WANGANUI.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XV, Issue 894, 25 April 1907, Page 8

WANGANUI.

WANGANUI, April 24. Owners are reminded that nominations for all events at the Winter Meeting of the Wanganui Jockey Club close on Friday, the 26th inst., at 9 p.m., with Mr. W. Hall, secretary. It is the usual thing at this time of the year to hear the pessimists bewailing that there are no jumpers about, and consequently that the nominations for the various winter meetings will be small. However, I fancy that the nominations received by the Wanganui Club and also by the Auckland R.C. (which takes entries for its leading jumping events the same night) will be right up to the average, both in regard to number and quality. The Egmont Racing Club have received splendid nominations for their winter meeting, which takes place on the 15th and 16th May, and there is, every prospect of the gathering being a big success. Mr. George Morse will declare the weights on or about the 30th inst. The nominations for the Hawke’s

Bay Cup include Helen Portland, Fontenoy, and St. Joe, so that Wanganui is likely to be represented in the race. Mr. J. Belcher informs me that he has been asked by a Victorian syndicate what amount he would be prepared to take for the Australian rights for his patent hurdles. It is evident from this, and also from the fact that inquiries have been received from Westralia and other States, that the patent hurdles are regarded with favour by racing men throughout the Commonwealth. It is stated that Helen Portland was somewhat lucky to win the Thompson Handicap, as Mahuta is said to have faltered momentarily when slightly ahead of the Dorchester filly, and thus lost the race. However this may be, the fact remains that Mr. Moore’s filly made all her own running, and got home in time equal to the record for the race. Though Helen Portland had lightened up a bit as the result of her Auckland trip, she came on again rapidly, and in view of the good gallop she did just before leaving for Trentham she was strongly supported at the eleventh hour. Fontenoy ran a good race for over three parts of the distance, and the son of Haut Brion should score shortly. Needless to say the owner of this pair (Mr ..G. T. Moore) was heartily congratulated on the success of his filly.

Mr. A. Cleave, proprietor of the “Sporting Review,” was in Wanganui for a couple of days last week. He was here on business connected with his paper, which has a big circulation not only in Wanganui but up and down this coast. Mr. Cleave left again in his motor car on Sunday last

en route for Wellington. He intends returning to Auckland via the East Coast. The fact that Black Reynard put up an Australasian record when he won the Hurdles at Trentham the first day appears to have been overlooked by most racing men. The time recorded for the mile and three-quarters by the son of Reynard was 3.14% —a wonderfully fast performance. The Sou’-wester gelding Le Vent is in work again preparing for the Wanganui J.C. Meeting next month. He has not won a race since he led the field home in the Handicap Hurdles rt the Pahiatua R.C. Meeting last January twelve months. The long spell he has had may have done him good, however, and perhaps his owner (Mr. George Chamberlain) will succeed in getting a win out of him later on, though he will scarcely be ready for the Wanganui gathering. It will be remembered that Kairomo, the big Birkenhead—Film three-year-old gelding owned by the Hon. J. D. Ormond made a very fine showing here in the Jackson Stakes last month, when he ran second to Isolt. On the strength of that he was expected to run very prominently in the Third Manawatu Stakes, as it was only reasonable to suppose that he had made some improvement in the meantime. Though The Lark did not carry a great amount of local money in the Thompson Handicap, the son of Nestor was heavily backed in the Hutt Handicap the second day, in which backers got only thirteen shillings back for their pound, as the Fordell-

trained colt ran second. His stable mate St. Joe “came through” as a good thing for the Autumn Handicap, but failed to get a place, to the disappointment of a number of punters. I hear good accounts of Motor’s stock, and it will be matter for surprise if some of his youngsters don’t distinguish themselves next season. The son of Hotchkiss is to stand in this district next season, so that breeders will have an opportunity of securing his services again, and no doubt they will avail, themselves of it. Mr. W. H. Blythe was recently offered a big price for Motor, but refused to part with him.