WELLINGTON.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1342, 13 January 1916, Page 14

WELLINGTON.

S'napis Retired from Racing—Suspension of Croesus and his Connections —Notes on Horses in Training.

WELLINGTON, Monday.

Chatting with R. (Dick) Johnson, the well-known Taranaki trainer, at Wanganui last week he informed the writer that it was his intention to start Rewi Poto in the Wellington Cup. If Johnson’s present ideas are carried out it is unnecessary to state that his splendid galloper is assured of many admirers provided he lines up at Trentham. The son of Maniapoto is a brTliant sort, and his exploits during the next few weeks are anxiously awaited by quite a small army of sporting enthusiasts. Capital nominations have been received by the Foxton Racing Club for their annual meeting, which takes place on the 22nd and 24th inst., the horses engaged being thoroughly representative of stables on the west coast of this island. Mr. Henrys’ weights for the first day’s events are due to-day. The win of Taringamutu in the Wairarapa Cup of a mile and a-quar-ter was full of merit, and proves that the filly is more useful than many people gave her credit for. Her owner, Mr. G. Nash, is under the impression that she will give a good account of herself at the Wellington Cup meeting. The New Zealand Cup winner, Sinapis (St. Ambrose —Prologue) made her last appearance in the capacity of a racer on the racecourse at the Wairarapa meeting at New Year time. Last week Mr. A. R. Durrant made arrangements for his mare to be mated with Mr. E. J. Watt’s imported horse All Black, and she will be sent up to Hastings immediately. Master Moutoa, who put up such a good fight in the Manawatu Cup, is furnishing into an ideal. stamp of a galloper under D. McCauley’s guidance at Foxton. The gelding is thought susceptible of making a bold showing at the local meeting this month.

The weights for the Wellington Cup meeting have caused quite a flutter in local sporting circles. The opinion generally expressed is that the handicapper, Mr. H. Coyle, has done his work admirably and- there should be :a capital response from owners and trainers when acceptances fall due on Friday next, the 14th inst. Mr, J. J. Corry, the Mayor of Blenheim, journeyed over Cook Strait to see his horse Heeltap (Achilles — Zealandia) in action at Tauherenikau. The five-year-old gelding ran very creditably by finishing second to Braemore in the Maiden Hack and returning his lucky supporters a substantial two-figure dividend. Heeltap a decent sort, and gives one the impression of turning out useful. He Is trained by Alf. Rore at Spring Creek.

The Blenheim trainer, B. Keeper, has, contrary to expectations, fared badly with Eron Boy, who has competed at several North Island meetings without earning a winning bracket.

Marsinah (Martian —Black Bess), owned by a popular Wellington medico in Dr. Herbert, got amongst the winners at the Wairarapa meeting. The mare, who is a member of. Sam Jamieson’s team at Opaki, can gallop fast, and the future should reveal her as a very capable performer. J. Farmer, at Awapuni, has Red .Book (True Blue —Lady Mary) fast getting into racing form. It would occasion no surprise to find this ge’ding, who belongs to a popular Wanganui identity racing under the name of R. Narelle, getting amongst the winners before the present month has run its course.

Mollyhawk (Advance — Seagull), owned by Mr. J. Colvin, M.P., of the West Coast, is now being trained by C. Pritchard at Trentham. The mare has been a disappointment, but a change of training establishments may be followed by the proverbial change of luck. M. Hurley, the son of the wellknown Feilding owner of that name, has taken out a gentleman’s riding license for the present season, Mr.

Hurley had a couple of rides at the Stratford meeting, where his capital horsemanship was a theme for admiration amongst sporting enthusiasts. Certainly Mr. Hurley should have a prosperous career as a gentleman rider.

Arrahna, who created a surprise by winning the Uukia Hack Handicap at Tauherenikau, is now being trained by the veteran Wairarapa trainer, R. Knox, at Opaki, and no one was more suriyrised than old Bob himself to see the chestnut mare come streaking home and returning her supporters a two-figure dividend. It is hoped that some additional successes will come Arrahna’s way during the present season.

