THE AUCKLAND RACING CLUB'S AUTUMN MEETING.

Auckland Star, Volume XXX, Issue 85, 12 April 1899, Page 3

THE AUCKLAND RACING CLUB'S AUTUMN MEETING.

NOTES ON THE RACING

Weil, the autumn fixture of the Auckland Pacing Club has come and gone, and an all round success it proved. I believe it would have wound up even better too from a financial point of view if the opening day of the gathering had been held on the Saturday and Easter Monday, and I feel sure I am voicing the opinion of the great majority of the racing public in advocating that the dates should be changed next year. The totalisator receipts were the best yet recorded for an autumn meeting, as will be gleaned from the following figures for the past three seasons : — Seasons 1896-97. 1597-98. 1898-99. First day....:. 7936 .. 10J03 ... 9766 Second day.... 6101 .. 6282 .. 6889 Third day 6811 .. 8363 .. 7790 £20,848 £24,848 £25,586 With regard to the horses that ran at the meeting there were no star performers or ' smashers.' By his victory in the Easter Handicap, Rex probably achieved the best performance recorded over a mile at the gathering. The St. Leger gelding is a really brilliant customer over short courses, but his display in the Autumn Handicap on the second day shows that ne is not an equine likely to gain distinction over a long course. Rex was one of the starters for the Grandstand Handicap, seven furlongs, run on the last day of the meeting, when he was called on to carry 9st 101b. He looked in capital trim, but he proved no match for the field, and Tauhei under an impost of 9st slb won. Rex pulled i*p all right after his effort, and if he remains sound there is yet a good race or two concealed about him. Another six-year-old that distinguished herself at the meeting, was Tauhei. She won the Tradesmen s Plate under an impost of Bst 81b, and the Grandstand Handicap carrying 9st 51b, and she had bad luck to be"beaten in the Steward's Handicap, won by St. Ursula, for if her rider had not been disappointed in endeavouring to o-et up on the inside she must have won. Tauhei is a fine stamp of a mare, and she is indeed a credit to Castor and her dam Vivandiere, who has given the turf among others Son of a Gun, The Dancer, Gallant, and Dayntree. I will not be surprised if Tauhei wins a big race aome day.

Douglas forms one of the six-year-olds who ran with bad luck. The Easter Handicap distance was too short to admit of him showing up in his true colours, and in the Autumn Handicap he was over-weighted with lOst 31b, so he was kept in his box. On the last day of the gathering Doug--1 las was apportioned 9st 121b in the St. George's Handicap, and it was generally thought he. would succeed under the weight. However he got left badly at the post, and the result was it was impossible for him to make up his lost ground. He gallantly strove to do so, but suffered a two lengths defeat -at the hands of Battleaxe. No doubt if Douglas had got away level with the'field, and had his rider not been compelled to pull out to avoid a collision in the straight, he would have reversed positions with the West 1 Coast gelding, Battleaxe. In the Autumn Handicap Coronet recorded a splendid performance, and his win had a lot of merit about it, but be dimmed his form in the St. George's Handicap on the third day.- , He had a great opportunity to again score for he was in a splendid position, but he faded out of it when real business commenced. '• The Hawke's Bay Guineas winner H Oingo got off a good'performance in the Eden Handicap, seven furlongs, on • Easter Monday, but his form in the Grandstand Handicap on the last day over the same distance with only six pounds more to carry was disappoint- • ino-. Of course he is only a three- ' year-old, and the time recorded on the second day when Tauhei won was 5 2-sth seconds faster than he put up in the Eden . Handicap. This may account for his bad defeat./. The St. Leger horse' Sylvia Park once more demonstrated that he is not a 'has been.' The old fellow showed in his three essays at the meet- , ing that he still retains a lot of his pace, for after gaining second place behiud Oingo in the Eden Handicap he annexed the Welter Handicap on i the second day. He also gained third place in the Criterion. Handicap, carrying 9st 101b. What.a pity it is that Sylvia Park is not sound, for fit and well he would be a champion over mile courses. . ' 'y ■■'■__' > Previous to the meeting the West Coast gelding Faugh-a-ballagh was a deal talked about. In the Railway Handicap on Easter Monday he was made a great favourite, but it is stated that he got in a bad position and be- ..' came jammed. On the second day he got second to Eton in the 1 lying Handicap, and third in the Shorts Handicap, showing a good deal £f pace in both races. The owner of the gelding gave him a trial in the Maiden Hurdles on the concluding day of the meeting, and. although he ran and 1 % jumped well for the greater part of the distance, he faded out of it at the last hurdle. . On the whole Faugh-a-ballagh was a disappointment, but probably he was not quite himself. . Battleaxe ran most consistently on each day. In the Easter Handicap he had a good deal the worst of the shirt and he was in a bad position throuq-hout the race, nevertheless he got into third place, and he occupied ', « similar position in the Autumn Handicap next day behind Coronet and Explosion. In the St. George's Handi- "; • cap on Saturday the Hotchkiss gelding J scored a meritorious performance, tor

he came out. and won in the good time of 2min 10 2-sth sec, with Bst 71b in the saddle. ' Creamer rode a really well judged race on the winner.

Waiorongomai was only seen out twice at the meeting. She ran second for the Easter Handicap, a- position she also gained to Rex in the event last year, and then on Tuesday she took part in the Stewards' Handicap, being out of a place. However, that was not her form, for she was very sore whCn she undertook her preliminary as a result of her first day's effort. Waiorongomai is a handsome mar-;, and F. McManemin has done well with her since she occupied a box in his establishment. I presume, she will now be retired for the winter,

The Cuirassier gelding Cavalier proved himself a fast customer by the way he won the Second Welter Handicap, and he is evidently capable of better deeds.

With regard to the jumpers, Cairo and Nor'west stood out among the tried division. The last named was never in such good trim, and on the concluding day of the meeting he showed that he was master of Cairo at even weights. On the first two days of the gathering the Waikato gelding Bellman jumped very slovenly, but on the third day, with the weight off his back, the hurdles proved no trouble to him, £nd he won practically from end to end. The Maiden Hurdle Race introduced. to notice a jumper full of promise in Drum Major, a fine, big, upstanding three-year-old colt by Cuirassier—Hune. This was his first attempt in public over obstacles, and he took each in good style, and won by three lengths, from Tip. I understand that Drum Major had onfy been schooled some six weeks, but he showed great proficiency for a novice. Carefully looked after and jumped he should earn a lot of distinction at hurdle racing, for he is both fast and a good weight carrier.

Miss Delaval stood out as the best of the. two-year-olds, with Seahorse and Rosella a close second. It is only fair to say that various things tended to prevent the two latter showing their true form, and there appears to be a lot of promise wrapped up in Major George's colt. Probably the greatest finisher of all the juveniles is Miss Delaval, and there is no mistake about her heart being in the right place. .In The Labourer Major George also has a second string of great promise.

Mr Percival's management of the meeting was good all through, and the veteran secretary has good reason to feel proud of the success of the A.R.C. autumn fixture of 1899.