WELLINGTION.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume VI, Issue 282, 19 December 1895, Page 7

WELLINGTION.

Training Notes from The Hutt — Wellington Cup Betting. December 12. With the present fine weather trainers at the Hutt are on the best of terms with themselves. The veteran local trainer, Albert Peters, who is assisted by his sons Harry, the well-known horseman, and Ralph, has a useful string in hand, who should pay their hay under ordinary circumstances before the close of the season. And Austral (the lepper) is allowed a run and a little sunshine in the daytime, and he looks well on it. The black horse, Bona Fide (Sou’-wester—Fides), 4yrs, who met with an accident at the Johnsonville Railway Station, while being shipped to the Otaki meeting, received a nasty cut on one of his hind legs just above the fetlock, but will probably be all right before the end of the month. He is able to work at present; he is engaged in two hack events at Martinborough on Boxing Day. Mizpah, a bay filly by Lord Mandeville^—Clymenus, engaged in the Second Wairarapa Derby next November, should furnish a lot before that time, and may prove a useful sort. Hard Case (Louis d’Or—Mama), an aged chestnut gelding, has failed to earn a winning bracket yet this season, and a three-year-old filly by Voltigeur, a bay with black points, has yet to make her debut in public. A four-year-old chestnut gelding, by Forester—Barbarian mare, with white blaze and one white fetlock, is a useful sort ; he has also yet. to make his first appearance under silk. These are the inmates of the six boxes at Mr Peters’ place at present. He also has running out a six-year-old chestnut gelding, by Puriri — Riddles worth mare.

At Mr W. Davis’ stable, near the racecourse, where the only local Cap candidate (Kent) is located, I saw four useful horses whose form has recently been exposed in public, viz., Kent, Leda, Strathbraan, and Swordfish. They are all strung up and will probably be called upon to do further service this month. Leda and Kent are entered at Palmerston and Opaki, Swordfish at Martinborough, and Strathbraan at Opaki and Martinborough. It is yet undecided where they will go, but the list of acceptances will tell, and Mr Davis is a capable trainer and will secure a fair share of the prizes offered by clubs ; he has the services of a useful light-weight in Leo. Matthews, who is attached to the stable. Mr Isaac, who is the oldest of the local trainers, though only of recent years training from the Hutt, has only two horses in training at present. These are Revolution and Revolt, both of whom scored at the Hutt last month. Revolution has been entered at Martinborough in two races, and has pretty big burdens to carry. Revolt is a horse I have a fancy for in jumping company up to a mile and a half, and he may not race again before the W.R.C. Summer Meeting. P. McGrath, the well-known horseman, is at present in Mr Freeth’s employ. Mr F. Martin’s trainer, H. Fletcher, has Review and Kingslake in work at present. The former is engaged at Opaki and Lower Valley meetings, and the latter at Martinborough. J. Armstrong, who does the riding, is also connected with the stable. If the going is not too hard for Kingslake at Martinborough he should win one or both hack races there. The Chainshot—Sylph filly engaged in the Second Wairarapa Hack Derby next November is being got into shape. Sylph’s yearling filly, by Chainshot, is also engaged in the Third Wairarapa Hack Derby. Sylph, who was one of the first of Mr Martin’s representatives on the turf, is one of Mr Douglas’ breeding, by Javelin —Maid of the Mountain ; her first projeny, Opeti (by Steppo) raced in a hack event at the Hutt last month. Mr Martin has sold Sylph to J. Taggart. The stable presided over by the brothers Jack and Dave Taggart includes the trotting stallion Brooklyn, who is having a good season ; F. 8., by Blackwood —Abdallah, bred by Mr Mace, of Christchurch ; Rose, Little Hero, Kbandallah, Judge [Retford (Judge Beldon—Retford Belle), and Billy Buttons. Some of the team have been entered at Palmerston, and if they race there they will be unable to start at the local meetings.

Rose, Kbandallah, F. 8., and Sylph are stinted to Brooklyn. At Porirua, Mr Josh Prosser has The Miser, his full brother, Gaspard, and half brother, The Baillie (by Flintlock), also Steel King, in work. The Miser has been entered for the Palmerston Cup on Boxing Day ; The Baillie is engaged in the Egmont Hack Sires Produce Stakes, to be run in February. Kaahu has been blistered and turned out. [by wire.] December 16. Previous to his departure, for England the Musket horse Derringer was insured for £5OO. Mr G. G. Stead’s team for Ellerslie, Mauser, Musketry, Bloodshot, Epaulet, and Uniform, in charge of R. Mason, passed through on Friday last. R. Ray took Quiltiri up at the same time. Mr E. F. Yuille reports the following business on the Wellington Cup since last week : —5OO to 5 Wikitoria, 200 to 11 Lorelei, 200 to 8 The Miser, 300 to 3 Orion’s Belt, 200 to 10 Magazine, 200 to 12 Waiuku. Auckland and Wellington Cup double 100 to 4 St. Hippo and Skirmisher, 100 to 4 Quiltiri and Skirmisher, 100 to 3 Q.uiltiri and Waiuku, 100 to 3 The Possible and The Artist, 100 to 2 A Pegasus and Waiuku, 100 to 1 First Nelson and Bessie McCarthy. There is no alteration in the Wellington Cup quotations to report, except that Skirmisher has hardened to 100 to 14, and Lady Zetland and The Artist to 100 to 10. December 17. A meeting of the stewards of the Wellington Racing Club was held last night, Colonel Pearce in the chair. The treasurer laid on the table a statement of accounts in connection with the recent Spring Meeting, which showed a very satisfactory result considering the bad weather experienced on the second day. The disqualification of R. Ross and the mare Princess Cole for suspicious running at the Otaki Maori Racing Club’s Meeting on the 13th ult. was endorsed. Adam McMorran, who was disqualified for life for striking another jockey in a race on the Hutt Park racecourse in November, 1893, applied for the commutation of the sentence, which was agreed to on the condition that McMorran shall not apply to any club for either a trainer’s or a jockey’s license. An offer of a portable starting machine was made by Mr P. J. Murtagh, but as the club is already supplied the offer was declined. It was resolved to offer Mr Harry Piper the position of starter for the Summer Meeting. It was decided to considerably enlarge the grandstand luncheon room, and- a committee was appointed to refurnish the room throughout, and to arrange with a first-class caterer to supply luncheon at the January meeting.