NAPIER.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume III, Issue 106, 4 August 1892, Page 5

NAPIER.

July jo. The weather which has prevailed here lately has been what may be described as beastly, and the horses have been able to do very little work at Hastings. The Hawkes’ Bay Trotting Club have obtained a new ground, located on the main road, a little way out of the town. Mr. W. Stock, of Stratford Lodge, bought the property and leased it to the club. The ground is one that will stand any amount of rain, and is surrounded by t re es—a pretty place withal, more like a picnic ground than anything else. The club will lay down a good track, and as they will have permanent use of the enclosure, will be able to cater for the public convenience by erecting buildings, etc., on it. A meeting of the committee of the club was held the other night, when a programme for the next meeting was drafted, being given in prizes. The principal event is the Hastings Trotting Handicap of 50S0VS, three miles in saddle. The meeting will be held on a day between the Hawke’s Bay Jockey Club’s Spring Meeting and the A. and P. Society’s annual show. The Waipawa County Racing Club, which always has such successful gatherings at Kaikoura, shows a good balance sheet this year. The annual meeting is yet to be held, but the secretarj (Mr. E. Gray) has favoured me with an advance copy. The receipts are as follows :—To balance Ist August, 6s. 9 cl; members’ subscriptions, is. ; nominations and acceptances, os. 6d.; sale of privileges, 13s. gd.; ground receipts on race days, 3s. ; proceeds from totalisator, 19s. 6d.; receipts training track, /21 ; contractors’ deposits, £8 ; surplus selling race, £z 125.; total, l6s. 6d. Expenditure —By stakes paid to owners, /'650 155.; salaries, expenses, etc., /'igo 12s. id.; printing and advertising, 18s,; expenditure on property, 5 s - > expenditure training track, 15s. ; Government tax on totalisator proceeds, 2s. 6d.; contractors’ deposits returned, fixed deposit in Bank of Australasia, 5 balance current account, 31st July, 1891, Bs. 4d. With these two last-named items in the expenditure the total is l6s. 6d. Assets —Buildings, etc., Bs. nd; unpaid fees, £$ 2S -5 amount on fixed deposit, ; bank balance, Bs. 4d. Liabilities—Rent and salary, ; sundries, £~l 6s. Stowe, who has leased Maher’s stables at Waipukurau, will locate his string of horses there in a few days.

Rowley, who trains for Mr. Gaisford, is taking up two or three horses who have been having a holiday in the paddock. [by wire.] August 2nd.

1 am privately advised that the Australian horse Dreadnought, by Chester— Trafalgar, has been bought, and will stand in Hawke’s Bay next season. Ido not know whether Mr. Ormond has purchased him, or has formed one of a syndicate. Wednesday.

The purchaser of Dreadnought is Mr. Ormond. The negotiations closed this morning, and I believe he was obtained very cheap, the price being £l5OO. Mr. W. T. Jones gave £2600 for the son of

Chester, who unfortunately never ran in his colours. Dreadnought will be a valuable acquisition to the district, and as there are some well-bred brood mares here, his progeny should be valuable, and a good strain of blood introduced into the Colony. Mr. Ormond is to be commended on his enterprise. A section of local sports have great faith in Kaimanawa for the Grand National Steeplechase. He is in very fair condition, has never fallen in his life, and shaped fairly well when he ran third to Ingarangi in Wellington. He is getting the finishing touches put on him in Patsy Butler’s stable. I believe that after the Christchurch meeting Captain Webb and Commotion go to Australia. Gondolier is now being treated to a well-deserved spell.