WANGANUI.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XIII, Issue 800, 6 July 1905, Page 8

WANGANUI.

Wanganui, July 4. The Fordell-trained Handsome Rose followed up his recent victories jit Hawke’s Bay by annexing the big stick event on the opening day of the Napier Park meeting. The son of Handsome Jack was heavily backed here for the event, and the layers of odds got a bad time of it.

Mr. H. Austen, of Foxton, had the misfortune to lose his Musketry—Fatigue colt Purdey, who died recently of inflammation.

Evening, who won the steeplechase here in such splendid style, has now developed a leg, and in all probability will not sport silk again for some considerable time. This is very bad luck for Mr. Armstrong, owner of the son of Wonderland—Vesper. Mr. J. Cotter, of the Wairarapa, has presented the local Jockey Club with two fine stags’ heads—royals—for the new stand, which is short!” to be erected. "The donator was associated with racing here some thirty odd years ago, and always spends a very enjoyable holiday when visiting the town now. St. Lyra, Fontenoy. and Shrapnel have been nominated for the Winter Cup, to be decided at the Canterbury Jockey Club’s winter fixture, while Handsome Rose, Bounce, Kohatu, Valima. and the Sandon-trained Daredevil are the only entrants from this vicinity for the jumping events. The Tod Sloan hurdle rider, C. O’Neill, added a couple more wins to his long list at the Napier Park meeting last week, when he steered Wild Cat and Jack o’ Lantern to victory on the second da". The victory of the Tatter is said to be attributable mainly to the splendid horsemanship displayed by O’Neill. The Forester gelding Valkyrie has been nicely treated the -hurdles at Wellington with 9st T3lb, and should he be taken down will prove hard to beat, as he is in capital nick at present. The Marton Racing Club, w’ho usually usher in the spring racing season, intend to include two open events on their next programme, called the Crofton Handicap of lOOsovs, six furlongs, and the Marton Handicap of HOsovs, one mile. The total increase in stakes will be about lOOsovs.

The St. Hippo gelding Lurcher still continues to run into a place in his essays over crosscountry courses, and no doubt he will before long carry his colours in the van.

Besides being engaged to ride Slow Tom' at the Christchurch meeting, Clarence O’Neill has, I understand, been retained to ride The Mohican.

Frank Lind returned from Napier on Friday, where he has been riding Mr. Lowry’s leppers Creusot and Comfort. It was particularly hard luck for the owner and rider of Comfort that the horseman should have missed the brush fence in the Park Steeples, which necessitated the race being taken away from Mr. Lowry’s representative. Lind says the starter explained before the race that the contestants were to miss the last hedo-e but one, and he forgot exactly which one when coming to the finish and missed the last jump. Frank, however, made amends on the concluding day bv riding the same steed to victory, in the Hurdle Race. Lind returns early this week to continue schooling Creusot and Comfort in view of their Wellington and National engagements.

Harry Jackson was again favoured by a slice of good luck at Napier Park, where the aristocratic-bred Fontenoy annexed two races somewhat easily. The big son of Haut Brion is just getting into form, and there are nlenty of his admirers who fancy he will take a power of beating if started in the Winter Cup. Jackson’s other pair, St. Lyra and Benmore, failed to reproduce their form of the previous week, but as this is not an unusual occurrence with this pair, it would not be quite unexpected by trainer and owner alike. W. Price, the well-known Fordell lightweight, who has made a name for himself on the flat is on a fair way to success as a hurdle rider. Price rode Handsome Rose in all his victories lately, and good judges who have seen him ride predict a splendid future before this lightweight crosscountry horseman. According to a Greymouth paper, W. Mitchell, trainer of the Handsome Jack colt Roseal, had rather an anxious time of it during the recent flood. Mitchell’s stables are situated near the racecourse, which was under water to a depth of nine feet, but he got his charge shifted to a vacated stable on a small hill opposite the course after some difficulty.

Mr. A. Walker, of Feilding, negotiating for the purchase or the lease of Explosion for stud duties, but I understand nothing definite has yet been arranged. C. Jenkins, the popular Porirua horseman, has now brought his winning mounts for the season up to 83. which constitutes a record, and there is not the slightest doubt but that he will score a few more wins before the season closes. In allotting the Souit colt Maniopoto Bst 41b in the Epsom Handicap of one mile, and Bst in the mile and a-half event, the Metropolitan Handicap, the handicapper for the A.J.C. spring meeting cannot be said to have been unduly harsh on the son of Lady Fisher. Neither has he erred on the side of leniency. However, should Maniopoto be sent across he should be quite capable of acquitting himself in a most creditable manner in either or both of the above races. Mr. H. Good, one of the horse’s owners, has supported him for the Melbourne Cup to win £5OOO. I understand in taking this sum about Maniopoto Mr. Good was tempted to so do by the price offered, the amount being secured for the putlay of £lOO.