SPORTING.

Taranaki Daily News, 4 July 1925, Page 9

SPORTING.

THE WELLINGTON MEETING. PROSPECTS FOB NEXT WEEK. RECENT FORM DKKRJSSEft (By “Moturoa.”) The Wellington Racing Club’s winter meeting opens at Trentham on Tuesday, and will be continued on Thursday and •conoluded on Saturday. The principal events tn be decided on the opening day | are the Wellington Steeplechase, the Trentham Hurdle Race, and the Members* Handicap. On Thursday the Parliamentary Handicap will be the principal attraction, there being no open steeplechase on that day. The follow- ] ing Saturday will see interest centred upon the Winter Hurdle Race, the July ■Steeplechase., and the Winter Oats Han- , dicap. Splendid acceptances are carded for all the first day’s events, and for the Winter Hurdle Race (run on the last day), and, provided favourable weather prevails, a good meeting is assured. Trentham, at this time of the year, is not the most delightful spot in the Dominion, and usually the winter meeting is got off to the accompaniment of rain and mud. Nevertheless the gathering draws a big quota of sporting enthusiasts from all parts of New Zealand, and. in spite of the racing conditions, well backed horses generally win the majority of events. In recent years Taranaki stables have not been strongly represented at the meeting, but next week our team is a strong one, including good horses like Income, Yoma, Lochson, Eerie, Tuki, Sanforte, Crossfire and several likely hacks, and the gathering is therefore of more than usual interest. The Wellington Steeplechase, 3<4 miles, has attracted a nice field of eleven, including two previous winners of the race —First Line (1020), .and Omahu (1024). Of the .pair Omahu is probably quite as good as he was when he triumphed by a head over the crack southerner, Pamplona, last year, and but for making a mistake at the top of the hill in the last round, would certainly have been first or second in the Great Northern Steeplechase last month. Omahu has gone on the right way since racing at Ellerslie, and Mr. Jas. Bull iis again very confident of success at I Wellington. I (First Line, on the other hand, ap[pears to have passed his prime, though Mr. Alf. Wright will not have it that the old fellow is really a spent light. Gobo, Nor’-West, Kiatere and Master Strowan all won the Wellington Steeplechase twice, and Omahu’s prospects of .repeating the feat read better than those of First Line.

Omaha's principal opponents on Tuesday appear to be Eerie, Tuki and Fireblight. Eerie won nicely at Napier, and Tuki and Fireblight have run splendid races this autumn. Eerie has her full share of weight, and is unsound as well, but the soft going will be in her favour, and she is now an accomplished Jumper over big fences. Tuki has won once, and run four thirds (including the Great Northern Steeples) in five starts, and should again be prominent. Fireblight has a third and a close second to her credit in the last two starts, and when you consider that the daughter of California won two out of her only three starts last season—both victories being In hack steeplechases at (Trentham —she must bo summed up as La possibility. Probably this quartette bwill carry the bulk of the money on ['Tuesday,' and, barring accidents, they ; (should give their backers a good run for their money. Omahu and Fireblight are reported to be favourites for the race. The Members* Handicap, one mile, with fourteen acceptors, appears open. Income has a good load, and the mile and a-quarter race on the second day may be more to his liking. Alarie has been galloping well at Wanganui, but may find Kilfaire a tough proposition I at "a difference of lib. Kilfaire relishes i soft going, and won there last year. Arch Salute is another partial to Trentham, but his recent form has been

