WELLINGTON NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 4031, 16 June 1931, Page 55

WELLINGTON NOTES.

(From Our Own Correspondent.) June 12. Otaki trainer A. D. Webster leaves tomorrow by the Ulimaroa. the favourite Huddart Parker liner, with First Acre, Bayacre, Hunt the Slipper. Movie Star, and the rising two-year-old filly by Leighton—Valvate. The last-named is a sister to Painted Screen, dam of Movie Star. She was sprinted at the Otaki meeting and shaped well. Her first appearance will probably be in the Gimcrack Stakes. Turoa Webster accompanied the team, and will do the riding when he can make the weight. R. Reed also goes across tomorrow. He will ride for the stable when the, other rider cannot do the weight. The extra meeting of the Opunake Jockey Club resulted in a loss of about £lOO.

Three Trentham stables are represented at the A.J.C. spring meeting, but so far nothing has been decided as to how many horses will make the trip across. If H. B. Lorrigan goes he may take the Awa-puni-trained Waratah.

It is not expected local stables wi” he strongly represented at the Napier Park and Hawke’s Bay meetings. W. Hawthorne may take a team to include The Warden, Pat’s Boy', Miss Hastings, and Foghorn. • It is reported that New Plymouth owner trainer R. Johnson has disposed of Ridgemount to the Wanganui owner T. J. O’Neill. He has paid his way- this season, although bad at the barrier. Recently it was stated that T. Pritchard was shifting from Opaki to Trentham. He has not been able to get a suitable stable with house, and he will remain where he is for the time being. T. R. George’s Blenheim team scored with Landmark on the concluding day at Ellerslie. They’ were not nominated at Waikato, but will probably compete at the Hawke’s Bay meetings and Trentham before returning home. The southern contingent that competed at the Auckland meeting all earned some stake money. The Southland-owned pair, Apache and Paris, did best on the trip. The first-named won a stake at Te Kuiti, and the latter on the final day at Ellers lie. Carinthia ran up to his best form, but was unlucky to strike better opponents at the weights. On their form there does not appear to be a great deal between Carinthia and Make Up. One of the local dailies has devoted a column to the fact that the Wellington Racing Club's winter meeting is extended from Saturday to Wednesday and Saturday’. That is nothing new at Trentham. Formerly two-days meetings were held on Wednesday and Saturday, and three-days meetings on Saturday. Wednesday, and Saturday. What about Ashburton Racing Club with four Saturday afternoons? How much does that club give in stakes? At the forthcoming winter meeting the Ashburton Racing Club gives 49050 v for the five galloping events. No wonder racing is flourishing in the mid-Canterbury district at the expense of the owners. Compare that with the stake money offering at the Wellington Racing Club’s winter meeting. The steeplechase has been reduced from lOOOsov to 75050 v. the Tren 'chain Hurdles from 500sov to 400sov. the Winter Hurdles from lOOOsov to 75050 v, and the July Steeples from 600sov to 500sov. The principal flat events have been cut from 500sov to 400sov. They are the Whyte and Parliamentary Handicaps. That is not bad for a club that has had three disastrous meetings this season and is heavily in debt. The club should really have gone for the two Saturdays and cut out the middle day’ if they wanted to make a financial success of it.

Corncroff, the runner-up at the last Grand National Steeplechase, is among the active workers at Awapuni. He will be given a race at Trentham and Awapuni before trying to win the big race at Rieearton. It is reported that The Smuggler, who has been showing good form in the south, will be among the competitors at Trentham next month. Mr W. A. Saunders, secretary’ of the Wairio Jockey’ Club, who underwent an operation a few weeks ago, left for Sydney by the Ulimaroa to-day on a health recruiting trip. Mr Thomas W. Slee, secretary of the Westport Jockey Club, has been on a business visit to the big city, and returns to Nelson by the Matangi on Saturday night. He will go home to Westport by Newman’s service car on Sunday. This is very handy. They evidently have a better Sunday service in the northern part of the South Island than from Dunedin to Central Otago. Saying good-bye to Roy Reed to-day, his better half said "he is going home.” Mrs Reed is a daughter of Mr and Mrs John Scott, of the Royal Hotel, Randwick, where Mr R. J. Mason, your correspondent. and others have made their home during their sojourn in Sydney. Roy said ho hopes to carry the Star. Stranger and Nightmarch colours at Randwiek before he returns to New Zealand. Parkland, the full sister to Playground, accompanied Webster’s team to Sydney to-day. It is reported that Webster has purchased Mr Artie Trevor’s half interest

in First Acre. Probably he will dissolve the partnership without any regrets.