DATES OF COMING EVENTS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXII, Issue 49, 27 February 1901, Page 3

DATES OF COMING EVENTS.

NEW; ZEALAND. March 7—Wanganui Cup March IS—Hawke's Bay Cup March 18—Hawke's Bay Stakes April B—A.R.C. Easter Handicap April B—Great Easter Handicap April 9—Great Autumn Handicap April 9—A.R.C. Century Stakes April IS—A.R.C. Autumn Handicap April 25— North Island Challenge Stakes April 25—Thompson Handicap April 27—New Zealand St. Leger Stakes June B—Great Northern Steeplechase June 10—A.R.C. Grand National Hurdle Race June 21—Hawke's Bay Steeplechase July 17—Wellington Hurdle Race July 20—Wellington Steeplechase AUSTRALIA. March 2-Newmarket Handicap March 2-V.R.C. St. Leger Stakes March s—Australian Cup March 7—V.R.C. Champion Stakes April 6—A.J.C. St. Leger Stakes April s—Sydney Cup

More than usual interest attaches to the race for the Newmarket Handicap, which takes place next Saturday, owing to the presence of Advance in the big six furlong sprint, and the cable announcing the result will be eagerly awaited next Saturday night. The public verdict in Australia has been given in favour of Wakeful, who has been backed down to the short price of 7 to 2. Fulminate has incurred a penalty, which brings her impost up to 9.10, but she is in such good form and is such a quick starter that she will require a lot of beating. A horse which has been somewhat overlooked is the champion three-year-old Malster. True it is that 9.5 is a crusher for a colt of his years, but he is so good that he may have to be seriously reckoned with. Man of Honour recently won the Kooyong Welter, and is in good form, '■while The Watchdog, who carried off the event last year, lias also been stoutly supported. Although, judged by the netting, Wakeful would seem to possess the rosiest of chances, I must refuse to go back upon tho New Zealand champion, Advance, whose consistent good deeds stamp him as being something out of the ordinary. Although the great black may hot be quite at his very best after so much travelling, yet I look rorward with confidence to hearing of his number being hoisted at the end of the race, while those who should press him hardest are Fulminate and Wakeful.

I am pleased to see that the gentlemen Who, on the -.uleika-Zeehan protest decision being made known, made such heated remarks about the conduct of the Takapuna Jockey Club stewards, saw lit to withdraw the same and tender an apology for their conduct. Although, of course, a great many people hold the opinion that the verdict was an incorrect one, yet at the same time nothing is to be gained by any public altercation, which only has the effect of spoiling the day's pleasure. The stewards were also well advised in accepting such apology and allowing the matter to drop.

It would seem that the win of Dandy in the Anniversary Handicap in Sydney was an extremely narrow one. Most people thought that Bombshell had won the race, hut according to the judge Dandy just got up in time to win by a nose. Mr Kelso's gelding is a five-year-old by Martini Henry from Vain Glory, and started third favourite at 8 to 1 against.

A Sydney writer has the following ro the first appearance of Advance and Boreas on the Randwick track: "As might be expected, there was a general desire to have a look at the visitors. The regular training track attendants were given a View of them the next day, when the horses were given slow exercise. Boreas takes the eye at once as a well-propor-tioned, shapely racehorse, and his companion is a horse that would attract attention without the information that he was the crack performer of New Zealand. The black horse looks in good condition, and has plenty of denoted weight-carrying power about him. He is quite big enough and looks like a horse of class. However, there was nothing special about carbines looks to attract notice, and the horse which has been submitted to us from^ew Zealand as the equal or that celebrity is certainly a more impressive animal on first acquaintance. However, it is handsome is as handsome does on the race course, and good performers need no special recommendation for handsome shape and make."

The Victorian Amateur Turf Club expect to lose £1500 over their annual meet ing The Futurity Stakes was the cause of .his non-success, the big race proving a regular dead failure.

Mr Solomon's fine sprinter Blum ,*£ It will be remembered, 'broke a blood yes sel the other day while taking part in th Canterbury ChampioniFtat* even, never races again, will retire « record. During Aye seasons he started forty-five races, of w J»ch hewon twwW six, inclusive of a dea£-hea^ n Stake earnings amounting to £-46..

:Ss_fc^,«gs_jfßß_! may do better over the jumps.

As instancing the big strings which Born-Of theS known twiners have under their care in the Old Country, it may Ue noted that R. Marsh, of Egerton House, is commencing this season with 83 horses m his stable. Of this number no less than Scare two-year-olds. AY. Elsey is not far behind Marsh, his charges totalling 82; but he Is nothing near so strong in two-year-olds as the Egerton House trainer. Botn Marsh and Elsey are excellent trainers, but it is pretty safe to say that it is almost Impossible for either to do justice to sucb targe strings. ' ____________

As was only to be experted. most of Mr C. L. Macdonalri's investments at the St. Albans sale are turning out well. Regained unluckily went wrong prior to the Spring Meetings, and Revenue cost the stable a bit of money in connection with the Cup and the Pinal Handicap at Fletnington; but Kiuglike, Wakeful, and Aureus have each been successful, and in good races, too. Aurons, who cost her present owner 350gs, won the Cauldeld Puturity Stakes very easily on Saturday, and now backers are puzzled to know which is going to be Mr Macdonald's Newmarket representative, as in addition to Aurous and Wakeful, Revenue has to be taken in.to consideration. Although backed for long races by his connections, Revenue has generally shaped more like a sprinter than a stayer, and there are many who believe he will prove to he the correct pea. The V.A.T.C. handieapper is evidently ot opinion that of Wakeful and Aureus the latter is the better of the two at their Newmarket weights, for iv the Hawk-burn Handicap, to be run on Saturday, she is placed within 2ib of Wakeful, while at Pkuiiugton bio divides them.

