SPORTING.

Evening Post, Volume XXVII, Issue 22, 26 January 1884, Page 2

SPORTING.

WELLINGTON EACING NOTES. Continuing my review of the Wellington Cap candidate!!, I find the next horse in the order of the weights is the Hon. W. RobinBon's Vanguard, Bst 71b. This animal at present oooupies the position of first favourite, although he has not yet put in an appearanoe in Wellington. Vanguard is ono of the most fashionably-bred horses in New Zealand. He is by Traducer, out of the imported mare En Avant, by Lord Lyon, winner of the English Derby, St. Leger, and Two Thousand Guineas in 18C6. En Avant claims for her dam Lady Mary, who was also dam of Gang Forward, who ran Booond to Doncastor for the English Derby, and also won the Two Thousand Guineas in 1873. Therefore if breeding goes for anything, Vanguard's pedigree is unsurpassed. As a three-yoar-old he made his first appearance in the 0. J.O. Handioap, where with 7st he ran a good third, to Welcome Jack's Gat 51b, and Bundoora 7st 41b, thus giving the winner 91b and only receiving 41b trom Bundoora, who was a year older. Had Vanguard been E laced at level weight with Welcome Jack c might, on that oooasion, have had hit name inscribed on the record as winner of the C J.C., in place of Mr. Pilbrow's champion. However, his performance was a grand one, as he had a field of first-rate horses behind him. He ran subsequently in the Canterbury Cup, but it was evident ho was not himself; ho has been seen very little outside of his owner's t>rivate training grounds since. He has 'certainly not disgraced himself to Buoh an extont as to warrant his being classed as 131b inforior to his former rival, whom he now meets on 221b better terms than in the OJ.C. of 1882. And, coming as he does, from the formidable Robinson-Lance stable, -it is little wonder that he is looked upon aB " good goods " by the knowing fraternity. As soon as it is definitely known that he is a certain starter his price will no doubt shorten to 6 to 4. The stable he oomes from seldom err in their judgment, as the sporting public are well aware ; in the meantimo ho must be olassed dangerous. Leonata, Bst lib (including penalties), is a big strapping son of Loolinus and Wave (Virginia Water's dam). As a 3-year-old Leonata won the Wanganui and Napier Maiden Plates, and this season he began by beating Leonora at a difference of only 71b, for the Napier Spring Handicap. Since then he has won a handioap at Napier, on Boxing Day, with 9st, also the MartonRangitikei Handioap and Railway Handioap with nearly the same weight on his back. The company he met was certainly not Al, but he Won comfortably, and Martini- Henry could have done no more. Ho seemß in raro form, and his weight, Bst lib, should not stop him ; but his stable companion, Mischief, I consider should bold him aafe at only 71b difference. Tim Whiffler, Bst, is said to bo slightly amiss, at least his owner, Mr. Smith, soratched him for all his engagements at Poverty Bay races last week, and as some of his backers oomplained,' Mr. Smith published a certificate from a vet. stating that Tim Whiffler was suffering from an injury to one of his legs, and was unfit to undergo fast exercise, and would remain so for some time to come. However, should he come to the post fit and well, I fear he cannot win, as taking his Auokland and Christohuroh running into account both Mischief and Salvage should finish before him. He has been backed during the week for a few hundreds at about 100 to 8. The Poot, 7st (inoluding penalty), has a nioe racing weight, bnt I fear he is not good enough for this company ; he oertainly has no show on his New Zealand Cup form. His rnnning at the Wellington Spring Meeting is no oriterion, as he met nothing of note, and even then I think Derritt's riding won the race, and had Odd Trick been as well ridden Poet would have finished seoond. I must pass him by on this occasion. Normanby, 6st 81b, is an animal that I fanoy in preference to The Poet. Normanby hails from New Plymouth, and in that quarter won some good races last autumn, defeating Larry, Leonora, Hippodamia, and other well-known performers, at a difference of from sto 141b. He is by Day Dawn from a mare by Traducer, and is a very nice little horse, not unlike Lara, who a few years ago ran away with our Wellington Cnp. He is, I learn on good authority, in very fair form, and is expected to arrive in a few days. Refrigerator, 6st 51b, is a three-year-old colt ; he is, I think, by Gassivelaunus from Maggie Lander, dam of Magnolia. I know nothing further about him than that I hear he is a big, powerful customer, and is in Mr. C. Redwood's stable. I have, however, not a very exalted opinion of his show in a race of this sort. Miss Juan is a mare that came over from Blenheim with a great reputation for our spring races. She, however, failed to run up to her owner's expectations, and was excused on account of being amisß. She is a likely-looking animal, but is, I fear, outclassed, and I must discard her. To sum up the respective animals' chances, I lean towards the four top weights, and if asked to piok the winner in twice, I would take Mischief or Vanguard. A final tip will appear in these columns the evening prior to the r&oe. Soukar.