RACING.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 3766, 28 May 1907, Page 2

RACING.

The Wanganui Steeplechase meeting gathered to Wanganui a particularly large crowd of sports from all parts. Fields were large and speculation brisk.

" Foxton owners have no reason to complain of the trip, for the record is as follows: 9 starts, 3 firsts, 2 seconds, 1 third, x fourth, twice unplaced. Five dividends in all were recorded, while £1 invested on each Foxton representative engaged would have resulted in a profit of something over £lB. There were many Foxtonians present, and all must have shown ' a profit. The owner of Toatuhi had a fair win over the chestnut’s success, who won his race in a manner that suggests he may win better than hack races next season. Tony Messena has his team still in good fettle, Waitapu especially, who should be reckoned with in the settlement of the Otaki. Cup next Monday. The big bay has just struck form, and the manner in which he defeated the hack field on Friday, earned for him a big reputation. lam of opinion that bad Lewis kept at him continually when he passed Marguerite at the turn in the Connolly, the numbers would have beqn reversed. When Marguerite did come at him again, a great finish resulted, and it was so close that opinions differed until the numbers were hoisted.

Motoa ran consistently, and had it been fine, I think his name would have figured as the winner in the Farewell Hack. This was a great finish, the first four horses being within half a length of one another. Waicola put in a great run on the outside, and just squeezed home from Chicane. A coincidence worth quoting in connection with the result: The race was run in blinding rain, while just as a false start was made a large flash of lightning occurred. Not a few superstitious ones benefited as a result, for they took the chat, and planked their stuff there and then on the mare that was out of sheet lightning —Waicola—and she won.

Mr Hall attepded to the club’s duties with success, and has earned golden opinions as a courteous and able secretary. Much of the success of last week’s meeting was due to his indefatigable efforts, Rangitoto will make a great steeplechaser, and may catch one of the big events before the winter closes.

Mahoe simply played with his field in the Century Hurdles, ; and the Great Northern at Auckland next Saturday should go to him, unless he falls. The hurdles are much harder to clear at Ellerslie than at Wanganui, where Belcher’s patent hurdles are used.

Volume would have possibly won the Winter Oats on Friday, had he not fallen when well in the lead. The start was a bad one, Waipuku and Flimsnap being left at the post, neither taking any part in the race.

The books must have'had a bad time over the meeting, as all their doubles were fully taken up, while several winners were backed straight out on the pencillers. Bookmaking is not the game it was in New Zealand, and it only means a season or. two like the present one, and the bookies will be extinct. As it is. several owners at present prefer to put their dollars bn the tote and accept a small price in preference to the chance of receiving a big dividend from the metallician. I understand Mr and Mrs Messena intend leaving for Rotorua shortly, on a lengthened holiday, and that Tod McKay will take charge of the racecourse homestead during their absence. McKay has been a lucky horseman to Tony Messena, as most of the local caretakers’ successes during the season have been achieved with Tod in the pigskin. His second call, Lewis, !s a good lad at his weight, but hardly knows enough. he can ride a hard finish when if is necessary, as he did when Wai--cola won at Woodville, Waipuku at Foxton, and when Waitapu ran second in the Connolly. Alf. Wright has taken up Lass-o-Gowrie, who missed this season to Kilcheran. There may be another race in Mr Laing’s mare, and if there is, Alf should be able to get it out of her. Healso has Glenora Park in work.