OTAGO.

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

OTAGO.

June 9. Despite the wintry nature of the weather, last Week’s meeting of the Dunedirt Jockey Club was, taken altogether, a much more successful gathering than last year’s fixture, that is to say from a monetary point of view, as the machine receipts showed an increase of £llBB more than last year’s total. The racing all through was in the majority

I of the events of a high class order, and close and exciting finishes were the rule rather than the exception. In the principal race on the second day, the Provincial Handicap, one and a-quarter miles, Lady Lillian made amends for her defeat in the Birthday Handicap on the first day, by winning comfortably from Terrapin, whom she j was meeting on 21bs better terms. J. McCombe had the ride on the Phaeton mare in her winning effort, and allowed the mare to run along in the straight after keeping a hold on her up to the home turn. She had no great difficulty in shaking off Terrapin’s challenge at the finish, and the Clanranald gelding did not improve his chance by swerving into the rails at the death. Vladimir, who did not get a clear run in the Tradesmen’s Handicap, won the Wairortgoa Flandicap with a bit in hand at the finish, and raced in something like the style he did in the Spring at the New Zealand Cup Meeting. The Hotchkiss colt, Bombardo, ran a fairly good horse in the Provincial Handica;?, and was in the run up to well over a mile. He is a colt who should do well next season. St. Dennis carried the back-breaking burden of list 31b to victory in the In-

vermay Welter, but the field who finished behind him in the race were not a particularly brilliant lot.

Count of Kolmar started twice at the meeting, but was not forward enough to display his true form. He may be seen to better advantage at the Wellington Meeting, as the horse should derive con. siderable benefit from the racing he received here. Battler, who is a halfbrother to the filly, Mr Stead paid 3io guineas for at the last Elderslie yearling sale, won a couple of selling races at the meeting in good style and, although he has run ungenerously in the past, he may pay his way better in future, now that he has got his head to the froot a couple of times running. Word reaches me that Felony t the mare which D. Price was disqualified with at the Easter Meeting of the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club, passed through to Melbourne by this week’s boat. Waikaia, the winner of the first day’s hurdles at Wingatui, cost his present owner £2O. Vandyke has been purchased by a patron of R. Ellis’s stables.

Lady Lillian has probably had more differertt riders on her back than any other of our first-class horses racing this season. R. Derrett, S. Smith, C. Jenkins, and Donovan and Hewitt have wort races on Lady Zetland’s daughter. Narcissus’ poor display in the Maiden Plate at Wingatui last week, may be partly accounted for by the fact that the Reflector gelding developed art attack of Strangles the day after the races. The horse had not been doing too well for a couple of days before the meeting, and as a result of the above the balance of the horses engagements at the meeting, and also at Oamaru had to be abandoned.

E. Cutts has twenty horses in work at Riccarton.

The Australian gelding, Victor IL, made his debut in Saturday’s Hurdles. He tailed off early in the race, and was considerably distressed on returning to scale. Victor 11. fenced well, however, and when right should more than pay his way over obstacles. It would not have surprised a good number of people if one of the winners on Saturday at Wingatui had been asked a question by the stewards and, although a reasonab,e explanation may have been forthcoming, nothing occurred which caused the officials tongue to speak. Casque, the winner of the Maiden Plate and Second Hack Handicap last week, has started in seven races and won five. He is by Casket, the son of Castor and Bangle who won the C.J.C. Easter of 1895, the Dunedin Cup of the same year, and other races. Casquet’s dam, Sweet Briar, is a grey mare by Daniel O’Rorke out of Mrs Wilson, a mare said to be by Traducer. The Stepniak-Cobweb colt in J. Rutledge’s stable was in the saddling paddock at Wingatui, and was much admired. The youngster gives every indication of furnishing into a more than useful horse. Mr J. F. Reid, of the Elderslie stud, where Menschikofi. Orloff, and Co. first saw the light of day, was present at the first day of the Wingatui Meeting last week. He informed the writer that his recent importations from Australia have come 'in for general admiration by those who have had the pleasure of seeing them. Mr Reid has leased his Wallace Faraway filly to Mr J. Brett, an .d the filly has joined J. McGuiness’ string at Wingatui. Delpaso’s stock won five races at the Tahuna Zark Winter Meeting. The secortd day of the Tahuna Park Meeting was held in extremely bad weather, which greatly interfered with the success of the gathering. The total receipts in the machine showed a shrinkage of £1928A as compared with last year s gathering. Nothing of any note occurred except that the Australian gelding Dandy won a race and was protested against for inconsistent running at the Meeting, but the fact of a different rider being up on the horse largely influenced the stewards in dismissing the objection.