SPORTING.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 11508, 2 October 1915, Page 5

SPORTING.

-—— 4 RACING AND TROTTING. NOTES BY "ARGUS." FIXTURES. October 4, 6. 9--Australian Jockey Club. October 8— Huwke'fi Bay Hunt. October 8, 9—rhmedin Jook«y Club. October o—Patriotic Trotting Carnival. October !)—Hawko's Bay Jockey Club. October 14—Masterton Racing Club. October 20, 23—Auckland Trotting Club. October 21. 2'S—South Canterbury Jock*? Club. October 23, 2.t—Wellington R*ci"g Club. October 25 Waipawa Racing: Club. October 2ft—Waverhsy-Waitopau 'Racing Club. October 2o—Wailcato Hunt. October 25—Kaikoura Trotting Club. October 25—Oamaru Trotting Club. October 25, 28— Greyniouth Trotting- Club. October 25, 2ft—Gore Racing Club. October 26, 2"~Grermouth Jockey Club. October 28—North Canterbury Jockey Club. October 28, 29—Poverty Bay Turf Club.

During a recent visit to Wellington) I took the opportunity of visiting the new trotting track and grounds of the Hutt Vallev Trotting Club, now known! as the Wellington Trotting Club. tor a great many years past the sport in Wellington has made little progress. Soon alter it became established m thti Dominion, Wellington and the surrounding districts had ft good many followers of tho sport, but it suffered from bad management and naturally gradually went out of favour. Later, a band of enthusiasts in Petone and further up the valley made an effort re-establish it in public favour, but did not make much headway, chiefly on account of the poor appointments for the races and the small stakes failing tcJ attract good quality and fields. During the last few years the sport haal made rapid progress in the North Island. A good number of well-bred horses have gradually migrated there from the southern provinces, and in addition several imported American! stallions have also done stud duty. The progeny have shown speed, and there is now'a large following of tho sport, especially in the Auckland province, whilo it* is gaining in popular favour) each year. Whilst most other places' have progressed, the Wellington Club has not "one ahead as it should have done. With now. only one racing day a year, tho club can hardly bo expected to place the sport in the position) it deserves in the Empire City, but of late there has been a decided inovo towards better things. Realising that racing on tho Petono borough reserve, with its restricted area, lack of appointments and poor course, would never be of any benefit, the club recently decided to remove its quarters. Hutt Park, where until about ten! years ago the Wellington Racing Club held its meetings, before removing to Trentham, has not since been used 1 for l much sport. It was looked upon by the trotting club as a .suitable place, and after a lot of preliminary arrangements with the trustees of the ground the 1 club finally secured a fifteen years' lease, at a yearly rental of £IOO. Most of the old building* of the racing club will be utilised, by tho Trotting Club. They arc in very decent repair, and although a fair amount will have td be spent to make them absolutely suit- i able, when finished the club will have a ground with really first-class appointments. There is a capital saddling i paddock, with plenty of stalls and boxes, a stewards' stand with all the necessary offices for the conduct of a \ meeting, and a grandstand which, if idled by the club's patrons on its race j day, will show that large crowds have j been present. j

The Wellington Trotting Club hasi had a new six-furlong track laid down. It is of capital shape, the tarns being particularly good, and. there is a fine .stretch along tho hack, while the straight is long enough for .anything. The track'is actually formed on the same style, as that of tho Forbury Park Club, only that it is a, furlong longer. It is fiftv feet wide all round, and as! part of the track is the old course proper, there is a fine sward of grass on; it. On the new portion the grass is coming on well, and by tho time the club's meeting takes place in January it should be in capital order. The club had about £BOO in hand when it started out on the new ground. The} improvements are sure to cost double that amount, but when they are finished the clui) will ha.ve a, ground that should fulfil all its requirements for several years. There should be a large crowd of Canterbury horses attending the Wellington Club s meeting, as tho facilities for travel are much, easier than to other places. In this connection I might ■mention that the club'.4 new ground is easily reached in. ton minutes' walk from the Petone railway station. F desire to extend, to Messrs H. J. Palmer and D. Fraser. two officials of tho club, my best thanks for kindnesses extended during my short trip to the club's course, and for the information which was kindly and readily supplied.

