n JTurf Topics.

Free Lance, Volume III, Issue 135, 31 January 1903, Page 23

n JTurf Topics.

By 'Krect-Card.

The summer meeting of the Wellington Racing Club was held in splendid weather, and on the opening day there was a record attendance. Amongst the visiting sportsmen were The Hon. J D. Ormond, Mess.s. J. B. Reid, W. H. Woodroffe, A. W. Cave, G. G. Stead, M. Fnedlander, and J. Paul. The fields, with the exception of the classic race were well up to the average, and the racing was interesting. The contest for the Cup was not so keen as was generally anticipated, victory resting with the. public fancy, -Advance who earned his lOst 41b into first place in the record time of 2mm 34 l-sthsec. His victory v.as a ver\ popular one both hoisie and rider being cheered to the echei a® they returned to the weighmg-in enclosure. The totalasator returns showed an increase of over £4000 compared w ith the Cup. day last year, and this, no doubt, would have been considerably augmented but for the presence of a large numher of bookmakers, who did a fair share of business. Minifies Band played several selections on the lawn during the afternoon. The arrangements in connection with the meeting were excellent, and Mr. Clarke, the seoretar- and the officials of the club, aie to be congratulated on their efforts in making the meeting a success. Proceedings commenced with the Anniversary Handicap, run over a mile, for Which there weie eleven starters Queen's Guard was a slightly better favourite than Porirua, while Menura, Wind-whistle and Eland were next m demand. From an even start, Shrapnel Shell shot out, and led the field for .a couple of furlongs, his nearest attendants beine Livonia and Windwhistle Racing along the back. Shrapnel Shell retired, and Livonia assumed command. She led round the bend and into the straight, but was loined by WindwhistJe ait the distance an' 1 after a short struggle, the latter forged ahead, and won bv half a length. Menura, who had a bad passage norht throughout came very faist at the finislh and beat Queen's Guard for third place The winner paid £5 12s 6d and was clocked to. run the distance in lmin 42 l-ftthsee Livonia was one of the outs-ders of the field and, had she scored, would have returned her supporters £18 9s. As it was, they received £6 3s second money. The large field of fifteen faced the barrier for the Ruapehu Hack, for which Maureen Good Intent, and Ma>tamau were most in favour. Waikanae, Matamau, and Good Intent formed the leading division at the word "Go," and they carried on the 1 running along the back. Rounding the bend, the field were bunched, and, when the straight was reached, Good Intent was in front. The latter led till opposite the lawn rails, where Narcotic got. out, and, catching Hewitt nappinsr beat him home by a neck. Waikana© was third, two lengths aw ay Maureen ran disappointingly, and was never prominent. The winner paid £9 Is, and the second horse £1 16s. The whole of the ten acceptors lined up to content the Cup, for which Advance came in for most support. His condition was superb, and reflected great credit on his trainer. No fault could be found with Cam me Chiel, and his ■mentor was confident that he would run well. Siege Gun, the second favourite, moved sluggishly, and appeared stale Hinetiafura was trained to the hour, and her trainer was confident she would run a good race Nothing looked better than Motor and, with his feather weight, he was given a great chance. Ba/ttleaxe was too bis: to do himself justice, and Canteen moved a trifle Short 1 in his prehmina.rv to please his friends 1 From a good start, General Symons was the first to show out and he led the field into the straight and past the stand, his nearest attendants being Dundas, Motor, Hmetaura, Canteen, and Battleaixe, Ca.nnie Chi el and Advance last. No alteration took place along the back stretch with the exception that Dundas and General Symons began to retire and Advance to improve his position. Rounding _t<he bend, Motor was m front, with Hmetaura and Advance' racing together on his quarters, and Cannie Chiel at the head of the others.

