WANGANUI.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1498, 9 January 1919, Page 31

WANGANUI.

WANGANUI. Monday.

The Husbandman gelding which T. Long has in work is fining down nicely, and it should.not be long before he is ready for racing. Client is being kept going with a view to fulfilling Wellington Cup engagements, if the weight suits. Warning, the five-year-old son of Advance —Seagull, which Tilley has in his stable, gives promise of turning out a useful sort of a gelding. He showed a lot of pace in his race at Marton, and will do better the next time he starts.

Wanganui visitors to the Taranaki and Stratford meetings speak highly of Mr. Alf. Morse’s starting at those gatherings. He is said to have got his fields away on very even terms in all cases. Pennon was very sore after winning at Marton, but this is usual with her after a race or two on hard going. If she throws off the trouble sufficiently she will be taken to Feilding for the Stakes. As a result of her win at Marton she will have a few pounds extra to carry, and her weight will probably be about 8.9. She will, therefore, have to put up a big performance to win, considering that several very speedy two-year-olds will be amongst the starters. If W. Rayner could only put the work into Pennon and wind her up properly she would prove very brilliant, and there is no reason why she should not stay on. As it is she is badly handicapped, but all the same

she can hold her own with most of them over short courses, and it would be no surprise to see her go near winning next Saturday at Feilding if she is anything like herself. Zela got into a wire fence and this caused her absence from the Christmas meetings, but Rayner has her in work again now, and she will probably be seen out at the Egmont and Wanganui meetings. Green, have thrown off the colds Golden Bubble has grown into a fine looking two-year-old, and is already big enough for a three-year-old. He shows plenty of quality, and promises to develop into a top notch three-year-old; in fact, he looks like a colt that will make an ideal Derby candidate. So far he has not done much fast work, but he shapes encouragingly. H. Rayner will be taking Starengo and Carmel Arch to Feilding. They both ran well at the Christmas meetings, and should be very fit next Saturday. Starengo has 7.5 in the Flying Handicap, and if he begins well will be handy at the finish. Carmel Arch is engaged in the Apiti Hack with 8.5 and the Cheltenham Hack with 8.6. On his form at Stratford he should win shortly. Recent form points to Zola and First Line as likely to run well in the Hurdles at Feilding, while Demos (if he starts) will be hard to beat in the Flying. Royal Park, Carmel Arch and Sonnino read well in the Apiti Hack, and Red Signal and Vance in the Trial Plate. Henry Clay is in great form, and, despite his penalties, he is sure to run a big race in the Manchester Handicap, in which Rose Pink will be dangerous. The Feilding Stakes promises to be a splendid race, and great interest will be taken in the meeting of Surveyor, Crenides, Croesus, Warplane and the other cracks engaged. There are not wanting those who look to Pennon to run close to whatever wins.

The fact that the Wanganui Cup meeting follows closely on the Egmont Racing Club’s summer meeting should benefit both gatherings. The Egmont Club it out with a most attractive programme, and with such valuable prizes to be won at the two meetings, most of the best horses in the land should be attracted here for the handicap events, while there is every prospect of the crack weight-for-age horses being seen out in the rich classics provided for them. In this connection, it is interesting to note that Desert Gold is engaged in the Egmont Stakes, Hawera Stakes and Jackson Stakes, while others which still remain in include Biplane, Gloaming, Surveyor and other crack performers, so that there is a good prospect of these events being contested by remarkably fine fields. The Wanganui Trotting Club’s annual race meeting is to be held on Friday, February 21, the day between the two days’ gallops. Phil Green has his team in solid work here, getting ready for the meeting, and judging by the way Inora, The Weaver, Rio Grande and Meritorious are hitting out the local horses should pick up a race or two. There is every prospect of the entries being very satisfactory, as a number of owners have signified their intention of being represented.