WANGANUI LETTER.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume II, Issue 63, 8 October 1891, Page 3

WANGANUI LETTER.

(from our own correspondent.)

Wanganui, October 3. There is not much doing in sporting matters this week. The only item of interest that has taken place was the Horse Parade, which took place last Wednesday, the following thoroughbreds taking part in it :—Natator, Traducer — Waterwitch; Gipsy King, Le Loup —Gitana ; St. James, Leolinus —Pungawerewere ; Wapiti, King Cole—Realisation ; Puriri, Towton— Waimea ; Vanguard, Traducer —En Evant; Sou’wester, Goldsborough—Seabreeze ; Ascot, Kelpie —The Thorn ; Strenuous, St. George— Strenua. All of these stallions were greatly admired by breeders, and the judges had no very slight task in awarding the prizes. However, their arduous work was got through, and the following was the result:—Mr. R. Ross’s ch s Natator, by Traducer —Waterwitch, Ist; Messrs. Nolan, Tonks & Co.’s b s Gipsy King, by Le Loup —Gitana, 2nd. Natator is looking better than I have ever seen him, and looks every inch a splendid specimen of the thoroughbred; and as he has proved what a sterling performer he was on the turf he should not have any difficulty in getting his list filled. Natator’s progeny have increased the amount of winnings every year that they have been racing. In the first year he was represented by Redwood, who ran one first, one second, two thirds, and once unplaced, the amount of winnings being £175- In the season 1888-89 Natator’s progeny won the amount of 15s. In the season 1889-90 the amount of winnings totalled Z'73l J3S., and for the last season., 1890-91, they further increased the

winnings to the amount of The above shows that Natator can get racehorses, and if he is given a good class mare he should get a racehorse of first-class quality. Mr. L. Holmes’ horse Phormium Tenax broke down this morning (Friday) while doing a gallop on the course. It is a bad break down, and I am afraid that he will not race for a lengthy period, if ever he does again. This is bad luck for Holmes, as the horse was considered to have a first-class show of winning the six furlong hack race at the forthcoming Wanganui J.C. meeting. The trainers and jockeys played their first football match last Tuesday against a team picked from the employees of the Freezing. Company. After a tough struggle the game ended in a draw. The knights of the pigskin meet a team from the Kaierau Football Club on Saturday, and they are pretty confident on making a hard fight for victory. On the following Tuesday they play a return match against the Freezing Company, and as they have gone in for an elaborate banner of white satin, with a horse painted thereon, it is to be hoped that they will be able to finish well under the whip and snatch a head victory on the post. Harry Pell, who has just returned from Australia, has taken charge of Mr. Nugent’s horses, consisting of Stranger, by St. Clair (by Deadshot) out of a sister of the hurdle mare Koromiko; by The Governor —Neta, dam of that well-known steeplechaser Ngata; and Otara Lass, by Natator—Rangitira, who was a good steeplechase mare in her day. Pell will ride these horses whenever the weight suits.