THE AUCKLAND TWO-YEAR-OLDS.

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

THE AUCKLAND TWO-YEAR-OLDS.

Our two-year-olds have now gone into winter retirement, and a word or two about the most likely to gain three-year-Old distinction will not be amiss. Rosella and Miss Delaval have both shown brilliancy, but neither of them are built on Derby lines, and it may be they will have played their best card as two-year-olds. If I have a preference for one of the pair for three-year-old classic honours it is for Miss Delaval, for she is built on stronger lines than her relative. She is a fine -quartered mare, and she is one of the greatest finishers I've seen. For a Derby colt commend me to Seahorse, who is a fine big fellow, up to weight, and who should go on improving. His displays at the A.R.C. autumn meeting were of a satisfactory character, and the immense amount of ground he made up after being so badly left in the Victoria Handicap on Saturday last goes to show that he can muster up a lot of pace. All things b.eing equal, I feel sure Seahorse would have beaten Rosella in the race named. St. Peter, the brother to St. Paul, is a likely juvenile to come out of his shell as a three-year-old. He was all to pieces from the effects of influenza at the autumn fixture. The Labourer is a promising colt, and well up to Derby weights, but as a two-year-old he is some pounds below his stable mate Seahorse, who I would pick as the most likely of the local juveniles to earn classic distinction at three years. The Afghan is a fine big colt, but he was suffering from influenza and soreness at the autumn meeting, so he, could not show what he is capable of.