WELLINGTON.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume VII, Issue 348, 25 March 1897, Page 8

WELLINGTON.

The Opaki Meeting — Comments on the performances of the horses —Meetings of racing clubs. Wellington, March 22. St. Elmo made a very poor show at Opaki, being last but one, Prince Cole, who has just finished the season and was not half fit, filling that position.

Boreas has received plenty of weight at Blenheim. Some owners appear to get handicapped as well as their horses.

Lady Spec, who received the stable support for one event at Sandon, is Ngatuere’s sister. The victory of Sea Serpent in the principal event (the St. Patrick’s Handicap, one mile and a quarter) at Opaki would be well received, and compensated for the disappointment expressed by his owner, Mr A. W. Cave, who is still president of the club, over the Cup at the summer meeting. He had a bit of a tussle with King’s Bowman, which did not last till the judgels box. Sea Serpent has been a consistent performer at Opaki. I understand there is a probability of the difficulty between the bookmakers and the Canterbury Jockey Club being amicably settled. The action brought against the club by Mr W. Profitt for damages is set down for hearing at the end of the month, but I understand the action may not come on should the club provide an enclosure for straight-out betting, and license what bookmakers they think fit, such license to be cancelled on the rules being broken. Going to law is an expensive business, and should the club lose they will find the enclosure infested by all kinds of characters. Three juveniles made their first appearance under silk at Opaki last Wednesday in the Hack Scurry, four furlongs. Katerfeldts ran in the name of his breeder, Mr A. W. Cave. Listener is now owned by Mr Fred Moore. Mr Ben Cave is said to be bringing a horse back with him from England. His friends will be glad to meet him. By the departure of Mr J. Mandel for Wellington, the Masterton Racing Club loses its treasurer. He has become proprietor of the Empire Hotel here, which has been the principal sporting house in Wellington for years. I understand Mr Gilmer’s successor intends to alter all this. Things have changed since Joseph kept a tobacconist’s shop on the quay. The fillies which Mr James Macarra (the wellknown Wairarapa breeder, and one of the vicepresidents of the Masterton Racing Club) brought from Sydney a couple of seasons back had a day out at the Opaki Meeting on Wednesday last. Russley Belle (by Russley—Rhoda, by Roodee) won the Maiden Hack Race, one mile, beating eleven others, in Imin 48 3-ssec; dividends,

£2B 7s and £23 14s. Warnote (Lochiel — Minerva, by Roodee) won the Hack Welter Handicap, one mile, in Imin 48sec; dividends, £4 3s and £1 19s. She also won the Flying Hack Handicap, six furlongs, in Imin 17sec ; dividends, £2 9s and £1 ss. Roseleaf (Master Agnes) and Tne Kitten (Forester) were second and third respectively in both events. Taylor rode both Warnote and Russley Belle, who are trained at their owner’s Brookfield farm at Opaki, where there are two tracks equal to any course in the Wairarapa. Tommy Clai’k scored his first win with Umslopogaas at Opaki. The five starters in the race included King’s Bowman and Sea Serpent (71bs penalty), who was meeting Umslopogaas on a stone worse terms, and was only beaten by a length, King’s Bowman, close up, third. Umslopogaas paid £4 19s. Everybody was pleased to see “ Mr G. Williams ” score a win.

The Guardsman started twice at Opaki, but did not run prominently either time. Vaseline (by Petroleum), winner of the Masterton Hack Handicap, one mile and a quarter, whs receiving 221bs from Nero, who was only beaten a head.

Kinglake, who was engaged in the last Wellington Cup, was among the maiden hack candidates at Opaki, but failed to get a place, and Fletcher’s other charge (Sylph) was close up in the Scurry. Mr C. F. Vallance had some close finishes to decide at Opaki, and Mr Henry came in for congratulations on his handicapping. A meeting of the Wellington Racing Club stewards was held this afternoon. The classic events for 1888 and 1889, which have been previously referred to, were approved. The suspension of W. Sharp’s jockey license was removed with a caution. Ah application was received from the secretary of the Featherston Hack Trophy Club, asking for the removal of the disqualification of persons and horses taking part in a meeting held on Christmas Day last. The application was refused, as a warning had been previously given the Wairarapa people that any disqualification would not be removed. At a meeting of the stewards of the Wairarapa Racing Clnb, held on Saturday, Messrs. J. Macara (Masterton) and W. O. Williams (Greytown) were nominated delegates to represent the club at the coming conference. The feeling of the

meeting was that the conference should not be held every year at Christchurch. -. The Lower Valley Jockey Club is nominating Messrs. Williams and Nat Grace as its delegates. The Masterton Racing Club has abandoned the threatened proceedings against the New Zealand Times Company, on condition that a disclaimer is published.