WELLINGTON.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XIII, Issue 752, 4 August 1904, Page 9

WELLINGTON.

Wellington, July 31.

After all arrangements had been completed for the shipment South last week of Mr Thomson’s horses, Kremlin and The Guesser, their departure was delayed owing to rough weather. They were taken back to their boxes, and only got away on the following Thursday. Meanwhile, they have been given strong work on the Hutt tracks, and the delay will not interfere with their condition. Alick Hall and S. Lindsay accompanied them South, and their owner proceeds South on Monday. Mr W. Smart has definitely decided to send Shrapnel Shell to Riccarton, and he will compete in the Winter Cup. R. Derrett has accepted the mount. Shrapnel Shell seems improved by the racing he underwent at the Wellington Winter Meeting.

Mr Paterson’s Lissa leaves to-morrow to fulfil his G.N. engagement in charge

of H. Goodman. Lissa has been well supported in doubles by local sports, and his former owner, Mr Bascovitch, is exceedingly sanguine that the horse will run well. Matuku and Levant, occupants of C. Pritchard’s stable, will take part in the minor events at the C.J.C. G.N. Meeting. Levant has freshened up as the result of a brief respite from work subsequent to the Napier Park Races. W. Davis will not be represented at the National Meeting this year, as none of his charges are forward enough, probably on account of their mentor feeling disinclined to risk injury by galloping them while the tracks were in bad order. • , , , The Porirua team, 1 understand, will consist of Waitarere and Elibank. The former will run in the Winter Cun. whilst Elibank will be a starter in the Woolston Plate Selling Race. Mr Prosser may not go South himself, in which case C. Jenkins will have charge of the above pair. Exmoor and Porirua have not done much work recently and will remain at home. Achilles, Ghoorka, and other members of the Porirua team are doir: nicely. The lad, A. McCann, who received a verv serious fall whilst schooling The Guard, at Porirua, prior to the Wellington Meeting, continues to remain in the Wellington Hospital. He is still in a bad way, but by latest accounts was on the way towards recovery. Mr Prosser’s old chaser had jumped a number of fences in his usual faultless style but appeared to run right into the one that caused the accident, and crashing through rolled on McCann, who was picked up and remained unconscious for some days. Manawaru has been thrown out of training for a time, but she is quite sound, and will be put in work in the Spring. Solution, in the same stable, who was recently scratched for the N.Z. Cup, will be kept going in view of Spring events. The two-year-olds in Goodman s charge are reported to be doing nicely. Cyrus, winner of the Feilding Cup, together with some brood mares and young stock, are advertised for sale by auction. I have not heard as to whether their owner, Mr G. W. Smart, contemplates retiring from racing. Cyrus should prove useful if properly placed. Sanfoin and Waimoe, and a number of other performers are also in the sale list. Likely purchasers can obtain particulars if they communicate wim “The Old ’Un,” care “Freelance” Office, Wellington. R. J. Mason, the Yaldhurst trainer, passed through en route to Sydney by the U.S.S. Mokoia on Saturday last. His charges consist of Cruciform, Grand Rapids, Martian and Nightfall, a three-year-old filly by Multiform —La Notte. The quartette will take part in the A.J.C. Spring events in September. From a brief conversation with Mason, I learnt that Cruciform is much less forward than when she last visited Randwick. When first taken up after her nine months’ spell, she showed signs of stiffness after her gallops in the muscles of the quarter where she originally went wrong. Cruciform’s mentor, however, decided to test whether she would stand another preparation and strong work was continued, with the result that the stiffness wore off and she now seems perfectly sound. Having done no racing for some time, she cannot, however, be expected to show her best form next month. Grand Rapids is sound and well, and, if not overestimated by the handicapper, • might run well in handicaps at Randwick. Good judges, however, sum him up on his Great Autumn form as a useful animal only. Martian, although smaller, is the more racy-looking of the pair, but being a light-built animal cannot be expected to shine in big fields. A few bumps during a race would seriously impede his locomotion and Randwick fields are usually very large. Nightfall is a nice filly and will probably make her debut in the A.J.C Spring Maiden Stakes. Nightfall is engaged in the Hawke’s Bay Guineas, and can be back in New Zealand in time to continue her engagement in that race. Mr Geo. G. Stead will proceed to Sydney early in September to witness his horses race. When the trip was contemplated the principal object of the visit was to give the colt, Golden Knight, a run in the A.J.C. Derby. He, however, developed a splint and had to be fired. Probably had Cruciform also gone wrong the trip would have been abandoned. L. H. Hewett, the New Zealand jockey now in Australia, will join Mason at Randwick, and ride the horses in their engagements. Betting in doubles and trebles on the C.J.C. Grand National Meeting continues brisk, 100 to 1 the former, and 100 to 2s 6d the latter, “if not gone,” are obtainable. The reports concerning Aka Aka’s capital schooling work are causing him to be freely supported for

