WELLINGTON RACING CLUB’S AUTUMN MEETING.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XVI, Issue 948, 7 May 1908, Page 5

WELLINGTON RACING CLUB’S AUTUMN MEETING.

The Wellington Racing Club’s autumn meeting opened last Wednesday in favourable weather. With barely a full week between the various Easter race meetings and that of the Wellington Racing Club it was not anticipated that there would be a record muster of horses at Trentham for the autumn gathering. When thirteen of the best milers in New Zealand were saddled up for the Thompson Handicap, it became obvious that the contest was to be no less interesting than any of its predecessors. Backers looked to the Porirua stable and the Hon. J. D. Ormond’s pair to furnish the winner, and the quartette representing the two stables were freely supported both with the tote and the metallicians- The owner of Sea King was, however, fairly sanguine, while Sunbonnet and Aboriginal had a host of loyal followers, particularly amongst the Wairarapa visitors. Indeed, when the field lined up at the barrier, every horse engaged in the race had a host of anxious backers on tenterhooks. The field were got away on even terms by Mr Piper and at the end of two furlongs Sea King was just showing in front with Gold Crest and Sunbonnet close on his heels. With three furlongs to go. Dawn joined Gold, Crest, and the pair were called upon by their riders to improve the pace. Zimmerman Tangimoana, Marguerite and Stratagem, were at this stage being hard ridden, but the distance saw Gold Crest and Dawn beaten,

and the race was then left to the three light-weights—Sunbonnet, Sea King and Aboriginal. The first named pair fought out a great race and finally flashed past the judge locked together, with Aboriginal close up, Stratagem fourth and Dawn fifth. The contest was the most exciting yet seen at Trentham, and supporters of the dead-heaters cheered wildly when the numbers were hoisted side by side. The North Island Challenge Stakes was looked upon as a good thing for the best of Sir Geo. Clifford’s pair, Glencuiloch or Husbandman. Carissima and Formative were not taken into consideration, but those who had seen Diabolo race at Auckland entrusted the son of Stcpniak with their investments. Young Hatch got the black colt going smartly, and at the end of four furlongs he obviously had the field in trouble, and running on won nicely by three lengths. Glencuiloch ran below his best form, whilst Husbandman, who finished behind Carissima (gst ilb) was clearly not in the humour for galloping. Mr J. Monk, owner of Diabolo, was the recipient of many congratulations and hopes were expressed that his colt would follow in the footsteps of AchillesThe minor events provided exciting racing, and several good dividends were returned. The Conqueror gelding Toa Tuhi beat a useful lot of horses in the Waiwetu Handicap, of which Waipaku and All Guns were the most fancied, but neither were placed. Aorangi followed up his Feilding victory by easily annexing the First Hurdles. Repulse made a good showing, but Playmate ran behind his field and returned to the bird-cage very lame. Sea King was withdrawn from the Railway Handicap in favour of his stable mate Cross Battery. The five runners were very evenly supported, Motoa being just a shade better backed than Cross Battery, whilst Martyrium, Truganini and Ballarat were solidly supported. The latter was slow to move when the barrier went up and lost a couple of lengths. Truganini’s rider made the best of his light impost and ran past the distance a length and a half to the good. Martyrium was early in trouble, but Motoa came strongly in the last furlong and just got up in time to snatch a narrow victory from the light-weight by a bare nose. Cross Battery and Ballarat were a couple of lengths away. The reputation of Sir Geo. Clifford’s Clanranald filly Flitaway, scared several owners out of the Plunket Nursery, and only Artillerie and Roosevelt were saddled up to oppose the Canterbury representative. Artillerie was slow at the barrier, whilst Flitaway jumped off with a couple of lengths advantage. The Royal Artillery filly put up a good fight and inside the distance Flitaway’s rider had to shake his mount up, but eventualy won comfortably by a length. The hack events did not produce large fields, but no exception could be taken to the quality of the runners, which included the fashionably bred Monami (Soult —Satanella), Sir Frisco (San Francisco—Waitemata). Penates (Ruenalf —Housewife), Taitoko (Stepniak—Whirlpool), the Libyan (Phoebus Apollo), Osiris (San Fran— Ismene), Wharekura (Eton —Irma), Blue Ribbon (Blue Jacket —Yattaghan), and Wailethe (Lethe—Wairoa). The latter, a nice cut of a mare, put up a good performance in the Silverstream Hack Handicap, and defeated a good favourite in North Pole (Birkenhead —Norsemaid). Sir Frisco was somewhat lucky in his victory as Penates swerved badly half a furlong from the judge’s box and the half-brother to Porirua got up in time to catch the judge’s eye.