Another change in the working conditions -at jßicearton. marking the advance, of the reason, was inaugurated tliis morning, when the tracks were available ;it five o'clock. The had light proved a serious obstacle, however, and it' was more than half an hour later when the first pair of horses made their appearanee.

AVhen rain set in early this morning the trainers were in hopes that thorn would ho a good downpour toi thoroughly, soak the tracks. It proved to be only s, shower, however, and the: $w drops which fell after daylight were equally ineffective in laying the dust. The outside or' the course proper was open for hoi pes engaged a t the j>unedin' Jockey Chih's meeting, while most of the other horses were worked on tho plough, wliieh was in nice order.

Adjutant and Battle 'live were the first nair out. They were to havp, run a nvife on the course proper. Imit- Adjutant jumped oil' in front at the nineturlong mark. TJutilf I've, was wiih hiin again >»i tho mile post, and they finished together, the mile occupying Imiii 10 Tafrr. on the plough. Flying; Start and Wisebjrd registered Intin 17 2-oscc, while Court, .M;atial heat Harlequin m Imin (8 l-osec

AYandep and Snub, on the course proper. maintained a sound pace 1 throughout a mile and a quarter, tint first- six furlongs occupy hm Imin l(i 1-0 sec and the full journey 2nn'n II '2-5 see. They wen- both going on well) at- the end,

Down, brought. lunr.o by {San Cameron ov<t thf six I'nrlnng'i, covered' ji. mile ami a f|iiiiHci' m '.'niin M- 2~osov on tho plough. 11 to effort lading useful.

Chrysotis was going well throughout a _ seven-furlong spin on the plough, which occupied Iniin 33scc.

Slogan awl Tlk* Comet did Mx furjongs comfortably in linin u'L'.npc on thrt plough. Slogan having a weight, while Snrcialfonii, with a" light pilot, registered 'lniin 17 3-osec

Several el the. two-year-olds ivorfsprinted down the straight. Disdainfill and AVatdancer ran'a, smart halfmile, with little between them at the finish, while Good Hope and Winterbourne wero going freely at the cud of a similar task,

'teiicoro, who lias had ,'jn easy ihno since the Grand National meet inf. has again been taken m baud b\ A. M'AvJay, with n view in vjj^ae;cu]eiil;al

later in tho season. So far he has only had a couple of sprints, each over three furlongs. Medley has made her reappearance on the track, after being nn absentee since the Ashburton meeting, where she met with injuries to one of bear legs. She looks well after her enforced respite. R. J. Mason will not take any of Mr G. D. Greenwood's horses to Wingatui for the Dunedin Jockey Club's spring meeting. The absence of Nones will detract from the interest in the Dunedin Guineas, in which she looked very dangerous, in spite of her penalty. With the exception of Lady Superior, who is trained at Wingatui, all the two-year-olds engaged in tho Dunedin Stakes hail from Riccarton stables. In the Dunedin Guineas, Uedshire represents Wingatui, Wishful comes from

Yaldhurst, and the other four represent two Riccarton staples.

Arrangements have been made for a special train next Saturday night, to bring the horses home from the south

after the Dunedin Jockey Club's spring meeting.

