WELLINGTON.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XVI, Issue 936, 13 February 1908, Page 8

WELLINGTON.

WELLINGTON, February 12. Local owners whose horses claim engagements in the Wanganui Cup are anxiously awaiting the handicaps. They not unreasonably urge that the Wanganui Cup handicaps shou d be issued earlier, thus allowing those trainers who decide to continue their horses’ engagements more time to wind them up for a long d'stance race. The Wanganui Club’s delay in declaring the Cup handicaps may be with the view of allowing the handicapper to witness the Egmont racing, but as but few of the horses engaged in the Wanganui Cup ever start at Egmont, it is obvious the racing there is but little guide to the Wanganui handicapper. The addition to the programme of a condition giving the Wanganui Cub’s weight adjuster power to re-handicap the Egmont winner would meet the case and permit of the Cup weight being declared early in February. The Sutter-Culmination embroglio has advanced another stage. It will be remembered that though an inadvertance Mr Piper (starter to the W.R.C.) sent the contestants for the Tongariro Hack Race away some 10 minutes in advance of an official announcement of closing as posted up on the totalisator. The inevitable result was that the public were found making investments after the race was. finished,, being quite ignorant of the fact that the race had been run. The stewards had no option but to declare the gallop no race and order it to be re-run after the ast event on the programme. All owners apparently accepted the position and all faced the barrier for the second “go,” when to everyone’s surprise, Culmination, who had finished in the rear in the first gallop, easily defeated Suttee, winner of the first heat. The owners of the latter, somewhat 7 ate in the day, objected to the race being run twice and claimed the Stakes. Their objection was disavowed by the stewards, and an appeal to the committee was the result. This, after ful] consideration, was dismissed and the stakes duly paid over to the owner of Culmination.

It is due to Mr Piper that the fact shou’d be published that he appears to have been in no way to blame. He simply carried out instructions conveyed him, and which he naturally, but erroneously, assumed, came from the secretary of the club. Presumably, Piper will be carefu 1 as to whose instructions he follows in the future, as according to the rules, he had rendered himself liable to a fine of not exceeding Z?s°-

It is a frequent remark when a close race takes p’ace that no one but the judge is in a position to accurately decide the finish of a race. This is undoubtedly true, but it is also true that one pair of eyes cannot minutely watch three or four horses; and even Mr Hartgill can get befogged as to the placing of the second and third horses. It is a matter of history how in Ropa’s Wellington Cup he placed Me’odeon third, when everyone but himself saw that horse finishing fourth a length behind Paritutu, who actually was third. There have been other instances where Mr Hartgill’s placing of the second and third horse have been taken strong exception to and the time appears to have arrived when a second judge to take the third horse should occupy a place in the box.

At a number of race meetings, Mr Hartgi 1 accepts the assistance of Mr Henrys, the handicapper, and both gentlemen occupy the judge box. On these occasions the judging is so minute that dead heats are quite common. This may be attributed to the judge devoting all his attention to the first pair and leaving his box mate to select the third horse. At Trentham, the judge acts alone, and although there have been numerous exciting finishes, a dead heat has never been dclared. The custom in athletic sprint foot races is to have two or three judges, one to take each of the first three men. Obviously no one man wou’d accept the responsibility in such contests. Considering the number of close finishes that have taken place recently at Trentham it would appear that a second judge would be welcomed by Mr Hartgill who could

then devote all his attention to the first pair. . The recent dry weather has had an illeffect on local training tracks, and trainers are very careful with their charges. Severa’ horses are being prepared in view of the Wanganui Meeting, viz. : Ballarat, Monami, Prim, Saga, Penotes, at the Hutt Park, and Gold Crest, Swimming Belt, Kurawaka, Marguerite, All Red and Ataahua at Porirua. J. Lane and F. Higgott have nothing engaged at Wanganui.