RACING TFIXfURES.

NZ Truth, Issue 57, 21 July 1906, Page 2

RACING TFIXfURES.

'August 14, 16 and 18—C.'J.C. Grand National Meeting* "THE NATIONALS" HANDICAPS. Pros, and Cons, of the Biggest Jumping Rapes of the Year. "What will yrin the Nationals,"' This \vas probably the most frequent question asked m sporting circles 1 during the week. The whole topic of conversation has been Mr Henrys' adjustments and altogether they have been very well received : but the writer is going; to differ with the handica'pper m one or t\vo instances. Mr Henrys,, jn making a handicap, apparently hjas two rules which he always adj)ere,s" to very' closely. He never despises a "Vivucaa"' and never allows (l good performer on the flat to get m \vit»put a- .serviceable impost. This ill nafti'qV"lailv »iot,u:eahle m the casesTof Haydn and Auratus. .The former-has Tip<m:given 10.13 m

the Steeplechase and the latter 11.0 m the Hurdles. Of course it is easier to find fault with .a handicap than to make, one arid no one is, mpre fully .aware of this than myself ; and it is moreover very easy to find something to say against the' prospects of every horse, engaged m a race. In the Grand National Steeplechase Kaitere and Sol are on top with a pound between • them, Hall's change has 12.0 and Sol 11.13; Next comes Slow Tom, 11.3, and he' is treated the same, m regard to Sol, as he was m the Wellington Steeplechase ; but he meets Raitere on 41bs worse terms. Haydn, 10.13, I will pass over with the remark that I would chance him against me if he had 7ft s less on his back. The Swimmer and Comfort each have received 10.9, and J prefer the former ; but expected both to have been let m at a,bout 10.4. Eurus,- 10.8,' seems to be m his right place and on the day will probably start as good a favorite as anything engaged m the race. His Wanganui victory was full of merit and I will select him as a likely winner. This brings us to Hautapu, and the "Auckland horse is generally regarded as. the pick of. the handicap with 10.7. In the Great Northern Steeplechase he was weighted at 11.3, but declined his engagement and MiHenrys now drops him 10 pounds, and for a horse of his performances over hurdles he seems remarkably well m. Phaetonitis and Irish are on the 10- G mark and the latter cannot be overlooked. He seemed a trifle on^ thel light side when he won at Trentham, but he will have plenty of time to freshen up before the National comes on for decision. Nadador, 10.5, possesses a jumper !s chance only and I will not have Rongoa or Hakaria, 9.13, despite their recent victories. Waiwera, on the same mark, is generally pretty . forward at National time and. may run well, but I "Have no liking icr anything lower down the list; unless \r : he Pipi, Who is this year m at the minimum. To select a half-dozen to fill the places I would name Kaitere, Sol, Eurus, Hautapu,. Irish and Pipi. In the big Hurdles, the principalinterest was centred m -two horses, Hautapu and Exmoor, and dn putting them both ion the same mark I think the handicapper satisfied the greater number of people ; but . after. Exmoor's two displays at Trentham I must pass him over and confess to having had a more exalted opinion of the capabilities of Graf tori's son before the local meeting' than afterwards. The Mohican, 11.3, js a good hurdler, but he : has not won in i similar company to^ha^ he will meet at Riccartqn next, month. Shrapnel 11.2, , is undoubtedly a good horse, but the .Thompson Handicap winner will hs.ve to iumV a lot better a.t Riccar ton. than he did at Trentham. He was nearly down at the last fence m the Winter Hurdles arid the fact that he corner from, a stable .that shelters three other candidates, viz., Kremlin,- Black Reynard, and Lull, should make early backers pause before they rush him m the double books. If we only knew for certain which was Hall's best the situation would be more easily summped up. Auratus, 110, and Cavalry, 10.13, I will pass by, also Welbeck, 10.11, who has been in ' retirement too long. A very useful quartette m Sol, St. Lyra, Comfort and Irish, have all received 10.9. Cujragno, , ; 10.6, is corning m tor a lot of support local-: lv, and I. will have him on .my .side. He is jOnly meeting Exmoor on 7ft s worse 'terms than when he defeated.

I him at Trentham and he certainlyappeared to win with a lot tin hand. Pushful, 10.4, should be beaten by Cuiragno, who meets the Hastings horse on sfts worse texms than when he defeated him at Trentham. If all was well with Florio, 10.3, he would be very hard to beat, but report says he will not be a starter. Asteroid, 10.3, will have to improve a lot on hef Trentham form to have a chance of winning such an important race, but many instances have been known where the desired improvement has taken place m a short space of time. Hydrant, 10.2, must have a (chance second to none. I "am sConvinced that the chestnut horse has not shown his best form since the Wanganui meeting m May. Romany Kjng, 10.0, Waiwera, 9.i2, Prospector, 9.10, and Tirole, 9.8, are a likely four and the two latter should improve a lot m a month's time. At this early stasre I would take Hall's elect, Cuireigno, Hydrant and Prospector to furnish the winner. No faults can be found m the hand: for the Winter Cup. Signalman, of course, is m the first, position, and m awarding him 11.4. or 4lbs above Gold Crown and 6lbs above Exmoor and Kremlin, the handicapper cannot be said to . have been too severe on Sir George Clifford's horse. Mr Henrys sets Gold Crown to give Exmoor and Kremlin 2lfes. Most people expected this trio to be on the same mark, but two pounds is not a very wide difference. 'Whakawehi and Rose Madder, 10.2, are a couple ot likely ones and of the light weighted division I incline to the chances of Ellerton and Armamento. M> half-dozen shall 1 be Signalman, Prosser's elect, Kremlin. Rose Madder, Ellerton and^Arpiamento.