SPORTING NOTES.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 5, Issue 1556, 10 December 1883, Page 2

SPORTING NOTES.

(By Tipster)

DtJMNU' the past week the Opaki course'has been pretty lively, the local racers having got through a considerable amount of work, without any accidents or breakdowns being reported. Yesterday morning being the last time the course was allowed to be used before the meeting, a large number of sportsmen mustered very early with tho expectation of seeing some of the down valley horses take their final spins. Great disappointment however was in store for then:, as only two strangers were present, viz Miss Danebury and Mountain Deer. The pair wero sont round twice at a good pace finishing up fast, the Gelding getting a trifle the best of it.- The Filly appeared a bit stiff at the start, but relaxed as she warmed to it, and finished up in' protty good trim, though her pace is not in my opinion fast enough for first place to-morrow.

Ninette and the Danebury colt did their fast spin before I arrived on the course, as Phil Crew, who has them in hand, evidently prefers the cold grey dawn for his exercises to the more softening influences of Old Sol's presence or perhaps he wants to keep the performances of the game mare dark. About a dozen hacks took a spin round, and that ivas the extent of the last morning's work. I see' Mr Tancred's team, Odd Trick, The Consul, Administrator, First Water, Gabble, and Peter havo, arrived from Taherenikau, v/here they have been in work since the Wellington meetings. Thoy are in the pink of condition, and I expect to see them shine among the winners during the next two days. I hear that Kopi has broken down and is scratched for all his engagements at this meeting. This is bad news indeed, for I expected Mr Grace's chesnut colt to be up among the winners at Opaki, as he has done some game running this spring, and was going well up to the time of being scratched.

For tho Maiden Stakes, there are four.likely starters, from which I think Gabble will turn up the winner. I am induced to form this opinion from the way she lias been going lately, and l the condition she is in at present, Bamboo has been in very good hands,! and should not be far out of it, while Swordsman, who comes with a slight reputation, may cause a little trouble. The Railway Plate I anticipate will be a struggle for the top weights, and the winner will be the one that can get in front of Treasurer. I dont think Kakapo can give Consul a stone and half, although it is only threequarters of a mile, and I fancy Mr Tancred's colt is good enough for Treasurer at level weights, so will placo him first on the list. Glaiks and Gabble would not surprise me by getting close up, but I dont think they are good enough for the other flyers. The Opaki Stakes should prove a certainty for The Administrator if the roan is sent for it, as I consider he gave Ninette more than a 91b licking at the'Taratahi last month over the same distance, and I can hardly think that Mr Ray can have got Kakapo fit in a month (seeing the condition he was in then), to go the distance with such company. As Mr Tancred has two more in the race, the aspect of affairs will be materially altered by him declaring to win with any one of them.

•Rocket should win the trotting match right out, although Dolly did beat him the other morning on the course. As it is post entry (12 stone up), the number of starters, can only be guessed at, but a horse iliat can lick Deception, as Rocket did last year, deserves the post of honor. My tips for the first day are :- Maiden Plate: Gabble, B.imboo. Railway Stakes : Consul, Treasurer, Kakapo. Opaki Stakes: Administrator, Ninette, Odd Trick. Trotting Match: Rockot.

The hurdles on the second day have four warriors in it, Kohai lOst 91b, Mountain Deer 9st 101b, Jack Tar 9sfc, ! Poter Bst 71b. I understand Bucket is not going to ride this trip, but whoever has tho mount ought to pull it off on Kohai with that weight up, Great things are expected from Jack Tar, butlthink Mountain Deer is good enough to lead the Dainty gelding home, Peter is in light, but I don't sec who there is at that weight to ride him, consequently the uncertainty of his jumping with a youngster up puts him out of it, which would bo the case if he had more up. The District Handicap must be left an open question till Mr Kimberley has done his work tomorrow evening, but out of the seventeen nominations I expect to see a dozen at the post and as grand a district race follow as we have had in tho Wairarapa. I shall tip Kohai, Mountain Deer, and Jack Tar for the Hurdles to finish in the order named, and leave the other events to come off as circumstances warrant, with a hope that we may have fine weather and a large gathering for the Masterton-Opaki meeting of 1883. P.S.—Since writing the above, I hear that the course was left open till 7 o'clock this morning, when a good string of horses took advantage of it, including Messrs Tancred's and Carswell'a teams, Little fast work was done, that little performed very cautiously, the object of tho visit being to get the animals used to the course. I have not seen or heard anything to make me alter my predictions, unleßs it is to give Peter a more favorable place in the Hurdles.

nuttee, why do they not exert that power ? Every man has a right to an opinion of his own, and to uphold it I have no doubt the Committee would to glad to publish the names of the petitioners re resumption of hom« work, | and J really think that would be the i best plan, and the public, could then judge ofits value intellectually. No doubt a much stronger petition could have been obtained against homy work if the Committee had appointed a canvasser as was done in the [case' of the other. The fact of the matter is the wholo gist of his letter is to abuse Mr Bunny personally, and through him the Committee. Everything ia laid on Mr Bunny as if the Committee wore a lot of nonentities. Let me tell, him, sir, there are men on that Committee who have done good service to Featherston in times gone by, and they are not going to be sat upon or put down by anyone, more especially by a casual amongst us, who may be here to-day - and gone to-morrow. His slur about the member of the : Education Board being Chairman of Committee is an untruth, and can bo taken for what it is worth. I had hoped this wordy warfare had ceased, it can do very little good, and may do agreatamonnt of harm in more ways than one, the matt& could have been quietly settled at next election of Committee. In conclusion, I am rathor proud to think he is a little in dread of rousing my anger as he calls it, but can assure him that no intimidation from him will make me swerve from an opinion I tbink right. Lastly, I would advise him to crawl into I>is shell, and not , again emerge there!pin until the day.W the Committee are 1 elected, whenWC doubt he will be returned at the head of the poll, elected Chairman, bring forward aid father his bantling, quietnejsfo restored, and our" venerable' heads rest in peace. '

lam &c, Ecce Hoho. . To ihb Editor. S%-My attention has been direcUd to a letter which appeared iu the Daily of the 6th, signed " Patent No, 3." Itii scarcely right to take notice of anonymeni lottors. It would be too much for me lo even attempt a Bhort explanation in a newspaper. My advice to" Parent No. 3" is that it would ba profitable for him and othera to attend the regular meetings of tho Committee held on the fourth Friday at 8 p.m. in the Bohool room and alwaysoiien to the publio, or make enquiry in a proper <juart6r.' It is not advisable to build any important construction on out door information. He may also forget that the Committee can only meet once more, and that a new Committee will be elected next month. 1 may add that the Committee forwarded his petition to the Education Board. It ii now returned,' and may be aeen by anyone on application. It will also bo mentioned in the annual report about being prepared and duly read to the publio, and open for their perusal, lam&c, J. G. Cox, Chairman F.S.C.