OTAGO.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XII, Issue 728, 18 February 1904, Page 9

OTAGO.

Dunedin, February 16. The Annual Meeting of the Taupeka Club, which forms the last of the fixtures of our summer circuit, was held last week, but was spoilt by bad weather. The fields were small and speculation poor, the totalisator receipts being £‘967 less than the amount received at last vear’s fixture. Transport, the upstanding son of Cuirssier and Tasmania, gave his owner a winning turn by scoring in the principal event on the opening day, but was beaten by the hurdler Southerly Buster in the chief race on the second day’s card. Towards the latter part of the meeting the track became slippery and dangerous, and several horses fell, but no serious injuries resulted. Some inconsistent form was witnessed during the two days, but none of the reversals were deemed bad enough to be punished, although they occasioned several meetings of the stewards. The weights for the principal events for the Dunedin Cup Meeting have made their appearance, and in the Cup whatever beats Gladsome should win. Petrovna and Kremlin are two who should have a good deal to say in the deciding of the Publicans’ Handicap. Protests for imcansistent running have been an unpleasantly conspicuous feature of the majority of our country meetings, and unless stewards keep a more vigilant eye and take a much firmer stand than they have, racing is likely to> deteriorate a great deal in honesty at some places recently visited by your correspondent. The Oamaru owner, Mr G. Leslie, who has had several .winning turns recently with the Cajolery gelding Toney, has purchased a four-year-old gelding, by Gipsy Grand out of the Australian-bred mare Aspenleaf, from the Messrs Teschemaker.

The Southland owner, Mr T. Mortimer, has purchased the Stepniak horse Nihilist. who, being bred on splendid lines and a good performer, should make a valuable addition to the list of stallions at present in the South. There is a half-brother to Hadyn in work at Wairio (Southland). He was got by Westmere, the son of the Musket horse Escutcheon, and is owned by Mr J. Walsh. Blazer, the winner of the Welter at Christchurch on Saturday, has been racing for eight seasons, and is as sound to-day as when he first sported silk. During the time that he has been on the turf he has started in 74 races, out of which he has won 43, whilst the largest number of times which he has sported silk in any one season is 12 which, remarkable to relate, is in the present year, and he is likely to go on racing. Blazer has been given a further chance to distinguish himself by the burdens which have been alloteed him in the Dunedin Cup and Publicans’ Handicap. Many of the imported Govecnment stallions have been subjected to adverse criticism since their arrival in the Colony, but whilst at Taupeka last week the writer saw a couple of foals by Lupin, the son of Peter Flower, and they would be a credit to any stallion. Favourable accounts of others by the same have also come to hand. Eminent, who succeeded in two out of three two-year-old races, decided at the Launceston and Hobart Cup Meetings, is by Eminence (son of Bill of Portland) from Cuirassina, by Cuirassier from Rosarina. by Traducer. Cuirassina was taken to Australia by Mr J. Bridge, who was a well-known sport in Southland a few years back. The horse is closely related to Rose and White, the dam of Wairiki, who is bred on similar lines to the youngster mentioned above. Bealey, the Aprement mare who captured a few races at the recent Southern meetings, was picked up by her present owner for £l7. She has had a varied career, and one time acted as a leader in a West Coast coach. Prior to coming South she showed good form at Ashburton three years ago, . but latterly did nothing of note until she got into the

hands of Mr L. Smith, who a few years back was one of the best gentlemen riders of the day. Gladsome and Kremlin are the ruling favourites for the Dunedin Cup and Publicans’ Handicap, and 100 to 10 has been accepted about the combination by a backer, who desires to go on at that price. The Tapanui Racing Club is reported to be going to disband, owing to the great falling off in their totalisator receipts, which is deemed to be the result of the bookmakers’ opposition. The acceptances received by the Tahuna Park Trotting Club for the first day of their forthcoming meeting, which commences on Thursday, 25th inst., indicate that trotting enthusiasts will have the opportunity and pleasure of participating in a day’s sport which should excel anything previously presented to the club’s patrons, whilst it also goes to show that given good stakes trotting is as likely to meet with support in other places besides Christchurch.

During the currency of the Tuapeka Meeting Mr M. Potts, of Lawrence, disposed of a three-year-old half-brother (by Casket) to Transport to a Tapanui buyer. D. King, the young light-weight who has been a close follower of H. Goodman's fortunes during the past few yeais, left for Wellington at the conclusion of the Tuapeka Meeting to join Mr R. Paterson’s stable, which is now under Goodman's management. The conditions attached to the trotting races were not worked too clearly, and as a result one rider asked to be weighed out with his trotting sulky in his arms in order that he could find out how much over-weight his horse was carrying in the race.