WAIRARAPA.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1598, 9 December 1920, Page 11

WAIRARAPA.

Affectation Corning Back to Form — Valuable Addition- to P. Hazleman’s Team—Snub Reported to Have Broken Down —Mr. W. R. Kemball’s Railway Handicap Candidates — Roseberry’s Promising Prospects Over Hurdles—Success of Wairarapa Horses at Feilding J.C.’s Meeting. MASTERTON, Saturday. Matatua is to be given schooling over the hurdles, and Trainer Garrett lias hopes that the son of Birkenhead -—Sunbonnet will turn out another Sir Solo.

Among the improvements to be carried out at the Wairarapa Racing Club’s course is a tier over the judge’s box, to be used by the stipendiary steward on race days.

Affectation is fast coming back to form, and has been standing up to his work well at Opaki. The four-year-old son of Kilbroney will probably make his reappearance at the Manawatu R.C.’s summer meeting at the end of the month.

Elcullus is going along nicely in his work, and Mr. C. Olliver’s gelding is one that is sure to pay his way this season. B. Burgess has plenty of racing condition on the son of Lucullus —Elfreda just now. Probate is one of the Tauherenikautrained horses who is showing marked improvement in her track essays. W. Galbraith is taking the mare to the Woodville meeting. The two-year-old Merry Day, in W. Garrett’s stable, is not being hurried, and is not likely to race before the Wairarapa meeting on New Year’s Day. The daughter of Merry Moments —Labour Day can go fast over a few furlongs. W. Hawthorne’s team for the Auckland R.C.’s summer meeting will

probably be ar, follows: Hymestra, Trespass, Tenterfield, Missgold, Wel(lone, Missnanna, Rekanui, Mill o’ Gov.rie, and Bonnetter. Sir Walter is settling down more in his track work, and Mr. Dorset’s gelding is one of the attractive-look-ing horses at Opaki. He is not being given very much fast work, but will come to hand as soon as the finishing touches are put on. Prudent Dad (Prudent King—Lady Limasol) is one of Mr. McDonald’s horses at Opaki for which z a good word is spoken. The gelding has laced a few times, and is looking in fine trim just now. Lady General has finished her racing career, and has visited Sir Knox. This mare won several good races for T. Higgins over a six-furlong course, and has been successful in the open sprint events at Manawatu, Wanga-_ nui, ' and Qt.iki, besides several smaller races. During the past twelve months she showed no form at all.

The youngsters which Messrs. Kemball and McDonald purchased at the Christchurch sales are a very likelylooking lot, and it will'be surprising if the Masterton sportsmen do not get a good return for their money ■' next seasonT

The Featherston trainer P. Hazleman is getting a nice team together, the latest addition to the stable being a yearling colt by Martian —Rose Red, for which lie gave 85(J~guineas at the x Christchurch sales. The youngster has arrived at his. new home, at Tauherenikau, and is a compact, racyIcoking sort, greatly resembling his full-brother Racefuh It is understood that Hazleman was acting on behalf of the Wellington lady who already owns most of the horses in the stable. The Featherston mentor is likely to have another one or two youngsters under his care in the near future, as his patron is giving him practically a free hand to pick up some promising juveniles. Although the stable has not had a great deal of success so far this season, the inmates are a very promising lot, and it is quite safe to say that before the present season ends Hazleman will lead in quite a few winners.

Several Wairarapa-trained horses competed at the Ashhurst-Pohangina meeting, but the only one to win a race was O’Rane, who registered his third successive win. L. A. Crawford has the gelding very well at present, and as he is a natural jumper he should account for some good races tbfii season. Vasilkov and Rekanui were expected to run well in their engagements, but the sharp turns were against a long-striding horse like Vasilkov. They both have been responsible for pleasing work on the track lately. T. Higgins intended taking Scornful and Timidity to meeting, but was unable to secure a suitable rider, and left the horses in their box.

