WELLINGTON.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1565, 22 April 1920, Page 10

WELLINGTON.

Death of Well-known Dunedin Sporting Identity at Perth (W.A.) —Notes on the Wellington, Meeting—Favourites Experience Great Innings on Opening Day— Manawatu R.C.’s Autumn Meeting. WELLINGTON, Monday. Mr. L. R. Freeman, well-known as mine host of Whyte’s Hotel, Foxton, has been appointed secretary to the Foxton Racing Club in succession to Mr. Endell Wanklyn, who has resigned for health reasons. A cable received in Wellington last week announced the death at West Leederville, Perth (Western Australia), on the 7th inst., of a wellknown Dunedin sporting identity in the person of Mr. W. Smart, who for many years was identified with the iron industry in the southern town. The late Mr. Smart, who was a brother to “Lorgnette,” who contributes theatrical notes each week to the “Review,” was a keen sporting enthusiast, and was closely identified with boxing and other branches of sport in Dunedin. Anything that had for its object the encouragement and advancement of sport always had his best attention. Mr. Smart leaves a wife and six children, also a brother and two sisters in New Zealand, who have the sympathy of a wide circle of friends in their sad bereavement. Paddington Green, owned by a popular identity in “Slippery Bill” of New Plymouth, was well fancied for the Hack Hurdles at Trentham on Thursday, but the chestnut was again fractious at the post, and although Rangi Thompson did his best the gelding finished well behind the placed division. Seadown ran a splendid race at Trentham on Thursday. This fine stamp of a hurdler should soon be getting amongst the winners. Chummy, an inmate of J. H. Prosser’s stable, nearly upset calculations at Trentham on the opening day. The Campfire gelding, who was a big outsider, finished third in a close finish. Had the gelding got the verdict there would have been some jubilation amongst the eel fishers of Porirua. A feature of the first day’s racing at Trentham was the success of the favourite on no less than six occasions during the afternoon. The dividens right through were, however, of a meagre character. Blackmail, owned by the proprietor of the Waikanae Stud, returned the largest dividend of the day when the Bezonian —Historiette filly won the North Island Challenge Stakes. Some really bad riding was seen at Trentham on the opening day, and more than one race was lost through inferior horsemanship. A school for jockeys is badly needed in New Zealand for the purpose of instilling into the younger generation of riders the methods necessary for them to follow their occupation with some success. Certainly in several of the races on Thursday last the antics adopted by the youthful riders were such as to cause some merriment to the onlookers. The autumn meeting of the Manawatu Racing Club, which takes place this week, is engaging considerable attention in local sporting circles, and there is sure to be a large attendance. Big fields are engaged in practically all the events, and substantial dividends should be returnable on both days. Certainly the club’s prospects for a successful meeting are very bright indeed. In Simon and Crucelle, the Waverley stable of H. Rayner will have a couple of useful gallopers in commission at the Manawatu meeting this week. Both horses can gallop ho some purpose. Mr. W. R. Kemball will have a big team to represent him at the Manawatu meeting this week, and it will occasion some surprise if the Masterton sportsman does not emerge from the gathering with some of the spoils to the victors. Convention, who recently figured as a big dividend payer, is down to compete at Awapuni this week. This descendant of Provocation is endowed with exceptional galloping ability. 80-Peep showed out well at Trentham on Thursday last. If started at

Awapuni this Bezonian filly should keep her opponents busy in events that she competes in. On his running at Trentham on the opening day Risingham should soon be accounting for a decent handicap.