WELLINGTON.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume IV, Issue 204, 21 June 1894, Page 7

WELLINGTON.

[by

WIRE.)

, June 20th. The Hawke's Bay Steeplechase acceptance list contains seven names, and it appears as if Norton will be a starter after all. The lighter-weighted Morag has been • sent me aS a good thing, and may have a show because he is a splendid jumper. Personally I like Tifitea, who, if well,, will absolutely win. He ran third in this race last year, and by the way Norton ran .second. My pick is Tiritea 1, Morag 2, Nort&i 3. Hurdles—Melinite 1, Kulnine 2, Kapua 3. Leontine ought to go very near the Ladies’ Bracelet. A meeting of the stewards of the Wellington Racing Club was held at the’ Empire Hotel, Featherston, on Saturday. Present—Messrs W. Bidwill (chairman), Hutton, Reynolds, Izard, A. Donald, W. O. Williams, A. McKenzie, .Nix, Wilkinson, J. S. Cundy, and Morrison. The treasurer reported a credit balance of £27 1 is, and accounts for £33 were passed for payment. Correspondence was read from the Oddfellows; offering the hall for meetings at five shillings per meeting, but it was decided that this had better be. left to the incoming stewards. Permission to use the training track was given to Messrs Fabin. K. McKenzie and C. B. Pharazyn. Mr W. E. Bidwill offered on behalf of Messrs Bidwill Bros, to supply horses, carts, harrows, etc., for the formation of a new training track if the Club would pay the men’s wages at 255. sef; yeek. It was resolved to accept [essrs Bidwill’s offer with thanks, and a subt committee was appointed to meet to choose a site for the track. A resolution was passed that all members haying any : notices of motion or propositions should have them in with the secretary before the 14th July, so that they can be printed. A correspondent writes me suggesting that the Wellington Trotting Club should do their course up some time before the next meeting, instead of leaving it until the laat week. .He says a lining of clay placed all round the course on the outside for. say, 20 0/ 22 feet wide by 6 inches tjiick' Mid weJd roUed and levelled off, and

the remainder of the track on the inside laid down with a mixture of soil and clay, sown down with grass and clover, and wire run round posts would prevent encroachments on the part of trotters, who could be worked on the part that had been clayed. The best going on the track now is where it is clayed over. If the Club can afford it there is nothing like establishing a good fast track • Yesterday afternoon Mr Halward’s two horses, Kent and Swordbelt, were offered by auction by Messrs Taine and Co., but the bidding was not of a particularly brisk nature. Kent was started at 75gns, and went up to igsgns, at which price he was knocked down to Mr A. Cave. Swordbelt was then placed under the hammer, and from a log start he reached 35gns, at which price Mr Cave purchased him. The saddles, etc., went for £5. The Angler, by Izaak Walton, was next offered, but passed in. Kent, who is by St. George—-Red Rose, looks well, and should pay his way next season if he keeps right. It was thought that considerably more would have been obtained for him, but considering the time of year and the absence of probable buyers I think igsgns is a good price to receive. As for Swordbelt, the son of Necklace, he is not as well as he might be, otherwise he would of course have commanded a much higher figure. The sale was held merely to settle partnership accounts. W. Davis, formerly trainer of Kent, has since purchased him from Mr Cave. Dr. Newman, M.H.R., will’ move at the next racing conference that it is advisable that a New Zealand Jockey Club be established. I received a note yesterday from a Wellington resident informing me that Mr W. H. Sayers, son of Mr Sayers of Melbourne—of Wild Rose (Newmarket Handicap winner) fame —is on a visit to Wellington, but had the misfortune to contract typhoid fever, so that he is now in the hospital. Very good nominations have been received for the Wairarapa Hunt Club’s Steeple Meeting, and a pleasant reunion is anticipated. Fifteen have been entered for the Trial Steeplechase, including Makomako and Kaika. The Wairarapa Steeplechase shows a neat dozen, including Elk, Timothy, Dromedary and Dainty. The latter is in the Hawke’s Bay Steeplechase, and is a son of Ahua. Eight have been nominated for the Hack Race, and sixteen for the Ladies Race, in which a great deal of interest is usually centred respecting the disposal of the bracelet. Seven are in for the Hack Hurdles, and thirteen in the Hunt Club Steeples, some of them being entered for the big Steeples also. A field of seven for the Hunter’s Flat Handicap completes the list. The stewards of the Marton Jockey Club at a meeting the other night resolved upon the qth of November next as the date for their next meeting. Mr Freeth’s Rebellion, by Treason — Mischief, will be placed at the disposal of breeders in the Wairarapa district this season. Timothy’s name does not appear among the entries for the C.J.C. Grand National Meeting. Silent Friend has been nominated for the Wairarapa Steeplechase to be run at the Hunt Club’s Meeting. At the same meeting Makomako is entered for no less than four events.