THE CLASSIC RACES OF 1900.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXI, Issue 32, 7 February 1900, Page 3

THE CLASSIC RACES OF 1900.

A few years ago books were open iti England on the 7 Two Thousand .long before Christmas, and the Dei by served for speculation all -the winter Nowadays very few want to oetmonths ahead, and, save for a- stray wager on the Derby, the classic races are outside market. operations, aii tile same, sportsmen take an inkiest in discussing the chances of tne youngsters, and the editor of London s racing daily always has a forerunning oHlcll on the subject. This season,

fallowing the custom, he thus writes up his consideration of the Two Thousand prospects: "The pick of the entry for the Two Thousand appears to be Diamond Jubilee, Democrat, and Elopement, and in voting for Democrat I do not do so with the idea that it is by any means a one-horse race, for the American gelding struck me as being' too set and furnished last season to make it likely that he will improve as much as some of the other two-year-olds may do, and it may take him till his time to beat the other pair that I have mentioned." Concerning the One Thousand he says: ''As far as the book is concerned the ra-ce can be made out to be a fairly gxaod thing for Vain Duchess, but, as she was amiss towards the end of last season, and as I know there wa>s never very much to choose between her and Bettyfield, it seems that Sir R. Waldie Griffith's Selected is the safest- tip I can give." And this, is what he has to say about the Derby: "Democrat, Forfarshire, and Diamond Jubilee certainly stand out from the others, and in giving a plumper to Forfarshire I am influenced by the fact that the latest advices are to the effect that he is wintering extremely well, arid does not exceed 16 hands 2 inches at present. My great fear about him was that he might grow too big to be able to do himself justice over the tips and downs of Epsom."