WELLINGTON.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XVIII, Issue 1053, 12 May 1910, Page 9

WELLINGTON.

(From Our Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, May 9. The Autumn meeting of the Marlborough Racing Club, which took place on the club’s picturesque course at Riverlands, near Blenheim, on Wednesday and Thursday last, proved a very enjoyable affair. The attendance was oh a numerous scale and was the biggest seen at an autumn meeting for many years past. Sporting enthusiasts from Wellington were largely in evidence, and returned sports speak in glowing terms of the kindness extended to them by Mr. Vavasour, the popular president of the Club and Mr. Griffiths, the club’s energetic secretary. The turnover from the recent Marlborough meeting showed a decided increase as compared with the similar fixture last year, which shows conclusively that money must be getting easier in the barley district for which commodity Marlborough is famed. For some unexplained reason Mr. Morse, the Marlborough club’s handicapper, did not attend the meeting and the framing of the second day’s weights was entrusted to a supernumary who, however, did fairly well under the circumstances, the only exception being Lady Medallist, who was

literally thrown into the principal race on the second day, when this mare’s good showing on the first day is taken into consideration. She was only risen 121 b for her meritorious win on the first day and no wonder Mr. Prosser’s representative was an odds on favourite.

The Wellington Racing Club will shortly hold a meeting with a view to going into the question of the new Government Tax which the club finds will make serious inroads into their expenditure. The whole subject will be exhaustively dealt with at the special meeting and some scheme will no doubt be evolved to help them out of a difficulty. Mon Ami keeps on doing Mr. R. W. Paterson a serviceable turn as the Soult mare placed another win to her owner’s credit at the Marlborough meeting on the first day. She was a hot favourite and consequently her victory was well received. What a good mare Lady Medallist is was proved by the way in which she won the two principal races at Blenheim. When her racing career is ended she will join her owner’s, Mr. J. F. Reid’s, stud at Elderslie and what a beautiful matron she should make. Penza, who is locally owned by Messrs. A. T. McWilliams and D. Sullivan, of cab and hotel fame respectively, won two races at the Marlborough meeting in a very convincing style. This Finland gelding is in capital condition and must be kept in view for further events this season. The Foxton trained and owned Waipaku is said to have made marked improvement since she ran last at Wellington, and shrewd sporting critics are selecting this Conqueror mare to give a good display in the Connolly Handicap at Wanganui. Waiouru, the full brother to Moutoa, who is said to be a trifle above the ordinary, is being selected by Foxton sporting enthusiasts to win a race at Wanganui. The gelding has 6.10 in the Borough Handicap and he should possess an undeniable chance. Merrivonia, who disappointed her connection at Hastings, is doing well under J. Ayre’s guidance at Trentham, and the daughter of Merriwee is said to posses a chance in the decision of the Connolly Handicap at Wanganui. The Merriwee mare Truganini did not run up to the public’s expectation, but it is anticipated that Mr. “Melrose’s” representative will be seen under better auspices ere the autumn meetings are much further advanced. For the first time in the history of the Marlborough club over one thousand pounds found its way through the totalisator in the President’s Handicap which was decided on the second day of the meeting. This is the largest amount that has ever been invested in one race and the increase was due to Lady Medallist whom everybody was anxious to back. Lady Medallist has been very leniently treated in the Connolly Handicap at Wanganui and if Mr. Prosser decides to pay up for her in the event named then she will be a tough proposition for the rest of the field. Ballarat, the heroine of many a turf battle, continues to stride along on the Trentham tracks and all going well in the interim the old black mare will be amongst the runners at Wanganui. Mr. Paterson has not yet decided whether Penates will make the Wanganui trip. The Ruenalf colt is burdened with a substantial impost, but as he is such a good weight carrier the weights allotted to him at Wanganui should not prevent Penates from running prominently at the meeting. Longner is getting through some satisfactory work at Tauherenikau, and Wairarapa sporting critics are selecting Mr. Pharazyn’s gelding to give a promising display in the Century hurdles at Wanganui. Mocassin and Hydrant are both pleasing C. Pritchard by their exertions on the training track and it is hoped that a long overdue win will soon be secured by their owner who is a resident of the Lower Hutt. The Foxton trainer, A. M. Wright, is putting some fast work into Lord . Soult and Sir Antrim in view of their Wanganui engagements. These two geldings are full brothers, and a win for their owners Mr. J. Symons, of Hastings, and Mr. Nichol, of Pahiatua, would be well received. Nominations close to-morrow night for the winter meeting of the Otaki Maori Racing Club. This meeting will be the inaugural one on the club’s new racecourse and in consequence a liberal response from owners and trainers is anticipated. The weights for the first day’s events will be declared on or about the 27th inst.