HAWKES BAY.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume IX, Issue 461, 25 May 1899, Page 13

HAWKES BAY.

Whitirea being schooled —Qualification of hunters — Hilda II. —The Hawke’s Bay Jockey Club entries —En Avant. Napier, May 19. Whitirea did his initial education over a quartette of little sticks the other morning at Napier Park. The black gelding got through his task in a workmanlike style, and should, with the pace he possesses, be a tough row to hoe when he gets seasoned at the game. He left his late quarters at Greenmeadows yesterday morning for Hastings, where Docherty will locate him fcr the future.

The Napier Park committee have decided to make all contestants for the Hunters’ Flat Face qualify for starting in that event by jumping the gorse double in front of the stand. Hilda 11., the locally-owned mare, is showing great form over the steeplechase course at Hastings, and her connections are sanguine of her chance in the Wanganui Steeplechase. The Hawke’s Bay Jockey Club’s entries for the Hurdles and Steeplechase attracted forty-four entries for the two races, which is exactly the same number as were found in the entry last year upon this occasion. Twenty-two for each race have been nominated, whereas last season twenty-three were found in the hurdle race and twenty-one in the cross-country event. As several of those engaged at Hastings will be seen out at Wanganui and Auckland, Mr Henry ought to be able to produce something attractive in the way of a weight manifesto. The owner of En Avant informed me during this week that he does not think he will journey to Auckland with Forerunner’s son.