HAWKE’S BAY.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XIX, Issue 1083, 8 December 1910, Page 7

HAWKE’S BAY.

(From Our Own Correspondent.)

NAPIER, December 5

The Hawke’s Bay Jockey Club Metropolitan Committee met at Hastings on Friday. Present; Messrs- G. Hunter (chairman), L. de Pelichet, F. Logan, J. C. McVay, E. J. Watt, H. M. Campbell, T. E. Crosse, MF. Baird, J. E. Mclvor, C. L. Mackersey, G. P. Donnelly, W- J. D’ouglas, and F. Armstrong.

Programmes were approved as follows; —Woodville Jockey Club,

ruary 22nd and 23rd, stakes £1510; Poverty Bay Turf Club, February 9th and 10th, stakes £1210; Dannevirke Racing Club, March Bth and 9th, stakes £1600; Te Karaka Racing Club, January 2nd. Licenses granted: Apprentice, H. Stowe; trainers, H. Moore, W. Kirk, R. Smyth; gentlemen riders, Messrs. J. S. Wilson, D. McKenzie, Rangi Moa, J. S. Lopdell, M. Andrews, J. Tracey, Martin UOpihia, E.Mclvor. H. Spratt, owner of Mendip, appealed against the decision of the Dannevirke Racing Club in awarding the stakes to Vi in the Dannevirke Handicap on November 16th, on the ground that the rider of Vi did not draw the weight when weighing in. The following resolution was carried: “We, the Metropolitan Committee of the Hawke’s Bay Jockey Club, having considered the evidence of the appeal of H. Spratt against the decision of the Dannevirke Racing Club in awarding the stake to Vi in the Dannevirke Racing ’Club Handicap on November 16th, uphold the appeal and order the Dannevirke Racing Club to pay the stakes to H. Spratt, owner of the horse Mendip, placed second by the judge in that race ” The Chairman drew attention of the committee to a statement made by Mr Ross, M.P. for Pahiatua, when the discussion upon the petition of Mrs Trewick, of Palmerston North, in regard to the payment of dividend on three totalisator tickets, which she claims to have purchased on a winning horse at the Woodville Jockey Club’s February meeting. Mr Ross stated that the Metropolitan Committee was primarily responsible for having wrongly advised the Woodville Club. No advice was given to the Woodville Club by the Metropolitan Committee, who had no power under the rules to give advice, even had it been asked for. Further than this, the Metropolitan Committee, have no power to vary or review any decision given by a country club in any dispute or question affecting the payment of totalisator dividends, the Rules of Racing providing that the decision of the stewards shall in all such cases be final. It was to be regretted the committee thought that Mr Ross should have made an inaccurate statement reflecting upon the Metropolitan Committee without having made himself acquainted with the Rules of Racing or the facts of the case.

Woolongong, the younger fullbrother to Oren, got into trouble the other day, for while he was going through a course of exercise over the battens on the preparing grounds at Napier Park, he clipped into one of the obstacles and damaged one of his shoulders that badly that it is anticipated that he will be useless for racing purposes. His trainer, J. Oldfield, is surely having more than his share of bad luck, for it was only last week that promising pupil of his Sleacombe, got his round bone injured, and as a result, had to be invalided.

San Pluie and Bunkum were well backed here last Thursday for their goes at Feilding, in fact they were the only horses backed for money during the day, and as they both returned good prices for second places, it can be imagined how the layers of odds got on.

Harry Hickey has invented a patent hurdle, which he has called the Centaur hurdle, and it is his intention to ask the H.B. Jockey Club to allow him to erect one and get it used at the next meeting of the club. As Hickey has done a lot of riding over the impediments, besides having been very fortunate with horses, he has prepared for hurdle and chasing events, he should certainly be in a position to know what is required for the members of the lepping brigade. Mr E. J. Watt’s team for Auckland will consist of Bridge, Theodore, Maori King, Winning Post, and Midnight Sun. The contingent are under orders to leave Hastings on Friday for the Northern City. T. Quinlivan, junior, is imparting the first rudiments of their education to a brace of fillies, both of whom are two-year-olds, one is by Stepniak, out of Rosella, the other claims Merriwee and Float as her parents.