AUCKLAND TOPICS.

Otago Witness, Issue 1987, 24 March 1892, Page 29

AUCKLAND TOPICS.

(From Our Own Correspondent.). Auckland, March 22. Owing to Captain Headwind, J. Pluvius; Esq., and old Borealis having a set-to on St. Patrick's* Day all out-door sports were postponed.- ' The Papakura R.C. will inconsequence hold .their meeting next Saturday. lam afraid owing to Mr Evett framing his Cup handicap on the r low scale there will be a small field ; in fact I should not be surprised if another race be added tq the programme, provided permissioncanbebbtained. I hear the stewards are going to ask leave.

TheTeAroha races took place on- Thursday last. The following are the results :— Maiden Plate— Bulrush 1, Arawa 2, May Flower 3. Hurdles— Silvio 1, Blue Peter 2. Cup— Never Miss 1, Megoulet 2, Try Fluke 3 ; Radames and Papakura also started. A protest was entered by the owner of Megoulet against .Never Miss for running inside a post, butswasnot sustained. Miners' Handicap — Bulrush 1, The Laird 2, Ringtail 3 ; Papakura and Darby also ran. Maori Race — Sailor Boy 1, Try Fluke 2, Queen 3. Publicans' Purse— Megoulet 1, Bulrush 2, Try Fluke 3 ; Never Miss and Willie'also ran. The blood mare Lioness, by Leolinus from Miss Laura (imp.), with a colt foal by Tetford and in foal to the same sire, is the latest addition to swell the number of matrons at -Wellington Park. The Ngaruawahia races, postponed from St. Patrick's Day, came off last Saturday, the weather being worse than on the; previous day. The following are the results : — Hurdles — Pretender 1, Summer 2, Peter fell. Dividend, 18s. Maiden Plate— <Nithmbuth 1, Lady Marian 2, Folly 3.- Dividend, LI 15s. Cup— Snake 1, Antic 2, Haricot, 3. Dividend, 16s. Plate — Antic 1, Snake 2, Haricot. 3. Dividend, 16s. Steeplechase — Muscatel was the only one to complete the course. Dividend, 18s. Fprced HandicapFolly 1, Antic, 2, Haricot 3. ' , :

The stewards of- the Ngaruawahia Racing Club held an inquiry into the - running of Snake and Antic in the Plate. It certainly was a strange reversal of form, and J hear that the inquiry is postponed for a week. It is stated that Snake had gone wrong in an old leg.

Mr Wm, Percival, master of the Pakuranga Hunt Club, has had the misfortune to lose his imported foxhound bitch Dainty from distemper She was by Pytchely Prompter by Pytchely Dignity, and although she had a litter last season, being a bad mother the youngsters all died. The other hounds imported, Stranger and Gadfly, are both well The lastnamed has had two litters since her arrival, all of which— some eight and a-half couples in all — are alive and well. A meeting of the Auckland Coursing Club was held at Gallagher's British Hotel on Friday last, Mr J. Bellham in the chair. Everything was reported as progressing favourably There is a balance of L 34 in the bank, and the members' roll numbers 120, and subscriptions are coming in freely. Two thousand yards of wire netting has been ordered, and an application made for affiliation to the National Coursing Club. Mr Henderson, the gentleman who acts as judge, gave his opinion that the land at Avondale was suitable in everyway. The committee of the club have also inspected it, and are thoroughly satisfied. Hares are to be obtained from the Waikato, where there are any number. It was expected that 100 at 5s a head would be obtained, and that would be ample for the first season. Mr Wm. Wallace is secretary, and with a good working committee a vigorous attempt will be made to make the club a credit to the North Island. Personally, I still think that if the Ellerslie ground could be obtained from the committee of the A.R.C. it would be the best, and furthermore I assuredly hold it can be, hence my last remarks.

Warrior, a five-year-old, by Ingomar from Fanny Fisher, is being schooled over the small sticks, and I hear takes to the business kindly. I hope he will continue to do well, as he has been a very disappointing representative of the North Shore stable on the flat.

Mr Morrin has nominated five stallions for the Egmont Sire Hack Produce Stakes — viz., Castor, Tasman, Hotchkiss, St. Leger, and Lord Raven. Nearly all the horses which take part in these so-called hack races are thoroughbreds, or nearly so, consequently I presume Mr Morrin's reason for nominating is to induce owners to send their mares to his stallions.

Harrison, trainer to Major George, and who lately returned from Australia, intends taking up Fiesole and Coalscuttle at once with a view to winter engagements. Some of Harrison's experiences of racing on the other side, when told by himself, are very amusing. When asked how he liked being in Australia, he says, " Splendid place. Don't want any money to bet with over there. Just take over a good • neddy,' and one of the punters will soon get to know you, and is sure to ask 'Are you cutting to-day ? ' If you reply in the affirmative no need to bother further, the punter will see you get your bit if the • neddy gets home."

The Northern Champion Stakes, which comes off at the Autumn meeting, should prove more interesting than usual, as Wakawatea and Stepniak are absentees. The field will probably consist of North Atlantic, Brown Alice, St. Hippo, His Worship, Tit, Swiftsure, Kalo colt, Retaliation, Dorothy, and St. Katheriue. The St. Leger — Satanella filly has been christened St. Ella, not Stella, as previously stated.

The Kalo — Lady Florence colt has been christened The Sharper. Lady Florence, his dam, was sired by Foul Play, dam Nimble, so that the name is not at all inappropriate. The Athletic Club meeting took place last Saturday, and although the weather was against the public attending in large numbers, the sum of L 125 was taken at the gates, which must be considered very good. Hempton, one of the representatives, broke the record in the 75yds Handicap and the 150 yds. He also broke the record "for ungentlemanly behaviour." He was ordered back a yard for breaking away, and at first declined, but being cautioned by^ the starter, Mr Edwards, he replied "All right," and walked off the track. The president, Mr James Coates, who I am pleased to state is rapidly improving in health, was very much surprised when he heard of Hempton's action. Batger kept up the record on behalf of the "reps." by not turning up in time to compete in the Hurdles. I fancy they must have been " slightly off" from excitement in the big send-off they are getting. 1 am of opinion that in the cricket match Christchurch Wanderers v. Parnell, if they could have played out the game, the northerners would have won. The match was put off on account of rain. A dance will be given at the Masonic Hall to-morrow, a fishing excursion next day, to be followed by a visit to Wellington Park stud, and a smoke concert. Mr M'Kinny, the A.C.C. secretary, is leaving no stone unturned to make the visitors' stay enjoyable.