SPORTING.

Otaki Mail, 31 March 1922, Page 3

SPORTING.

WELLINGTON RACES. The autumn meeting of the Wellington Racing Club was opened at Trentliam yesterday in beautiful weather. The course was in good condition, though a trifle heavy. The crowd was of average size, and there iviw u falling off in the totulisatO; receipts. This was due partly to the incluaiou "in ike programme of the St. Loger and tut ehalieuge Stakes, which drew very Ul lie money to the machine. The clu<m event of the day was the ThonipoOii Handicap, vhich was won alter a goo.J finish by Mr Albert Gooduiau's Priutomps, who beat the Southland representative, Silver Peak, by a short neck. Toe Railway Handicap saw "two sons ox Absurd fight out the finish, and tae verdict went to Mireusonta. Gloaming easily ni'cuuiitcd for the North Island Challenge Stakes, and Kicli Off comfortably defeated Pluto in the':': Leger. Harold Knox has been granted an fijiprentice's license and will lip seen in "the saddle at the West Coast meetPug, Webster will take Fisle'i'. Bestir, itud Demoness to th? Coast meetMr Fred Russling's filly Bonnie Gold, now in Nat. Williams' hands, shows tine promise, Bouacter will probably be soul homo to Masterton after the Manawntu mecL ing. Dug. Webster hopes to leave for Australia in the course of a fortnight or The Canterbury District Committee. has dismissed the appeal of the jockey, O. Young, .against the suspension for one month imposed by the Wai- I mate stewards. All further attempts to train Miss i 3liinic have been abandoned, and the ' brilliant daughter of Sanquhar and Counterfeit will join Sir George Clifford's stud at Stonyhurst. The three-year-old Whiritas, by Kilbroney, owned by Mr Sam Gibbons, | while being exercised fell and broke a leg. While being exercised on the Foilding tracks recently Ivuia met with a slight mishap., necessitating a few days' spell. Vigilo, which has been taken up after 11 lengthy absence from the tracks, is being trained for engagements ahead by T. George. , War Loan, which should be heard of I to advantage during the winter, has i (•untested 17 races for five wins and six minor placings. | The Australian three-year-old Ally j Furious, by The Welkin —Danaide, has ; won £17,317 in stakes as a result, of | nine firsts, three seconds and three thirds. The horse has been unplaced j

four times. Sleight-of-Hand is in work at Hastings under the direction of V. H. Collelo. The New Zealand Grand National Hurdle Race jvinner of 1917 is carrying n lot of condition, which is only to be expected after a lengthy spell. Springtide, which won the Sanson Hack Hurdles on the second day of the Rangitikei meeting, was bred by Mr Jas. Bull. Springtide is by Autumnus —Ebbtide, by Westmere—Surf, by Natator. Te Make, winner of the Clifton Hack Welter at the Kangitikei meeting, has competed in 19 races and won five and been second or third in-eight. Te Mrdre, which is by Yankee Jack—Torpedo mare, is trained by J. Coyle at Jlarton. Mr D. H. Roberts, Hie owner of Castellan, was not present :o see his, horse v,i„ the Cheviot Cup on -Saturday. His trainer, W. McDonald, received the cup, which was handed over by Sir George Clifford after a happy speech. Horses—of a kind—can be purchased very cheaply now (says an exchange). Tornea, a useful sort of a hunter, could ; \ve been had for £SO after the racing '■' '-(-lis. while Yankee 'J. «jk (which k up lame) and Tarquin Owhich v> A were both given away gratis after the meeting.

L. Hagerty, who died at Westport last week', rode very many winners in his time. Besides being a'first-class jockey he was ;• keen footballer, playing in last year's Canterbury Rugby football competition? in the colours of the Riccarton Fuotball Club. For several voars he captained the South' Island jockevs' team against the North Island and was always a hard player from whistle to whistle. In boxing he conld handle the gloves much better than the average man. and coached his brother "Jimmy," who proved himself the champion amateur boxer of Australasia, and was later killed in action m 1915 at Gallipoli. Hagerty leaves a widow and two children.

The champion racehorse. Gloaming, was being closely admired in the saddling paddock at Trentham yesterday when he lathed otct and kicked one of ihe spectators in the chest with bothhis hind feet. A doctor was brotigbt •dlon* and found that the enthusiast was not seriously damaged.