WELLINGTON

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XIII, Issue 774, 5 January 1905, Page 9

WELLINGTON

Wellington, January 1. Mahutonga’s victory in the Auckland Cup was exceedingly popular in Wellington. The Hon. “Himi Kara” took his many friends into his confidence, and the doings of the Cup horse at Ellerslie were made no secret of ; the result was that unswerving and loyal support was accorded the son of Quilt, despite the fact that numerous “quid mines” in the far North reported Mahutonga backward in condition, etc. A leading local metallician informs me that so consistently did the public support Mahutonera that eight pounds was the total sum invested with him on the balance of the Cup candidates. The defeat of Savoury saved the local ring large sums. Mahutonga and Mr Stead’s colt were coupled for all the double money available, as short a price as 8 to 1 being accepted by the followers of Mahutonga. Lady Annie was never mentioned in connection with the Railway Handicap, and her victory gave the local bookmakers, with one exception, a “skinner.”

Followers of the Porirua stable were quite prepared for the defeat of Ghoorka and Boris in their engagements. The position the former occupied in the Auckland betting for the Cup

most sporting folks here as his Prospects were not thought very highly of "by those best able to judge of his cap.ab lilies. Owing to the fact' that the Ya dhurst colt, Savoury, was looked upon as almost a certainty for the Railway Handicap, Boris was entirely neglected, Ailsa and Golden Vein being next in demand. The Manawatu R.C. Meeting was lar elv patronised by local sports, who ava'led themselves of the excursion fares offered by the Manawatu Railway Com any. The racing was of an interesting description, the best fancied candidates in most of the events failing to run up to expectations. Tessera carried a lot of public money, whilst Soluticn and Matuku were heavily supported uy both the public and their owners for the open ng event. Ballarat also carried the confidence of her owner, and ran one of her best races, just failing to concede 221 b to the speedy Jeanne d’ Arc. After Pushful had scored: a fairly easy -wirJ in the Hurdle Handicap, a field of ten lined up for the Manawatu Cup, Con oy was in capital nick, but although ridden a well-judged race by. Joe Gallagher, the Vanguard gelding had to succumb to Asteroid ; the time, 2mm 37 4-ssec, denotes that there was no loitering during the race. The Nurserv Handicap brought out a field of half-a-dozen, but Probable, and Chryseis had the race to themselves, the former prevailing after a capital finish. The Auckland-bred mare, Sea Gull, has made considerable . improvement sirce going into “Jack” Maher’s h'nds, and aided by her handy impost had no trouble in’ winning the lOOsov Hack Handicap. St.' Joe, with Bst 101 b, ran a capital race, and will be heard of in open company ere long. The speedy Auratus made a runaway race of the Grandstand Handicap ; Blazer and Full Cry found their imposts beyond their capabilities, and the -ex-hacks, Ngatarua and Rapids filled the places behind Auratus. Cn the second day of the Manawatu Meeting no less than'four of the first May’s winners repeated their first day’s ■performances. Auratus, Jeanne d’ Arc, Anadeja, and Probable, were each double winners, whilst Probable and Medallist finished exactly in the same order as on the first day. Pushful and Levant also to again finish in that order, but the former misjudged a "hurdle early in the race and fell heavily, thus allowing a Hutt-trained horse, Levant, to annex a small portion of the -stakes offered by the Manawatu Club. Convoy ran another sterling race in the Pres’dent’s Handicap, 1-J miles, but failed to concede Jeanne d’ Arc 291 b. The mile and a-quarter was cut out in 2min lOsec, and only a short neck separated Convoy from the winner. Kaharoa and Hvdrant were divided by a head for the Farewell Handicap, ran in Im in 43 ' l-ssec. Hydrant seems a most unlucky -animal, as he performs most consistently, yet fails to catch the eye of the judge. The sum put through the totalisators (£39,441) at Manawatu, is said to con■stitute a record for a two days’ meeting in the Colony. The strain on the totalisator contractor, Mr Joe Ames, was of such a nature that he collapsed at the termination of the meeting, , and "had to seek the aid of his medical adviser. Only those who have experienced the responsibility of handling such huge sums in a few hours can realise what l>eing responsible for the accuracy and promptness of the turnover is like. Usually there are scores only too ready to take undue advantage of the slightest slip on the part of the totalisator staff, and there are some ever on the alert with “cronk” tickets, “dummy ’ notes, etc. Detection of this class of racecourse habitue is almost impossible, and prevention is therefore the totalisator man’s onlv protection. Weights for the Wellington Cup and Telegraph Handicap are eagerly looked forward to. The local metallicians are busy laying doubles at from 100 to 1, to 100 to 2, Cup and Telegraph. The Yaldhurst horses, with Convoy, Mahutonga, Romeo, and Quarryman, are favourite selections for the Cup.