Casual Jottings.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume IX, Issue 464, 15 June 1899, Page 16

Casual Jottings.

fey

Taihoa. |

Wanganui, June 6. Marina’s display in the Grand National Hurdles came as a shock to backers along this coast. After her dual victory at Wanganui punters reckoned that her Auckland chance looked something like a certainty on paper, and they backed her with confidence. It is hard to account for the mare’s indifferent display. The reverse going may have affected her galloping and jumping abilities ; or, again, she may not be a good grubber away from home. However, her being beaten out of a place is another example of the glorious uncertainty of the turf.

That nice, consistent hack, Mainboom, is now the property of Mr F. S. Cooper, of Hawera. I am informed that the mare is thoroughly sound, and more may, therefore, be heard of her on the public track. The Egmont Racing Club intend, I believe, to abandon their winter fixture this year. Last year the club made a most satisfactory profit out of a two days hack meeting, which utilised the second totalisator permit available for the club. The Winter Meeting was held last September, so that with the big fixture in February, the club this season have had two permits. In order, therefore, to revert to the two days’ Hack Meeting next season the club, I understand, will forego the winter fixture in September, and will hold their usual meeting in February and a two days’ hack meeting in, say, May. lam informed that the winter jumping meeting has never proved a real financial success to the club.

Mr A. G. Brett, the popular secretary of the Egmont Racing Club, who recently made an extended tour for the benefit of his health, is now able to attend to business. The gentleman seems to have been greatly benefitted by the change and rest.

The Taranaki Jockey Club are inviting applications for the position of secretary, at a salary of £lOO a year, which, of course, includes finding

offices. I understand there will be a fair number of applicants for the office, so that the committee will have plenty of material to chose from. While in Hawera the other day I met Mr D. Knight, who for many years was a prominent tainer in this district. He has now retired from taking an active pa tin the pastime. During his racing career he had some good gallopers, such as Weka, Monte Carlo, Prioress, Chatterbox, and Cyrus. The Feilding Jockey Club, whose grandstand was, some weeks since, destroyed by fire, have decided to go in for a more elaborate structure on the same lines as the Wanganui Jockey Club’s stand. The Feilding si ewards are a progressive body, for they have a fine freehold property of 74 acres of first-class land, and, in addition, have a substantial credit balance at the bank

I am sorry to record that Mr J. J. Russell, the Taianaki owner and trainer, is at present suffering from indifferent health. I trust that his indisposition is only temporary. Dummy’s win in the Great Northern Steeplechase must have been a meritorious performance. It was only a couple of months ago that I saw the chestnut at his owner’s place, and be was just being put in work after an enforced spell, owing to injury sustained at the Wanganui Cup Meeting. Had she stood up, Muscatel must have had a say in the finish. Kanaka ran a great horse considering that the injury he sustained at Wanganui necessitated a short spell; and Nor’-West also proved that he is thoroughly consistent. I notice that Barbarian, when treated in the handicapping on his merits, was able to put up a winning bracket at Ellerslie, while Pyroxylin again proved himself an indifferent customer in the Winter Welter. The big son of Foulshot seems to have lost all the dash he once possessed. The New Zealand Cup nominations are now being discussed, and many persons along this coast appear to be anxious to have a long shot about their f«r cies. I notice there are a fair number if unknown quantities in the race, and from the?e a surprise may be in store for the many put ters. Mr Hei.rj’s adjustments will be eagerly awaited.

The Hawera mare, Mayday, was expected to run prominently at your Steeplechase Meeting. Had she stood up on the second day, I think she would have given a good account of herself. I notice that the Hon. J. D. Ormond is again to the fore with a liberal nomination for the New Zealand Cup. That gentleman is a good patron of the sport, and deserves a fair share of the plums that are offered by the leading clubs. Jockeys are much like persons holding public positions, and it is, therefore, not surprising to hear them come in for a good deal of criticism. In some instances the censure and imputation levelled at them may be deserved, but I am certain that on many occasions the knights of the pigskin are unjustly accused of doing things that they ought not to have done during the progress of a race.

The steeplechase meeting of the Hawke’s Bay, Napier Park, Gisborne, Wellington, and Canterbury clubs will keep owners’, trainers’, jockeys’, and punters’ attention occupied during the next two months.

Tally-ho is a jumper that shaped well at Wanganui, and her connections had a bit of bad luck when the daughter of Forerunner toppled over Kanaka in the big Steeplechase. Barbarossa, Hilda 11., and Tataramoa were a trio of Hawke’s Bay jumpers that did not shape well at Wanganui, but I am certain that they are capable of better things with a bit of luck on their side.

Mr T. Scott’s team —Whangaroa, Hangfire, and Woolloomooloo —looked well to the eye at Wanganui, but the stable’s luck was dead out, as was evidenced by the second and thirds scored by the team.

Many persons backed Whangaroa for the Wanganui Steeplechase on the coincidence that a couple of week’s before the meeting a timber scrow of the same name was the first “ to speak” the disabled liner, Perthshire. Where will the coincidence business end.

The layers in Wanganui did not, I believe, have a particularly light time over the Northern National Meeting.