Untitled

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XVIII, Issue 1034, 30 December 1909, Page 6

Ah English visitor, who has been spending a few months in Victoria, and who left for New Zealand this week (says “Javelin”) remarked:—“l have just been reading an article on racing in Victoria, in which it is stated that the ‘the conditions are much more satisfactory than they were 10 years ago.’ ” Then, as he replaced the pince-nez which he had been polishing with his handkerchief, he added, “Surely, old chap, that can’t be so! If it be, then all I can say is, things must have been pretty hot here 10 years ago! Eh, what?”

Half-mile trotting races have been introduced in Melbourne. To save the enormous amount of time and trouble in racing over such Marathon distances and incidentally discouraging stamina in the utility horse, a writer hands out the suggestion that the horses’ names should be drawn from a box —first name drawn to be the winner. By this means we could have race meetings without racehorses, and a “Carbine” under the circumstances would last for ever.

Frank Wootton, who attained his 16th birthday on December 14, rode three winners at the Lingfield (England) meeting on November 7. They were Nitawah in the Country Maiden Two-year-old Plate, Pretiva in the Back-end Stayers’ Handicap, and Bohola in the Winter Welter Handicap. A couple of days later, at Liverpool, he was successful on Damage in the Lancashire Handicap.