Late Racing.

Observer, Volume XXXIV, Issue 24, 21 February 1914, Page 23

Late Racing.

The acceptances for the Otahuhu Trotting Club gathering must have been pleasant reading to Mr. F. D. Yonge. There are plenty of horses in work at Alexandra Park. On Saturday afternoon.quite a number of people were present to see the work. C. Herd has Grampian, Miss Dexter, and Kirikiriroa all in good fettle. Victor G. f«nd Victor Rrval in H. Gladding's capable hands have come through a careful ['reparation. G. Malcolm on Saturday put Sundial, Phillistina, and vVynotte • through their paces, and the trio are as fit as hands can make them. W. Wilson has the promising maiden candidate, Huia Gray, is splendid fettle. R. Hall has Ripi Cassling and Louie Caster up to the collar and the pair bear evidence of the care and attention paid to them. Mr. W. Glasgow has his one pet lamb, Captain Rasier, in good nick and should keep the maidens' com- •} pany. ] Harry McNae has Silver Black, Lieutenant and Lady Rasier bowling along in great heart. One of the team should catch a heat at the meeting. Dick Fly last week was putting in some meteoric three-furlong dashes, with W. Crange handling the lines. Wallace M. and the rest of the team are all well. W. A. Seatt's little Australian pacer, Kitty's Tux, by Tuxedo, looks at fit as can be. This horse has not had the best of luck since landing. Recently when at the Te Kuiti races the writer ran across an old friend, Mr. M. S. Laurie, of Te Awamutu, whom he had not seen for quite a long time, and found that Mr. and Mrs. Laurie had been doing the errand tour of England and the Continent. Mr. Laurie at one time owned and raced a few horses in Auckland. . He made a start with Priselda, then followed King Cannibal, and that little equine gem, Lady Marion, by that great racehorse Malua. Mr. Laurie

also raced Repitition and Zulika under lease. Mr. Laurie did not let the grass grow under his feet on arriving in London. On June 2, 1913, he made arrangements to see the great English spectacular equine show —the Derby—and starting off from Russell Square en route for the Derby in a four-horse coach it took four hours to cover the 15 miles to the course. The first few miles all the traffic move en masse, not even a private motor-car being permitted to pass the "King of Pearlies" with his modest donkey cart and Mrs. Lloyd. The entrance to the course is free, the grandstand prices running from 5s to a guinea with standing room only. The attendance was approximately 400,000.

Mr. Laurie was not enamoured with the course or surroundings, and, take away the glamour of its being the greatest racing spectacle on earth, would prefer Australian and New Zealand racing and appointments any time, and thinks that we have not much to learn from dear old conservative John Bull at the racing game. Mr. Laurie witnessed the suffragette upset His Majesty's horse Anmer, by Florizel—Guinea Hen.

Mr. Laurie is quite sure that the winner, Craigmour, would never have been disqualified in this part of the world. Mr. Laurie watched the race closely (having backed the winner), where the mix-up occurred, but it did not materially affect the race. Most people on the course knew nothing about the sup-v, posed, interference till they got back to London. No charge is made for bookmakers to bet, consequently plenty of welching goes on. Mr Laurie witnessed some victims set fire to a brake used by a welcher, and nothing but the tires remained. Hard luck for the owner! Mr. Laurie visited other racing centres —Hurst Park, Alexander Park, and Sandoson Park—but, taken on the whole, Mr. Laurie is of opinion that for solid comfort and good clean, orderly racing, they do not compare favourably with the sport " down under."

Mr. and Mrs. Laurie enjoyed the trip and have come back more than ever satisfied with the land of their nativity, " little New Zealand."