WANGANUI.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XV, Issue 895, 2 May 1907, Page 8

WANGANUI.

WANGANUI, April 30. The weights for the Wanganui Steeplechase, Connolly Handicap, and Century Hurdles are due on or about Saturday, May 11. The Wanganui Jockey Club have received such excellent nominations for their winter meeting, which takes place on May 23 and 24, as to make it fairly safe to predict that the forthcoming gathering will be one of the greatest successes on record for a steeplechase fixture. The entries for the big steeples include such good performers over country as Nadador, Phaetonitis, Slow Tom, Haydn, Eclair, Kiatere and others, whilst amongst the recruits may be mentioned Maui, Pawa, Nestator, Romany King, and Lion Heart, so that it will be seen that there promises to be no lack of quality in the field, which will contest the event. The Century Hurdles Race has also filled splendidly, and there is every reason to believe that the contestants will be quite up to the best standard seen here. A good lot of horses are also engaged in the Connolly Handicap, as well as in the other open events, whilst the hack races, as usual, have filled particularly well. Providing, therefore, that Mr. George Morse exercises his customary skill in framing the weights big fields and highclass racing may be looked forward to. Messrs. Walsh and Quarterman, the well-known local metallicians, have opened a double book on the Wanganui Steeplechase and the Connolly Handicap. The Apremont gelding Lingerer changed hands the other day, when Mr. H. Munro parted with the chestnut for £SO to Mr. J. Larmer. Lion Heart, the Leolantis —Good Day gelding, which recently won a hurdle race in Victoria, is evidently to be brought back to this colony as his name figures amongst the horses entered for the Wanganui and Auckland meetings. General Peel, the hurdler, who appears to have benefited greatly by the lengthy spell he has been treated to, will shortly be put into work again. It is probable the son of Linstock will be sent to Hastings to be trained by George Collelo. Romany King and Sammy are apparently going to be given every opportunity to win distinction over the big fences, as Frank Lind visited Waverley the other day for the purpose of schooling the horses named. Fontenoy did not benefit as he was expected to do by his running at Wellington, and, moreover, his leg filled. Hence the son of Haut Brion was brought straight home instead of being allowed to fulfil his Manawatu engagements. He may show to more advantage here this month. Sedgemoor will probably be taken across to Blenheim to compete at the Marlborough R.C. meeting on the Sth and 9th. The chestnut is nicely weighted in the Electric Handicap the first day, and as he is showing good form at present he should be hard to beat with only 8.2 to carry. Kairoma quite failed to run up to expectations in the Manawatu Stakes on Wednesday. Many of those who saw the big Birkenhead gelding galloping in the Jackson Stakes here imagined that he would be very close to the winner at Awapuni, and his failure to run at all prominently was a disappointment to his many backers. The local bookies have all done well over the last three meetings — Wellington, Manawatu and Avondale. For some months prior thereto the backers had repeatedly come off best in their battle against the books, so that it was up to the latter to have a turn. Marguerite is gaining quite an evil reputation on account of the way the

Stepniak mare lashes out with her heels at the barrier. When the horses were at the post prior to the start of the Autumn Handicap at Trentham, Marguerite gave Helen Portland a severe kick on the near hind leg, which caused the filly to bleed profusely, and spoilt any chance she may have had. Wirral behaved so badly at the post in the Farewell Handicap at Awapuni that after breaking away and doing a circuit on his own account the Hon. J. D. Ormond’s horse was taken back to the paddock, and his 251 backers therefore did not even get a start for their money. The tote returns at the recent Manawatu meeting totalled £21,746 for the two days, an increase of £3128 on last year’s total. That well-known jockey George Price had a very narrow escape from a serious accident on the second day of the Manawatu meeting, when his mount, Armamento, fell over the prostrate Hiro in the Hack Flying. Armamento was running about fourth at the time, and Price was galloped over by several horses, but he escaped without a scratch. A thoroughbred horse sale was held at Palmerston North on Thursday, April 25, by Messrs. Abraham and Williams. The appended details may be of interest: — On account of the Hon. J. D. Ormond. —B f, 2yrs, by Birkenhead — Temeraire, Mr. Bassett, 52gns; b g Tranmere, by Birkenhead —Aphrodite, W. E. Phillips (Hawera), 33gns; b f, 2yrs, by Birkenhead —Nixie (full sister to Wirral), Mr. R. A. McDonald, Signs. On account of Mr. H. Gaisford — Four-year-old gelding, by Captain Webb, Mr. Bailey (Hawera), 18gns; four-year-old by Chainlink —Arethusa, passed; b m, 4yrs, by The Page— Sandy, passed. On account of Mr. E. W. Collins. — Two-year-old gelding, by Cyrenian — Etona, passed at 20gns. On account of Mr. C. Hawkins. — Two-year-old ch c, by First 8100d — Oriflamme, Mr. Siddells, 13gns; ch yearling colt, by The Officer —Noon by Medallion, Mr. McDonald, 21gns; . brood mare Oriflamme, by Dreadnought, Mr. D. Buick, 12gns. On account of other vendors. —Br m Makikihi, by St. Cyr—Prioress, passed at 150gns; br g Glenora Park (Soult— Fishgirl), 3yrs, passed. Fred Tilley has recently received an addition to his big string at Fordell, the filly by Seaton Delaval — Hilda having been sent to him to prepare for spring engagements. The filly is owned by Mr. Toxward, of Palmerston North, and was purchased in Auckland a couple of years ago.