WELLINGTON.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XVI, Issue 953, 11 June 1908, Page 7

WELLINGTON.

WELLINGTON, June 0.

The Otaki Maori Racing Club’s fixture concludes the flat racing season. Owners of horses that are not up to welter weights, must now put them by for three months until the spring racing begins. The occupants of local stables made a fair showing at the Otaki meeting, Wailethe signalling her entry into open company by winning a really good stake. Penates was also making his debut in open company and although he met a high class field and had none the best of the send off, the son of Ruenalf proved himself every inch a racehorse, and will occupy a prominent position in next season’s sprint events. Taitoko, Sir Frisco and Wharekura are a trio that will soon make their mark in open company. The five horses named were sent to the post in capital trim and their respective trainers well merited congratulations bestowed upon them by their friends and followers.

With Penates out of the way, and only lib more on her back, many looked to Ballarat to annex the second day’s 6 furlong race —the Railway Handicap. The black mare got well away and at the end of five furlongs appeared to have a winning chance, but Simplex and Motoa finished too strongly for her, and once again Davies’ followers drew a blank. Yosami and Seaman also representatives of Davies’ stable were nicely weighted, and as both looked really well, their owners backed them solidly; the veteran trainer seems quite out of luck at present. J. W. Lowe was more fortunate as Sir Frisco, Wharekura, and Iranui each won a race for him. C. Pritchard scored with Penates, and Frank Wiggott with Wailethe. Taken altogether the Wellington owned contingent came through the meeting well. An incident which occurred in connection with the first hurdle race at the Otaki meeting is probably without parallel. Mount Cook won the hurdle race, and his number was hoisted by the judge. The totalisator steward and Mr James at once proceeded to work out the dividend on the first and second horses. This was effected with such promptitude that the order to pay out was presented to the secretary for his signature before the clerk of the scales had time to report that Mount Cook had failed to draw his weight. Mr Ames, knowing nothing of the short weight incident, acted on the pay out order, and proceeded to hand out the dividends on the first and second horses to those presenting their tickets at the pay out window. He had paid out a considerable number of tickets in both the first and second horse, when he received intimation that Mount Cook had been disqualified for being short weight, and Whatakura declared the winner. The pay out windows were promptly closed until a fresh order was issued when such backers of Whatakura as had not already collected a second dividend, were paid first dividend, and those who had not torn up or thrown away their tickets on Cyrus were paid second dividend. From enquiries it’transpired that Mount Cook’s rider was less than four ounces short, evidently having omitted to put a towel that he had weighed out with under his saddle

when saddling up. The totalisator clerk in his haste to hand Mr Ames authority to pay out inadvertently overlooked enquiring if all was in order in the weighing room. The secretary, as is usual in such cases, promptly appended his signature to the pay out order only to find out later that it was an order for the totalisator proprietor to pay out on the disqualified horse Mount Cook. The whole incident readse like a chapter from the comedy of errors. The comedy, however, promised to become a tragedy when an official of the Club proceeded to announce from the front of the totalisator that the stewards would feel obliged if those who had inadvertantly been paid & dividend on Mount Cook would return the same to the totalisator proprietor, and that those who had not cashed their tickets could collect first and second dividends on Whatakura and Cyrus. Needless to add that up to the close of the meeting none of those who were inadvertantly paid a dividend on Mount Cook had made a refund. Many racegoers, in addition to those who drew the Mount Cook divi. treated the club’s request as rather a good joke, and the club will have, in consequence, to put up with the loss.