CAP & JACKET

Observer, Volume XXXV, Issue 48, 7 August 1915, Page 14

CAP & JACKET

[By the Early Bird.]

There was great activity in Hunt Club circles last week, no less than four meetings taking place. "Woodlands, Waimate, North Taranaki and the Pakuran!ga Hunt Club meetings were run off.

The Woodlands meeting was fairly successful. The club's staff handled 1 £4421 during the afternoon.

The following were the winners:— Hunters' Hurdles, Abercoed; Hukaniuii Hack, Chatto; Woodlands Hunt Steeplechase, Bandalero; Hernia, Hack, Coniska; Mangabutu Handicap, Chillies; Final Steeplechase, Meltua; the Hunters' Flat Race going to Merry Jack.

The North Taranaki Hunt dub meeting was also successful, the totalisator registering £6544 for the afternoon.

Wairea captured a couple of heats, the Hunters' Flat Handicap and the Lepperton. Hunters' HurdHes. Flying Camp accounted for the Stratford Hack. The Ladfies' Bracelet Steeplechase went to King Victor. Fortify was equa.l to landing the Waihi Hack, a.nd Expedition' beat the opposition fairly easy in the North Taranaki Hunt Cup. The concluding event, the Opunake Scurry, went to Welcome Nugget. Tihe Pakuranga Hunt Club's meeting has come and gone again. As predicted in these columns, the P.H.C. fixture was , a success. There ■was good attendance, a big tote turnover (£1,085 10s), and last but not leaet really good l racing. The meeting was admirably handled by Mr F. D. Yonge, assisted by the stewards and an able staff. Things went as merrily as the proverbial marriage bell. The racing was of the consistent order right through the day. Mr F. Wilson's , Waimai captured the opening event, the Maiden Hunters' Steeplechase, later in the afternoon adding the Hunt Club Steeplechase to his lucky owner'si credit. Mr E. Mickle's Ambassador, the runner-up in the aibove event, returned nearly a tenner for second dividend, and subsequently was in the same position.' in the Hunters' Hurdle, payinig nearly a fiver. Another consistent performance was put up by Mr A. L. Raven's Fionmuala, which was second to AchiUius in the Sylvia Park Handiafterwards 1 put in a brilliant finish in the Auckland Welter Handicap, paying the dividend of the gathering. Mr C. Hammond's Master Leslie also nan two good races, finishing third in the Maiden Hunters' Steeplechase and second 1 to Waimai in the Pakuranga Hunt Cup Steeplechase. There was a great chance for the "all l up" punters. A soy. on Ambassador in the Maiden; Hunters' Steeple (2nd), up on the Hunters' Hurdles, another second, wouild have returned! lapproximateuy £50. Another good show that the "all up" brigade had was on Mr A. L. [Raven's Fionnuala, the runner-up in the Sylvia Park Handicap. One pound! invested on this event and played up on. the same animal in the Auckland' Welter Handicap would have realised about a century. One of the features of the P.H.C. fixture was to see the juveniles under silk for the first time. They

stood like old stagers at the barrier but the send-off startled some of them and a straggling atart resulted. But the starter, C. O'Connor, had very little trouble witli them and it was quite a treat to see the kaleidoscopic blend of colours swinig round into the straight with Lady Jack, Cultriform and Juanna the centre of attraction as they battled out the finish gamely up the straight.

Prior to the start, when going out ■for the preliminary, the colt by Pu-kaki-Elf, J. Buchanan's mount, acted a hit coltish and in trying to turn him the young one came down and the luoky' James secured a shaking up only.

The owner of Sabretasehe was not present to see the mare score a meritorious win in the Liverpool Steeplechase. This well conditioned mare did not surprise the course watchers as she had! put in a solid preparation both on the flat and over the fences and. was dressed in her best.

Eighteen juveniles made up the field in' the two-year-old parade and those that appeared very forward were: Lady Jack, Cu'ltriform, Juanna, Eralf, Benzonian, Whitehall, and Kitsea.

The successful riders were: G. Henderson (2), Tappj, C. Scott, Rae, Dr. Grant, T. Chaplin. D. O'Connor rode two seconds and J. Anderton had a credit of three thirds on Golden Glow, Dunrobin and Transfer.

The best pool on the totalisator, £4000, was in the last race, the Auckland 1 Welter Handicap. The ■get even division piled on the bullion and much to their chagrin, a few who fanciedl the Spalpeen,Waimangu mare Fjonnualla did not back her. The dividend was over £30.

W. Mobberley, the local trainer, is out of the hospital again and attended the races on Saturday against the doctor's advice. The ailment was a stoppage of circulation in the leg by a clot of blood.

W. Mobberley lias had a three-year-old maidieii by Seaton DelavalTauriki placed in his hands to train and it will make a start as soon as it is forward enough. Bert Rae was riding at the top of ■hie form at the P.H.C. meeting. He rode a really artistic race on Lady Sabretaeche,' playing the patient ■game, not once bustling the Sabre-taeche-Casino mare and then getting every ounce out of his mount in the concluding stage from the last furlong. Devastation, which has been on the dicky list for some time, was given a run on Saturday which did! not improve the Australian bred gelding. He finished last but one in the Auckland Welter Handicap, pulling up a bit tender. Glenroy's stock ha® hardened in the market after the win. in the Winter Cup at the C.J.C. National meeting, and at the Pahiatua fixture with 11.3 in the saddle. Captain Mackay has emerged! out of the ranks of the hacks by his win at the Pahiatua meeting, where he scored in the Hack Hunters' Steeplechase race. The Captain lias an engagement in the C.J.C. National Steeplechase. Mr J. D. Kemp, the Awhitu sportsman, has now the First Call and Last Call among equines. The former is , by Wairiki-Bonnie Doon and the latter is by Stepniak-Elec-tra. Mr J. C. Lambess elected not to start his filly Glittering Sands in the Sylvia Park Handicap at the P.H.C. meeting. He thought the little chestnut woxild not act in the heavy going. George Absolum's many friends were pleased to welcome him back to the course on Saturday after his recent illness. Absolum "was in the hospital for a few days when his ailment was at the worst stages. J. King will have charge of Mr Allison's candidate for tihe. C.J.C. G.N. Steeplechase, Ngatoa, which rumoui" say© will probably be entrained! for the South next Tuesday. ; (Continued op Page 23.)