HAWKE’S BAY.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XX, Issue 1119, 21 September 1911, Page 6

HAWKE’S BAY.

(From Our Own Correspondent.)

NAPIER, September 18.

The experiment of holding a lepping fixture by the Dannevirke Club met with a fair amount of success last

Wednesday. The sum of £5883 passing through the machines for seven races, being £1331 in excess of the takings of the first day of the Spring gathering of 1910. On that occasion, however, other revenue was obtainable as the pencillers were then following their occupations Had not the rain made its unwelcome appearance during the progress of the last three races there is every reason to suppose that the totalisator investments would have been greatly increased, for there is no gainsaying the fact that the same amount of vim and dash is not put in by backers when the climate is against them. If the Club decides to go on with the spring meeting next season the programme could be improved upon by cutting down some of the jumping events. As a rule the punter does not like to see too much of his money in the air, and three events with the obstacles up would be quite sufficient. We are all wise after an event but the lesson learned at Tamaki last week can be profited by. All the officials exerted themselves to the top of their bent and the generally expressed opinion was, that they had made good. RSkipwith was very successful in his starting and the genial secretary J. Spiers Freeman, who for so many years has guided the affairs of the club was unluckily not in evidence, a severe illness having compelled him to surrender the control of affairs for a time. His place was filled by W. G. Nightingale. That old time horseman Percy Johnson provided the winner of the Dannevirke Steeplechase in Pleiades, who was well handled by Frank Lind. He started first

choice for the go. Sir Lethe was the next selection, but the latter had the bad luck, for when going three furlongs from the post just behind Wirral, who was in the lead, the latter made a bad attempt at the fence and capie to the ground in a heap so interfering with Sir Lethe that he nearly lost his rider. As a result of the bother Rangi Thompson who was up on Lethe’s son was at one time up on his mount’s ears and it was only cleverness that enabled him to get back to the hogskin again. Naturally the stoppage gave him a set back, while Lind bringing Pleiades along in a vigorous fashion soon held command finishing well and scoring comfortably by a couple of lengths. Lovell, Winiata and The Chief fell, Flamingo ran off and Maidi, who was toiling in the rear all the way from the send off, was pulled up after going about two and a half miles. The Maiden Steeplechase brought five runners to the post. Commodore, who weighed out was not allowed to start as he had forfeited his maiden status by capturing at a Hunt Club meeting. Watershed and Soman were soon out of court, for the first “lep” brought them into trouble and the pair took no further part in the contest. This occurrence left Wirihana in command, which position he held for a mile, when the favourite, Glenmore, put in his spoke and it appeared as if the verdict was his for he was not doing his best, although he had a big lead when the stand was reached. The fence there, however, proved his disaster, for he whipped around and that settled him. There were only a brace

in the'race, Wirihana and The Plough, and the former bowling along freely in front at the brush, at the three furlong post. The Plough tossed out, and though he was remounted again had no chance with Wirihana, who won by the length of the straight. The Plough being the only other to finish. Wirihana is a nice cut of a gelding by Musketry out of Topsy, and is trained at Trentham by J. Cress. The other ’big country affair, Hunters Steeplechase, attracted nine runners, Sylvia Maid being elected first choice. Reckless won with Commodore second. The favourite was well forward for the greater portion of the trip, but half a mile from home dropped back to third place and toppled over at the last fence. Lord Ullin a grey gelding by Bay King ridden by George Hirst made matters specially solid for a mile and a half. At that stage he appeared to have a winning chance, but a few strides further on he made a blunder at the double, which blotted him out of the contest. Reckless and Commodore were the only ones to get through the task without anything happening to them. Nescot, a smart stamp of a gelding by Nestor out of Sassafras got away with the Hunters Hurdles, in which he was opposed by five . others. When the numbers went up for the Hurdles it was seen that only four were going to do battle, these consisting of Windage, Te Whetu, Donzel and Merry Lawn, who were backed in that order. The race however, was confined to three runners for Windage never left the mark. Te Whetu had it all his own way from start to finish and though he fumbled at the hurdle four

furlongs from home he was never asked to exert himself very seriously. Epsom Lass was ’backed down to, a trifle over level money in a field of seven for the Raumati Welter, Gold Circle next best in the market and Waipunui following. The event is easy described for Arthur Oliver on Ariom got away to the front and stopped there to the finish; W. Young on Epsom Lass put in some strenuous toil in his efforts to get his mount past Ariom but his exertions were unproductive, Merriwee’s daughter lasting long enough to score by a bare length, Gold Circle was a moderate third-

The other flat race on the programme, the Umutaora Hack Welter, produced the largest field of the afternoon, fifteen weighing out to try conclusions. The favourite for the race was San Pluie, a stable comrade of Ariom’s. The favourite despite his impost of 9.2 was rushed from the barrier and held pride of place to a quarter of a furlong from the winning post when Griffith got to work on Fleetweek, who responding vigorously to his rider’s demand got the best of the favourite by the barest jof heads. Florence Nightingale was a short head away third. The winner is a full brother to Vi and Grandee. He is the property of his trainer D. Kemp, who has had a more than fair share of good luck with Julian last season. Fleetweek paid the price of the afternoon.

Winning honours amongst the horsemen were equally distributed amongst the following, who each had

a leg up on a winner, L. R. Taylor, W. Adams, A. Oliver, C. Cress, F. Lind, W- Young, and H. Griffith. Captain Jingle has been fired on both front legs, consequently it will be some time before he will be able to see the line again. J. Hathaway, who used to train at Palmerston North, has decided for the future to make his headquarters at Dannevirke. The tracks at Dannevirke are of a good nature, and they ought be better patronised than they are. Formative went several better than Gold Bond in a six furlong spin at Napier Park on Saturday morning. On the same course the two-year-old full-sister to Dawn put a header on a filly of the same age by Gold Reef, out of Formulate, over a couple of furlongs. The brood mare Tigress passed away last week. She was the daughter of Dreadnought and Tigridia, and was foaled 16 years ago. I understand that Fort William is to be sent to J. Lowe, of Trentham, for his New Zealand Cup preparation. J. Maher is now directing the efforts of E. J. Watt’s team, the change having been made owing to the suspension of T. Quinlivan, jnr., by the Hawke’s Bay Jockey Club. Gold Mine is keeping his own end up on the try-out round about Napier Park-

Dan Leno is giving ample demonstrations that he will come up to the mark as a., hurdler, for the lop-eared chestnut makes no trouble in his essays over the battens. He fences in a particularly clean fashion. C. F. Vallance, of Masterton, has

secured the services of Rangi Thompson for a year to pilot any of his team in jumping events. British Navy, the 11-year-old son of Torpedo and Fair Nell, has been operated upon for throat trouble. Cullinan, Shoemaker, and All Trumps were given a school over the battens at Napier Park on Saturday morning. The former got into trouble at the last flight of hurdles, swerving right across his companions, and fumbling at the obstacle dislodged his pilot, Percival. Beldame still continues to attract attention by the solid style in which she executes her tasks. The younger full brother to Ngakau (San Fran —Basilisk) has been christened St. Gozo, he is now being prepared by A. Peters at Greenmeadows.