RACING.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 9546, 19 July 1909, Page 6

RACING.

WELLINGTON WINTER MEET- , ING. By Telegraph—Press Association. WELLINGTON, July 17. The Wellington Winter Meeting opened in fine weather, but the going -was heavy. The attendance was fair. Nineteen bookmakers were licensed. The sum of £9.904 passed through the totalisator, as against £7,758 last year. Results:— Stewards' Handicap, of 180 sovs; 7 , furlongs. St. Bill, 9.10 1 Sweet Angelus, 9.11 2 San Fernando, 9.7 '3 Also started—MartyrJum, Simplex, Seaman, Longner, Wimmera, Mataari; St. Bill led throughout and won by a neck. Time, lmin 38 4-5 sec. Miramar Handicap of 100 sovs; 7 furlongs. King's Prize, 10.0 1 Marathon, 9.12 2 Thetis, 9.5 3 Also started—Passive, Gold Bird, Llanwern, Splash, Sealer. A slashing finish between the placed horses, heads separating them. Time, lmin 89sec. Peninsula Hurdle Handicap, of 100 sovs; 1$ miles. Rendrock, 10.0 1 Waione, 9.5 2 Polyatitnus, 9.13 3 Also started— Wirral, Aotea, Coy, Black Squall, Yosami, Silken Rein. Wirral Jed for a mile and a quarter, where Rendrock took charge, and won easily by nix lengths; two lengths between second and third. Time, 3min 39 3;ssec. Parliamentary Handicap, of 300 sovs, 1 mile. Sir Frisco, 10.9 1 Merrie Zealand, 9.8 2

Diamond Star, 9.8 3 Also started—Musketry, Iranui, Pikopo, Ooronetted, Pohutu, First Mate, Gaelic. Kurawaka. Sir Frisco led throughout and won by half a lengh; Diamond Star a poor third. Time, Imin 5 2-ssec. Winter Hurdles, of 500 sovs; 2 miles. Tanira, 9.0 1 Scotty, 10.2 . 2 Corazon, 9.10 3 Also started—Gold Dust, Kairoma, Irish Terrier, Bully, Commander, Le Beau, Stayboy, Belario, Te Arai, Forest, Whatakura, Southern Cross. Tauira led throughout and won by twelve lengths. Time, 4min 2 1-5 sec. Trial Plate, of 100 sovs; 6 furlongs. Dreadless, 9.0 1 First Consul, 9.3 2 Captain Bell, 9.11 3 Also started—Pukewhai, Rangikapua, Rose Herald, Succession, Masterful, Marengo, Lares, Chauvlin, Satchel, Undecided, Magneto. Won by ten lengths. Time, lmin 25 I 3-ssec.

ITe Aro Hack Handicap, of 100 sovs; 5 furlongs. Te Kahurangi, 10.4 1 Content, 10.11 2 Purakau, 9.11 3

Also started—Te Ru, Skye, Inchbonny, Axite, Prqnoun, Vinco. Royal Maid, Merry Christmas, Prevail, Glenfield, Cohort, Pikiho, Won by two lengths; one length separating second and third. Tin-ie, lmin 9 1-5 sec. NOTES ON THE RACING. (By "Zetland.") The course was aeckledly heavy after the copious rains of the two or three days previous and the attendance fairly large and representative. The rain held off during the afternoon, and the racing was witnessed under favouraul a circumstances. It was expected that backers would have a very dfferent task set them

to select winners, but it is seldom that such a number of leading selections prevailed. The running was most interesting throughout, the finishes in the Stewards' and Miramar Handicaps close enough to raise the enthusiasm of the onlookers, while the hurdle events were treats to witness consequent on the spending jumping shown on a very heavy track. A field of nine were saddled up for the opening event, the Stewards' Handicap, of seven furlongs. From an eVen send off St. Bill took p the running closely followed by Martyrium and Sweet Angelus. Martyrium fell back in the home run, and in a good finish bt. Bill beat Sweet Angelus by a neck. The latter, a firm favourite on the totalisator, will do better on firmer going. She is a beautifully bred mare, being by Multiform—Curfew Bell. Eight went out for the Miramar Handicap, of seven furlongs, and Marathon and Thetis were the popular selections. Fiom an even send-off Marathon was'at once taken to the front, and led to the home turn with Thetis and Splash running next. King's Prize closed up in the straight, and in a fine finish won by a head from Marathon, with Thetis half a length away third. The winner was splendidly handled by F. D. Jone?, and rewsrdfld his barken with a good price,

The withdrawal of Auratusr, Tauira. Waihuka, Finessieur, Fljnt Gun, Moscow and Grand "Poplar, Itft nine to go to the post to contest the President's Hurdles. Wirrall was made a firm favourite. He was very unruly at the post, and then bolted five furlongs the wrong way, jumping two hurdles in good style. On being taken back a good start was effected, and Wirrall took up the running. He led past the stand accompanied by ¥osami and Silken Rein. The latter fell back at the far side and Rnndrock went up at the five furlongs post. A little further un he passed Wirrall. and Waione also closed up. In a spirited finish Rendrock prevailed, and won nicely from Waione and PolyanHius. Aotea fell at a jump near the saddling paddock, and Yosami on the flat.

Then came the Parliamentary Handicap, of one mile, for which eleven contestants carried the colours. Sir Frisco was the leading selection with Diamond Star and Pohuta next in order. From the rise of the tape the favourite raced to the front, and' quickly had a good break on the field, Diamond Star being next and Merrie Zealand third. Entering the straight Sir Fricso still led, and half-way down Merrie Zealand put in a marvellous run, and in a rattiing finish the favourite scored by half a length. Tha third horse, Diamond Star was ten lengths back, and the rest of the field well strung out. A very fine field of sixteen starters comprised the Winter Hurdles field. Betting was extremely brisk, and Tauira, Scotty and Corazon were mostly fancied. Tauira was first to show out, and led past the stand from Kairoma and Corazon. The leader kept his pace to the end, and

won by eight lengths from Scotty and Corazon. The rest of the contestants did not show up prominently on account of the heavy going. The win was a very popular one. In the Trial Plate thirteen starters, Dreadless led from start to finish, and won by four lengths from First Consul, who beat Captain Bell for second place by a head. The day's racing was brought to a close with the To Aro Handicap, which produced a field of fifteen. Te Kahurangi was first away, and stalling off a strong challenge at the home bend by Contendent and Furakau won by two lengths. The successful trainers were:—J. H. Proaser, two wins; Stewart Waddell, A. Hall, J. Maher, E. Wood, and J. W. Lowe, one each. The winning jockeys were:—F. D. Jones, two; W. Young, H Cairns, A. Olliver, H. Telford and C. Jenkins, one each. The meeting will be continued on Wednesday, when the racing track may be in better order.