SPORTING.

Otaki Mail, 19 December 1919, Page 4

SPORTING.

Mr W. Bowden, jun., lias left'for the (South, and among other mounts will ride Arlington at the West Coast meetings. Mr Joe Ayre, who is suffering a deal from gas poisoning, has left for Wellington for medical treatment. The Otaki Maori Eacing Club, anxious to cater for its patrons in a thorough manner, intends to effect further improvements at the course, and attention is now to be given to enlarg■ng the area at the back of the totalisator house by the removal of a fence and the building up of a hollow. When necessary pungas are available — several are already on the ground—the erection of a refreshment kiosk will be proceeded with. This, when finished, will not,only be pleasing to the eye, but a convenience that should be fully appreciated by the sporting public. The plough is being lifted to a height of about ten inches, top dressed, and widened to about 13ft or 14ft. This is a matter that will be appreciated by owners and trainers, and credit is due to the popular caretaker, Mr “Dick” Wooding, for the manner in which he is doing the work. In all some 1092 dray-loads of good sandy soil have been utilised, and leading trainers consider the track equal to anything in New Zealand. Hushabye is considered by many to be one of the finest .lumpers on the coast, and it. is confidently expected that the Achilles-Lullahy mare will soon annex important events.

Air IV. Ayre, who lias been indisposed for some time, has decided to rejoin Mr It. Barlow at New- Plymouth, ami if able will be in the saddle at a verv early date.

Mr Frank Higgott has left for the South with Glorify and Tyne, feeling confident of success. Other local horses will be seen at Manawatu and Hawke’s Bay during the holidays.

At the present time there are some fifteen horses training on the local course, and the owner-trainers, Nat. Williams, E. Penman, Dug. Webster, and Frank Higgott are all loud in their praise of the tracks. The support accorded them by the popular president, Mr Ben Ling, and the caretaker (Mr Wooding)' is appreciated. Mr Frank Higgott informs us that in order to catch a boat for the South Island he was obliged to leave Otaki by a slow goods passing through Otaki at about 1.45 u.m., and this despite tho fact that tho steamer docs not leave Wellington till 7.45 p.in. Mr Higgott says it is a conundrum to know why horses cannot travel by the 9.30 a.m. train.

Melita will not make the trip South. As soon as telephones are available they will be erected at the caretaker's cottage and stewards' room—innovations .that will bo appreciated. Mr A. D. McLeod, a candidate for the Wairarapa scat, during the course of a political address, referred to the absurdity of the newspapers being prevented from publishing the amount paid by a horse on tho totalisator. This restriction served no purpose at all, because those who desired to ascertain the amount paid by a horse could do so through legal sources fifteen minutes after every race.