WELLINGTON.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1551, 22 January 1920, Page 10

WELLINGTON.

Foxton Racing Club’s Meeting—Notes on Intending Contestants —F, Watson’s Trio at Ashhurst—J. Tilsley Now Set up as a Trainer at Mararjoa—Martian Thoroughbred Stock to be Offered for Sale This Week — Arlington’s Noteworthy Weightcarrying Performance on West Coast—The Wellington R.C.’s Summer Meeting. WELLINGTON, Monday. Quite a. number of local sporting enthusiasts are planning a trip to the Foxton Racing Club’s annual meeting, which takes place on Thursday and Friday of this week. The course and appointments are ■in perfect order, and the gathering gives every promise of proving very successful. Vigilo is hitting out in right good style on the Foxton tracks, and this promising hurdler may effect a surprise at the meeting. F. J. Carmont will have a useful team in commission at Foxton, the list including Lepanto, Moutoa Camp, American Beauty and Gold Problem. All four horses are well forward in their preparations, and they should assuredly give a creditable display. Namur is at present in fine fettle, and it would not create any surprise should she carry Mr. A. G. Havill’s colours to victory at Foxton this week. Dick and Rienzi will represent C. Pritchard’s stable at Foxton. Both horses have been accomplishing excellent track work, and their prospects of getting amongst the winners is held in high esteem. Moutoa Ivanova and Perfect Day, both threaten to take a prominent . part in the settlement of the Foxton Cup. Both are at the top of their form at present, and which of the pair A. McCormack rides will probably be the favourite. A. McCormack will be up on Marble Bar in the Dash Hack Handicap at Foxton. This nice three-year-old sprinter should give a taste of her sprinting ability this week. A horse that may effect a surprise at Foxton is Clavis (Campfire—Evening Star), who ran a splendid race at Stratford. F. Watson, at Ashhurst, has a trio in work, the list comprising Diamond Nap, winner of the Bracelet at Marton; Haraki, a gelding by Projectile from Coralie, therefore a half brother to Coral Queen; and a four-year-old gelding by Arron from Keepsake. Mr. Watson speaks enthusiastically of the excellent training facilities provided by the Ashhurst Racing Club, the tracks being always maintained in splendid order. J. Tilsley, the well-known crosscountry horseman, is now settled down at Mataroa, on the Main Trunk line, where he is putting through their preliminary facings a couple of promising horses belonging to Mr. R. W. Smith, M.P. for Waimarino. Both juveniles are from the brood mare Julie, and are by Birkenhead and Lyseum respectively. Their appearance with the colours up is being awaited by quite a number of enthusiasts in Mr. Smith's district. A sale that is attracting considerable attention in sporting circles is a draft of Martian thoroughbred stock from the Walkanae Stud, which is to be disposed of by auction in Wellington on Friday next. The youngsters to come under the hammer include a half brother to Rebekah and also a similar relative to the 1915 Auckland Cup winner, Balboa; a full brother to War Baby (who won at Feilding), a half sister to the speedy Silver Link, a filly from Tortulla (the 1901 N.Z. Cup winner), a filly from Crimson Rose, and a filly from Torquato. The youngsters are all well grown and muscular types of the thoroughbred, and have been led on the roads at Waikanae for some months past with a view to getting them accustomed to noise and bustle, with the result that they are the quietest and best mannered lot that have ever left Waikanae. Mr. Handley, who is in charge of the stud, certainly deserves every credit for the splendid condition in which he is landing his charges in the sale ring. There have been many anxious inquiries, and competition for their possession promises to be very keen. Some difficulty was experienced by jockey W. J. Bowden in making up his weight to 15.7, the load that Ar-

lington had to carry when the gelding ran third in the hurdles at Greymouth. Bowden can only go to scale at 8.10, and the additional weight required proved a conundrum. First a heavy policeman’s saddle was requisitioned, while 181 b. of lead was strapped around his (Bowden’s) body, the balance of the avoirdupois being made up by lead strapped to the saddle. When fully loaded Arlington presented the appearance of a pack horse, and so pleased were the stewards of the club at the chestnut’s creditable display in running third that they are presenting a framed photograph of Arlington to the horse’s owner, Mr. F. Biel, as a momento of a remarkable performance. The town is full of visitors for the summer meeting of the Wellington Racing Club, which opens at Trentham to-morrow. The gathering will be continued on Thursday next, and brought to a conclusion on Saturday. With so many horses engaged the winners appear well concealed, and substantial dividends should be the order of the day. Prince Hal has pleased track watchers since reaching Trentham. This

nice galloper should add to his winning total during the three days’ racing.

The Messrs. V. and E. Riddiford will be represented by a useful team at Trentham, the list including Chaeronia, Wake, Insurrection, Mascot and Motuihi. The quintette should certainly give a creditable display in their various contests.