WELLINGTON

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume IX, Issue 698, 23 July 1903, Page 7

WELLINGTON

July 20. The Wellington R.C. official totalisat 0 r Winter Meeting, shows an increase of £39 compared with last year. turnover, £18,196 for two days of the The following horses went North per Tarawera to-day Nor’-west, The Pullack, Marine ’and Hautapu. The trainer of Nor’-west has at present no intention of returning South for the Grand National Meeting. Sanfoin, who ran prominently at the Wellington Meeting-, has changed hands. His owner, Mr Colvin, a popular M.H.R., accepted a tempting offer today. The name of the purchaser has not transpired. Sanfoin proceeds South. Mr Henrys’ C.J.C. Grand National weights are now being discussed. The similarity of the weights allotted to a number of horses in the jumping events, with Mr Chadwick’s Wellington Handicaps, is very marked. In the Steeplechase, Haydn, Gobo, Scallywag, Jack c’ Lantern, The Gryphon and Pipi have had their weights increased a pound or two, while Nor’-west, the winner, has gone up ten pounds. Only for the fact that Social Pest has had six pounds taken off the handicap is simply a repetition of the Wellington weights on a slightly higher scale. Haydn, who was my pick for Wellington, with one pound additional weight, must again be my selection with Nor’-west gone North, and I would take Straybird and Scallywag as the pair most likely to trouble the topweight. Old Umslopogaas, should, he stand his work, may have to. be reckoned with at 9st 71b. ff The Great Northern Hurdle Handicap likewise bears a strong resemblance to the Wellington Winter Hurdle Handicap. Battleaxe has one pound less, Social Pest and Haydn one pound more. Most of the others have had a pound taken off, except fhe winner, Slow Tom, who, is raised thirteen pounds. As I analysed the Wellington Handicaps fully, and the Handicap under notice is much similar, I will make much the same selections, viz. : Battleaxe, Haydn, Mourner, and Tradewind, with the addition of Mars to supply the winner. Tradewind, whom I have seen jump, impressed me somewhat, and with Battleaxe would be my choice if compelled to pick the winner in twice. The officials of the Wellington Racing Club have good reasons for being satisfied with the success of their meeting, the fields were large, and considering the state of the course the racing was excellent. The secretary, handicapper, starter, judge, an,d other officials carried the meeting through without a hitch, visitors being enabled to leave the course at 4.15 p.m. each day. The totalisator proprietor, Mr J. Ames, was equal to the occasion, the public being attended to promptly, and very little cash missed investment, and even then it was the fault of the investors themselves in being too dilatory. The Wellington Racing Club’s Spring Meeting will take place in October. The Stewards have realised that to hold the

meeting just subsequent to the Hawke’s Bay meetings will be more popular with owners than to fix the meeting for the week following the New Zealand Cup. Hitherto the Wellington Club has depended on horses returning from the C.J.C. carnival, but last year a large number were incapacitated through the hard week’s racing, and several teams went right on home being too jaded to race without a rest. This season all horses proceeding South will be enabled to have a gallop or two at Wellington on their way down. The meeting will be interesting, as many Cup and Stewards’ horses will probably be seen out, and a line formed as to their probable prospects, the fields for some of the C.J.C. events may be affected, but each club must study its own interest.