WELLINGTON

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume IX, Issue 692, 11 June 1903, Page 15

WELLINGTON

Wellington, June 8.

Favoured by perfect weather, a close holiday, and the absence of any other racing events nearer than Auckland or Dunedin, the Otaki Maori Racing Club scored the greatest success at its Meeting on Wednesday and Thursday last. The machine figures alone show this, the sum of being invested on it, while there was a large amount of cash betting going on as welll despite the precaueions taken by the officials. Several cases are spoken of as likely to be heard in the Magistrate’s Court, but as' the Club handled £5691 more at this year’s Winter Meeting than it did last year at the same function, they may not be harsh on the offenders. A great feature pf these meetings is the thorough enjoyment which the natives take in, showing perfect camaraderie and doing all that each can to assist in promoting the enjoyment of others. There was nothing very exciting in the racing, which was confined chiefly to local horses of the plater type, and a few youngsters out for a schooling. Of these, the Porirua stable had a pair of Mr Plosser’s recent purchases in Australia, both of which, Hamual a three-year-old colt by Cydnus—Lass of Lynnd, and a bay gelding of the same age, Position by Posiiano —Rectine, appropriated the Otaki Hack Handicap of Bosovs, and the Birthday Welter Hack Handicap, both showing good form, and justifying the expense incurred by their owner in securing them for his stable. The Hawke’s Bay owned mare Ballarat by Gold Reef—Brown Spec, and Mr J. Munn’s Gold Dust, likewise hailing from his Hastings stable appropriated the two principal events of the first day, viz., the Flying Hack Handicap, and the Rankawa (open) Handicap, the former a six furlong spriht, and the lattes a mile and a-quarter. _ Mr J. Colvin, M.H.R. for Westport, secured a good win with Sanfoin in the Rangiuru Handicap, six furlongs, which looked all over a contest between Exmoor, 3-yrs, 9st 51b, and the recent Wellington winner, Shrapnell Shell, Bst ‘ 51b. The Porirua colt looked in perfect form, but Sanfoin gained an immense advantage at the start, and his feather-weight enabled him to hold it with ease, paying the best dividend of the day in consequence. It was Shrapnell Shell’s day out on Thursday, and the going suited him exactly, and even with lolb penalty in the Railway Handicap, six furlongs, he easily outpaced Ostiak, 9st 71b, who was the favourite, and Kidbrook, ,6st 71b, Rubin, 7st iolb, and Pure Silver, 7sit 71b, who were in close attendance. His other win was the Huia Handicap, sst, in which he put down Regulation, 7st 71b, Gold Dust, Bst 81b, and Plaidie, Bst’ 121 b, over a mile and a distance with comparative ease. Dave Munn had a cut in with his bay gelding Rags by Quilt-Nymph iri the Second Hack Hurdles which looked a moral for Dick Turpin with W. Price up, but he struck hard on morethan one occasion, and tired, leaving the race, more or less, to Rags at the run in. Mr J. Harle, of Palmerston North, won the Stewards’ Hack Handicap with six-y«ar-old brown mare Valima (Van-guard-Ultima) from a field of thirteen which got such a wretched start that some were a distance in advance of

others, and the winner paid the fancy dividend of £lB 7s in consequence. The resuscitation of coursing near Wellington, was attended last week with unprecedented success in every way. Weather, attendance and entries were each good, and the Club deserves credit for all its arrangements, but is chiefly to be complimenited upon having secured in the person of Mr H. W. Davies, a secretary who thoroughly knows his business, and carries out his duties in a whole-souled way. The entries included some of the best dogs in the Coloi and the hares having become used to the ground, and being decidedly on the strong side, gave rattling good sport without the loss of more than one or two in the first day. Mr J. Mitchell, of Oamaru, proved an excellent judge, and Mr T. Morrison as slipper, handled the dogs in truly professional style. Thirtyfive pairs were in the first round, which occupied the whole of the first day, and the second and third were decided on Friday, the final being run off on Saturday afternoon. The dogs left in at the close of the third round were Mr M. Kirby’s Helensbrook ‘ Mr G. Bulled’s Jewel Gun ; Mr J. Lopdell’s Black Tracker ; Mr R. McGreery’s Romeo ; Mr J. Or other’s Nobleman ; Mr J. Bulled’s Ladybird ; Mr R. H. Johnson’s Prince

Ilf, and Messrs Brown and Evan’s Little Wonder. The event ultimately went to Jewel Gun, who ran well throughout. At a social held on Friday evening, it was decided to take steps to constitute a Coursing Association in the Colony, for which purpose a conference will be held in Wellington during the meeting to be held here in August. It was pointed out that had the dates of the Wellington and Dunedin meetings not clashed, the entries to both would have been very much larger, and this clashing would not exist if an association were in existence.