RACING.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 3198, 26 May 1909, Page 6

RACING.

TURF NOTES, (By Zetland"). THE ROTOTAWAI STABLES, The home of Elevation, Gravitation, Provocation, and Mr W. E. Bidwill's other horses has become famous by their successes on the turf, and those who have visited Rototawai quickly acknowledge the completeness of the stabling and general training I arrangements. The loose boxes, j harness rooms, fodder compartment, and in fact all the buildings are erected with a due regard to efficiency for the purposes required, and the training tracks—grass and plough —easily rank with the best in Wairarapa. In a recent visit the writer was shown round the stables by Mr W. E. Bidwill and the trainer, Mr J. • A. Farmer. The fi/st of the thoroughbreds to be brought under notice was the yearling colt Inspection, by Birkenhead—-Immersion. This colt, a late foal, and only sixteen months old, is a real model of quality and symmetry. Truly shaped in every particular, with splendid bone, Inspection gives promise of being worthy of his breeding when his time comes for carrying the black, blue and salmon colours. Tha next box contained the champion tvvo year o'ld. Provocation, who had been having an easy time of it since his final race of the season in the Hawke's Bay Stakes. The colt is m fine condition for the time of the year, and will be kept on slow work previous to his departure for Australia, where he is engaged in the A.J.C. Derby. Provocation's full brother, Tribulation, is one of the most thoroughbreds yet bred, in the district. With a fine clean shoulder, deep barrel, well sprung ribs, powerful loin, and massive quarters, this colt is a tower of strength. His fiat bone, well sot hocks, and good feet are attributes that should serve him in good stead a3 a highclass racehorse, and judging by appearances there is no reason why he should not emulate the good deeds ot his full brothers. Expansion, the two year old by Birkenhead —lmmersion, has grown considerably during the season, and is a fine t big upstanding animal. He measures exceptionally well throughout, and being very powerful, should be a good j handicap horse. In his winning races early in the season he showed plenty 1 of speed, and with age should.exhibit staying ability. Gravitation,, one of the finest stamps of a thoroughbred in New Zealand, went wrong last year, the seat of the trouble being on the outside of the knee on the near leg. He now appears to be thoroughly sound, and quite ready for work. A colt foal by Daunt—lntelligence had jtfst been brought from the paddock to the stable. He is possessed of considerable substance, and will be one of the compact order. The colt foal, brother to Gravitation, Provocation and Tribulation, is full of quality, Erd in conformation greatly resem-

bles the two last named. With the seven here mentioned Mr Bidwill has plenty of material to uphold the fame of the Rototawai stables for some time to come.

In a large well sheltered paddock adjoining the training grounds are the brood mares Stepfeldt and Intelligence. Stepfeldt, who has become famous as the dam of Delaware, Culmination, Elevation, Gravitation and Provocation, is now eighteen years old, but could easily be taken for one half that age. A very truly formed mare of medium size, good barrel, powerful quarters, ar.d fine clean bone, Stepfeldt is a typical stamp of a stud matron, and Mr Bidwill is ever ready to acknowledge his good fortune in securing her on the occasion of the Sylvia Park sale in 1904. The Birkenhead mare, Intelligence, in foal to Elevation, is another that in point ot general conformation is difficult to find fault with, and one that should be a distinct success at the stud. On breeding lines she is exceptionally high class, and when racing she shoved plenty of brilliancy. Eievation, a N.Z. Derby and Canterbury Clip winner, has furnished very considerably since his retirement from the racing tracks, and is now a beautiful type of a front rank stallion. As. he is only four years old he has plenty of time to furnish. In stallions, brood mares, horses in training and young stock, Mr B dwill has one of the most select groups of the noble thoroughbred in New Zealand, and with ordinary luck representatives from Rototawai will continue to add to the winning list credited to those which have so successfully carried their owner's racing colours in recent years.

OTAKI ACCEPTANCES

Acceptances for the first day's handicaps and entries for the Maiden Flat Race, and Final Hack Scurry, to be run at Otaki on Thursday and Friday, June 3rd and 4th, will close with the secretary, Mr Hema R. Te Ao, Otaki, at 8.30 p.m. on Friday next.