CAP AND JACKET

Observer, Volume XXXII, Issue 20, 27 January 1912, Page 15

CAP AND JACKET

[Br Thb Eablt Bob.]

Racing Fixtures. January 17 and 18—Gore R.C. Summer. January 20 and 22 — Foxton R.C. Annual. January 20, 22 and 24—Wellington R.C. Summer. January 23 and 24—Wairoa R.C. Annual. January 29 and 31—Takapuna J.C. Summer. February 1 and 2 — Gisborne R.C. Summer. February 1 and 3—Canterbury J.C. Summer. February 7 and B—Egmont R.C. Summer. February 8 and 9—Poverty Bay T.C. Annual. February 14 and 15—Taranaki J.C. Autumn. February 21, 22 and 24—Dunedin J.C. Autumn. February 23 and 24—South Auckland R.C. Annual. February 29 and March 2 — Wanganui J. C. Autumn.

The Otahuhu Trotting Club are out with their Summer programme. The meeting takes place on February 14th and 17th at Alexandra Park, and that very live secretary, Mr F. D. Younge, is as usual at the 'helm. It goes without saying that the gathering will be carried through with the usual success. Trotting is growing more popular every meeting in Auckland. The nominations doee on Friday, January 26th, at 9 p.m. After the recent rains the grass track was in tip-top order at Ellerslie, and most of the work was done on Saturday there. Goldsize, who has done very little since the A. R.C. Summer fixture, was stretched out on Saturday morning on the grass over 4fur, running the distance in 51 2-5 sec. With a good hold of his head he may be taken to Australia in the near future.

The Takapuna Cup favourite Soultoria is very well just at present. On Saturday morning, on the grass, she rattled off 7fur. in 1 32sec, but could have improved thie.

Blue Garment was led to the poet with a light boy in the saddle, in company with Sea Pink. The latter pulled off at the 6fur post and Blue Garment ran out the 9fur in 154 sec. This horse is very well at present.

Amongst the juveniles, Bleriot and Prince Merriwee are doing the best work at headquarters. The former, in company with Launcoet, on Saturday skipped over half-a-mile in 50sec., being in front.

The Thames-owned Invader rattled off 6fur on Saturday morning on the grass in 1 20sec. with a big weight up. This horse should make his mark over timber, as he has plenty of size and looks like a stayer.

Sphinx and a good looking bay gelding, who hails from Pahiatua (by Joe Chamberlain) in Freddy Tonge's stable, had a schooling lesson over the small hurdles. They are a pair of natural leppers. -

Captain Paul aud Cmpinwr had a bout over .ho scl)o.>ii'ig hu»d!<s. The third found t\ u latter <;ub ■] c was jumping wil.ily) nvl he jumped Scott out of vne toddle and was afterwards mounted by a sUble boy and fenced well. Ue chance his fences.

The old roughie Pukewera, with Jack Pinker in the saddle (about lOst) had Mies Ada hard at work at the end of a 4fur spin run in 52sec. on the grass.

Master William and Don Quex jumped the schooling hurdles on Saturday. The latter shaped a bit clumsy, but improves when the pace ie put on.

Tim Howard, who has been in the hospital in Sydney (N.S.W.), is now convalescent, and starts work next Monday. The ex-New Zealander, who is well-liked, has the good wishes of the trainers and jockies at Randwick.

Hoanga has been on the easy list fo r some time and has been under offer to a Victorian buyer. Mr Montgomery received a cable last week saying the deal was of!.

The old gelding Aristocrat, who hai not been hiding his light under a bushel of late, put in a steiling 9iur on the grass on Saturday, running It out in 1 54sec. The old fellow may have a gambling chance in the TakapunaCup. The chestnut gelding Materere, who has gone into T. A. Williams , stable, has not been fencing very well during his schooling last week. He clouts hie hurdles very hard and seems to fence timidly. The energetic ex-Waikato trainer, Freddy Tonge, returns to his old quarters at Ngaruawabia shortly, having acquired a lease of the property. He never leaves a stone unturned to make a success of his team, riding most of the green ones over the jumps himself. Fred is very popular at headquarters among his brother trainers. Lady Dot, who has found it "quisty" ever since the Auckland Spring Meeting, is to get a light blister and a spell.

When the mare left Sydney, The Parisian (Cadonia —Crown Grant) and Jacamar were nominal favourites, Trafalgar coming next. The Anckland horse Maxwell was also in the market in the Sydney Cnp (2 miles).

One of the old school of bookmakers has passed away in Sydney. On the 16th, Mr Tom Yates (late of Auckland, N.Z.) died suddenly. At one time Tom was in a good way of business in Newton, but always being a sport, took to the racing game and bumped up against Carbine in uhe Melbourne Cup and met his Waterloo. He dearly loved a flutter with the spotted ones or the broads, and if be had a good day at the races, would cheerfully give a century a chance at hie club in the evening. He leaves a widow and grown up family in Auckland. .

George Absolum has the successful pair Watchain and Pydlns in steady work again at Ellerslie, the former running a couple of consistent and the latter got left in one race when well supported at the Auckland Summer gathering.

••Doing good by Stealth." Very few of the thousands who visited the Auckland Summer Meeting and saw Sir George Clifford's colours in the van, were aware that after the gathering was over, this real sportsman in every sense the word, sent a donation of 50 guineas to the Catholic Church at Ellerslie. May his shadow never grow leas.

Mies Explosion was operated on for throat troubles some time ago by Mr Ring (a son of Mr William Ring, the Waikato sportsman). The wound has

healed, and the mare will resume work

again shortly. A. Oliver rode three winners on the first day of the Wei-

lington Summer Meeting—Blakeney, Gladiole and Nyland.

Hard luck for the owner of Dearest, the winner of the Telegraph Handicap (ridden by the Auckland jockey Deely) at Wellington. The jockey could not scale the proper weight. Whose fault was it ?

Cynised captured the Wellington Cup, on three consecutive occasions. Mr Hunter's mare was trained by the ex-Auoklander, Bob Gooseman, the trainer of Bliss.

The hurdler Montigo, who got injured at the late summer gathering while being entrained at the Auckland railway station, played up, and came down on the asphalt, bat was ecnfc away last Saturday,