WELLINGTON.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume III, Issue 145, 4 May 1893, Page 5

WELLINGTON.

May 1.• Matters sporting are very stagnant here at present, and there is scarcely anything to write about. The Wellington Racing Club have not yet published their Steeplechase programme, but it is understood that it will be as stated in my last notes. The United Hunt Club objected to having Wednesday, the 12th July, for their Steeplechase meeting and applied to the Metropolitan Club to alter it to Saturday, the 15th July. At a meeting on Friday last the stewards acceded to their request and granted them the Hutt course for the Saturday. The United Hunt stewards were to have held a meeting on Friday to appoint officers and arrange programmes, but the Premier’s death caused if to be postponed until one day this week, so that nothing has yet been done.

The ‘ Rotorua,’ which arrived here on Friday morning from Picton, brought over E. Cutts, who went on to Lyttelton with Awarua Rose and the three horses he purchased at Redwood’s sale, viz., the brood mare Awatea, dam of Grip, and two yearlings, one a bay colt by King Colt from Contessa and the other a bay colt by King Cole—Wainui. Mr Nat Nathan’s Stockfish returned by the same steamer and went on by Saturday morning’s. train to Napier, where he is to be trained by R. Gooseman, Mr Hunter’s trainer.

The Wellington Trotting Club is making steady progress, and has enrolled 32 new members during trie last few weeks. Their new course at Miramar is nearly completed, and should the present fine weather continue it will be in capital ordei for the meeting.

Mr J. 0. Hayward, of Kaiwaiwai, Wairarapa, passed through on Saturday with a fine yearling filly by King Cole which he purchased at the Spring Creek sale. I am informed that the two lots which were knocked down to Mr H. Redwood at the sale, viz., the brood mare Figure Head and the chestnut yearling colt, by King Cole—Wai, were not for himself but a friend, I have not heard whom. The old veteran has cleared out everything. Things at the Hutt are jogging along slowly. The training track is in pretty good order, and the course never looked better. The caretaker, Mr Napier, has for some reason or other left the club’s

service, and his successor has not yet been appointed. A. Peters is still working Bide-a-wee and Houp-la, who will both be wanted for the Winter Meetings, and in addition he’has charge of Mr C. Tate’s trotter Conway and the Mute 3-year old which that gentleman purchased at W. Douglas’ sale at Te Mahanga. W. Davies has got the jumper Jacob doing good woik. This horse will be dangerous for whatever he goes for at Egmont, as he has plenty of foot and is a splendid jumper. He is well now, the first time for a couple of seasons, and has already won two hurdle races during the last few weeks, one at Wairarapa and one at the Hutt. Swordbelt and Kent, who are also in Davies’ charge, are taking it easy. The former has not yet fully recovered the strain he got in the Great Easter Handicap. The hack Nimrod has also been entrusted to Davies and I hear he is coming on nicely. Young James has the hurdler Donald Dinnie in work. The mare Heath, by Ascot — Vanity Fair, who met with an accident just before the Wellington Autumn Meeting, is still hors de combat. She has slipped her hip, and is not likely to be able to do any work for many fnonths. Mr T. Grace’s three-year-old Tim Pippin, who is also training at the Hutt, is coming on rapidly, and has the makings of a very useful horse. I BY WIRE. I Tuesday.

One hundred and five entries were received last night for six events of the Wellington Trotting Club’s Meeting, viz.:—2l for the Maiden, 17 for the Mirama Park Handicap, )8 for the Pony Trot, 12 for the Wellington Trotting Club Handicap, 18 for the Selling Trot, and 19 for the Electric. The entries for the principal event are Dakota, James, Fragment, Dusk, Nellie, Billy Buttons, Tinker, Peter, Henloper, Clyde, Conway, Tuesday.