SALIENT SUBJECTS.

New Zealand Mail, 30 December 1892, Page 24

SALIENT SUBJECTS.

(BY VIGILANT.)

The weights for the Wairarapa Racing Club's Summer Meeting appear elsewhere. The acceptances were, declared last night, but have not come to hand at the time of writing, so that I must content myself with a few remarks as to what I consider the best in. In the Cup I can see nothing to beat- the two lightweights Senator, 7st, and Viola II.; 6st 71b, and I think Senator will win. In the Flying Violence, Bst 91b, E and Deception, 7st are the most favoured; In the Welter Cyrus 11., Bst 91b, and Viola 11., Bst 111 b ; In the Hurdles, Mutineer, 9st 21b, and Jacob, lOst 81b ; in the Hack ■ Hurdles, Oddfellow, list 121 b, and Nuts, lOst 91b; in the Wairarapa Hack Eace, Brookfield, 9st 31b, Dromedary, Bst 31b, Ahitangi, 7st 21b;- and in the Hack Handicap Oddfellow, 9st, and Sea Serpent, 7st I 91b. The Napier Park weights appear elsewhere. My selections—without seeing the acceptances —are as follows : —Trial Hurdles, SirTatton, 10st91b ; Midsummer Handicap, Dreamland, Bst 111 b, and Kapua, 7st 51b; Two-year-old Handicap, Porepo, 7st 41b, and Noyade, 7st 121 b; Near Year Handicap, St Katherine, 7st 81b, and Rosefeldt, Bst 121 b; Kaimanawa, lOst 111 b, and Chester, lOst; Flying Handicap, Ua, 7st 61b, and Dreamland, Bst 121 b; Settlers' Handicap, King George, _ Bst, and Prairie Grass, Bst 21b. For the Second day of the Auckland 1 Meeting the following seem to be worth backing:—New Year Hurdles, Aorere, lOst 41b, and Fishmonger,: lOst 101 b; Midsummer Handicapper, Reflector, Bst 121 b, MMBua Heart of Oak, 7st 81b; Newmarket Handicap, The Workman, 9st, and Impulse, Bst 51b ; Maiden Handicap, Marquis of Tewkesbury, 7st 71b, and Stamford, 7st 51b; A.R.C. Handicap, Brigand, 7st I 81b, and The Workman, Bst 21b, or Coal- ■•■" Scuttle, 7st.

The news of the death of Cynisca comes to us like the tidings of the death of au

. old friend. Although owned in Napier, 1 the mare, ■ by her three successive vie -Tories in the Wellington Cup and her numerous other wins on the Hutt course, had so identified herself with local racing that during the last few years, whenever a hi? meeting has been on the tapis, the question in the mouths of all sporting men was, What weight will Cynisca get ? "She has suddenly disappeared from our ken, and for us—and her owner too—it .may be along time before we look upon her like again. Mr George Hunter, who has 1 in his time been fairly fortunate on the I turf, is now experiencing a series of Fortune's buffets. Not only has he lost his Kg Cynisca, but Whisper, an almost equally By>rilliant mare, who has also done him Bood service for several years, is also in Ktuch a crippled condition that her racing 51 career may be considered closed. His '■ good three-year old filly, Mystic, is also jr"~«aid to be amis-, if we nny judge from \ the news that now comes that both ! Whisper and Mystic have bean scratched I for all events at the Wellington Summer ■pace to detail OyniscVs performances her racing career, but appended is

a Bummnry of them :—As a twjyear-old | she started nine times, winning seven , events and getting sucond once. At threo ! yaw she startod the same number of times, and won the C.J.O. Oaks and Wellington Cup, and ran second in the C.J.C. Derby »nd in the Riilway Han-, dicap at the H.B.J.C. Au'umn. Daring her four-year-old career she won four times, the Wellington Cup again falling to her, while she also won the H iwko s B*y Cup soon after running sec md to Duda for the Wynganui Cup. Her other two wins were the Wellington Racine Ciub Handicap and the November Handicap at the Wellington Spring Meeting. The following season she again won the Wellington, Cup (tor the third lime in succession), the Easter Handicap at Auckland, the Autumn Handicap at the same place, and then went to Wellington and won the Easter Handicap there. This season she won the Metropolitan Stakeß on tho second day of the C.J.C. Spring Meeting in November last, find the St. Andrew's Handicap at the Dunedin Jockey Club's Spring Meeting.

