NOTES AND COMMENTS

Press, Volume LII, Issue 9290, 16 December 1895, Page 2

NOTES AND COMMENTS

fßv Hotspur.!

The acceptances for the Auckland Cup, if not numerous are but one short of the number that cried content twelve-months back. The notable defection is, of course, Euroclydon. The withdrawal of the New Zealand Cup hero was not quite a surprise to those who were present at the Dunedin meeting, inasmuch as Goodman stated that there was a strong probability of his keeping the colt at home—and such news soon travels round. But if to leave the Cup consideration for a moment, it was the fact that the colt seemed to hold a mortgage ovor the Great Northern Derby that induced the belief that he would be a sure acceptor for the handicap event although he had the weight dealt out to him with no sparing hand. Euroclydon has, however, had his Derby engagement forfeited likewise, and, if seeing the colt is bright and well, many may think it unwise policy not to give battle to Osculator and all comersmore especially as the issue looked well assured — the owners have, I dare say, counted up all the jK'obabilities, and besides tha expansiveness of tiie trip have other reasons for keeping the colt afc home for the present. When writing on the handicap I did not anticipate seeing Quiltiri in the acceptors' list; it may be said that it was in a measure owing- to Euroclydon not going that influenced the decision that the Hawke's Bay Guineas winner should be sent North. It is with a view to throwing down the gauntlet to Osculator in the Derby as much as to have a cut in for the Cup, that Quiltiri is making the journey. Quiltiri is fast ; so much his trainer has ascertained, and the public know by his performances. Whether he can stay l-emains to be seen ; many who have seen him ran affect to believe he will get a good two mileg» and his light weight will doubtless assist him to get through the journey. It would be idle to gainsay such a well bred one as he is, in at 6sfc 101b, has not a chance for Cup honours, and if I anticipate his defeat I do not think it will be effected by any of the other light weights: that is, First Nelson, Anita, and the peculiarly named animal with the minimum* impost. Encouraging information regarding the top weight continues to be received from the scene of action. I should dearly like to find that St Hippo would be fit arid well to take part, and if he were, I should, without" much heed to the rest, regard him as the winner. Itis some time yet,-however, to the convincing day, and I'm much afraid that the present satisfaction with St Hippo will not extend right up to the time. The Possible is considered a non-stayer, yet he may be improving with age, and I must regard him as a likely winner. It would be very pleasing if the return of Mr Gollan's horses was signalised by a victory of this sort. It might be said that the re-advent of Martin's team was signalised in quite a contrary fashion at the C.J.C. Meeting. That was so. But- when Sterpchaser was backed for the New Zealand Cup by his owner he was not aware the horse was in such bad case as he was. The horse sent across then a3 the advance guard was only looked upon as a forlorn hope when he took part in the big handicap at P.iccarton. It is not such with The Possible at Auckland, who, if he fails, may at least ■be looked to to give a good account of himself. Impulse is said to ba under suspicion ; his being paid up for would, however, indicate he is expected to stand. He was regarded by mc as the pick of the handicap, but he is one of those hor3es that must be well to make any sort of show. I would like to know that he was quite himself before recommending him. The performance at Takapuna of Pegasus the other day is not encouraging a3 to his ability. Three Star and Fofly I have not much fancy for but Dreamland has a' "taking appearance at 7st 41b. I may see reason to'discard my present fahciea for St. Hippo and Impulse, but at time of writing The Possible, Dreamland and Quiltiri are the ones which appear to mc to have the best chances. Mutiny was so -favourably handicapped in the Steeplechase that the inference to be drawn from his withdrawal is that he is not forward enough in condition to take part. The race now reads a good thing for one of the other-s from the same quarter as Mntiny, and while thinking that Roscius will find most opposition from Tiritea, I quite expect to see last year's winner again succeed. Following on the notification that Euroclydon was not to be seen out at the Auckland meeting I learnt that tha colt was to be taken almost immediately to Australia, and further that-he would be accompanied by Gipsy Grand. The information will, I have good reason for supposing, turn out correct. The report that the owners of Euroclydon have given £1000 for the other colt is incorrect..

The Blenheim Hack Racing Club was unfortunate in striking a wet day for its fixture of last week. As a consequence the attendance was poor, but speculation was fairly brisk, and the shrinkage of investments as compared with last season's meeting, was only £120. The full brothers, King's Own and Hiilstone, secured the two chief races.

The Warrington yearlings will, as usual, be offered for sale during the D.J.C. Autumn Race week. This year's batch numbers half a dozen. The sale is bound to attract more than ordinary interest and no doubt many will attend in the hope of hitting upon another Euroclydon. A half brother to the great colt is in the list.

