I hear bhab Shillelagh will nob fulfil his engagemenb in the New Zealand Grand National Sbeeplechase. The popular trainer and cross-country rider, John Rae, was in town yesterday, limping aboub on a stick. He was engaged wibh some men he had employed felling a tree, when the axe slipped and gave him a nasty cub on bhe insbep. By-bhe-by, Rae has not been very successful in the saddle bhis season, for oub of 18 mounbs he has only ridden bwo winners. These were on laab Boxing Day, ab Ellerslie, when he pilobed Lonely home in bhe Hurdle Race and The Colonel in the Maiden Sbeeple chase. I may furbher say bhab bhese are bhe only winning mounbs Rae has had in Auckland since he lefb for Melbourne with Donald and Tibokowaru.
Ib is questionable if any of the local horses raced last season can boast of such a consistent record as Mrs John Lennard's mare Ida. She wenb to the post in twenty six races, and out of that number scored eight wins, ran five seconds, and was third on nine occasions. Only four times bhe mare ran unplaced, and on one of bhese occasions she was lefb ab bhe posb and was walked back bo bhe paddock. In bhese days of in-and-oub running, this record is something to boasb of. The much-balked-of Stranger is still located ab John Rae's braining establish menb ab Otahuhu. I understand that he is a bib green ab the jumping business, bub promises bo make a proficienb " lepper." Stranger figures among the entries for the big Hurdle Race ab bhe New Zealand Grand National Meeting. George Hope was in greab form ab bhe Hawke's Bay Trobbing Club Meebing. He rode bhree winners during bhe afbernoon.
