AUCKLAND RACING STABLES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 10515, 7 August 1897, Page 6

AUCKLAND RACING STABLES.

I |BT PHAETON.] I Taking advantage of the beautiful weather prevailing' on Saturday last I made another journey to EHersUe, for the purpose of continuing my stable visitations. My intention was to hare first interviewed the team under the charge of J. C. Booth, at the Ellerslie Hotel -but the burly form of tbe ent-Waikatoite was misting when I arrived, and ai> I learned that he was away at the ra'cecourta v . with ' his youngsters, I filled in the' interval by turning my attention to another quarter, and, sighting John Thorpe, I proceeded up the hill, to " the ladies' mile," where the young Aucklauder has bis team located, for the purpose of looking them over.

l e. thokpe's, On the road just outside tbe stable I came across two of the team who were being ridden out (or exerciie. This pair proved to be * five-year-old geldiug by Ingomar—Ladybird, aid a three-year-old filly by Nelson from Sister Agnes. The first-named, who is a full brother to Lottie, is a bit of a'commoner to the eye, but still he is not without some good points, and when he gets a bit of the rough off him will no doubt impress one a deal more, The Nelson filly ia a -fine upstandingyouog lady, butaterriblyplain head, that by some would be pronounced even ugly, would prejudice not a few against her. However, they don't race with their heads, and as the daughter of Nelson shows plenty of size she may race Well, and it would not surprise me to find her turn out a good jumper should she be put over hurdles. When we arrived at the stables, Webley was the first one to be interviewed. The son of Hotohkiss was looking really well, and the big fellow seemi to me to have filled out a good deal across his quarters since I last saw him race. Webley was last season schooled over hurdles, but he did not take over kindly to the illegitimate game. However, another trial is being made with him in that direction, and he is said to be shaping in much improved style. Lillie, who has been eased up since she raced at Ellerslie last autumn, was iu the next box. The half-sister to Lottie was looking a bit on the big side as the result of her holiday: but as she goes into active work at once, she will no doubt soon bear an altered and improved appearance. Lady Cuisine, the four-year-old daughter of Cuirassier and Ladybird, seems to be doing all right; but, she is not nearly so taking to the eye as tbe other members of the Ladybird family. Lady Cuisine has been a somewhat disappointing young lady, and bar the vietorywhiohsheobtainediaetepiing.atElleraslid, when she rather unexpectedly bowled over Waiuku in the Ellerslie Handicap, she has done nothing. However, the daughter of Cuirassier may show an improvement in form in (he season about to commence. Flying Fish, the azed daughter of Foul Shoe and Fisn Lass, was looking really well, and there was quite a velvety gloss on her coat. Flying Pish, I may remark, has the distinction of having thrown a foal, and then, herself, resumed racing. Her offspring is the four-year-old Guardfiau, who won a couple of races just season, on the West Coast, With the inspection of Flying Fish, I bade adieu to Thorpe's team. j. o. booth's. As I sauntered back to the Ellerslie Hotel, I espied John Booth returning with hie youngsters after their exercise, and making mown mv desire to have a look over his team, he at once extended mo a most kindly welcome. The chestnut filly Presentment was the first to come under review, und though she has not grown up much since she ran Miss Anna to a head for the Nunery Handicap at Ellerslie in April last, she has thickened a good deal, and has quitu lost that ratty appearance she bore when last sees carrying silk. Presentment, I may remark, is returned as being got by Richmond; but her parent must not be confounded with the Australian thoroughbred got by Maribyrnong bearing that title, for he is an eutirely diferent animal, being a ton of the French ircd Apreinont. A two-year-old colt by St. lippo from Cautiniere, who has been named Hyles, next claimed my attention. He is a short-bodied brown youngster, to which St. Hippo has affixed some of his own likeness. Hyles is endowed with a good supply of power; and should he not run up a bit too much on the leg, to which at present hewouldappear to have a tendency, he should evelop into a really nice youngster. St. ohn, a two-year-old son of St. Leger and Jalista, is a shapely fellow, aud a beautiful blood-like head and neck sets him off to good advantage, but there is a good deal of the mny about him and I should doubt his growing to any size. St. Inms,a bay two-year-old colt by St. Leger from In'uisfail, i« small and unattractive-looking, and it would bo difficult to believe that he can rise to anything above the common. Proceeding on to the next apartment a fine upstanding bay colt was irought to view, and for a moment; I' quite ailed to guess his identity. It proved to.be loyal Conqueror, the three-year-old full irother to Lottie. My inability to guess the identity of Royal Conqueror right off was due to the old-stager look that he bears, for as he stood before me like an old sheep he iad cho appearance of a horse tint lad been at the game for a long time. When this colt was brought down from Waikato last spring ho mado a good number of admirers at Elleralio, not because there was any great promiso about him at two years old, but under the lielief that he would develop into a good three-year-old. Tho son of Muakapeer has evidently done well since he went into his new quarters Ist autumn; and so far as appearances go ho would appear to have progressed as well as his most ardent admirers could desire. Take him how you will Royal Conqueror is a really nice cut of a colt, and as he is gifted with plenty of power nil around, and in addition can lay claim to a capital set of legs and feet, there seems a good prospect of his being found equal to the task of losing his maidenhood during the season on which we ar9 about to enter. )oheraile, the three - year • old son of St. Leger and Balista, was the next oue to claim attention, and as he is a youngster for whom I nave always had a tit oi a liking; I tarried long in looking him over. The son of St. Leger has furnished well during the past few months, and has now made up into a really nice-looking colt, a very determined, sensible-looking head being tot the least striking part of his anatomy, t is quite evident; that Doneraile is a lively customer, und on several occasions his trainer had to remind him in a forcible manner that he was not to be the " boss." A- most industrious trainer is John Booth, and with such a promising lot of homes as he commands this year, it will be passing strange should the Ellerslie stable not annex a good race or two.

MR. B. 11. SKirWITH'S. As I wended my way ud the Ellerslio lane I caught sight of S. Fereus, who is acting as head man to Mr. R. H. Skipwith in looking after St. Simon and Co., and I thereupon shaped my course in that direction for tho purpose of looking over that gentleman's string. There was no mistaking the game head that peeped out of the first box, (or St. Simon's is a knowledge-box that is not of the commonplace character. The son of St. Leger I found to be looking really, well; and need 1 say that I lingered long in his stall. What a great horse he is to be sure; and the more one looks at him the more does the feeling grow that champion hurdle honours fit him v/ 011. Tho big fellow is still furnishing in a marked degree, and that one fault of being a little pinched across his quarters that some were inclined to pick out, has now disappeared under the development which the son of St. Leger is making. Though St. Simon failed badly on each occasion he essayed to get over country last season, the state of his legs shows that he has been a most careful fencer, for trisra is not a single trace of his having knocked a bit of hair oft, and neither is there a sign of a lump on any of his limbs. St. Simon's off fore fetlook seems a little enlarged, but there is no heat in it, and, bar thu slight disfigurement, he may be said to be as sound as the day he was foaled. It is to be hoped that this fine son of St. Leger will train on successfully, for at five years old he may be expected to accomplish over country that which he failed to do when a year younger Little Pansy was the occupant of the next box, and the halfsister to St. Simon having fined down a lot since she was last seen out, is looking iugood trim for the time. Bonnie Blue; looking' healthy and well, is evidently going on all rifjit. This little son of Clan Stuart has proved a somewhat difficult horse to train owing to bad feet, but his ailments on that' score seem to have been successfully cornbatted, though in hard going there might, it is feared, be a return of the trouble. '