TURF TOPICS.

Free Lance, Volume II, Issue 94, 19 April 1902, Page 21

TURF TOPICS.

By Krect-Card.

Mi h\ctt disclosed the weights toi the forthcoming Wellington meeting on Fnd.u last and his compilation Ins been the duet topic ot com elation amonest tui htes en ci since. Umhm.il satisfaction is expressed at the \wu in v.hich he has hi ought the hoi ses together and Luge fields should face the staitor in each event on the caicl -As this wi'l be nn last opportune ot lefernng to the meeting before it takes place I shall endeavour to tr\ and gn c lm readers some idea of what horses it will he safest to invest their money on should the\ be inclined to do so Crusoe and Halbeidiei occupy pucle ot place in the Waiwetu Handicap, lun o\er seven furlongs, with 9st 41b and 9st 31b respectively . The latter, with 31b m his favour, beat the son of Cimser ea&ilv at Feilchng over a mile and a-halt. Since then, Crusoe has captured a stake over a mile course with 9st olb, thus pro\ ing that he is improving. As both have an engagement m the Thompson Handicap, latei in the day, I do not think it a.t all likely that they will try conclusions in the event under notice. Queen's Guaid, West Guard, Fleka. and Tsantza hewe got good racing weights the former carrying the same burden (Bst (>lb) that she bore to victoiv in Wanganui. West Guard and Fleka have winning form to recommend them, a? have also Abvdos, Rebel, la Te Pake Tradewind. and Menura As the aceeptiances close too late for me to select from I am somewhat in the dark as legards owners' intentions, but with a start I shall pin my faith to Menura Rebel and Te Pake in that order Tort uJ La lOst 31b, St. Michael 9st 101 band Battleaxe 9st ()lb, are at the head" of the list for the Thompson Handicap over a mile. The formei has proved her bnlhancy under heavy weights, but, as the stable has two repiesentatives, I shall discard hei in favour of the lighter weight St Michael has been successful over longer courses-, and, as he is such a big-sfnding horse, the corners will somewhat mar his chances, unless he gets well away from tihe start He made hacks^ of his opponents in the Auckland and Wellington Cups, ran over two miles, and one and a-half miles respectively but in shorter races he does not seem to get going" fast enough Battleaxe is, as usual, veiv high up, but he is so brilliant up to a mile and aquartor that the handicapper can take no liberties with him. Cannie ChieJ, after his recent defeat of Cruciform, with Bst 131b, must have a good chance, as she is very partial to a mile course. Further dowm the list, Okoan, Ciusoe, Halberdier, The Shannon, Ostiak, Melwdod. Float, Terrapin, and la look to have more than an outside ohance. To sum up the position, I shall take HaJberdier. The Shannon, and Ostiak, to fill the positions, and, if there is to be a boil-over, it may come from la. Why SooiaJ Pest and Huku should have to give weight to such a good performer as Waiwera in the Hurdles is beyond me. The former has been off the turf for «orae time, and has not leceived much consideration for his enforced spell, while Waiwera ha& been running well since Christmas. Sabreur, Hotu, Kucha ns, and Frost are in winning order, but Plain Bill, Gobo, Haunn, and Right Metal have been absent from the tracks for some tame, and are handicapped right at thear best. Derrmgeatte. has a nice racing weight, and Duffer has been given an opportunity to distinguish himself. Nothing stands out so well as Frost, the Foulshot gelding, who won the Stratford Cup. He is a born lumper, and my readers w ill remember his good performances over the sticks before he was disqualified about eighteen months ago, when he wag credited with cutting out the mile and a-half hurdles in 2min 46sec. I shall give him pride of place in the handicap and next to him I like Dr. Bill and Duffer. In the Welter, nothing stands out so prominently in the Handicap as Forest Oak, who will find his most dangerous opponents in Tradewind and Magnificent. Mr. Stead's representative, Cruciform, has oaught it hot in the Railway Handicap for she is at the head of the list with 11s* 31b. This is an excessive weight for a three-year-old to carry but the handd capper could hardly do otherwise after the fillv'q easy victor^ in the Great Plaster Handicap at the recent

