AUCKLAND TOPICS. (From Our Own Correspondent. )

Otago Witness, Issue 1933, 25 February 1892, Page 29

AUCKLAND TOPICS. (From Our Own Correspondent. )

Auckland, February 23.

The inquiry into the running of Van.Diemen ■Ht Takapuna resulted in the owner, Mr Wright, being honourably acquitted. In regard to the Hack Race, Mr Kean, owner of the third horse, Grini, is awarded the stakes, and his protest in the Second Hack Race is adjourned. Mr Thomas Morrin, proprietor of Wellington Park Stud farm, has severed his connection with Mr George Wright. The only 'horse Mr Morrin has in training — viz., Brown Alice, full sister to the V.lt.C. Derby winner Strathmore — has bjen placed in the hands of the Hon. George M 'Lean's late trainer, Mr J. Kean.

The Brandy case, inquired into by Mr A. E. Green, of Nelson, has been settled, and I must congratulate our leading trotting club. It is manifestly unfair to say we have no fair trotting after the trouble the commissioners of the Auckland Trotting Club have been to. I can scarcely say more than the attorney for Mr Green published last evening." Our senior trotting club, presided over as it is by some of our leading sportsmen, gave him as a stranger their help. What more is wanted to prove how the horse was "rung in"? I have ever held that our trotting stewards have done their duty, and every sportsman will endorse this. Let it be a terror to wron-doers.

A very great friend sends me the following by cable to-day. — "Towntalk for the Newmarket, aud Tirailleur for the Australian Cup." Nothing seems in touch re our meetings. This plainly shows that our sportsmen are at daggers drawn, a state of affairs which should not exist.

I personally inspected the foals at Wellington Park on Thursday. Mr Morrin meets us on Thursday morning at Ellerslie. The foals are to be weaned on the Ist of March, and matters of interest to buyers will be furnished then,

The catalogue of the^Varrington yearlings is to hand to-day. I know of some likely buyers. It is a pity the catalogues were not forwarded earlier.

The steeplechaser Sentinel was by order of his owner, Mr C. R. Hewitt, shot last Thursday. It appears the horse was going fairly well up to the clay before, but whether from irritation or what, he tried to roll or lie down, and when found by Mr E. D. Halted, the veterinary surgeon, he was unable to gather up his hind leg*, and upon informing his owner, Mr Hewitt, he at once gave orders to destroy him. Sentinel was a great favourite, as the public were always ensured a fair run for their money. The consolation remains that MiHewitt lately purchased Duchess, dam of Sentinel, and as Cap-a-pie is serving in the Waikato district I hope he will soon have something equal to his favourite.