WELLINGTON.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1543, 20 November 1919, Page 10

WELLINGTON.

Extensive Improvements to" Course Being Carried" Out'by Egmont Racing Club—Success of North Island Horses at N.Z. Cup' Meeting—Rossini’s Derby Victory—Notes on C.J.C. ( Fixture —Mr. W. Smart to Race His Team in the South Island.

WELLINGTON, Monday.

The officials of the Egmont Racing Club are carrying out some very extensive improvements to their racecourse at Hawera. The turns have been banked up, which will make the work of negotiating the corners a very easy matter for both horse and rider. The racecourse proper has been graded, top dressed and considerably improved, so that when completed the tracks will more than hold their own with any metropolitan grounds in the North Island. The club have recently purchased additional land adjoining their own property, and this has enabled the executive to increase the size of the lawn and outside enclosure, while the totalisator house has been materially enlarged. The additions being carried out should satisfy the requirements of the Egmont Racing Club for years to come, and the executive are certainly to be congratulated upon the bold policy that they have adopted in bringing their racecourse up to a state of perfection. A feature of the metropolitan meeting of the Canterbury Jockey Club, which was brought to a conclusion on Saturday last, was the large number of races won by horses hailing from the North Island. Several of the more important events, notably the New Zealand Cup, Stewards’ Handicap, Metropolitan Handicap, Canterbury Cup and the Jockey Club Handicap were won by horses trained and owned on this side of Cook Strait. The success of the North Island division was well received by stay-at-home followers of the sport,, and many adherents profited very considerably. Vagabond had a very easy win in the New Zealand Cup, the house’s success being aided very considerably by the skill and patience of his rider, B. Deeley, who always had the Martian gelding in an excellent position. In the final pinch the gelding got clear of the leaders and won nicely by a length. The betting on the Cup was a record for the C.J.C.,. the investments on the race totalling £13,544.

Battle Song made a bold effort to defeat Vagabond in the Cup, and put up a great finish by running second. The Signor —Armistice gelding reproduced his fine form of the first day -when he won the Metropolitan Handicap on the second day from a good field. Trainer J. Ayres, of Trentham, was deservedly complimented upon the capital condition that he had landed the horse at the starting post, and with Vagabond out of the way the rich stake attached to the New Zealand Cup would have come to Wellington.

Some critics took exception to R. Bagby’s riding of Affectation in the New Zealand Derby, and they argue that better handled the Kilbroney colt may have won. Over the greater portion of the journey the horses ran at a snail’s pace, and the time for the mile and a-half, viz., 2min. 46 3-ssec., will serve to show the slow speed that dominated the race. The tactics suited Rossini admirably, and when Deeley called on Mr. G. D. Greenwood’s colt a few hundred yards from the post the issue was soon placed beyond doubt, the bearer of the red and yellow stripes and red cap winning very comfortably from Royal Stag, who narrowly defeated Affectation for second place. For the greater portion of the journey Affectation was out in front, and when the pressure was put on the colt could not respond, while Rossini had been kept in reserve by Deeley for a final spurt, with the result that the tactics adopted won the race. A. McMullan, who was for a couple of years with F. Tilley, at Fordell, and- who won the Taranaki Cup_ on Lady Menschikoff, is now engaged in hurdle and steeplechase riding in Southland, and is meeting with* considerable success. While' in the North Island, McMullan’s horseman- 1 ship was always of a high order. He will pilot Leaping Burn in the two hurdling events at the South

Canterbury meeting this month. , The Messrs. V. and E. Riddiford’s brace of two-year-olds, Wake (Kil'broney — Somniform) and Shamrock (Kilbroney — Symbolism) displayed considerable pace at the C.J.C. meeting, and the pair should, with ordinary luck, carry their popular owners’ colours with some success during the present season. There * were only three starters in the New Zealand Derby last week, and, despite this fact, over £6OOO was invested on the totalisator. As anticipated by the writer, Affectation was favourite.

Inah had the ' Stewards’ Handicap won at any portion of the journey, and the dividend returned by the mare was totally unexpected by those who saw her win at Wanganui and who know her quick beginning powers and her ability to stop in front for a six-furlong race. Her owner (Mr. H. Spratt, of Hawera) and trainer (W. Pine) were the recipients of many congratulations on Inah’s easy victory. The Trentham horseman, Ashley Reed, was riding in excellent form at the C.J.C. meeting, his handling of Inah, Mascot and other horses

being a theme for admiration amongmi all concerned. With the increased patronage that he is receiving, Reed should, occupy a prominent position amongst winning jockeys at the close of the present racing year. Demos just failed to land a nice tidy parcel for Owner “Johnny” Hurley in the Criterion Handicap at Riccarton, but the dividend, which was very substantial for second place, nearly equalled that of the winner, Michaela. The Demosthenes gelding is very fit, however, and some successes should come his way in the near future. While holding an excellent position in the Jockey Club Handicap, run on the third day, Demos fell, but luckily nothing worse than a severe shaking was experienced by the horse and his rider (F. Corlett). The accident to the jockey, F. W. Ellis, or “Freddy” as he is more familiarly called, at. the finish of the Randolph Handicap at Riccarton on Wednesday last, cast quite a gloom over the proceedings. Ellis was riding Mandrake, which fell just at the finish of the race, while Fleetham, a big upstanding horse, fell on top of both horse and rider while they lay • on the ground, Ellis receiving a slight fracture of the skull and a broken collarbone. Luckily W. Robinson, who rode Fleetham, escaped lightly with several bad bruises and a strained wrist. The local owner; Mr. W: Smart, is planning a descent on South Island meetings, and with this object in view Prince Delaware, Pacific Slope • and Consultation have been- nominated for the South Canterbury meeting, which takes place at Timaru on the 20th and 21st inst. Revocation,

owned by E. Kingan, brother of the trainer of the above, also figures in the lists, and there is every probability of- the trip being undertaken. Russet (Autumnus —Aema) was paying a dividend of well over £5O when the gelding ran second to Flight Commander in the Randolph Handicap at Riccarton on Wednesday last. Owners and trainers should not overlook the fact that acceptances for the Feilding Jockey Club’s ’ spring meeting close with Mr. E. G. Goodbehere at 8.30 p.m. on Friday next. Immediately on hearing of the accident to Jockey F. W. Ellis at Riccarton on Wednesday last Mr. W. Slattery, of Hawera, at once gave instructions that the lad was to receive the best medical advice, regardless of any expenses, towards which Mr. Slattery would become responsible.

W. Kirk, the well-known trainer of Hastings, who, for eight years past, has been associated with the training of Mr. G. D. Beatson’s horses, has taken up his residence at Woodville, where for the future he will act as private trainer to Mr. W. H. Gaisford, of Oringi, Dannevirke. The latter sportsman purchased Punka (Cooltrim — Drowsy) for 1225 guineas fit the recent Christchurch blood stock sales. This mare made her first appearance in her new owner’s colours at the C.J.C. meeting on Saturday last. In addition to Punka, Mr. Gaisford has in training Bindle, also the two-year-old by Hallowmas — Rosie Des-

tond, and a full brother to Crowhurst, while the number will be considerably added to in the near future. Kirk had the rare distinction of training Asterias when this juvenile defeated Desert Gold in the Wellesley Stakes in 1914, and with his excellent knowledge of the peculiarities of the thoroughbred he should be the means of enabling Mr. Gaisford to win many successes on the turf.