The Masterton-Opaki Jockey Club's Summer Meeting was favoured with fine weather, and was fairly well patronised, and though some of the fields were small there was some interesting sport. The course was very rough and hard, and had evidently had very little care b estowed upon it. This is a matter the stewards should see to without delay, and though it is too late to top dress it this season, by dint of harrowing and rolling the existing dangerous indentations might be levelled. The general arrangements were as good as can be expected with the limited accommodation in the stewards', secretary's, and weighing rooms, and Mr E. H. Waddington, the secretary, and the stewards must be congratulated on the success of their efforts to give satisfaction to their patrons. Owing to the scratching of Traitress and Twilight, the latter of whom broke down badly on the Saturday before the meeting, only Oddfellow and Kaika were left to fight out the battle for the stakes. Kaika was meeting Oddfellow on 91b better terms than at Taratahi, and the pair were equally backed. Mr Pemberton's horse jumped very badly, hitting nearly all his hurdles, one of them very hard. Tins completely spoilt his chance, and Oddfellow was enabled to win comfortably. On returning to scale Kaika was found to be very seriously punctured inside his near fore-arm and it is questionable whether he will be able to race again. All six acceptors came out for the Waipipi Handicap. Rebellion, 9st 71b, was made favourite, while Comet, Bst 41b, and Princess of Whales, 7st 41b, were also well backed. J. Reed, who has generally ridden Rebellion, was on this occasion engaged for Comet, and Hockley was 'on Mr Freeth's horse. Comet got the best of a very straggling start, and made the running right round into the straight, where Rebellion joined him and a furlong from home had his head in front. The race now seemed a certainty for the topweight, but Reed, sitting down on Comet, fairly drove him home, and Rebellion failing to quite stay it out, just won on the post by a head. Legislator and Princess of Whales finished together third and fourth, and Angler and Kaitara brought up the rear. Kaika and Harakiki were the only scratching 3 for the Maiden Hack Race. Mr H. Catt's 4 year-old mare Parae, by Premier—The Field, was rushed on the machine, and started nearly a level money favourite, but she was never prominent during the race, i "Waikino got well away, and soon established a strong lead, which she maintained until about 100 yards from home, when she wa3 challenged by Sea Serpent and Delusion. The latter failed to get up, but Sea Serpent came like a shot out of a gun, and shooting away from his field won hard held by three lengths. The winner is a fine 3-year-old colt, by Piscatorious from our old friend Rumour. He shows both size and quality, and should grow into a great weight-carrier. Comet and Angler being scratched, the Opaki Stakes brought out only three runners —viz., Revolution, 9st 71b, Senator, 7st 71b, and Kaitara, 7st. Nothing seemed backed in earnest but Revolution, and the odds at the start were over 2 to 1 on nim. Senator got away in : front and made the running, with the others in close attendance for half a mile. Then something seemed to go wrong with Mr Tancred's colt, for he rapidly dropped back last and persisted in running on the plough outside the track. Connop succeeded in getting him straight after going a quarter of a mile in this fashion, and the colt showing a lot of pace soon got on terms with the other pair, and led into the straight. The effort, however, took all the steam out of him, and when Revolution challenged him for a final set-to he was found wanting, and suffered a threelengths defeat. All the jockeys in this race were fined £1 a-piece for disobedience at the post. The Handicap Hack Race brought out eight runners, including the four old stagers, Brookfield, 9st 31b, Oddfellow, Bst 121 b, Makomako, 7st 121 b, and Ahitabgi, 7st 101 b. To these the betting wa3 mainly confined, Brookfield being slightly the favourite. Makomako got the best of a very indifferent start, in which BrookfielrZ fared badly. After 300 yards had been traversed Ahitangi rushed to the front and led for neai'ly a mile, when he suddenly shut up, laaving Makomako to resume the lead. Oddfellow and Brookfield came very fast in the straight but Mr Benton's gelding had too much foot for them, and they could only get second and third. Brookfield looked very

well and seems like coming on, but looked to me as if he had gone off a bit, The winner was turned out in splendid fettle and is an improving horse, who will soon be at the top of the tree hi his class. The Telegraph Stakes brought out all the seven coloured on the card, and was the most interesting race of the day. The two roans, Legislator and Princess of Whales, went to the front at the turn, and led into the straight. Half way up Princess of Whales looked like winning, but Comet now came with a run and quickly dispossessed her of the lead. In the last fifty yards Rebellion was brought vfe with a rattle, but Armstrong had left it a little too late, and, although going two strides to Comet's one at the finish, he again suffered a head defeat from Mr Ray's horse. Legislator came again at the finish and got third place about three lengths from Rebellion. The Selling Hack Race, which last season attracted a large field, was a complete frost. There were only two entries, The Joker and Waikino, and as the latter was scratched, the event resolved itself into a walk over. Only three horses were nominated for the Consolation, Senator, Legislator, and Frolic, and the weights were Bst 41b, 7st 91b, and 7st 41b, respectively. Senator was made a warm favourite, and Connop had to hold him in at the finish to prevent him distancing his field. The jockey J. Reed was in great form at the meeting winning 4 out of the 8 events. Gravestock, Hockley, and Connop won one race each. Mr J. Ray, junr., was the largest winner with 90 sovs for Comet's two victories, Mr Freeth running him very close with 85 sovs for Revolution's win in the Stakes. Mr Tancred, with 45 sovs for the Hurdles and Consolation, and Mr T. Benton, with 45 sovs for the Handicap Hack Race, came next, the other winners being Mr A. W. Cave, with 20 sovs for the Maiden Hack Race, and Mr Derringer 10 sovs for the walk over in the Selling. The investments on the machine, of course, suffered by the walk over, but in spite of this they showed a total of £1856, against £I7BO last year —a result that must be considered satisfactory.

