HAWKE'S BAY

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XVII, Issue 979, 10 December 1908, Page 7

HAWKE'S BAY

NAPIER, December 9. Although Ikon has been nominated for the Manawatu and Ashurst gatherings, San Fran’s daughter has put in several right-handed gallops on the preparing grounds at Hastings, which makes it look as if her owner had not given over the idea of taking the mare up to Auckland for the summer venture, of the A.R.C. ' ''lowing to his having caught a severe cold, ’ Moriarty was not taken to Woodville. ' ■ ■ ;; Goldlace, Gold Thread, and Golden Water, a portion of Mr. G. P. Donnelly’s team, have been giving satisfactory replies to the questions put to them on the try out on the Napier Park track. The Foxton Racing Club is negotiating to obtain the services of Mr.

Harry Piper to set the fields going at their annual race meeting next month.

Rerehau is the name that has been given to a six-year-old daughter of Nestor, owned by a Petane resident. I understand this will be Merriwee’s last turn of stud life in the Dominion, as his owner has made arrangements to send him over to the other colonies next year. Good work is bing accomplished by Bobrikoff and Downfall at the preparing circuits at Napier Park. Mr. Watts’ recent purchase,, the coming two-year-old Stepniak —’Couronne colt, had the saddle put on l him with a pilot in it for the first time last Saturday. The youngster behaved in an orderly manner, and stepped out like an old hand at the business.

Alfred Neale, who fills the position of head lad at Mr. G. F. Moores training establishment at Tayforth, was in town this week, and during a chat I had with him informed me that with luck during the season the Wanganui sportsman would have some worthy carriers of the brown and crimson banner. All going well, Mr. Moore intends to send Signoi’ and Carissima to Sydney and Melbourne early next year. The half-sister to Armistice has grown into a beautiful mare and greatly resembles her sire San Fran. Another item of news he supplied me with was that Helen Portland had been put in work again, and that a particularly nice half-sister by Sylvia Park to the Lark, named Sylvan Song, was also a stable comrade of Signor, Carrissima and company. Tepuia, a rising three-year-old filly by San Fran, out of Black Ella, has been registered as the joint property of R. Brough and D. O’Meara. The latter is the wellknown stud groom at Te Mahanga Station. In consequence of having several of his students engaged at Manawatu, Ashhurst, and Hastings, T. Quinlivan, junior, will not accompany Aboriginie to Auckland this month.

It seems hard luck to me, said a well-known local bookmaker when talking to me the other day, that I should buy a yearling, take all the risk and trouble with him, get him ready for racing, race him, lose money on him at the game, then sell him cheaply, and his new owner, who has won several races with him, should always have a good bet on him with me. What I’m worrying about now is whether I will quit fielding him or let somebody else take the risk. If I do and he misses I’ll be mad, and if I keep on laying him and he wins I reckon I’ll be madder.

Weights for the Manawatu Cup are due next week. The Wellington weight adjuster, Mr. J. H. Pollock, will act as starter next Saturday at the inaugural meeting of the Wanganui Trotting Club. The Dannevirke Jockey Club has received first class nominations for their two days meeting next week, and with the handicapper up to his usual high grade standard, patrons of the fixture can look forward to a couple of days pleasurable sport.