WELLINGTON.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1346, 10 February 1916, Page 14

WELLINGTON.

Six Double Winners at Egmont R.C.’s Fixture —S. W. Tatham’s Pair at Woodville—S. Brereton’s Awapuna Team —Handicapping Criticised.

WELLINGTON, Monday

Returned visitors from the Egmont Racing Club’s meeting, which took place on Wednesday and Thursday, speak of the gathering as be.ng both .nteresting and enjoyable, although the finishes in many cases were not as keen as one would have liked to have witnessed. Merry Roe was in a class by herself, and she had no difficulty in winning the principal race on each day and netting her Gisborne owner, Mr. F. Hall, who was not present to see his brilliant mare win, close on £7OO in stakes. The two w.f.a. events were won by Mr. G. D. Greenwood, of Canterbury, with his four-year-old horse Bimeter (Maltster —Comely), while the same owner’s other representative Emperador followed his stable companion home on each occasion. There were no less than six double winners at the meeting, viz., Florist, Astor, Merry Roe, Bimeter, Zetes, and Hushman, and as the majority of the horses named were favourites the adjustments of the handicapper came in for some criticism. For six horses to win twelve out of sixteen events on a two days’ programme is a record that will probably stand for some time.

T. Pritchard, the Opaki trainer, took Lady Black to the Egmont gathering, but the mare sadly disappointed her connections by failing to make any show whatever in the two open events in which she competed. Her display was hard to account for, as she was credited with leaving six furlongs behind in lmin. 14sec. before taking her departure for Hawera. Lady Black’s next appearance will be at Woodville, where she may fare better than was the case last week.

Interlude, who was made a present of to Mr. T. Long by Mr. H. M. Speed, of Makirikiri, on the latter’s departure for the seat of war, again got amongst the winners at Hawera last week. In races up to five furlongs the mare will always be a useful proposition, as she is particularly speedy over this distance.

Florist, who cost her present owners £22 a couple of months back, has proved a very payable proposition, as she has won quite a number of races. From the manner in which she won the two hurdle events at Hawera last week she gives promise of developing into an ideal hurdler. A. Ward, the Taranaki horseman, was riding in good form at Hawera, his handling of Collector, who was a beginner at jumping, being capital, and in his hands the Conqueror gelding can invariably be depended upon to give a good account of himself.

A nice cut of a galloper in Starengo (Marengo—Star Queen) was seen in action at Hawera, and but for getting a bump he may have won. The writer selects this four-year-old gelding to be getting amongst the winners in the near future.

Arlington, who gives promise of develop.ng into an ideal hurdler, will be seen out at Woodville. Being possessed of pace and stamina, the gelding should show up prominently in jumping events. Mr. J. Harle is at his wit’s ends to know what to do with Byron, who keeps on running so indifferently. The son of Martian performs very creditably on his home tracks, but when the colours are up it is another matter. The gelding will probably be treated to a spell, which may be the means of him recovering some of his lost galloping powers. Mystified’s turn may come at Woodville, where she is well placed in the l ack events.

S. W. Tatham, at Woodville, has Orleans and Jean Laddo fast getting into readiness for the local meeting. The pair are expected to gain some successes in the near future. F. Watson, at Feilding, has Square Deal looking the picture of health. The son of Advance is being subjected to a capital preparation, and there is every probability that Mr. D. Fraser’s galloper will fulfil his Woodville engagements. Mr. H. J. Cameron, of Turakina, owner of some excellent jumpers in

the past, who holds a gentleman’s rider’s license, won the Farmers’ Plate Handicap for gentlemen riders at the Egmont meeting last week with his own horse, Lord Nelson (Signalman— Horatio). Victory was gained only by a narrow margin from Silver Blaze after a ding-dong finish over the last few hundred yards. Mr. Cameron exhibited capital horsemanship, and it was owing to his vigorous riding that his mount succeeded in landing the stake. Lord Nelson’s supporters were rewarded with a substantial two-figure dividend, the largest pad out on the concluding day.

S. Brereton, at Awapunl, has Namur, Tiora and Joey fast getting into racing form. The trio should be seen under favourable auspices during the next few weeks. It will be remembered that the former won at Foxton, while Tiora acted as runner-up to Interlude at Hawera, while Joey is vastly on the improve.

Merry Roe made hacks of her opponents a f Hawera, and some of the owners whose horses finished behind Mr. F. Hall’s mare were chagrined to think that they were made to appear very small when matched against such a splendid type of a galloper.

Zetes came to light in a convincing manner at the Egmont meeting by capturing a double. The gelding returned a substantial two-figure dividend on the 'first occasion, while the price on the second success was of ample proportions. Well-wishers of O. Cox, the Hawera owner-trainer, were pleased to see Dame Fortune smiling on him.

J. Farmer, the Awapuni trainer, is taking Glorify and Red Book to Woodville, where the pair should certainly make a creditable display, judging by their exertions on the training tracks. As T. Lloyd has not found a purchaser for his property at Marton Junction there is a likelihood of him not taking up the position of private trainer to Mr. R. A. McKenzie. Lloyd will, as heretofore, carry on as a public trainer.

Amongst the visitors to the Egmont meeting last week was Mr. R. Takle, secretary of the Dannevirke Racing Club, his mission being the disposal of tickets for an art union of a motor car of exceptional design donated by the Messrs. Knight, of Dannevirke, as a gift to the Wounded Soldiers’ Fund. Mr. Table’s worthy undertaking is meeting with every success amongst sporting enthusiasts. Merry Dale, Gold Soult and Martyress, who are to compete at Woodville, are doing quite all right in their training work under Mr. J. H. Prosser’s guidance at Porirua. The trio give promise of showing some brilliancy when they next line up at the starting post.

F. Higgott is busy at Otaki with a small but select team, including Wirokino, from whom big things are expected in the jumping business. “Frank’s” prospects for the future are very bright indeed. The fact of six horses winning twelve races between them at the Egmont meeting has caused some criticism of handicapping methods in sporting circles. For winning the Meremere Hack Handicap of five furlongs on the first day Interlude was only raised 41b. for her Inaha Hack Flat engagement of six furlongs on the following day, and on this occasion she could only run third. It would have taken considerable weight to have stopped Florist, Alerry Roe, Hushman and Zetes from winning on the second day, so that under the circumstances the handicapper probably did his best. Amongst the returned wounded from the war who came back from England recently by the s.s. Rotorua was Trooper W. G. Shannon, a wellknown sportsman of Feilding. Mr. Shannon, who was a visitor to Wellington on Saturday last, informed the writer that he was shot through the right hand, and after receiving treatment at the base he was removed to Florianta Hospital, Malta, and was subsequently invalided to England. He still carries his hand in a sling, and has been ordered to report at the Palmerston North Hospital this week, where the injured portion of his anatomy may have to be amputated. Mr. Shannon’s many friends are trust-

ing that this extreme course may not be necessary, but it may be mentioned that he was wounded as far back as July 25th.