Levanter, who is now owned by Major J. I). Edwards, is said to be a great tip in Ireland for the coining Liverpool Grand -National. The ex-New __ealander rau pretty weil in that race last year, and it is anticipated he will do much better this time.

The Sydney "Referee" ..ays:—"The presence of lioreas and Advance" in the weight for age races at Flemington next mouth will impart a lot of interest to them. It is some time sauce a New Zealand horse of high ciass was doing battle with Australian horses under satisfactory conditions in test races. When Seahorse was here his condition did not give him a fair chance of reproducing his best home form,but enough was seen of him to be convincing that when at his best he was class enough to shako up our weight for aye horses. As Advance is the superior of Seahorse, he should be equal to pacing it with MaJster, Lancaster. and La Carabine. Though he was lit and well when he left New Zealand, it is almost too much to expect that Advance will be quite at his best after so much travelling. However, he looked all right at HandWick. He may not run in tho Essendon Stakes on the opening day, but Boreas, who looks a racehorse all over, will probably oppose l'aul Pry, La Carabine, Clean Sweep, Malster, and Lancaster, and the Champion Stakes should have an unusual interest this year. The sprinting abilities of the big ,';tms should bo fairly tested in the Ali-Ageu Stakes on the last day, where some of the best of our handicap spnuters may take part, as well as a couple of two-year-olds; and then there wilt be the Loch Plate to wind up with, wherein it may be a matter of the survival of Advance, Malster, or La Carabine in the tiuul tussle."

The South Australian-bred gelding Security continues to show good form in India. At Calcutta on January 12 he won the Metropolitan Stakes, a six-furlong race, of SOUOrs., his weight being list 21b. Strathroy, Bst 21b, was second; Vigorous, Sst 71b, third; and Forest, 7st 111b, fourth, tho other runners being Vcnnda.Ost 51b; Amourette, Sst Jllb; Malto, Sst lib; Merloolas, 7st 131b; and Luxury, 7st 31b. On the same day Cherry won the Mafektng Stakes, and Wild Raven the Kidderpore Stakes.

It was expected that one of the attractions of the Flying Stakes at Potter's Paddock last Saturday would have been the fact that one of the riders was a lady, namely, Miss Abbott, who was to have had the mount on Athel. The committee, however, refused to allow Miss Abbott a license, and therefore she was unable to take part, as expected. There is no more fearless horsewoman In Auckland than the daughter of the well-known Otahuhu boniface, and she invariably rides the horse in his work; but although Athel might no doubt have run more kindly with the young lady in the saddle, still perhaps tho stewards were well advised not to allow her to ride in public, for, if by any mischance, an accident had occurred, there would have been a howl of indignation from the public.

The victory of Aurous in the rich Fourth Futurity Stakes further enhances the value of her dam, Aura, who was recently purchased by the Southern sportsman, Mr G. G. Stead. Having already thrown two such wonderful performers as Auraria, a Melbourne Cup winner, and Aurum, one of the best ever seen in Australia, Aura should be a great acquisition to the Yaldhurst stud.

Prior to the start for the St. George's Stakes a commission was executed in favour of Lancaster for the Australian Cup, fully £3000 being secured on the ground about the Auckland-bred one. Tho "Sportsman," referring to the horse's running in the Stakes, says: "Lancaster looked well—a trifle too well, perhaps—and was heavily backed by his party, only to cut up badly. Cooper was riding the halfbrother to Trenton three furlongs from home, and he did not appear to respond any too gamely. Very likely Lancaster was short of a fast gallop or two, and will show improved form next time he app-«.-s in public."

The time taken by Aurous, 1.29, when she won the Caulfield Futurity Stakes recently was a record for tho race. The daughter of Wallace has been withdrawn from the Newmarket Handicap, but she is engaged in the Sydney Cup with the lutht impost of 6.9 opposite her name.

In America, when a case of "ringing In" a. horse is sheeted home, the offender is sent to gaol for a year, without the option, and the animal is confiscated.

In addition to the Newmarket Handicap the other important races which are down for decision at Flemington on Saturday are the St. Leger Stakes and Essendon Stakes. For the Red Ribbon I anticipate that Finland will be found equal to scoring.

A report has been received that the racehorse Dewey, who won the Caulfield Cup in 1899, and was subsequently sent to India, having been purchased by the Maharajah of Jahore, is dead. The horse was under orders to return to Australia, as he had not been a great success in the land of the Rajahs.

I have come across many imbecile names of horses from time to time, but one given to an unfortunate equine entered for the Thames meeting about takes the cake. This horse rejoices in the name of Na Dichruimchurch.