WELLINGTON.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume IX, Issue 679, 12 March 1903, Page 14

WELLINGTON.

Wellington, March 6.

A recent visitor to the Dunedin J.C. races was much impressed with the runring of Petrovna, and selects her as likely to run well in the G.J 0. Great Easter Handicap. Pallas seems to have developed staying powers, and the Great Autumn would not be beyond his powers if equitably handicapped. Cannie Chiel seems to have had more than enough racing of late, and will want careful nursing to be fit for the Easter Meeting. Vladimir looked somewhat above himself, and displayed a lot of bad temper in his races. The stockwhip had to be applied to get him to take his place at the barrier, and in the principal event on the concluding day of the meeting, although he got well away and was in a good position, he collapsed at the end of a mile, Terrapin, who was not considered in the same flight, winning easily, Vladimir being unplaced. The latter may run better a month or so hence. The class of horses competing at Dunedin were on the whole of a second-rate description, those representing the Yaldhurst stable being the exception. Since the death of Mr G Dowse, th® Otago handicapper, considerable discussion has taken place amongst Southern racing men as to his probable successor. Mr Henrys was only appointed at a few hours notice to finish this season The general opinion is that Otago can well afford to remunerate a good man to attend to the handicapping of the whole province. Mr J. H Pollock, who handicaps for some of the West Coast clubs, has been approached, and will probably take up his residence in Dunedin, in which case he will find ample scope for his abilities, as at the present time the whole of the inland clubs are merely dependent on amateur handicappers. Benefactor (7.12) was omitted from the weights for the Horowhenua Cup. The stewards of the Wellington Racing Club held their monthly meeting last Monday evening, the Piesident (Mr J. B. Harcourt) being in the chair. Claims by J. V. Reid and L H. Warren were received, and allowances with doctors’ expenses were granted. In the case of a disqualification imposed by the Eketahuna Hack Racing Club, it was resolved that the club be written to, asking the ground on which the decision was based D. Hands and Henry Telford asked that their jockeys’ licenses should be withdrawn.

Mixed racing being, in the view of the stewards of the Wellington Racing Club, detrimental to the welfare of the sport, the stewards at their meeting last evening decided to refuse the request of a deputation of the South Wairarapa Charitable Trotting Club, that the club be allowed to include two pony flat events on its brogramme.

March 11

As I pointed out when the weights appeared, Advance was harshly treated in the Wanganui Cup. Had Mr Evett witnessed the Wellington Cup Race I am sanguine he would not have been carried away by the effusion of those so-called sporting authorities who termed the black son of Vanguard’s success a runaway victory, etc. The opinion of sound judges of racing was that he was all out. Being a free-going horse he usually does his best without urging. Handicappers who have to depend on the reports of some racing reporters will not "always find their adjustments meet with the approval of expert racing men. Halberdier, I learn, ran a lot below his form in the Wanganui Cup, albeit he ran a much better race in the Stakes on the second day. He may regain his best form ere the end of the season. ?

The Porirua stable will only be reprer- ented at Hawke’s Bay by the flying Achilles. The Hawke’s Bay Stakes will be his mission. Advance will be reserved for the G.J.C. Easter Meeting. Mr R- Mason returned South with Orloff and Machine Gun to-day. He has no excuse 10 make for Orloff’s Wanganui

Oup defeat further than that he met a superior h rse at the weights. Seventeen pounds and nine years is, in his opinion, too much for one horse to be asked to concede another, irrespective of who the trainers are.

Shearsby. the owner of Westguard and the trainer of Oingo, had a good innings at Wanganui. The former went one better than at the Egmont Meeting, and demonstrated that most of her •efforts since she won at the C.J.C. Spring Meeting were too bad to be her true form. Those punters who coupled her heavily in doubles with the favourites for the Wellington Cup and Telegraph Handicap have by following the stable got most of their money back. Wellington trainers did not fare well on the opening day of the Wanganui Meeting Prosser sent three horses out, Advance in the Cup, Walfahika in the Hack Hurdles, and Ora in the Hack Race but none obtained 'a situation. They were all fairly well backed locally. W Davies scratched Field Battery for the Welter, and let him take his chance in the Flying Handicap. He was paying a fine dividend had he won. The other Hutt representative, Shrapnell Shell, was also backed in the same race, but ■failed to gain a place.