RACING.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9145, 22 July 1908, Page 6

RACING.

BY TKLECUIAPH —I'KESS ASSOCIATION,

CHRISTCHURCH, July 21. Fretwork has been scratched for all engagements at the Canterbury Jockey Club's Grand National Meeting.

TURF NOTES

(By "Zetland")

The Wellington winter meeting will be continued at Trentham to-day. The racing track has dried up considerably during the last two days, but the going is sure to be rather holding. The principal events on today's programme are the Wellington Steeplechase and the Waterloo Handicap. In the first-named event there are only six acceptors. Of these Loch Fyne, Nadador, Tilson, and Bulworth, are winners over country, and with Pierre and St. Amelia to make up the field, the race bears an open appearance. There may be about twelve starters in the Waterloo Handicap, run over seven furlongs, and Dawn, Seaman, California and Rangipapu, are sure to be spiritedly backed. Letherin, who was sore a few days as the result of a knock, will start at Trentham this afternoon in the Jumper*' Flat Handicap, of one mile and a-half. He is somewhat short of work, but may run prominently. Slow Tom arrived m. T/enthain last wte.i, and was considered a sure starter for the Wellington Steeplechase. The absence of his name from the list of acceptances therefore created considerable surprise. .For the Grand National Steeplechase, to be run at Riccarton, next month, Kiatere, Tilson, Eurus and Le Beau, are in most request, while for tb.3 National Hurdles Paritutu, Aorangi and Compass, are being taken in doubles.

Wairarapa wi'l be represented at the Wellington meeting to-day by Tilson, Blue Ribbon, Merrie Zealand, Skye, Silken Rein, Letherin, Sen Sim and Lochiela.

Black Reynard will probably be raced at the Hawke's Bay Hunt Club meeting prior to being sent down to compete at the Grand National fixture.

% A statement is going the rounds to the effect that the hurdler Whatakura occupied the menial position of loghauler on the Ruamahanga Flats previous to his racing career. This is not correct. As a two-year-old the Lethe gelding was taken in hand by T. C. White, at Tauherenikau. This trainer broke him in, and put him into work during the winter. He was started in the Wairarapa Guineas when thie>yeats-old, and was ridden in the race by A. McPherson.

Two sporting writers in the Empire City boomed M. McGrath's Tumut somewhat during the month. The Merriwee gelding started in the Te Aro Hack at Trentham on Saturday, was most spiritedly oacked by a large number who wanted to be on the "good thingj" He ran very poorly in the heavy going, and in fact during last week had not been doing good work. On a clean track, and when at his best, Tumut is speedy, but as a matter of fact he had not been responsible for the brilliant nprints credited to him on the Opaki tracks, which for some time now have been too hiavyfor fast times to be recorded.