AFTER THE RACES.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XII, Issue 733, 24 March 1904, Page 8

AFTER THE RACES.

NAPIER PARK RACING CLUB’S AUTUMN MEETING.

Weather - of the finest grade was granted to the club for their Autumn re-union, but though the attendance was much larger than usual speculation was not nearly as keen as it was on the occasion of the 1903 fixture, for when the figures were made up on Thursday it was seen that a decrease of £1666 was in. evidence when compared with the gathering last March. Mr Hyde, who occupied the post of starter owing to the absence of Mr T. Cameron at the Stratford Meeting, was fairly successful in his essays, and though there were two or three races in which the horsemen seemed to beat him, it must be allowed in his favour that he had some excitable contestants to deal with, and naturally the better-behaved contingent get the drop on the nervous lot. The res*, of the officials exerted themselves to the best of their capabilities to give satisfaction, and as there was no complaining it must be taken for granted that they, succeeded. One of the features of the meeting was the good form displayed by Mr Rathbone’s team, whom A. Smith had looking in line heart. Fleka annexed, the two principal events, the Cup and Bennett Memorial, and the excellent style in which he accomplished his work stamps him as a worthy relative of Palaver, Zanella, and Co. I am quite satisfied he is a horse of peculiar moods, but happily for the Waipawa sport he was for once in a way caught in a good humour. A great deal of credit must be given to F. Davis, who patiently handled the chestnut son of St. Andrew.

Mr Rathbone’s other captures were gained with half-brothers of Fleka, Optimist and 'Bombastes, who claim full brotherhood to Palaver, Zanella and Blarney. The Hon. J . D. Ormond, though well represented, did not have a merry time of it during the two days’ racing, for winning honours only came his way on a couple of occasions. Repulse accounting for the High Weight and Provost Marshal dividing the Stewards’ Stakes with Optimist. The latter looked a good winner a few lengths from the chair, but Davis, on Provost Marshal, got to The Officer’s son in earnest, and the onlookers thought he had settled Optimist, but the judge’s verdict went up a dead heat. The Wellington sport who goes a racing under the nom de course of Mr P. Soames had a long overdue run registered on his behalf with the aid of Possibility,' a nicelooking half-sister of The Possible to Bounce, who fairly bolted in with both of the juvenile events. Possibility was sold as a yearling to her present owner for 65 guineas. She had previously been purchased by Mr W. J. Douglas, proprietor of the Te Mahanga Stud for 50 guineas at the March sale last year, and in May of the same year was put up for public auction at Palmerston North, when Mr “ Soames ” secured her. In both of her victories Possibility was opposed by one of Mr Douglas’ breeding, Carnelian, who also carried the well-known racing banner qf the Douglas family, the “ all black,” which has so often been carried in the van in many important contests in the past. Westguard had two starts at the meeting, and though she had to succumb in her initial move she really made no race of the St. Patrick’s Handicap, Rehua, who had earlier in the day got away with the Telegraph Hack, acting as run-ner-up to Vanguard’s daughter. Rhyl, the younger half-brother to Moifad, was seen out in both hurdle events, and though his connections supported him well on the strength of his Ifannevirke performances, he had to take a second position. His conqueror on the first day was Monarque. a well-constructed bold-looking son of The Marquis and Puritia, who is under the guidance of J. Rollo. He was steered by D. Watt, who on several occasions piloted Moifad along his successful career. On Thursday, in a field of three Rhyl beat Monarque, but was no match for Comfort, who had a very easy score. Monarque, whose people gave him a great chance, hit a couple of the obstacles very hard, and as he is new at the business and consequently not well seasoned, the mishap took a deal of the vim out of him

Although Mr Lowry started Creusot, Rose Madder and la besides Comfort, the latter was the only one to get a verdict. Creusot ran second to Repulse in the High-Weight, ; but this position did npt bring any profit with it, for eight shillings was lost on each’pound invested on his number.

Assayer, who got a big break on in the Flying, lasted the struggle out to the end and registered a somewhat comfortable victory ; Jeanne d’Arc second, the good-looking well bred Rehua third. The latter was bred by Mr W. J. Douglas, and is the first foal, his dam being Maude, a daughter of St. Leger and Hilda.

Hinetaura put up a splendid performance in the Cup. Robinson Crusoe’s daughter always being handy. She pulled up lame, and it has been decided to give her a holiday for some time. A stable pal of hers, Amber, Gold Seal’s younger full sister, gave Bombastes a hard tussle to silence her in the Maiden Scurry.

Merry Kate, the dapper daughter of Somnus, who like Monarque is trained by J. Rollo, had no trouble whatever in settling the opposition in the Esk Hack, but she failed badly the next afternoon when saddled up in the 'Telegraph Hack. Wild Cat, who has lately been leased from Sir William Russell by E. O’Neill, who used to have that solid customer Bonnie d'Eau to carry his racing banner, hopped off at a great bat in the Trial Hack and soon had a big lead on. She was stopping to a walk in the last fifty yards, but the good start she had gained came to her assistance and the winner’s place came her way. Florio, a Jet d’Eau gelding, who is the property of Mr C. D. Kennedy, the judge at Napier Park and Hastings, got second, and Bombastes an excellent third. Forest Vale, an evenlybuilt son of New Forest out of Valetta, and consequently a half-brother to Wind, was selected favourite, but was never once prominent, his prospects like a lot of the others being killed by the break neck pace which Wild Cat indulged in for quite four furlongs. The well-known trainer, Mr R. Gooseman, had a good turn up in the Redclyffe Stakes. Rapids, whom the previous week he had bought for 31 guineas, winning easily from Catspaw and Baigheuse. Rapids is a half-brother by Waterfall to Will-o’-the-Wisp, but does not resemble his sturdy relative in the least. Up to last week he had during his racing career carried the colours of his breeder, Air W. Robinson, but never rewarded him with a win.

Croupier, the Gisborne-owned son of Monaco, had only an exercise gallop in the Welter, Oingo getting second and Taura, who seems to be stones below his usual form, third. Evidently the latter is going off, for though engaged on Thursday his owner did not pay up for him, and he wa. - not badly treated by the weight lifter. Mr George Hunter’s luck was out at the meeting, none of his trio doing any good. Freeland was the only one to get near the winner, his best being a third to Fleka in the Cup. Jeanne d’Arc, who was bred by the Hon. J. D. Ormond, but who now runs in the nomination of Mr W. S. Tatham. ran consistently, as she ran second twice, and another who showed out well, though not a winner, was Polyanthus, who was Possibility’s closest attendant at the conclusion of the arguments in the juvenile races. Soultina s connections thought she could not miss the Bennett Memorial, and the support accorded her was so solid that she filled the first favourite’s place. She failed miserably, and was last all through the trip. Mr J. E. Henrys so well concealed the winners that only three first picks got home through the two days’ racing, the successful favourites being Rehu, Bombastes and Westguard.' The victorious horsemen were headed by F. Davis, with four wins and a dead neater. F. Williams piloting a couple of conquerors, T. Wilson a first and a dead heat. D. Watt, W. Kirk, J. Griffiths, 0. Scott, R. Gray, H. Moore, S. Lindsay and J. Hall each bettering their position by one in their winning record.