The Chokeboro thren-year-olds, Flying Start and Adjutant, havo got through n. lot of useful work lately, being usually worked m com puny. Flying Start, despite his wind troubles, *is galloping freely, «nd he should win races over short, courses, though he will not bo seen out nt Wingiitui. being rather backward. Until recently Adjutant has shaped disappointingly in his track gallops, but lately there has been a good deal of improvement. As a two-year-old. he was «■ hzv worker, who invariably did better with the colours up. Bearing that fact in mind, many people are already talking about bun as Jikely to prove 'the best oi Sir George Clifford's; three-year-olds in the classic races this .season. The general opinion is that he will stav. His breeding certainly suggests stamina, whilo his sister, Court Martini, got to the nv\ of a mile and half in the Oaks last .spring. There was no special merit in her win, hut Adjutant is in every way a. better sort than his relative. Ibittlo Eve, another of the Chokebore Lodge three-year-olds, did not cover himself with'glory a (, YTanganui, and there is a growing impression that this colt, who is a brilliant galloper on tho tracks, is not over generous. His trip north did him no harm, as was apparent on Thursday morning, when lie was responsible for a very attractive half-mile. A tion oi" that effort would Land him very near the front in the early part of his races. Tho Owners' and Breeders' Association has received several answers to the invitation extended to members of the Cabinet and members'of tho House of Representatives, to be present at the Patriotic Trotting Carnival next Saturday. One and all express the pleasure which it will give, them to be present, and a. motion is to be tabled next week—"That the House adjourn on Friday next in time for members to catch the boat for Lyttelton," so that they will be in time for the patriotic trotting meeting on Saturday. Mrs 11. O. Duncan's American mare Norice, dam of the champion Australian pacer, Derby Chimes." has foaled a. filly to Van Coronado, and will be mated this season with Nelson Bingon. There were so many competitors at the Victoria Park meeting, Sydney, on September 2-3, that fourteen events were necessary to complete tho day's programme. Valhalla, by Hierarch—Peace, is now racing on unregistered courses in Sydney. Last week he carried 9st 51b and won the first division of the Victoria Park Handicap, covering a mile in lmin 42Jsec. At Mentone, Melbourne, on September 23, Rongopai, by Conqueror—Punawai, carried' *~ l(Jst 71b, and won a two-mile hurdle race in 3min 4.7 sec. He was ridden by R* Cameron, while H. Cairns wa<s on the second horse. A claim that the Otahuhu Trotting Club is .setting an example for all rae ing clubs in the Dominion in the matter of supporting patriotic funds was made by the chairman. Mr H. R. Mac kenaie/at the annual meeting of members recently. He .stated inat three months ago the committer decided to subscribe £IOO to the Wounded Soldiers' Fund and to maintain a. subscription of £lO every month until the end of the war. He remarked that in proportion to its fund's the club was doing moro than any otner facing club in the Dominion. The action of the committee was endorsed by the meet ing.

A sensational blood stock, sale is tr take place in France as one result oi the war, and the most important now: item in connection with the sale, which is to take place early this month, it that the eminent -sportsman, 31. Ed mond Blanc, will dispose of the whole ot

his horses actually in training, twenty brood mares of lino parentage, mostly young mares, and' twelve of his yearlings, the majority being fillies.

WAIRARAPA NOTES. (By Telegraph—Special to the " Star.'-*) MASTERTOX. October 1. The local New Zealand Cup candidate Three is going along satisiactorny in his work, but Mr Buick has not yet decided whether he will take His place in the field for the big two-mile event. Mr A. M'Donald, owner of Montana, has offered his services to the defence authorities for service at the front. Six horses with n New Zealand Cup engagement are nominated for the Mnsterton meeting, the entries for which are very good'. Pavlova, Ritialdo, Three, Maniaroa, Plunder and Tangilion are the Cup horses engaged. Otter has been taken in hand again by veteran trainer R. Knox, who also has his old favourite Sir Knox doing light work. After .second forfeits the "vvairarapaowiied Devotion and Probation remain in the Hastings Stakes and Hawke's Bay Guineas respectively. Mr Bidwill owns both horse's, and' also has Deviation engaged at the meeting. Montana and Botanist, from Jamison's Opaki stabie, won. a race each on the first day at Otaki, and the latter acted as ninner-up in the big event on the second day. Included in the field for the Trial Stakes at are some well-bred youngsters. Among those trained locally are Mern'o Poto (Maniapoto— Merrie Chimes). Ked Eibbon (Elevation —Blue Ribbon). Lady General (General Latour--R-omola) and' Fran Bonnet (San Fran —Sunbonnet). Ruatangata did not- run up to expectations at Wanganui. and Jamison has had ba-cl luck lately with him. Tho son of Seaton Del aval has been second on live occasions, his only win being at Nanier in June. T. Pritchard took Orianda to the Otaki meeting, but he failed to get into the place money on either day.

Ilao' dietrust m»y submit each new claim lo dispute, Unanimity ever prevails, Where years of integrity build the repute Of a medicine that always avails. Such decisions are rare, and the sceptics beware Lest vile fraud* should their favour allure; For they know the sad dearth, in such treasures of vrortli As Weeds' Great Peppermint Cure. 36