With the predilection that exists for local horses it is not remarkable that Christ church backers should select Skirmisher for the Wellington Cup, and, to my mind —lpporters have better grounds than usual in fancying the MiddletOn trained horse. Skirmisher has not had a hard season so far, has recentlyshowed himself to be in form, and is certainly leniently treated in the matter of weight. I think it is hardly fair "to Lady Zetland, in the face of tie C.J.C. Metropolitan Handicap running, that she is asked to meet

him on the same terms as on that occasion. As readers know, Skirmisher finished second to The Artist in the race mentioned and for such beating the ex-hack is made to a>low 51bs, which can be said to be a reasonable concession. And if for the beating which Skirmisher, in turn administered to Zetland, tho liu-i-o had been let down albs, patting them on an equality, it would have inide matters richt to ray mind. Of the unplaced division"in the C.J.C. Metropolitan Handicap, at Wellington North Atlantic is jjiv.u olbs less, Marino 41bs more and Magazine 61bs more, and on paper these have no show whatever with their Riccarton _o:iuueror_. All _oing well, lam porauaded that, in the Wellington Cup, Skirmisher will be able to reverse positions The Artist and beat anything he met at the O. J.C. Meeting, but whether such form will be good enough to win is auothcr matter. Talking of Skirmisher, and Ins last beating, it niav be said that the Middleton stable has ' cause to hold in tiie utmost respect the class in which his success*.-! antagonist made his ds.but— the North Island hacks. It was a visitor from across Cook s Strait who started racing in the humblest sphere, that came between the stable's representative and victory in the Grand National Hurdle Race, while Rangipuhi had before that let the calibre of some of the ex-hacks be known. There are several ex-hacks besides The Artist and Rangipuhi engaged in the Wellington Cup, and any of t-hem with pretensions are sure to be looked at askance by the Middleton folk. The profits accruing over the Canterbury Jockey Club's Metropolitan Meeting were not over estimated when set down at £2000. Indeed, T think I am correct in saying that the exact figures show that a few pounds over the two thousand were made. From the point of money making, therefore, the meeting was the" most .successful ever held in the colony. The Club intends losing no time in setting about the consideration of more stand accommodation, the Metropolitan Meeting surplus being put asiiie for the purpose. It is understood the committee have alternative propositions to consider ; the erection of a separate members' stand, or the raising of the present stand by adding thereto a second storey. The Hawke's Bay Jockey' Club's Boxing Day gathering cannot be expected to draw entries from outside the provincial boundary, inasmuch as on that general holiday sport is taking place at so many racing quarters. There are, however, so many horses trained at Hastings that good all-round nominations have been taken, and the best of the several stables have been engaged.

There is a certain amount of ambiguity about the penalty condition attaching to the D.J.C. Onslow Plate. It reads that the winner of the Canterbury Cup or Derby has to carry 71bs extra, of both those races lOlbs extra. It must appear that the object of the condition is to catch a horse or horses that have immediately prior to the Dunedin Spring Meeting, shown the best form. Now, in the last Onslow Plate, the Canterbury Cup winner of 1894, Prime Warden, was not subject to the penalty, while Skirmisher, who won both Darby and Cup, would not, like the latest winner of these events, be asked to put up extras. It -would save probable complications I fancy in future if the condition was made more explicit.

Quite as many horses ran at the recent Dunedin Spring meeting as at the one of last season, and the Club should come out over it just as well as previously. All the same, I am quite of the opinion expressed in the Southern capital that the gathering, corning so soon as it does after the C.J.C. Metropolitan meeting, might with advantage be cut down to a two days' affair, so as to allow the February fixture to stand out by itself as the three days and, more than ever, the most important reunion of the season. If, too, one of the single day gatherings were abandoned, and the May meeting—at which time there is not much racing in the South—added to, it would, to my thinking, strengthen the position of the Otago Metropolitan body. It is announced that the whole of Mr J. Dooley's blood stock will be sold by public auction at Gerald ine by Messrs Webster and Co. on Friday, December 20th. The sire, First Lord, is among the lots to be offered, besides several highly bred mares.

Mr O'Brien had a very unprofitable day at Randwick on Novewber 30th. Commencing with the Hurdle Race Havana, who was at odds on, was beaten by Cape Pigeon ; Ilchester then had to be content with third place in the six furlongs race; following this his Abercorn colt, Mosaic, finished second in the Nursery Stakes, while in the mile and a quarter event Cartridge was third.