the Steeplechase ; Haydn, in consequence, is not quite so firm. The doubt re Slow Tom’s partiality for Steeplechase jumps is causing his admirers to ponder, and it would not surprise me to find Aka Aka absolute first favourite on the day of the race. Kremlin has been heavily supported in doubles, both in the Winter Cup and Hurdle Race. Indeed, it is now difficult to obtain a double wherein a favourite is coupled with Mr Thomson’s gelding. la is better fancied than Creusot for the Hurdles, while Tahae and Tupara also continue to have a strong following for the same race. Another stage in the Taranaki racing case has been commenced (says the “Evening Post” of July 30th). It will be remembered that in December last the Taranaki Jockey Club held an enquiry into the running of the horses competing in the hurdle races, with the result that J. O’Connell, the rider of Moturoa, was disqualified for two years. Recently allegations were made by Roberts, the rider of Ranana, charging several persons with “arranging” the races, and a further enquiry was held on 20th June, when Roberts, J. R. Corrigan (owner of Ranana), and H. Paltridge (owner of Pharos) were disqualified for life. Corrigan, and Paltridge have instructed Mr Pownall, of Masterton, to appeal against his decision. The appeals have been lodged on the following grounds J. R. Corrigan.—i. That the evidence of the witness Roberts was false and unsupported by corroborative testimony, and contrary to a previous statement made by him. 2. That your appellant is not guilty of any fraudulent or corrupt practice with his horse Ranana, or in connection with the horse Pharos, or any other fraudulent or corrupt practice at the Taranaki Jockey Club’s meeting on 26th and 28th December, 1903. 3. That your appellant had no opportunity of adducing evidence before the stewards of the Taranaki Jockey Club. 4. That the telegrams and letters produced as between your appellant and the witness Roberts bore according to code a contrary interpretation to that put upon them by the stewards of the Taranaki Jockey Club. 5. That evidence which can be adduced on behalf of appellant will prove his innocence in the matter. Hugh Paltridge.—l. That the evidence of the witness Roberts was false and unsupported by corroborative testimony'. 2. That the appellant was not guilty of any fraudulent and corrupt practice with his horse Pharos, or concerning the horse Ranana, or any fraudulent or corrupt practice at the Taranaki races held on 26th and 28th December, 1903. 3. That the evidence of the witness Leslie was false and unsupported. 4. That the cheque for £l3 of Mr Wyllie, at Waitara, which the witness Leslie alleged he received from the appellant, was handed by the appellant to one Richard Brough for investment on the horse Ranana. 5. That the appellant had no opportunity of producing evidence before the Stewards of the Taranaki Jockey Club. 6. The evidence which can be adduced on behalf of the appellant will prove his innocence in the matter. The committee of the Wellington Racing Club held their usual monthly meeting to-day. It was resolved that the whole committee proceed this week to inspect a block of land of about 150 acres situated at Silver Stream, on the Wairarapa railway line, sixteen miles from Wellington. The land has been placed under offer to the club at a moderate figure and if suitable will be acquired and a new racecourse laid out. I understand that the committee have had the matter in hand for some time and from enquiries feel satisfied that for an outlay of £20,000 they can procure a thoroughly up-to-date freehold racecourse and all appointments, which will be within forty minutes journey by rail of the city. The programme committee recommended that a new club, the Greytown Racing Club, be registered, and the secretary was instructed to forward the recommendation to the Secretary of the Racing Conference. A large number of applications for licenses from trainers and jockeys were also dealt with.