Glorify, owned by a popular Marton sportsman, who races as F. Preston, and who in his time has won a New Zealand Cup, is getting into capital racing tr m under J. Farmer’s guidance at Awapuni. The gelding is thought capable of getting amongst the winners in the near future. Certainly the chestnut’s display at Tauherenikau gives rise to this contention.

The suspension of the Stewards’ Handicap winner Croesus and owner

Mr. G. F. Hardy and trainer' J. S

O’Neill by the Hawke’s Bay Jockey Club has been a subject much discussed in local sporting circles, as the parties are all well known on the turf. The people mentioned may have been unlucky, but there is no denying the fact that some of the racing that has been carried on during the last few months has been positively impudent, and how some of the jockeys concerned have had the temerity to return to the birdcage to weigh in is past comprehension. In chatting with a deputy stipendiary steward recently he stated that he was making a special report to the Racing Conference on some of the glaring instances with regard to ma’pract'ces that had come under his notice on the racecourses during the course of a couple of weeks. What is needed in New Zealand is a stricter supervision over racing, but who is to decide when a horse is pulled up or otherwise. Certainly there are many loop holes of escape, but some drastic action is necessary to purify the turf from its present unsatisfactory state. Trickery (Charlemagne II. —Cute) is hitting out very attractively at Trentham, and there is every prospect of this fine galloper, who carries Messrs. V. and E. Riddiford’s colours, getting on the winning list in the near future. Certainly the gelding is the makings of a good sort.

Mr. W. E. BidwiTs horses Probation (Downshire —Culmination), Determination (All Black —Stepfeldt), Elation (Elevation—lntell gence) and Deviation (Elevation —Wailethe) all stripped well at Tauherenikau, and much praise was extended to trainer P. E. Hazleman on the capital appearance of the horses. The quartette give indications of carrying their popular owner’s colours with some distinction before the present racing season draws to a close, Their names, which are strikingly suggestive, should be the means of urging them on to success. Mr. Bidwill still has a book full of names finishing with “ation,” so the list is not yet nearly exhausted. Braemore (Sir Laddo —Tuhirangi), owned by a popular Hawke’s Bay sportsman in Mr, Keith White, of Porangahau, and tra’ned by J. Farmer at Awapuni, showed aip very conspicuously at the Wairarapa meeting by winning the Maiden Hack Race and acting as runner-up to Marsinah in the Mokai Hack Welter, both efforts being carried out on the opening day. The mare is possessed of some galloping powers, and . some more successes should come her way during the present season. Certainly Farmer has her in capital condition. Franbonnet (San Fran—Sunbonnet) owned by Mr. W. Cooper, of Te Ore Ore (Masterton), is fast getting into racing condition under Sam Jamieson’s guidance at Opaki. The writer selects this galloper to give a taste of her sprinting powers at some of the country meetings to be decided during the next couple of months.

Prior to the running of the North Otago Cup last week, Peronilla, who was formerly trained by F. Higgott at Otaki, bolted twice around the course prior to the start of the race. This took the steam out of Mr. W. Nidd’s mare, and she finished outside of a place. P. Gibbons, a lightweight who came out from England a few years back and who rode with some success in the South Island, has thrown in his lot with the Trentham trainer J. Ayers, where there should be ample opportunity for him to display his riding talents.

Black Lupin was ridden by his trainer T. George when he won at Marton. Naturally Tom’s friends were pleased to recognise the fact that he had not so far forgotten how to fight out a good finish when the occasion arrived for him to take the mount.

Mr. F. O. Wene, of Constable Street, Wellington, was a buyer at the recent Auckland sales when he purchased for 150 guineas a colt by Robert the Bruce —Puhi. The youngster is built on galloping lines, and if appearances count for anything it should develop into a decent sort.