WELLINGTON.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1572, 10 June 1920, Page 12

WELLINGTON.

Notes on the Otaki Meeting—Messrs. Dwan Eros.’ Valuable String of Thoroughbreds—Red Ribbon’s Raukawa Cup Win. WELLINGTON, Monday. The winter meeting of the Otaki Maori Racing Club, which took place on Thursday and Friday last, proved very successful. Some excellent contests were witnessed, while the two jumping races were well worth seeing. Mr. R. H. Skipwith made many friends through his excellent starting at Otaki. the send-offs in each instance being marked with precision. A. Oxenham. who was associated with C. Pritchard at Trentham, is now settled down on the Horowhenua Racing Club’s property at Levin, where he has Idleness, who was recently sold out of H. Telford’s stable, under his care. The tracks on the race Course are in capital trim, and Oxenham expects several additions to his team in the near future. Goldstream. who will be seen out at the Hawke’s Bay meetings, accompanied his stablemates Dixie Boy and Goldscreen to Otaki. Dixie Boy gives the impression that jvith ordinary luck he will take a prominent part in the settlement of a hurdle event or two during the present month. Mr. R. N. Barton, of Featherston, who is entering the ranks of owners, has handed over to A. Crawford a useful-looking type of gelding by Mr. W. E. Bidwill’s sire Elevation from a Lethe mare. Crawford is very painstaking and careful, and it would occasion ho surprise to find.him winning a race with the five-year-old - before the present season draws to a close. The Shannon sportsman who races as “P. Rossmead” has a nice, stamp of a galloper in Marveille (Sir Frisco —San Lass), who is fast coming up to concert pitch. A win for the four-vear-pld mare should be recorded in the near future. . . W. Bowden was riding in excellent form. at Otaki. his handling of The , Digger and Gaekwar being the subject of . much favourable comment from patrons. Bowden should be well up amongst winning jockeys at the end of this season. It may not be generally known that Gold Treasure, the dam of Amythas, is a full-sister to Golden Ball, both these brood mares being by Gold Reef, from Pearl Shot. Many breeders

have been endeavouring to buy Gold Treasure, from Mrs., Perry, of. Taradale. Messrs. Dwan 8r05.,, owners of. Golden Ball, have had several .tempting offers for the. mare.. This is a very successful family, of' racers; Golden Ball, being a young mare, has produced three foals, all. of which have proved winners. The trio are Sweet . Tipperary, Demoiselle - , and Chrysostom. Golden E'all is how running on Messrs..Dwan Bros.’ property, and is in foal to Kilbroney. The other brood mares on their estate are Rose Shield (Hotchkiss —Rose of . Wellington). Northern Rose (Finland—Rose Shield), dam of Swanefe River, Miss De Vai. Trentham Rose, and Lord Desmond. A filly by Bpniform from Northern Rose was sold at the recent Auckland yearling sales for 400 guineas. Northern Rose has a beautiful yearling colt by Bpniform running at foot, and is -again in foal this year to Kilbroney. Another of their mares in Royal Academy (Masterpiece— Rose Shield) is in foal to . Bezonian. Although well . fancied,. Bonnie Heather, who was making . his first appearance in his new owner’s colours, failed to run up to expectations in the Raukawa Cud at Otaki. The three-year-old gelding looked well to the eye, and the heavy state of the course mav have -spoilt the horse’s prospects. Some amusement was caused at

Otaki on Thursday last through the % native judge putting up the wrong A numbers in the 'Cup race. It was quite, apparent ‘that Red/Ribbon had won by a good margin, but the gentleman ;in the box hoisted No. 13 (Sea Foam.) ir;.to first pla;Ce, with Depredation second and Red Ribbon, nowhere. In the meantime H. Goldfinch (rider of Depredation) returned to opposite the judge’s box, and began saluting the judge and endeavouring by all means in his power to persuade Mr. Horo Karauti that.his mount had been successful' Goldfinch’s action caused considerable amusement among those in the, vicinity-of the judge’s box. A

few seconds later Red Ribbon came along, and the judge recognised that he had made an error, and the numbers corresponding with the names of Red Ribbon, Depredation and Detroit were quickly hoisted. As Red Ribbon had won comfortably the placings were received with much enthusiasm.

E. Lowe, who recently returned to New Zealand from Australia, signalised his return to the pigskin in this country by riding Red Ribbon to victory in the Raukawa Cup at Otaki on Thursday last. Lowe, who appears to be endowed with the same exceptional ability that he possessed some years back, has been very successful in cups with Mr. F. Dorset’s horses. He was up on Sir Solo when that horse won the Manawatu and Wellington Cups, while he rode Blue Ribbon (the dam of Red Ribbon) when that mare annexed the Wellington Cup, while he filled the role of run-ner-up on that mare in the Wanganui Cup.

The list of winning jockeys at the Otaki Maori meeting was headed by W. Bowden. A. Reed, E. Lowe, L. Morris and E. Manson, who each rode a brace of winners. Others to salute Mr. Horo Karauti on one occasion were J. Barry, H. V. Lawry, N. Hawker, and R. Reed.