LJ C mooting. Tlien, she earned ( Jst yib, and caned out the sen en ivi longs in lmin 28sec, and made hacks of her opponents.. Theie is no doubt that C l'ucitorm is the best maie that lias evei laced in New Zealand, and, on a ia.st course, with hei allotted weight up I think she would hold the key to the position At an\ la.te, I would not oaio to back am thing m the race to beat her The possibility is that she will be a non-acceptor. Okoari and Jabbed ha\e each sot their full of weight and so li<is The Shannon. Fuithei down, Red Gauntlet has been an en ,1 chance, as he is impio\mg in every gallop Amongst the 7st dnision, uotluug leads so a\ oil as Teriapm and Livonia Ringlet has a light impost and if he takes it into his head to erallon would account foi most of those below him Float has some good deeds to recommend him, nnrl so has Te Tairih.i while Te Pake is not o\eibuid-o'lo-d Mv choice goes to Cora Linn, Oixoiii. and Jabber Tn the Hack Race T like nothing bettei than Noith Star, Mairohau and Le Vent. * * • Field Battery purchased at the Yaldhurst sale Its Mr. W Blackmore for 300 guineas, was bought it i« understood on behalf of the TTutt tiaincr. Mv TV Dane? . Kvemng Wonder who lias raced so successfully over stacks during the past season, is having a spell, piior to being put in w ork for mmping events at winter meetings. Teirapm, who is engaged m the Thompson Handicap, with hst 121b onposite his name, won the Autumn Handicap, at the South Canterbury Jockey Club's autumn meeting, with Bst 31b in the saddle. The distance was a mile a lid a quarter. Hotai won both huidle laces at the Hokitika races m most decisive style. Kvid'emtJy , the son of Foulshot and Westlmd is in the best of form, and will t.'ke some beating in the laces over the sticks at the forthcoming Wellington meeting, should his owner decide to make tho trip. To backers of form m hoise ia,cnig, the Nelson Jockey Club's autumn meeting, held last week, was a severe blow. In the Hurdle Race, on the opening da\ , the performances of Giev Ribbon and Plainstone weie of such a nature Ihat the stewards, on their own initiative held an inqunv into their running but, after hearing the jockey's explanations, took no action Grey Ribbon lan off at the second fence, and Plainstone followed suit at the thud On the second day, Grey Ribbon earned 111b more than m his fiist essay, and succeeded in beating his solitary opponent by a hundred yards. Then Plamstone, to make amends for his inglorious display on the first day made no race of the Welter Hack, beating a good field of competitors. In the Cun run ovei a mile and a quarter, on the first day. Crusoe, canymg 9st 81b, and Calceolaria, with Bst Mb, weie not in the hunt, -set on the following da\ , Crusoe won the Richmond Park Stakes, run over a mile with 9st -Mb on his back, and in a field of three paid the handsome price of £5 3-> Calceolaria easily annexed the Faiewell Handicap, from three other starters and returned each of hei supporteirs a dividend of £5 12s. Pure Silver spoilt whatever chance she hs*d in the Grandstand Handicap by being left at the post, but in the Waimeai Handicap she was on her best behaviour, and succeeded m annexing the stake by a length and a half. Hentas won his two laces at the Nelson meeting in fine s<tyle. The Goldsborough—Tata horse wa^s in the pink of condition, and reflected gieat credit on his owner-trainer. Properly placed, he should be quite capable of winning many other races before has turn for letirement comes round. Abydos, by St George — Zehca, who succeeded in winning the Nelson Cup Last week, has a long list of successes to his credit. He has been racing on the West Coast of the South Island for the past two or three seasons, and he has been a good stake-earner. His owner intends to try his fortunes further afield, and, in his last essay, Abvdos certainly proved that he can hold his own in the best, company, for he ran the mile and a quarter in 2min 13sec, and then won fairly easy. He has been kindly treated by the handicapper a.t the local meeting, and there is every possibility that he will give us a taste of his quality. Writing of Abydos, brings to mind the doings of another West Coast horse, who. like him, came up for the Wellington Racing: Club's autumn mectitie two years ago. I refer to the defunct Paladin. Coming from the Coast, where racing usually is a bit behind the times, his credentials were not thought very much of and, generally speaking, his chances of annexing the Thompson Handicap were of the, remotest — so said tho main in the street. It was only a day or two before the race that his nrospeet° were seriously scanned, and it happened on tne training track.

Boreas won tlie Thompson Handicap last year ior the poweiful Pomua .stable Will Tortulla or O.stiak lepeat the peiformaiice this yeai i The \ictoiy oi Matamataharakeke, in the Autumn Handicap, at Auckland, and tlicv payment of a £32 dividend, has caused a coitam Southern sportsman to kick himself vom liard. It seems that tins maie was pui chased last year by I\Ji Alec Alison (manager of the Devonport Fonv Company), at the request of the afoiosaid Southern spoit&man, who ga-\<> luni an open oidei, but who was so little satisfied with the purchase that he did not take dehven Mi. Ahson tbeieupon retained the chestnut which staited at once with a win, and has now sr\oial firsts to his ciecht. By his win in the Autumn Handicap, he returned his present ownei a 000 sovereigns' stake. Paladin, while out doing exercise, look chaige of his nder, and the way he rcn-eied the ground m his mad gallop made the eaily birds scratch their heads On the day of the race he was well barked bv the general public, who had got wind of Ins brilhamcv and, but foi bad r,i dine would have annexed the slake. As it wa^, he had to succumb to Armoureux On the second day, he e^ih accounted for the Hutt Handicap, run over the same distance, for which he started favourite. His subsequent deeds prior to his death, aie too fresh m the minds of mv readers for me to recapitulate, but, up to a mile and a quarter, there have been few more brilliant hordes than Paladin. Will Abvdos _ follow in his predecessor's track 5 i<s a question the anrtroaching \\ ollin.gt.on meeting will decide.