HAWKE'S BAY.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume IX, Issue 667, 18 December 1902, Page 14

HAWKE'S BAY.

Napier, December 12. Mr Laurence Cottle, the owner of IVJissfire and Puketoi, returned last week from the Hot Lake district, where he has been staying for the past three months in quest of health. His complaint (rheumatism) has, in a measure, given way to the treatment he received, though he still goes a bit short. His many friends, and they are countless in these parts, gave him a hearty welcome, and this genuine enthusiastic follower and supporter of the racing pastime muse have felt well pleased at the reception he met with. Mr Caulton, who has not long oeen back from a trip to the Old Country, shortly enters into harness again, he having made arrangements to take over the Stortford Lodge Hotel. The onetime owner of Warwick, Sheet Lightning and Co. is sure to be well patronised by sporting folk, for when he held the reins of management of the Pacific Hotel at Hastings his name was a household word for comfort and convenience with those who are associated with the sport of kings. Mr G. P. Donnelly has leased Gold Dust and Kahuwai to J. Mann. The former got there in the Telegraph Hack Handicap on the second day of the Woodville Meeting, and as he returned a good price, his score would, no doubt, be particularly welcome to Mann, who for years has not been seen out as a public trainer. Mr A. L. D. Fraser, the popular M.H.R. for Napier, intends to have his horse Kina operated on shortly for throat trouble. If there had been any of the desired tubes in New Zealand ed Kina would ere this have been ornamented with the silver fixing, but as they are not to be obtained in the colonies, it is only a question of waiting till one arrives from England, for then it will be a certainty that Kina will have the artificial means of breathing duly installed in his windpipe. Arthur Goodwin, who controls the destinies of Mr T. H. Lowry’s team, has taken up the full sisters, Madrigal and Rose Madder again. 1 Mr F. Rhodes, of Gisborne, this week brought Tcha down from Gisborne, and the Crackshot gelding, who looks a much improved horse, is now in occupation of a box at Griffith’s quarters, where A.8.N., Cronje and Roseplot are also stationed.

Mr A. T. Danvers the other day add. ed to the list the yearling by Gip' Grand, out of Aspenleaf, that Mr W. Rathbone, of Waipawa, purchased in Christchurch at the N.Z. Cup‘Meeting.

Old Golden Plover, and what a good one he was to be sure, is enjoying himself in the Waipawa district. " The golden-coated chestnut son of Forerunner and Plover gives the impression that he would pull through another preparation all serene. He is the property of Mr* C. O’Donaghue, the popular host of the Railway Hotel at the Spit. ’ ; Mr Richardson’s private trainer, Alf. Woods, has had his string added to by the arrival of Pantaloon, a three-year-old hack gelding by Martini-Enfield, out of Queensborough ; Rona, a four-year-old mare by Robinson Crusoe, from Rowena ; Morere, a three-year-old brown gelding by Martini-Enfield, out of Lady Leger, and Columbine, a three-year-old half-sister to Pantaloon, by Martini-En-field. The quartette were all bred by their owner at his stud farm in the Wairoa district. Martini-Enfield is a son of Musket, out of Lyra, the granddam of Renown. A son of his (Mar-tini-Enfield’s), Pistol Grip, used to fdbt it merrily in days gone by, and judging from the outlook of his progeny that Woods has under his care, they ought 1 to give a good account of themselves when the time arrives. Punters had a bad time of it over the Woodville meeting, and the jubilant look which spread over the faces of the local purveyors of machine odds as the various wires came to hand from the scene of action conclusively showed that the money was coming thteir. way, notwithstanding the fact that several of the winners hailed from this district. Benefactor was well backed for bbth his starts, while Roseplot, who captured the Summer’ Handicap yesterday, practically speaking, had no support accorded him. 'On the first day backers got in early on Kowhete, neglecting Shackle, who beat Whisper’s daughter. Oh 1 the / second day supporters of Kowhete were conspicuous by their absence, Brilliantine being the correct pea from their point of view. Hinetaura, Gold Seal and Murmur were all given a chance by speculators in their downfalls, which meant lights pockets for the stay-at-home brigadei of pickers.