Sporting

Feilding Star, Volume XII, Issue 141, 21 May 1891, Page 2

Sporting

Notes by Crackshot. In these days of such a number of hack meetings being held during the year, I think that a definition of fche word should be arrived afc by the whole of fche Metropolitan clubs in New Zealand. Almost every metropolitan club takes a different view of what constitutes a hack, and iE the conference of delegates to be held shortly at Welhngton, would arrive at a combined decision, a large amount of ' trouble and annoyance would be saved. The Hawkes Bay, Wellington, Taranaki and Wanganui premier clubs all vary in their advertisements re haoks, and owners have to be careful when nominating their liorses. For instance — Lodore, a hack which has appropriated several hack races on this coast, was nominated on April 25th for the Town and Suburban (Hawkes Bay) Meeting on the 25th inst, which is understood to be a hack meeting over Napier side. Lodore was, however, debarred from competing at the Egmont meeting as a hack on account of the different wording of the two programme, and by the Wanganui J. C. rules he cannot start in a hack race for six months in their district, although his owner immediately withdrew his nomination for the Town and Suburban meeting as soon a.s he was aware of the error he had made. By the Wellingtou JfL.CSa definition Lo ■ dore can compete at the Horowhenua meeting on the 25th inst. Now, here is a complicated state of affairs which sadly needs remedying. For myself, 1 think the Wanganui Club's rule should be adopted by the metropolitan clubs, and define a hack as a "horse that has never won au advertised race, nor is horn mated for any race at time of start, or for six months previous thereto — hacks and hunters' races excepted." We all know the benefit whioh has been derived by hack races on this coast m the shape of being the means of bringing out suoh a large quantity of good horses, and. but for them, no doubt, many a good performer may have never had a chance to distinguish himself or herself as the case might be. Look at P3 , ramus, Cheque, Donald, Weka, Jenny, Whalebone, and a host of others, and then ask yourself if hack racing has not been of any service to the turf! Mr D. Fraser has disposed of the colt by Ascot— Speculation (17 months old) to Mr E. Caltborp. of Manaia, for £100. The colt shows more quality thau fche yearlings Mr Fraser purchased at the disposal of the Sylvia Park stud, and they are reported to have every appearance of developing into clinkers, -