TARANAKI.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XI, Issue 539, 18 April 1901, Page 13

TARANAKI.

New Plymouth, April 15. The Stratford mare, Gipsy Queen, was shipped North to-night to compete at the Avondale Meeting. The next meeting to engage the attention of the majority of Taranaki owners will be the Wellington Autumn fixture Old Sylvia Park is- a horse that has come on a good deal of late. The big chestnut is very fresh and well, and I would not overlook him for the Thompson Handicap. That game little gelding, The Friar (Bike — Religuese), died at Stratford last Friday, 12th. For some months the gelding had just been hacked about quietly, and his dicky pins had become as sound looking as it was possible to have them. He had been kept on hard feed right through, and was in rare buckle, so much so that it was intended to put him at once in commission for the winter steeplechasing. A few days ago he contracted a bad cold, and the gentleman who was looking after him was obliged to leave him at Stratford. The cold developed into pie uro pneumonia, and the gelding became very bad. It was decided to tap him to get the watery matter off his system, but just before this could be done the gelding fell over, and his heart got swamped by the fluid, which was verified by a post mortem The Friar won several important jumping events in his day, and for his inches he was hard to beat. He was a plucky little chap, and it was always a pl asure to see the willingness he displayed at the post to •tart operations. He was purchased as a yearling at Mr Douglas’ sale in Hawke’s Bay by Mr F. Watson, who raced him on the flat for a few seasons, and finally sold him for a small sum to Mr M Mills. The Friar was then put to the jumping game, for which he displayed great aptitude, and on a few occasions he encout tered bad luck in not pulling off some pretentious stakes for his owner. The victory of Kaimate in the hurdles at Auckland on Saturday did not benefit any local backers. Tim was the order of the day. The connections of Kaimate had no win to speak of over the chestnut’s victory last Saturday. C Cochrane returned home with Kaimate And Taplow this morning. I -think the latter was out-classed in Auckland.

P. Johnson also returned home this morning with Battleaxe and Dartmoor. I think the latter was also out-classed in Auckland. The Stratford jumper Cairo and Boreas were also landed and entrained for their respective business.