Entering the sliaight. Advance came right away from his opponents, and won easily by too lengths fiom Hinetauia, who was the same distance in front of Canine Cluel. Canteen was fouith, Motor fifth, Ba,ttileaixe sixth Benefactor seventh, Siege Gun eiglith, Dnndas ninth, amd General Symons last. The winner was lustily cheered on returning to scale, and, when the time was no s ted his perf 01 malice was the general theme of conversation. Advance pa,id a, dividend of £2 9s, and backers of the second horse received £2 7s (id. PailJas> and Hohoro were the populai fancies for the Eleetn'ic, which bi ought out eicrht starters. From a, good start Petrovna and Gold Seil cirri ed on the running along the back Rounding the bend, the former farmed aihead, and, although strongly challenged by Tuiepo in thei straight won with something in hand by three-quarters 1 of a length Hchoro was third, a nose in front of Torowai. The winner ran thei five furlongs in lmin, lsec, and returned her supporters £6 8s (id while backers of Turepo received £3 11<; second money. Thei Wellington Stakes brought out only two starters — Achilles and King Log. The former was made' favourite, and, gettinig a break of three lengths on at the rise of the barrier, he never left the, issue in doubt but cantered home the. easiest of winners by three length®. The winner paid £1 6s>. and ran the five furlongs m lmin 1 l-sthsec. Twelve horses faced the barrier for the Tongariro Hack, for which, Tikiraw a, was madei favourite. Next to him, Maureen, and Good Intent were most in demand, the outsider of the field being Weihenga,. Kowhete was the first to break the line, and she led the' field for a couple of furlongs attended by Good Intent, Ma-ureen and Apprentice. At the six furlongs post, the latter was in front, and led along the back, but retired beaten rounding the bend. Good Intent was* first into the strajght, and, never being afteirw ards troubled, won easily by three lengths from Cumulus, who was two lengths in front of Wehenga. The mile was run in lmin 43 2-sfchsec, and the winner paid £6 4s 6d, and the second horse £3 I4s 6d. The Nursery Handicap was contested by a. field of seven, Treadmill being installed favourite, with Starshoct and Idea next in demand The favounte waa the first to leave the mark, and he carried on the running till well into the straight, where he was strongly challenged by Gladsome, and, after a good setr-toi. the latter gained the verdict by a head. The winner pajd the excellent dividend of £9 19s, which was the largest for the day. Backers of the favourite had to be content with a dividend of 10s second money. Ten horses lined up for the Telegraph Handicap foir which Ostiak came m for most support. Next to him in favom were Red Gauntlet aaid Ayrdale. The favourite was the first to move, and his nearest attendants after tw o furlongs had been, traversed weo-e Red Gauntlet and Petrovna. Rounding the bend, Ostdak retired, and, when the straight was reached, Petrovna w as in front, and, going well within herself passed the post three lengths in front of Red Gauntlet, who beat AyrdaJe by a head for second place. The winner ran the six furloness in lmin 14 2-othsec, and paid £7 8s 6d and backers cf the second horns© received £1 7s 6d The attendance on the concluding day was not so large as on the opening day, but the club were again favoured with fine weaither. The racing was again of a very mteresitmg nature, though somewhat marred by the inconsistent run r nine: of some of the horses. Two protests were lodged on this account, but the steward® were satisfied Avith tihe explanations given, amd did not disturb the judge's placing. The downfall of King Log in the Wellesley Stakes, v, ais a blow to backers, but the victory of Sn George Clifford's colt was well received Advance, the Cup hero, made no race of the Zeaiandia Plate, his only opponent — Oannie Chi cl — being unable to foot it witlh him at any sta<ze of the journey. The Vanguard horse put up a time recoid for the mile and arquairter, which goes to show thai he was never better than he is just now. An outsider in Waikakaiho prevailed in the Pencarrow Hack, and paid a dividend of £23 Is — the largest, for the meeting. The Stepniak — Irene mare Petrovna followed up her first day's successes by easily defeating a field of ten horses in the January Handicap, for which she was made a slightly better favourite than Ayrdale. Her nearest opponent w r as Somerled. who made a. much better show than in her previous eesav. The winner ran thei seven furlongs in the good time of lmin 28 4-sthsec, and paid a dividend of £2 8s 6d, while backers of tihe second horse received £2 17s 6d. Auratus beat an odds-on favourite in Gladsome for the Fitzherbert Handicap, which was only contested by a field of four. _ The win was rather a fluky one, thle rider of tihe favourite leaving his run until too late. The winner ran the six furlongjs in lmin 17sec and paid £4 15s.

Hnietaura was installed a warm favourite for the Racing Club Handicap, on the- strength of her good showing in, the Cup on the opemng day, but shei disarjpoantod her backers by fading out of the contest w hen heads were turned for home. Pallas ran an altogether different race to his previous essay, for from the rise of the barrier, he went to the front, and, after making the pace, for the whole of the journey, lasted long enough to win by a length and a-half from Cannie Chiel, who came fast at the finish, and beat Canteen by a, length for second money. The mile and a-quarter was ran in 2min 8 1-othsec, and the winner paid £6 10s fid, and the second hoise £1 3s. Fouiteen horses lined up to contest the Poneke Hack, for which Narcotic was most in demand. A surprise was effected by Catherine Gordon petting first away, and, making every post a winning one. passed the judge's box two lengths m front of Shackle, who iust beat the favourite on the post for second money. The owner of Narcotic entered a protest against thei first and second horses* for inconsistent runninar, but it was dismissed. The winner paid £6 2s, and the second horse £3 6s A field of seven faced the barrier for the Metropolitan Handicap, for which Hoho.ro received most support. The Tasman gelding made no mistake but waited on has field until the straight was reacted, and then came awaiv and won by two length® from Somerled, who just beat Ayrdale for second money. The winner ran the six furlongs in lmin 15 3-othsec, and paid £1 195., while backers of the second horse received £1 5s 6d. Good Intent was backed for thei Pencarrow Hack Handicap, as if the' race was over, but one© again were, backers disappointed. Waikakaho got a break of several lengths' om to his nine opponents at the start, and they were never able to. set within striking distance of him. The favourite eot iammed in round the bend, and, tlhough she made up a lot of eround in the straight, could not catch the leader, who finished two lengths m front of Aldinga, who defeated Good Intent on the post for second money. The winner paid the s-ood dividend of £23 Is, and backers of the second hor«e received £2 Is.