WELLINGTON.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XVII, Issue 982, 31 December 1908, Page 8

WELLINGTON.

WELLINGTON, December 30. The news of the success of the Porirua-trained horse All Red in the Auckland Cup was a bit of a surprise to backer & here, who, for some reason or other, pinned their faith on Diabolo as the most likely of Prosser’s pair to win the big two-mile handicap. Why they should have selected the three-year-old does not seem quite clear,jexcept that Diabolo’s dam was herself a stayer. Both All Red and Diabolo claim Stepniak as sire, and hitherto his stock have not made a name Ifor themselves as stayers. All Red, however, ran a good race in the last New Zealand St. Leger, and also in the C.J.C. Metropolitan Handicap. a|nd having 51b the better of Diabolo according to weight-for-age, it seemed obvious that he would finish upsides with the three-year-old. That worthy sire Stepniak loses through the victory of his son All Red the reproach want of stamina that has long been thrown at him. Stepniak’s ownejr may thank the Prosser-Jenkins comibination, the former for the superb condition in which All Red was landed at the post, and Jenkins for riding one of his most artistic races. ■ There are few stables in the Dojminion, or. it may be, in Australia that contain such a fine pair of four-year-olds as All Red and Gold Crest. Both are magnificent, massive animals, built to carry weight and gallop fast. The Porirua trainer will no doubt feel pleased to win within a fortnight three such races as the Feilding Stakes, the Palmerston North Stakes, and the Auckland Cup. Such events, it is needless to add, can only be annexed by well-conditioned, high-class animals. The action of the Avondale Jockey Club in taking such drastic action in connection with the doings of a number of licensed trainers and jockeys, has met with universal approval in local racing circles. Similar doings have been suspected in quite a number of quarters throughout the North Island during the past season, but from sheer lack of someone to probe the matter to the bottom the evil-doers have escaped scathless. The immunity of certain owners, trainers, and riders from punishment has rendered them rash to a degree, and except that a leading handicapper has occasionally taken it upon himself to admonish them in the error of their ways, but little notice appears to have been taken of their vagaries, which oftentimes was obvious to the merest tyro in racing. The victories of All Red and Royal Soult is-very acceptable to members of the local' betting ring who had double books on the Auckland Cup and Railway Handicap. The majority did not write the winning com-

every taste is catered for. “Off to America in the s.s Adriatic” was a series of splendid pictures, and the scenes and incidents of the voyage were depicted with remarkable clearness. “The Campeigne Motor Circuit” created much enthusiasm, the exciting and dangerous incidents attendant on a long road race on the Continent, being reproduced with marvellous realism, and these films were striking evidence both of motoring and cinematographic possibilities. That time-honoured “ Arabian Night”, story, “Ali Baba and the Forty thieves”, lost nothing in its pictorial telling. “In Beautiful Brittany” was of exceptional merit, the scenic attractions of that country being well pourtrayed, while “Wood floating in Morran”, showing in detail how Paris is supplied with wood, stands ant prominently. “The Fashionable Waltz”, a travesty on the “Merry Widow Waltz”, caused much merriment, and the audience almost felt like following the example of the pictures, and succumbing to the influence of its strains. Other good films were “The Sicilian’s Revenge”, “The Wishbone”, “The happiest-day in her life”, “The Mohawk’s Revenge”, “Two college chums”, “A strong woman,” “ Still worthy of the name,’’ etc., L/uring the evening Mr. A. E. Glover M.P., was to have made a presentation of a gold-mounted whip to C. Jenkins, the rider of All Red, winner of the Auckland Cup, but the well-known horseman did not make his appearance. On Saturday afternoon a matinee will be held, when every child will receive a present. The pictures will be repeated each evening.