AFTER THE RACES.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XIV, Issue 842, 26 April 1906, Page 6

AFTER THE RACES.

WAIPUKURAU JOCKEY CLUB’S

ANNUAL MEETING.

This popular country racing organisation put up a few more notches on the record line as an outcome of their yearly fixture, the tote figures reaching an increase of over the sum machined at the previous venture. The investments over the Hack Handicap, also constitute a single record for the club, and the gate takings exceeded those of 1905 by The day was gloriously fine, more like a summer than autumn day, and consequently clients were able to enjoy their pleasures under most favourable climatic conditions. The motto of the club seems to be progression, and it is satisfactory to know that their efforts are meetng with he success they deserve. That the executive are bent upon improving their property for the convenience of all interested may be gathered from the fact that during the past few months they have disbursed about in improvements to the course and buildings. All of the officials strenuously exerted themselves in the performance of their many duties, and their efforts brought satisfaction to patrons and credit to themselves. The secretary (Mr. W. G. Nightingale) was prompt and courteous in the discharge of his duties, in which he was ably assisted by his sons (R. I. and W. G. Nightingale, jun.). Mr. A. Wood’s starting was of a fairly good grade, but he falls into the fault of letting his fields get too sprawled about when getting them ready for despatch. His Excellency the Governor, Lady Plunket and party graced the meeting with their presence. The vice-regal party viewed the sport from a comfortable box, which was tastefully decorated with flags and draped with his colours, buff and canary, and a lot of followers of coincidences backed Mr. Geo. Hunter’s (the vice-president of the club) horses, Mystification and Mungista, simply because the Porangahau’s racing uniform was of the same colours as those displayed on the Governor’s box. Merrywing, one of the Merriwee tribe, who is a half-sister to that old battler Straybird, got away with the verdict in the Maiden Hack from a solid favourite in Brown Belt, who was no match in the last bit for Kemp’s mare; Montigo third. The latter’s rider, through the stress entailed by wasting, kind of fainted at the home bend, and therefore could not render the assistance required by Strowan’s son, who is surt to be heard of with advantage later on.

St. Albert was picked as the pea for the Easter Handicap, but had to strike his colours to Hipporoffla and Gold Dust, the first-named of whom triumphed comfortably by a length vfithut exertion ; Admiral Cerveras the only other starter a bad last. The Hack Handicap which attracted a field of seven, fell to another of the Merriwee productions in Operetta, who had no great difficulty in settling Silver Lead when the best was asked for a couple of furlongs from the line. Monarque, the favourite, failed badly, and Cinque, who was expected to show out favourably, handled herself in such a style in the earlier stages of the argument that her backers were on good terms with themselves, but at the home bend their hopes were gone, for Saracen’s daughter at this point, beat a retreat.

Only a quartette, the whole of the acceptors in the Waipukurau Handicap, lined up for the battling, Mystification, who never looked better, being installed a slightly better favourite than Whakauetu. Apremont’s chestnut son, and fully realised the anticipations of h's admirers, for although Pantaloon made the pace merrv for * mile, Mystification then put in his claim, and the subject was then beyond any further dispute; Whakauetu a poor third. Gold Dust had bad luck, for his rider got jammed on a post, and losing his seat was dragged for some considerable distance, but luckily escaped any serious injury. J. Munn, the trainer of Gold Dust, entered a complaint against Williams, the pilot of Mystification, for foul riding, but on the stewards taking evidence and going into the . matter they decided to dismiss the complaint. A bunch of 13 babies weighed out for the Two-year-old Handicap, Mungista being quickly dropped on as the likely one to carry off the event. Stepniak’s daughter had more invested on her number than the second choice, Lady Meet. Her partisans made no mistake in their forecast, for Mungista easily pulled to the front in the last furlong, easily silencing the opposition ; Cantata, a Seaton Delaval filly, who used to belogn to Mr. F. H. Lowry, second. . Her owner, Mr. H. Dimmer, generally has a turn-up at Waipukurau, and the good price paid by his representative was joyfully received by followers of his stable. Lady a filly

by Birkenhead out of Lady Helen, who sported Mr. Lowry’s racing" banner, was a good third. Amongst the mob of young ’uns who struck the eye as likely to further develop into a good one was Mahuta, a massive, good-limbed black colt by Mahaki out of Spring, the latter a daughter of Quilt and The Brook. Cinque’s admirers, if they were at all constant, got back the bullion they lost over here in the Hack Race by her triumph in the Ladies’ Handicap, in which Saracen’s daughter paid £6 18s. She, to my way of thinking, had a fair slice of good luck, for if Outer had not jumped over a piece of paper in the straight, which nearly landed her in a wrong position, Cinque’s number would not have gone up in the first slide. British Navy, a gigantic son of Fair Nell’s by Torpedo, was a fair third. Cinque was piloted by Mr. A F. Douglas, one of the proprietors of the Te Mahanga breeding establishment, and he deserves kudos for the good style in which he handled his mount. Benefactor was a bad last.

Again was St. Albert entrusted with the confidences of the majority of punters in the Flying Handicap, and again did he falter by the wayside, the conqueror turning up in Contender, who just settled Gold Seal on the post by the barest of heads. The latter, who is now the propertv of Mr. G. P. Donnelly, showed all his old dash right up to the line, but was, if anything, made too much use of in the earlier stages of the argument, and had not enough left to quite stall off Contender’s vigorous challenge. Hipporoffla, who had to carry a ylb penalty for his annexation of the Easter Handicap, which brought his impost up to 8.5, got third berth.

Miss Adeline, who I formed a good opinion of at Wairoa when present there at the annual fixture of the Wairoa Club in February, made no race of the Final Hack, for she was first to go and first to get home, scoring with ease by a couple of lengths; Tihi second, and the second favourite, Flower Girl, a poor third. The first choice, Moral; was never in the hunt. The winner, who is a three-year-old filly by Swordfish out of the Hiko mare, Fleur-de-Lis, brought happiness and dollars to her party, who threw in for a good stake over the contention.

D. Kemp topped the list of victorious horsemen with three successes (Merrywing, Hipporoffla, and Operetta), F. (Bud) Williams coming next with a brace of scores (Mystification and Mungista); W. Kirk, J. Broadfield and Mr. A. F. Douglas each increasing their winning record by a single victory apiece.