TURF NOTES.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9032, 20 January 1908, Page 6

TURF NOTES.

(By "Zetland.")

The Wellington summer meeting, which opened at Trentham on Saturday, was very largely attended, and the gathering was-a pronounced success. Speculation was of a decidedly spirited nature, the totalisator turnover being very large, while no less than 52 bookmakers plied their calling, and were kept busy throughout. The racing generally was of a most interesting kind, the best finish, however, being between San Julie aad Kairoma in the Anniversary Handicap, of 1 mile, Mr J. Cress' mare winning a splendid race by a short head in the fast time of lmin 41sec. A field of nine went out for the opening event, Martyrium and Moscow being the favourite selections. The winner turned up in Sir George Clifford's Clanranald colt, Red Rain, which beat Gold Thread in a good finish. Kairoma was first favourite for the Anniversary Handicap, but in a brilliant finish San Julie scored by a very narrow margin. The winner got rather badly away, but was ridden a nice race by F. Cress, who bids fair to be a very capable lightweight. A fine field of eighteen lined out for the Ruapehu Hack, of 6 furlongs. Sea King was very spiritedly backed, as also was North Head, Nukutihi and King Post. The winner turned up in the„beautifullybred mare Mon Ami, by Soult— Satanella, the latter being the dam of St. Paul, St. Clements, St. Ursula and other good performers. One of the outsiders of the field, Miss Vera, filled second position. As was generally expected Mr G. G. Stead's brilliant filly, Armlet, won the Nursery Handicap in good style from Aborigine. Then came the Wellington Cup, the only defection being Zimmerman, who would have started favourite.. His withdrawal left the race more open, and Gold Crest .vas then made first selection as far as the public were concerned, with Apa, The Rand and Downfall well backed. The race was not an exciting one, for when the home turn was reached Moloch moved up, and further down came away in good style, and won comfortably from Gold Crest and The Rand in the fast time of 2min 33 4-5 r,ec for a mile and a -half, which constitutes the record for the distance this season. The Mauser gelding finished in a very game manner, and over a longer distance would have beaten the opposition even more decisively. His trainer, M. McGrath, of Opaki, had the horse trained to the hour, and, together with the owners, is co be congratulated on the result. Another outsider, All Red, triumphed in the Telegraph Handicap, Sister Anne and Munjeet filling the places. Suttee won the Tongariro Hack from Lochiela, but it was afterwards found that the race was starred before the notified time, and the race was ordered to be run over again after the final event. This time Culmination scored, her win being a distinct improvement on the first run, when she finished fourth. Of the seven starters in the Electric Handicap, Finery was made favourite. The Birkenhead filly quickly took up the running, and with her fine turn of speed scored easily from Gawain. It is worthy of special mention, inasmuch as it is not a general occurrence, that the training establishment presided over fay M. McGrath, the well-known Masterton trainer, has during - the last three weeks won no less than three Cup races. In the Manawatu Cup Riflemaid finished in front of fourteen other competitors, and Moloch scored in both the Wairarapa and Wellington Cups in big fields. This result is one that even the largest stable in the dominion might well be proud of, and the successful mentor and his assistants certainly deserve the congratulations tendered them of late. The Rand, Buccleugh and Melwood finished up more or less lame in their races at Trentham on Saturday, and are not expected to be among the ■ starters on Wednesday.

The prize money in the Wellington Cup won by Moloch is £750, of which £6OO goes "to the winntr. His party had a royal win. The Mauser gelding has improved out of all knowledge this time, and proves what time and careful attention in train-

ing will do for some horses. It is a well-known fact, but perhaps not a generally conceded one, that scores of horses are annually thrown out of work in every racing district, simply because they do not show especial brilliancy within a few months of being put into work. It is therefore quite fitting that those owners who keep their horses going long enough to thoroughly test their racing abilities should reap the result of their wins in clue course.