OTAGO.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1350, 9 March 1916, Page 15

OTAGO.

Approaching Waimate Meeting — Bonafides of Pacer, George Berlin.

(From Our Dunedin Correspondent.) DUNEDIN, Monday. Wingatui stables are fairly well represented at the Waimate meeting, which takes place on March 16. It is one of the most popular one-day fixtures in the South Island, and attracts patrons from a widespread area. One can see sports from Canterbury, Otago and Southland in attendance, and also from other parts which involve a good deal of travelling for a one-day programme. The Waimate Club has always been progressive, and keep on sending up their stakes and carrying out improvements to their course with all the financial power they can gather. The Waimate Cup has for years past always carried a good trophy in addition to the stake, and even in these commercial days the chance of catching a trophy appeals to all good sporting owners. Horses from Wingatui that are likely to patronise the meeting include Magdala, Fender, Moonglow, Charmilia, Bon, United Service, Ogier, Joan, Placid, Cortes and Arthur George. The meeting has attracted unusually good entries, and promises to be even more successful than usual. A lull took place at Wingatui at the conclusion of the Dunedin Cup meeting, but with the Waimate, Timaru, Gore and Invercargill meetings matters should soon liven up again. John Barleycorn is still at Wingatui, where he is fed and run out in a paddock. The Sarto gelding is, however, not likely to race again until next season. The yearling pur-

chase by Mr. W. Gardiner, the owner of John Barleycorn, will not be raced as a two-year-old. The Sarto yearling purchased by Mr. C. Studholme is another not likely to race as a two-year-old. No doubt this is due to the idea that the Sarto’s want time to develop. If that is really so, it is somewhat remarkable, as most of the stock got by the St. Simon tribe come to hand fairly early. Mr. H. L. James has written to a local paper contradicting the report that Martian Maid did not break her leg whilst running in the Dunedin Cup by putting it in a hole or by striking a post. The mishap must then be put down to the luck of the game by which men win or lose money or horses, as Dame Fortune dictates. The Trotting Association were engaged last week in an inquiry into the bona fides of the pacer George Berlin. According to the evidence furnished by affidavits from wellknown riders and trainers, it was fairly well established that George Berlin is identical with a one-time well-known Canterbury performer by the name of Kalgoorlie. Mr. A. Dawes, who raced the horse at Waikouaiti and Tapanui, stated that he bought the horse from a Mr. Hall. The matter rests at that stage for the present, until, no doubt, the Association calls upon Mr. Hall to give evidence. In the meantime Mr. Dawes has been ordered to refund the place money he won at Waikouaiti. The stake won at Tapanui was impounded at the request of the ovvner of me second horse to George Berlin.