance to date, and the first time he had been tried over a mile course. It is another instance of beginner’s luck at the game, as Autopay is the first horse Messrs Aitken and Wood have raced. How he came into their possession might briefly be explained. He was bred by Mr E. E. Lusccmbe in the South Canterbury district and sent to the Melbourne autumn sales. He did not reach the reserve, and was sent back. In the meantime Mr Luscombe shifted to the Masterton district, taking the horses with him. It was there that T. Pritchard. a brother-in-law of Mr Aitken, saw the horse and advised his purchase. They also secured the full sister (Maypay) and dam Trebelli. It is not much use bringing him back here, as the handicappers will have to give him some weight to stop him. The Trentham contingent at Randwick are all entered at Trentham. Lavington’s form in the Trial Stakes was good enough for a maiden race on this side, if he does not win_before he leaves Sydney. . The Kurow Cup winner Admiral Drake is among the southerners engaged at Trentham. He was a useful performer in this island before he went south, and appears to have struck form again. Chopin opened the season with a win by carrying top-weight to victory in the principal handicap event at Napier Park. How he would have fared had My Own stayed at home instead of going to Auckland is another matter. Admiral Drake and Chopin do not incur a penalty for the-New Zealand Cup. Historic’s share of the. Mitchelson Cup was 450sovs, and he is liable to be rebandicapped. He was rehandicapped out of the race two years ago, and was not entered last year.

Three of the Napier Park winners in Manuiri, Aston, and Moa Bird are engaged at Otaki. Manuiri, who put down the favourite in the Hurdles, is trained at Hastings. Mr W. S. Stead’s Pillow Fight had been well broadcast for the two-year-old race, but was beaten by Mister Quex. one of J. Sullivan’s Woodville team, who carries tbe same colours as Mister Gamp and Arrow Lad. Lord Quex sired four of the eight winners during the afternoon. President Cecil Louisson won the Trial with Sabatini (Arausio —Gorlyn), who was a present from Mr F. Ormond, to take the place of Milais, who dropped dead at Wanganui. The Irish-bred gelding Aston beat some better-backed opponents in. the. open sprint race. Brambleton failed in the Taradale High Weight, in which Moa Bird beat Goshawk. The only actual favourite to win was Child Study, who scored in his first win in the County Hack Handicap. He is a stablemate of the Auckland Guineas winner Golden Wings in H. W. Russell’s establishment. There has been a strong smell of smoke from the north for some time, and now it is announced the matter is to come before the Auckland District Committee this week. It is in connection with the Auckland Hack Handicap, won byRoyal Survey, at the Franklin meeting on March 7. The winner was ridden by L. Watson, who came back from India earlylast season. He was riding for W. Stone's Riccarton team at Christmas, and won on Lord Thomond at Waipukurau, also on Arikira there and Manawatu, and the Marton Cup at New Year on Otaieri. Watson travels a good deal, and is not in the Dominion at the present time. Other riders who took part in the race were F. Foster, A. G. Parsons, R. S. Bagby. K. Gill, C. Goldsboro, R. M'Tavish, R. Hall. C. Jenkins, E. A. Kcesing, R. Goldfinch, and H. Gray. The man in the street has it that one of the riders whose mount was unplaced made a statement that he received some £2O for his share in the proceedings. The announcement that the members of Mr C. F. Vallance’s team have been leased probably means that one of the best-known owners in this Island is retiring from the game. Mr Vallance has been associated with the Masterton Racing Club since the old days when it was known as the Masterton-Opaki Jockey Club. As far back as 1886 he won the Members’ Race on Discord. Later on he raced Duke d'Amour and Freebooter, a successful hurdler. For many years until recently he took part in the races for gentlemen riders. For a long time his horses were trained by J. J. Gravestock alongside the course, and when he retired from the business they went to Mrs A. McDonald’s care at Awapuni. A great lover of jumping races Bransfield, Sturdee, and Red Fuschia were three that carried his colours in recent years. For a good many years he was president of the club, and his assistance in different ways has helped to keep the flags flying at Opaki. Mr J. C. Vallance bred horses on the Kahumingi Station before Mr C. F. Vallance started racing. From the Traducer mare Rose d’Amour he bred many good ones, including Ruth, Pasha, Rumour. Cupid, and Duke d’Amour. At the clearing sale of the late Mr Vallance’s stud Rose d’Amour and her Nordenfeldt filly were purchased by Mr W. Douglas, of Hawke’s Bay. The filly was named Rosefeldt and afterwards won a New Zealand Cup. Other progeny bred at Te Mahunga were Armourcux, a Thompson Handicap winner.

Mr W. R. Kemball was on the golf links here on Saturday afternoon, and did not trouble to go to Auckland to see his team race. The racing Lady Pam had in the Flying at Wanganui, also in Higgie Handicap, and in the Flying the first day at Auckland, tuned her up nicely. When it was known George Jones liked her chance in the King Edward Memorial she was sent out favourite and duly won. She had behind her the three placed horses in the Cup the previous day. It was reported she did not run at Riccar ton because she was placed on the same mark as Historic, who won. That maybe the reason why she was not entered for the New Zealand Cup. In the Mitchelson Cup Historic was asked to concede 111 b, and in the King Edward 201 b. Historic wil never be able to do that. It will be interesting to see how the Wellington handicapper treats the pair of good performers in the Wellington Handicap. Mr M. O’Brien, president of the Otautau Racing Club, was on a business visit to Wellington this week. The Breeders’ Plate winner Caramba (Caravel —-Nazetha) is half brother to the Wellington-owned Billion. Caramba is trained by- George Price, and was ridden by Maurice M'Carten. The local owner Mr R. J. Murphy has had exasperating luck trying the last four years to win the Metropolitan. Oratrix was runner-up to Jocelyn. The next two years Concentrate finished fourth, and on Monday, when he showed his best form since he has raced in Australia, he was beaten a head by a 50 to 1 chance in Strength. Bartie is a very vigorous horseman, and had the riders been reversed Concentrate might have won. It is reported that had he won the connections of Autopay and Concentrate would have benefited by the double to an amount running well into five figures. Now that he has struck form, Concentrate may be taken on to Melbourne instead of returning for Riccarton. The second money in the Metropolitan was more than his owner would receive by winning the New Zealand Cup. Although Concentrate and other members of 11. B. Lorrigan’s team are entered for the big meeting at Flemington next month th® chances are thev will return to Riccarton. Mr H. L. (Bob) Nathan did not journey- across to see Lavington (Hunting Song—Heather Spray) race, but although he did not win a race, he is more than bj eased with the way- he ran in the Trial Stakes on the opening day and the Members’ Handicap on the third day. The latter was run in a second and aquarter slower time than in the Craven Plate, in which Phar Lap put up fresh Australasian figures. Lavington is engaged at Trentham, but may not run until the second day-, which would give him a week to get over the trip. There was no bid for Autop.av when he was submitted at Randwick, and unless sold nrivately, he will be brought back for Trentham and Riccarton. He ran fourth in the Shorts with 9.8, and will get some weight here.

J. Pike rode Veilmond when he won the Sydney Handicap, carrying 41b more than

his Metropolitan weight, on the third day at Randwick. It is a pity he was not available for the Metropolitan so that M. M'Carten could have been on Concentrate. It made a difference of £25,000 to the owners of Autopay the head defeat. E. Bartie, who rode Strength, won the Gimcrack. All for Australia (Leighton—• Cheloma), runner-up in that event, is half-sister to Nincompoop, winner of the Breeders’ Plate.