HAWKE’S BAY.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1521, 19 June 1919, Page 31

HAWKE’S BAY.

Napier Park R.C.’s Winter Gathering —Prospects of Some Exciting Contests —intending Competitors’ Chances Discussed —Lord Astolat Finishes Lame After Track Gallop —Bon Reve Shaping Promisingly— Mr. T. E. Whelch’s Team at Greenmeadows — Appellations Bestowed Upon Juveniles Owned by Mr. T. H. Lowry—Hawke’s Bay J.C.’s Excellent Nominations.

NAPIER, Monday. Owners replied generously to the invitation of the Napier Park Racing Club on Friday night, when acceptances were due for the first day of the club’s winter venture, to be held on Friday next, for out of 160 horses handicapped 110 made good as regards being listed for business. It is more than a level money chance that a good period is ahead of the club this week, financially and otherwise, for where the 'fields are there will be the coin, and as several of the contestants are of good class some real exciting contests may be anticipated. The tracks are in apple-pie order, and the steeplechase fences have been erected, and, as usual, are free from any trickiness or anything that would tend to deceive a good lepper. They are solid, certainly, but jumping is what patrons like, and horses to get over the obstacles will have to give a good exhibition of fencing or they will have no chance of safely completing the course.

Of the bunch listed for the Moteo Hurdles, Reformation, Sensitive (who was never better and who is fencing in good style), and Teka (if started) should give a good account of themselves. Master Webster looks as if he is sure to go out favourite in the Petane Steeplechase, and fair prospects of success are held by Bollin, who will be much improved by the racing that he has had of late at the Dunedin J.C.s steeplechase meeting-. Provided the going is on the yielding side, which it is not at present, Bagdad will be in the torrid end of the argument when the man in the box is getting ready to line off the winner in the Stewards’ Handicap. If dry and on top of the track, Vagabond’s tickets will be in great demand, while in the event of Hydrus being reserved for this event he will also be in the betting. Polthogue appears to be the goods in the Napier Steeplechase, for he has not got much to master either as regards quantity or quality, and in putting him in at within a pound of list, with a 9.7 minimum, the weight adjuster has certainly not been hard upon him. The better of Mr. J. Bull’s representatives, Master Lupin and Yankee Jack, should have the largest following in the Ladies’ Bracelet, but if a good, strong, determined horseman is found for Maori Tekanga he is sure to find a host of admirers, for he is a gee-gee who wants a horseman aloft capable of steadying him, which a youngster is not able to do. Should Master Lupin decline his engagement in the Ladies’ Bracelet, he is a certainty to start first choice in the Ahuriri Hurdles, but in his absence Multive will be certain of solid support in the big two miles event. Should a capable jockey be up on Kahumangu, which has not been the case with him in his previous efforts, then of a surety there will be good money for him. Honey Bee has been doing so well recently, both with the colours up and in his track work, that his chances in the Settlers’ Handicap appear to wear a rosy hue. Fiddlestring and Transmission are also a likely pair, and the trio named should be mighty adjacent to the fore when the judge is getting under weigh to hand out the place positions. Diavolo’s success in the steeplechase at Gisborne last Thursday did not come to light out of its turn, for it is just two years ago since the son of Wehikore and Heavenly Twin last scored. This occurred when he won the Te Hapara Steeplechase at the winter meeting of the Gisborne Racing Club on June 16, 1917. Last season, out of eight send-offs, Diavolo filled the place of runner-up on a brace of occasions.

After doing good work on the track at Napier Park on Thursday morning, Lord Astolat was trotted round the plough, and on pulling up showed signs of trouble in front, walking off the track lame. Hard luck for trainer F. Quinlivan, for the four-year-old son of Advance—Maid of Astolat had given promise that in the very near future he would prove a useful stake earner. F. Quinlivan is moulding into shape a coming two-year-old halfsister to Lady Kilworth by Demos-

thenes, and a filly of the same age by Demosthenes —Formona. Bon Reve is making easy work of his tasks on the hurry-up at Hastings, for he is getting over the big obstacles in a 'style that gives evidence that his spell has not impaired his powers. Half a dozen of the representatives of Mr. T. E. Whelch have arrived at Greenmeadows, and the bunch, which consists of Merrie Lad, Tatimi, Silver Tongue, Manhattan, Multiply, and Styrax, are amongst the regular toilers oh the preparing circuits at Napier Park. Local backers got rid of a Tot of good money on Thursday over the failure of Multuni to connect in the Tramway 'Steeplechase at Gisborne. The son of Multifid could have got a cheaper beating nearer home, for the meeting at Napier Park this week was at his own back door. Another of the Demosthenes clan, in Demonstrate, made good at Gisborne last week, getting away with both of the Maiden Hack events there. Demonstrate was bred locally by Mr. A. O’Dowd, of Taradale. Mr. T. E. Whelch has claimed the cognomen of Houdini for the 'five-year-old gelding by Mystification and Mistra. The name from the sire’s side is quite apropos, for if ever there was a mystifier it is Houdini, the wellknown performer, by whom locks, boxes, or other devices for ensuring the captivity of a man are defied in a manner that has astounded the theatre patronising population of the world.

Owing to the absence of Rangi Thompson at the Gisborne Racing Club’s steeplechase meeting there was not much schooling work over the fences last week at Napier Park, where this horseman is in great request with trainers, many of whom have delayed the schooling of their pupils until Rangi comes back from Gisborne this morning. Mr' T. H. Lowry has given the appellation of d’Ore to the coming three-year-old full-sister to Desert Gold, and the rising two-year-old fullsister to the brace will race as Acacia. Other names bestowed by Mr. Lowry on some of his coming two-year-olds are as under: —Right and Left, black colt by Merry Moment — En Parole; Island, black colt by Finland —All’s Well; War Cry, bay filly by Finland—War Talk; Blackhead, chestnut colt by All Black —Gossip (this youngster is a half-brother to Bobrikoff); Canyon, bay filly by W ola wa —Wairakau. Excellent nominations were received on Friday night by the Hawke’s Bay Jockey Club for future classic events, and the nominations taken at the same time for the approaching steeplechase meeting of the club were of a very bulky nature, which augurs well for the success of the gathering.