poor. Zircon, with a first, a second, and a third in his last, four starts, is on the up-grade again. The Ost. division does not appear to be strong, and Kilfaire, Alarie and Income should account for them. The Trentham Hurdles and Vittoria Hurdles may throw some light upon the second “log” of the big “double,” the Winter .Hurdle Race, for which no penalties are incurred, the clause reading! “The winner of any race or races on the same day shall carry 71b penalty. No penalty to be incurred in open events for wins in races with hack conditions,’* The dozen acceptors for the Trentham Hurdles include ten candidates for the Winter Hurdle Race, while All Wind figures in the Vittoria Hurdles, and in the Winter Hurdles. Puwhero’s mission is apparently the Trentham Hurdle Race, the All Red gelding not being entered for the bigger hurdles. Dubious, Bonibrook and Goldpiece are a consistent trio engaged in the Trentham Hurdles, while the fifteen paid up for in the Vittoria Hurdles include good ones like General Carrington, Many Colours and Kendall. Another pretty race on Tuesday should be the Stewards’ Handicap, six furlongs, in which sixteen hold their ground. Koodoo has raced consistently this year, but three wins have given the handicapper reason to take good care of him at Trentham. Imperial Spark does not like the going too heavy, nor does Lucius, and present indications are that the track will be more to the liking of Yoma and Kuhio next week. With a brace of seconds and a third in four starts, Yoma has been unlucky lately, but it is quite on the cards that he will do better at Trentham. The hack steeplechasers likely to be seen out at the meeting are not strong in numbers or in quality. Frenchman, who has won three races in the south lately, standing out on his own. He has a good weight, however, and may find Kaika a tough proposition at a difference of nearly 2st. The other minor events have filled well, 27 remaining in the Te Aro Handicap, seven furlongs, and 23 in the Trial Plate, six furlongs. Speedy hacks are engaged in both events, notably Anticipate, Pantagruel and Rowley in the Te Aro, and Padonna, Willow Wai and Olympic in the Trial. Riding engagements pencilled for Tuesday’s races include the following:— Omahu (L. G. Morris), Black Art (A. McDonald), Fireblight (W. Bowden), Eerie (8. Henderson), Sanforte (0. Mason), Dick (P. Mcßrearty), First Line JJ. Proctor), Frenchman (A. McMullan), Windemere (A. Ruthven), Kaika (A. McDonald), Birkenella (H. Gordon), Dubious (H. McSweeney), Lucullent (N. Rowe), and Blue Hall (11. Burt).

The New Plymouth horses engaged at Trentham will be railed through on Monday. Thia does not give them much time to find their legs, and they may be seen to more advantage on the later days of the meeting. White Comet, which galloped well at Trentham on Thursday, will be ridden by A. Tinker at the meeting. L, Pine will pilot Blue Peter in his Wellington engagements. The gelding is at home in the mud, though the opposition may prove a trifle too rich for him. Stewart Waddell has turned out quite a number of Trial Plate winners at Wellington, and this time the stable will be represented, by Father O'Flynn. RACING FIXTURES, July 7,9, 111.—Wellington R. C. winter. July 18.—South Canterbury Hunt Steeples. July 123. —Wai mate Hunt Steeple. July 23, 25.—Gisborne R.C. Steeple. August I.—Christchurch Hunt Steeple, i August 11, 13, 15.—Canterbury J.Q. I Grand National. TRAINING NOTES, By Telegraph.—Press Association, Wellington, July 3. Rain overnight and heavy showers during training operations made matters anything but pleasant this morning at Trentham. The sand track was open and some useful track work was done on it by horses engaged at the meeting. V. H. Colello arrived with Fireblight and Nine of Spades yesterday and had them both on the track. Fireblight looks all the better for her racing in Hawke’s Bay. She will be ridden by W. J. Bowden in the Wellington Steeplechase. H. Hickey brought Olympic to Trentliam yesterday, but the chestnut was not brought to the track this morning. H. S, Greene worked the new . arrivals Koodoo, General Carrington and Jubilee. General Carrington has lightened nip a little after his strenuous racing at Hastings and Napier. Comical strode out very strongly over two rounds on the sand. He looks in rare budkle. The Strand arrived yesterday under the care of his owner, A. Potter. Ho was out doing pace work this morning. IV. H. Patterson’s pair Zircon and Uralla were given useful tasks and both look very well. Eerie, in charge of E. Murtagh, arrived this morning. Lucullent (N. Rowe) was schooled over three hurdles and then did two rounds on the sand at a good threequarter pace. RACING IN ENGLAND. By Telegraph.—Press Assn. — Copyright. London, July 2. The Prince of Wales Stakes resulted: Soisrio 1, Obliterate 2, St. Germans 3. Seven started. Won by II lengths.