SPORTING.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 3769, 2 July 1907, Page 3

SPORTING.

By Probable. Racing at Napier Park last week was witnessed by record winter attendances, and held in fine weather, though the course was heavy. Perhaps the greatest surprise of the meeting was the double success of Romany Lad in the two steeples. Although the halfbrother to The Guard ultimately won both his races easily, still he made several faulty jumps in each event, which fact does not convince me that he will negotiate the Canterbury National obstacles safely. If he manages to get round he will prove hard to beat, as he has a lot of pace for one of his age. His case proves yet another surprise in horseflesh deals. After the late Mr H. Austin had raced the son of Tattaway successfully he apparently hopelessly developed a leg which threatened to retire him from the race track for all time. His late owner then exchanged him for a trap horse, and it is said his present owner (Mr H. Golyiers, ol Levin) latterly purchased him for something like £ls. Since then he ran second at Shannon, won hack hurdle races .at Levin and Blenheim, besides annexing the two big steeples at Napier Park. Congratulations to Mr H. Colyiers, who is a good all-round sport. If the son of Gipsy King — Tattaway—retains his present form, his winning account has not yet concluded. Hugh Telford has steered PvOmany Bad in all his late successes.

As usual, Hon. Ormond had a lot of good fortune at the Park, his representatives annexing _ four races, though when Eous failed in the Winter Oats, followers of the Karamu stable lost heavily. Eous was out in front a furlong from home, winning with apparent ease, but the last bit was pietty solid and the favourite finished fourth.

Outer’s form was a distinct contrast to that displayed at Hastings the previous week. This bay nag won by a furlong the first day at the Park, and with 12.7 second day won with apparent ease, being ridden a patient race by George Hirst, the Sandon forward. Iceland could not raise a gallop in either event. Still, his Hastings form convinces me that this chestnut is a good one, and will be worth watching next season. Mataari was served up as a hot thing for the double hack event second clay, but after winning the six furlongs in a ridiculously easy manner, he was backed down to a 33s dividend in the last race, but could only get second to Waipua decent sort, owned by Fred Douglas, and trained by Jack Cameron, of Mongonui fame. Golden Comb brought off a surprise in the Hack Hurdles first dav, and simply romped home. As a consequence, he was made favourite second da) 7 and again survived. This chestnut is by Gold Reef and has won several fiat races on the West Coast of the other island. He is at present racing in the name of Tom Jones, the Hastings trainer. A coincidence in connection with Lady Warwicks’ win is worth relating. Moran, who had the mount, had not ridden at the Park for a number of ) 7 ears, when he road on Will-o-tb-Wisp in precisely the same race, trained by the same mentor (G. Hope), and owned by the same family (Robinson’s of Waipawa). Lady Warwick was lucky to get an opening on the rails in the last furlong of the event, and thus won from Moloch.

Young Stead, son of “G. G” who has a station up Hawke’s Bay way, has a jumper named Starlight by Dreadnought, who should be worth following in the Hunter’s events at the Canterbury National gathering. Arthur McCannon had the mount on this nag when he ran second to Romany Dad second day. It was Starlight's first start, and he jumped splendidly. He has been hunted up that way. Gold Dust (second day) and Aqua Regia (first day) were two “hot pots’’ to go down for punters. As a consequence, both Creusot and Davinia paid good prices. There is talk of McGrath visiting Australia in the spring with Mahuta. Hatley was the only representative of McGrath’s stable to win at the Hawke’s Bay meetings, though Moloch registered two seconds and a third,, his only starts.

No Start is an unlncky animal for his popular owner, M. Johnson, a Hastings draper. At Auckland he had the bad luck to bump a good one like Dock Fyne; at Hastings he was leading by a furlong, when he jumped inside a fence at the entrance to the straight; and at Napier both days he ran off when in the lead. First day at the Park he was responsible for Dug Watt breaking his shoulder-blade.

Lord Soult and Toatuhi will probably represent Foxton at the Wellington gathering. Foxton is likely to be the happy hunting ground of further horsetrainers. Two Otaki teams are likely to be brought here to be trained.