WANGANUI.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XVIII, Issue 1047, 31 March 1910, Page 8

WANGANUI.

(From Our Own Correspondent.) WANGANUI, March 28. Mr. Alf. Morse has come in for a deal of praise for the manner in which he manipulated the starting machine at the Opunake meeting. There is ample room for a good starter or two, and Mr. Morse should soon get one -or two appointments from other clubs. The well-known jockey W. Price had a narrow escape from a serious injury on the afternoon of Good Friday. In company with another rider he was being driven in a motor car to Palmerston North in order to catch a train so as to reach Featherston for the race meeting there, when something went wrong as the car was goring down the Wangaehu Hill road, and the car went over the embankment. The two jockeys were pitched out, but fortunately escaped with severe shakings. The driver was not so lucky, as the machine toppled over on top of him, breaking an arm, besides which he was severely cut and bruised. Nicotine is to be schooled over hurdles, at which game she should prove a success. There is a probability of Maharanui being seen racing over hurdles again shortly. He is training on well. It is said that the Opunake meeting last week resulted in a profit of £4OO. The owner of the Malatua gelding, Marutoa, is talking of turning him out for a spell. He gave promise of turning out fairly successful as a hurdler, but so far has not run up to expectations. The Daystar gelding Lantern was doing good work on the tracks prior to competing at Warrengate on the 24th inst., but his jumping there was very disappointing and he failed to run into a place. Mr. Sam Woodhill, the popular Wangaehu sport, appears to have got hold of a promising mare in Voca, a four-year-old daughter of Stepson— Avoca, who won the Flying Handicap at Warrengate in capital style. She is trained by Walter Raynor, and was turned out in good fettle. Nominations for the Winter Meeting of the Wanganui Jockey Club are due on Friday, April 22. The programme is much on the lines of last year’s, but 25sovs have been added to the stake money in both the Borough Handicap and the Wanganui Steeplechase, which latter is now worth 425sovs. The Warrengate Jockey Club’s Annual meeting was held on Thursday, March 24, in beautiful weather. The gathering was largely attended, and was a success both from a racing and a financial point of view. The fields were good and the racing interesting. The fourteen bookmakers, who were licensed, were well patronised. The management of. the meeting was really first-class, and those responsible are to be congratulated on the result achieved, which was well deserved. The officials set an example to many other clubs by the enthusiastic manner in which they work, and it can safely be said that the meeting is one of the best conducted of the smaller gatherings held in the Dominion.

Five started in the Handicap Hurdles, which fell to The Leader, who came at the right end and won nicely after jumping well. Debonaire, the favourite, turned turtle, and his rid-

er (H. Telford) had a lucky escape from a serious accident. The Flying was won by Voca, a four-year-old mare by Stepson, who beat five other in fine style. The Native was a warm favourite, but could only get second. Red Star captured the Maiden from three others. This was the best finish of the day, the Daystar gelding getting home by a neck only, with Seawind a similar distance ahead of Miss Jean. Ambergris and The Native were the most fancied candidates for the Fordell Handicap, five furlongs, but the winner turned up in Clemain, an aged gaughter of St. Clements, who got home by a head only, second and third (The Native and Ambergris) being almost a dead heat. In the. Warrengate Cup, John, a four-year-old gelding by Cuirassier, was sorted out as the most likely winner, and he proved to be in a class by himself, as after Chase Mab and Kauroa had made the running in'turn John came along and cut them down in fine style, winning comfortably. John ran in the nomination of Mr. A. Jackson, owner of Roosevelt. He ran like a stayer, and should be heard of over distances later on in some important events. The Ladies’ Bracelet was voted the best of good things for Strathmoira (nominated -by Mrs. H. McManaway), and he paralysed the betting. The issue was never in doubt, the Soult gelding being in front all the way, Oryx finishing second. The concluding event —the St. Patrick’s Day Handicap—was appropriated by Ambergris, after Yorkshire had made the pace a cracker from the jump. There were ten starters and the winner was favourite.