WANGANUI.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XVII, Issue 985, 21 January 1909, Page 8

WANGANUI.

WANGANUI, January 20. Frank Lind has taken Research down to Foxton, where he is to compete in the Cup. The track form of the son of Renown has been such as

to lead his connections to think that he has a good race concealed in him, but so far he has been somewhat of

a disappointment. The Sou’-Wester gelding Moose is in easy work again, having recovered from his accident at Rangitikei.

Amokura, by Rangipuhi, who is engaged at the forthcoming Karioi Hack Meeting, can muster up a bit of pace for three or four furlongs.

Grenade and Whimper were given a spin over the schooling fences together the other morning, both jumping very well. Whimper looks like one who should develop into a good steeplechaser, and may be heard of in the coming season.

Nominations for che Wanganui J.C. Cup Meeting close on Monday next, the 25th inst. Considering the value of the stakes offered by the club, the nominations should be very large. An extra £5O has been added to the Cup, which is now worth £650, and a £5O increase has been made to the big money, the Wanganui Stakes, on the second day. An additional £3O has been tacked on to the Farewell Handicap, which race is now worth £l5O. These increases should lead to large entries.

A total of £Bl9 was received in fees from the bookmakers at the recent meeting of the Manawatu Club; It is thought that there was a combination of forces on Boxing Day, as though the attendance was three times as large that day as on either of the other days, the fees received from the bookies fell short of the amount received from them on the first and third day.

A private conference of the Taranaki country clubs is being arranged to consider what steps should be taken regarding the appointment of stipendiary stewards, the reduction of complimentary privileges, and also the position created by the decreased revenue from the totalisator. Efforts are being made to arrange a similar conference of district clubs in the Wanganui district. In the course of a chatty letter to George Price, L. H. Hewitt mentions that he won twenty-three big races last season at Home, his crowning performance being the winning of the Cambridgeshire on a big outsider in Marcovie. Hewitt had a very narrow escape from death shortly after that event was decided, as he suffered from ptomaine poisoning, but he managed to pull through after having a very close shave. He considers England is the place for a jockey to get on, once

he gets a connection, but he has agreed to ride in Austria next season for Prince Hohenlohe, the terms being very liberal, and the ex-New Zealander should have a very profitable season. By the way, Hewitt is to be married next month to an Australian young lady, who is now on her way Home. According to Hewitt, young Wootton is a champion of champions as a rider, and would have topped the list last season had it not ben for having to stand down for a month. The little fellow is only fifteen years of age, and appears to have a brilliant career in front of him.