WELLINGTON.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XV, Issue 879, 10 January 1907, Page 8

WELLINGTON.

WELLINGTON. Jan. 9. The local training establishments again possess tenants, the horses which during the holidavs were touring the districts having returned home. A number are. unfortunately, somewhat sore as the result of their having raced on hard parched tracks, no ram having fallen for a considerable time; and as but few of the country racecourses furnish trainers with other than grass gallops, it is not surprising that their charges are feeling the effects of galloping on adamantine soil with no covering to break the jar. The fortnight that elapses between now and the W.R.C. Summer Meeting at Trentham will enable some of the horses engaged to freshen up, and as the ploughed gallon at the Hutt Park, and also the training tracks at Trentham are no win first-class order, trainers’ tasks will be lighter than during the past fortnight, during which most of them experienced an anxious time. The following Hutt-trained horses are reported in the Hospital:—Clanburn, Liberator, Saraonyx and Levant whilst Strathfillan, Hatley, Elevation, Thera, who raced in the Wairarapa, and Mystification, who was running at Manawatu and Hastings, are more or less sore, but their trainers fear no permanent ill effects, and expect to ■saddle them up at the W.R.C. Summer Meeting. The Porirua-trained horses have stood their racing well, and now they are again on the Porirua beach will be greatly benefited by frequent walks in the sea-water. Mr. Prosser has no less than 15 horses engaged at the W.R.C. Summer Meeting, the majority of which are sound enough to fulfill their engagements.

Mr. Prosser’s misfortune in losing that useful handicap horse Gold Crown was particularly annoying at a time when the son of Gold Reef was expected to place a race or two to his owner’s credit. There are quite a number of animals at Porirua that could have passed in their checks without their mentor experiencing much regret, but it usually happens that the good die young, and Gold Crown was certainly not one of the worst in the stable.

The field for the Wellington Stakes promises to be a first-class one, and may include Glenculloch and Guidwife, representing Sir Geo. Clifford; Downfall and Finery from the stable of Mr. Dowry. Hoh. J. D.Ormond’s Eona, W. E. Bidwell’s Elevation, G. P. Donnelly’s Pearl Reef, J. R. McDonald’s Gold Crest, Sir Wm. R. Russel’s Tigris, Geo. G. Stead’s Hauscar, all recent winners, are also amongst the 31 which are still engaged in the race. The W.R.C. handicapper lost no time in declaring his handicaps for his club’s summer meeting, which were duly declared a couple of days in advance of the advertised date. Turf scribes will no doubt appreciate having forty-eight extra hours’ time in which to compose their criticism. Obviously, handicaps declared on a Monday leave contributors to weekly journals little time to cogitate, and the comps, are usually worrying for copy early on the first day of the week. By the way, it has been suggested to me that the Racing Conference should make a rule insisting upon a uniform day in every week for clubs to receive nominations. Fewer owners would in such case miss their engagements, and acceptances might also be fixed for the declaration of weights for important events. Local metallicians report that although they have had numerous inquiries in connection with the Wellington double Cup and Telegraph, but little business has resulted. A leading fielder was asked by wire for quotations for eight different horses in the Cup, but at time of writing there does not seem to be any particular favourite, and during Saturday two to one on the field was going a begging.