WELLINGTON.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XVI, Issue 949, 14 May 1908, Page 8

WELLINGTON.

WELLINGTON, May 13

The conclusion of the Hawke’s Bay and Marlborough meetings may be taken as an indication that racing men are on the eve of the winter gatherings. Already the weights for the Wanganui and A.RiC. Steeplechase meetings have been declared, and many trainers are busy giving their charges schooling practice over fences and hurdles in view of forthcoming engagements.

A glance at the names of the animals engaged at Wanganui and Auckland discloses the fact that but few additions have been made to the ranks of the jumping brigade during the season. Kaitere, Sol, and Nadador, who head the handicaps, are names quite familiar to both handicappers and racegoers who are interested in steeplechasing. The hurdles handicaps begin with Paritutu, Shrapnel and Cuiragno, another trio that have for several seasons been constantly before those sports who try their hand at picking doubleevent wagers.

If steeplechase recruits are few, it can at least be said that amongst the veterans which come up smiling year after year there are included many sterling performers, and should their trainers get them to the post dressed in their best, good cross-country exhibitions should be witnessed. The hurdle events have also drawn many horses out of their summer retirement. The name of Cavaliero brings back memories of some four seasons ago. If the Great Northern winner of 1900 gets back to within three stone of his best form he should give his admirers a run for their money.

According to the opinion of Randwick trainers who have seen Elevation, the colt will never race again. J. Farmer, who was entrusted with the care of Elevation during his visit to Randwick, returned last week, having left the colt in charge of a vet. It is a matter for regret that Mr. Bidwill’s fine colt is thus early in his career knocked completely out. A lightly-built horse, Elevation should have raced through several seasons. The Seaton Delaval colt King Post, who ran second for the Hawkes Bay Stakes, has recently been responsible for some very erratic exhibitions. During a meeting at Nelson he ran three lengths behind that ordinary performer First Mate in a hack race, the seven furlongs occupying lmin 33sec. A fortnight later at Feilding King Post was only beaten half a length by Probability in a seven-fur-long go which was cut out in lmin 30 2-ssec. The colt’s performance at Hawke’s Bay was in marked contrast to that displayed at Nelson only a month ago. Brobrikoff’s victory in the Hawke’s Bay Stakes is reminiscent of the brilliant effort he made on the same course last spring, when he finished third to Gold Crest and Elevation in the Hawke’s Bay Guineas. Brobrikoff was on that occasion standing behind his field when the barrier flew up and .ost quite half a dozen lengths. Notwithstanding his disadvantage he put in a phenomenal run and caught all but the leaders ere the distance post was reached. Many good judges of racing expressed the opinion that had Mr. Lowry’s colt got away on even terms, he would have seri-

ously troubled the leading pair ere they reached the judge’s box. Several Wairarapa and Wellingtontrained horses were successful at the Marlborough autumn meeting. Abort ginal seems to have struck his best form, and his owner has been . recouped for his losses since Aboriginal’s Winter Cup victory. Snip, Naumai, Wharekura and Yosami won for Wellington owners, whilst Gaelic secured a stake for the Wairarapa brigade. Inclement weather rather interfered with the success of the gathering, which is rapidly becoming i favourite resort for local sports. When the Miramar Pony Racing Club was instituted, letters appeared in local prints predicting that Miramar would become a resort for lads and youths who would be drawn there and obtain their first insight into wagering. The prediction seems to have been fulfilled, as a couple of bookmakers were each fined £5 last week for betting with boys, the lads in question being under 15 years of age. It transpired during the hearing of the case that a large perceneage of the Miramar racegoers have not reached an age which renders it lawful for them to indulge in wagering.