The divided handicap system seems coming into favour in Australia. The Oakleigh Handicap, which is run at the February meeting of the V.A.T.C, will in future be run under that system. This stake will be divided into two races, each of £6OO, instead of one of £IOOO, the alteration being due to the fact that the distance (5 furlongs and a half) is so extremely suitable to two-year-olds that the handicapper finds a great difficulty in equitably apportioning them weight. The Oakleigh Plate will have a maximum weight of not less than list 71b and those handicapped at 9st and over will be eligible for this event less 2st 71b, to reduce the lowest or 9st division to the legitimate standard of 6st 71b, whilst all those handicapped below 9st will be eligible for the Purse only, and will carry the weights allotted them, the money prize for each race being the same—£soo for first, £75 for second, and £25 for third horse. The « divided handicap ' has been found to work well in the Moonee Valley Cup and Purse, as also in the Cambria Plate and Purse, and should be much preferable to the old style of a big field of sprinters only, such as formerly started for the Oakleigh Handicap.

In view of the possible formation of a North Island Racing Association in New Zealand, the following from a Sydney exchange is interesting : —' There appears to be every probability of the proposed racing association among the clubs of the northern districts being successfully formed. Mr Britten, one of the leading spirits in the concern, has discussed the question with Mr T. S. Clibborn, and been advised by that gentleman on several important matters in a way that must be valuable when the organisation comes to a head. Though nothing definite has been determined, it is understood that only one handicapper and one starter are to be appointed for the eighteen clubs which the proposed association embraces, and, should this condition be adhered to, one very wise move will have been made. The association will not, as has been hinted, break away from the control of the A.J.C., but continue under that club's banner, one of the chief objects being to arrange the days of racing for their own clubs, and by preventing clashing, improve the tone of meetings all round, and lend a better colour to the sport generally in the North than they have had for a considerable time.'

In the Old Country, says ' Cranbrook ' in the Melbourne Sportsman, when an owner has a grievance against the handicapper for apportioning his horse too much weight, he does not go in for slang-whang-ing the unfortunate adjuster of the imposts, but brings the matter before the stewards as the following will show: — ' On the Ist of November Mr C. W. S. Reeve having lodged a complaint against the handicapping of Sea Wall hi the November Handicap Hurdle Race, at Hurst Park, the matter was investigated by the stewards, who expressed themselves entirely in accord with the opinion of the handicapper, and dismissed the complaint.' Now, I have heard a lot of grumbling about the weights allotted certain horses in the V.R.C. Standish and Bagot Handicaps by Mr F. F. Dakin, who, I am sure, could speedily silence his detractors if they only asked for an explanation. Methinks that gentleman's 'reasons' would prove anything but palatable to some grumbling owners. —These remarks

apply very pertinently to a lot of owners in New Zealand.

' The lucky drawer of Glenloth in Adams' £IOO,OOO sweep on the Melbourne Cup,' says a writer in the Australasian, * was a Queensland shearer by the name of Jack Layton, better known as " Scotty Layton," who was working on Pinkilla Station, near Adavale, at the time the sweep was drawn. Layton and four ' others were, it is said, engaged in erecting sheep yards on the run, and the race had been run some days before he got the result slip, together with the intimation that he was the lucky drawer of the first prize, namely £27,000. Layton immediately started for Sydney, taking with him his four mates, to each of whom he made a present of £IOOO and expenses to Sydney. In passing through Charlevflle Layton became very jolly, on one occasion kicking over an old. man's fruit basket and immediately presenting the proprietor thereof, " Old Mick," with a " tenner." Layton expressed his intention of proceeding at once to Scotland. It is a singular fact and one showing the vicissitudes of bush life in Australia, that the last time " Scotty Layton" left Charleville by train he had on a pair of the " Queen's bracelets," having received one month's imprisonment in Roma gaol in connection with the shearers' strike. On this occasion, however, he left Charleville a wealthy man on his way to his native country, where, if he be reasonably careful, he may live at ease amongst his friends and relations for the rest of his life.' It would be interesting, as my correspondent suggests, to know what Layton's ideas are now as to the unequal distribution of wealth, about which we heard so much during the bushworkers' strike in Queensland.