SPORTING NOTES.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XXIII, Issue 9347, 1 March 1881, Page 2

SPORTING NOTES.

By " Soukak." * In noticing the various stables I must necessarily be brief. The number of animals in work this season exceeds that of any previous year, there being over seventy locally-owned horses now in training, the bulk being by Ravensworth, Gladiator, Day Dawn, and Opawa. These, with about a dozen from Canterbury, Napier, and Auckland, furnish the respectable entries that have just been published by the Secretary of the Wanganui Jockey Club, and it is to be regretted that more attention has not been paid to the mares which have been put to the stud. The sires that have been at the disposal of breeders in this district have been class enough for any part of the globe, but have always been mated with half-bred mares, and consequently we can only play second fiddle to such animals as Foul Play, Natator, Libeller, Billingsgate, and others of tbier class ; and it is humiliating to notice that three-year-olds bred elsewhere have been handicapped to give one of our best weight-carriers, Hailstorm, 101 b and three years in the Wanganui Cup, and fit and well the youngster would win. We have the climate, the men, and the money ; why can we not get a score or so high-class mares and let us have the honour of seeing a Wanganui owned and bred horse carrying level weights against . alland comers making a good show? I will now refer to the stables that space compelled me to omit in my last. T. Rowe's horses, Opawa and Blue Gown, are both looking well, ' the old veteran going as determined as ever, while the Derby colt has improved both in style and appearance. R. Mclvor has done wonders since January Ist, as on that date his stable was unable to win even a hack race, and the Derby filly, Scotch Mist, a cripple. Since then the defeated hack Dan has ran third in one of the fastest races of the year, and looks fit enough to going another; and the Derby filly has been got sound and is looking and going as well as could be desired, whilSt Chandler, the oft-de-feated son of Ravensworth, is about a couple of hundred weight bigger than he has ever been. If he cannot now break himself of that nasty habit he has of running for Maiden Plates he never will. Marie Stuart is also on the big side, but I understand does not run until Taranaki meeting. Fred. Potto has also been doing well with his patched-up ones. Raven has been keeping on improving in his hands, although the Wairarapa Hurdle Race gave him a bit of a set-up. He is now getting round, and will run in the District Race. His owner reluctantly decided not to run him over the sticks at present. Bully-for-You, who was broken down so badly that his owner was advised to shoot him, has come to life again, and is apparently as sound as ever. He looks very well, and jumps in his old form. Roman Fall is a big strapping son of Gladiator, and shows a lot of pace. Even if he cannot win races on the flat lie ought to make a

good cross-country horse, and I understand lie jumps very fairly. F. Harrison has Satanella in work. She has grown so big that her trainer has to take her alongside one of the seats in the saddling . paddock to mount her. I predict that this mare will not run into her proverbial place in every race at the ensuing meeting. Esmerald is a nicelooking two-year-old, but I do not predict very great things from her this j season. P. Byrnes has Messenger look- ! ing well, but I notice that he is only engaged in the District Race at Turakina. Tricotrin looks very fair, but is troubled with a leg, which prevents his trainer giving him the amount of fast work necessary. P. Bolten has a big strapping daughter of Elswick in work, and she seems in first-rata trim, her trainer being very confident, keeps his opinion to himself. Perhaps Turakina is this mare's dart. lio is her name ; and last, but not least, is Dr Earle's Ngata. This colt, it will be remembered, won the Rangitikei Produce easily. He has gone on improving, and should have a big say in the Derby. He is in the hands of a well-known amateur trainer, who, I think, will do the colt justice* although I would rather have seen him in a stable with others, where he wouldjhave thp opportunity of being worked in company. Still, he is doing well, and I venture to predict that he will, with luck, be one of the first three when the day comes. Messrs Brewer and Belcher, of Waitotara, have a couple of youngsters in the Sapling Stakes. 8 # I near they are in fair form, as likewise are the Derby candidates Frivolity and Venture, and Camelia is reported on the big side. Mr Quinlivan's pair, Rocket and Redeemer, have, I notice, both paid up for the Cup, and although reported not to be at their best, must have given their owner satisfaction or he would not have thought them worthy of meeting such company as they will have to meet in the "big race." I have expressed my opinion about these two horses before, and I regret that they should not have had every possible show, as they, fit and well, are the two most likely horses to keep this big stake in the district. I notice that the two recent importations, Prairie Bird, 4 years, by Greyskin, and Bylong, 6 yeaite, by Bylong, from, I presume, the same dam, have been entered the former for the Maiden Plate and the hitter for the catch weight race at Turakina; also, Prairie Bird for the Town Plate and Bylong for the Maiden and Eailway Plates at the Wanganui meeting. They have only just landed from Melbourne I hear from the owner. I have been unable to see them stripped, but the four-year-old is said to be a nice mover. At present I cannot say if they have ever been raced in Victoria, but as they are both maidens, the fact speaks for itself, and weight-for-age races are not so extremely easy to be won even at Turakina. However, their running will be watched with interest, and I am glad to welcome any new blood into our midst. I also notice that another Vie« torian-bred horse, Mr H. Harrison's May King, by King Alfred, is entered for the Maiden Plates at Turakina and Wanganui. I am in the dark as to what form he is in. He has just finished a season at the stud, which is not much in his favour. ':.... The following are my selections for Turakina : — Hurdles : Lady Mary or Rangatira, Chandler and BuUy-for-You have a good outside show. The Turakina Handicap should be between Opawa, Banshee, and Dan. The District Handicap : Messenger or Aurora. I should fancy Banshee if she was kept fresh for this event. The Ladies Purse should fall to Monk or Opawa (if ho starts). Scurry Race : Dan. Maiden Plate : Chandler, with lio and Light of Other Days as next best. I am glad to notice that Our Pony, at one time well known here as our fastest trotter, has won a match against Native Cat, at Dunedin, for £300 aside, besides being backed by a sporting publican to win him £300 at 3to 1. The pony received 5 seconds start in 3 miles. There are many complaints about tha training - ground, and certainly not without cause. Worse ground to work on can scarcely be imagined. Strangers all remark that we have the best stand, lawn, &c, and the worst trainingground in New Zealand. Every facility must be offered to our local trainers, or small will be the amount of stakes left in the district. I observe that the Secretary has notified through the Press that no galloping will be allowed on the course proper this week, unless outside the hurdles, which is not suitable for fast work ; and as the training-ground is worse, trainers are at their wits-ond to know where to go. I notice that the Wanganui Jockey Club rules stipulate that every horse will be allowed two gallops on the course proper previous to each meeting ; therefore, the Secretary has no power to prevent any trainer who has paid his guinea having his gallop when it suits his horse. It certainly may not suit every trainer tohavehistwo, or even one fast gallop on next Monday or Tuesday, which, according to the advertisement, are the onlyt wo days available. I hatre been requested by several trainers to call attention to this.