During his recent visit to Fiji Mr. Fred Jensen, the well-known Masterton owner, donated a trophy for one of the events on the programme at a race meeting held there. He was not impressed with the conduct Th the meeting at Fiji, and the class of horses competing were very secondrate.

J. T. Jamieson is taking Tommy Rot, Kiltime, and Bonnie Rose to the Woodville and Dannevirke meetings. The trio are all two-year-olds, and have been responsible for some serviceable work on the tracks lately. is to be tried over a distance in future, and the half-brother to Sasanof is to compete in the Dannevirke Handicap (114 miles). The gelding has not shown much form so far this season, but he is a very -gross horse, and will improve with the racing he has had lately. S. Pinkerton has at present under his care a full-sister to Vitella (Hallowmas—Vite). Black Hill, which was trained and owned by the same mentor, is still running out in the paddock, and it is unlikely that he will be persevered with. Snub has broken down, and is not likely to be seen out again for some considerable time. The gelding has been a good stake earner since being purchased by Mr. Kemball, and it is to be hoped that the injury will not be of a permanent nature. Sir Wai is still on the easy list, and

R. Knox does not intend giving him much work tor some time to come. v The son of Sir Knox —Kakawai is still a maiden, and although at times he showed a lot of pace in his track work he did not do so well with the colours up. Although W. Hawthorne has only been training for Mr. W. R. Kemball a matter of three years, he has led in the winner of tlie Railway Handicap

at Auckland on two occasions. Hymestra ran a dead-heat with King Lupin three years ago, and Nanna was successful the year following. The stable will again be represented iii the event on Boxing Day, Hymestra and Missgold both figuring in the list of acceptors. Sir Solo is again off the training track, and the trouble this time is in the 'front leg. It would appear that W. Garrett will have some difficulty in getting the old fellow to stand up to another preparation, and the son of Sir Laddo —Wepener may be retired from the race track, where he did so well. Mr. Kemball’s team will be divided during the Christmas holidays. W. Hawthorne will be at Auckland, B. Burgess at Manawatu, while J. Prendergast will take several horses to the Wairarapa meeting. R. Knox has at present in work a promising type of hurdler in Roseberry (Sir Knox —Merrie Rose), which the veteran trainer hopes will turn

out a good one before the present season ends. In his efforts over the schooling fences Roseberry has shown both pace and ability to negotiate the fences* and he has Qnly to keep sound to win a good race or two. Little River is at present having an

easy time, and has lightened up a lot since returning-from Riccarton. Mr. Vallance had high hopes of the gelding turning out a good three-year-old, but so far this season he has not shown the same promise as when successful in the Sires’ Produce Stakes at Manawatu in the autumn. However, after a short spell J. Gravestock hopes to have the son of Martian — Blue Lake back to winning form. The Masterton-trained horses which assisted at the Feilding meeting had a successful time. Red Ribbon accounted for the St. Andrew’s Handicap, which was her only start. Chimera was successful in the Flying Handicap on the second day, after filling second place the day previous. Raceful showed he is coming back to form by his win in the Empire Welter, ahd others in the same stable to get into the money were Lord Nagar (third), Missgold (second and third), and Hymestra, the latter beating all but Gloaming in the Feilding Stakes. The wins of Red Ribbon and Chimera were anticipated by Masterton sports, and a good deal of money came to the town in consequence. It is Mr. Dorset’s present intention to send Red .Ribbon north to contest the Auckland Cup, and Chimera will be taken to Manawatu for the sprint events. Mr. C. J. Carlyon, secretary of the Wairarapa Racing Club, reports that enquiries already received for boxes at Tauherenikau for the club’s New Year meeting are well above those of previous years, and everything points to this year’s gathering being a record one for the club. A unique improvement which is at present being carried out on the course is the digging out of two feet of the lawn, which is to be bevelled back on a gradual slope to the lawn level. By this means several rows of people will be enabled to see the horses parading in the paddock without craning their necks to see over the heads of those by the fence. Caretaker 'Blake reports the course in firstclass order, and with an assured large attendance on the holiday the club’s officials - are looking forward to the best meeting held on the course.