TALK OF THE DAY.

Otago Witness, Issue 1987, 24 March 1892, Page 27

TALK OF THE DAY.

BY MAZEPPA,

'"* # "» The Wanganui incident of the three and their disqualification has drawn ifrom the Dunedin Jockey Club the strictest iproclamation yet issued against the layers of tote odds. The resolution passed at the recent committee meeting is directed against those who take such wagen as well as those who lay them, and the club has taken the extreme step of offering a reward of LlO for information that will lead to a conviction. Ready-money betting men are also to be suppressed. lam very sorry that the club has felt compelled to take these steps. At the same time lam hardly surprised at the resolution so far as it concerns the direct competition with the totalisator. There is a heavy State tax to be made up, and if the club is to continue to keep this charge from the shoulders of investors care must be taken to Btop anything like a wholesale leakage in the revenue. This view of the case has been overlooked by those who stigmatise the club's action as of a grasping character. There would be a greater outcry from the public if, things being allowed to slide, the funds ran short and the 1£ per cent, had to be charged to investors. Therefore, while regretting that there was need to pass this resolution, it is absurd to say that the club were not perfectly justified in doing so if found necessary. In protecting its own revenue the club is really protecting the general body of its supporters.

That is the plain English of the matter, and it is a sufficient answer to the objections raised, which are all more or less of a sentimental character. Many of us instinctively dislike a monopoly and anything which takes the shape of restricting the liberty of the individual to bet as he chooses, but a treasurer can't make sentiment an asset on his balance sheet, and it is useless to meet a practical difficulty with an unpractical answer. For this reason the D.J.C. is to be supported in its action as regards the tote bettors.

*** The suppressing of the cash fielders is a different matter altogether. Here 1 think the club has made a mistake. The justification just noted in regard to the stopping of direct competition with the totalisator does not apply with equal force to the case of the men who bet to small sums — a crown and half a crown. The business they do is with a class of people who go to the races with perhaps LI or 30s to last' them all day, and who would not in the ordinary course of things become customers of the totalisator. Moreover, there is a direct call for a trade of this kind. There are scores of such small wagerers, and they have got into the habit of dealing with the petty cash fielder, and find him reliable and obliging. Such is, the common experience of many people whom I know. Further, it may be pointed out that in one way such a trade feeds the totalisator. A man puts on his crown, makes a rise, and forthwith plunges a whole pound on the machine, and keeps to that mode of betting till he comes down again to his original capital. A lot of nonsense has been talked on the subject of these cash fielders and their rights, but I am satisfied that if they are abolished it will be felt to bo a mistake, and I hope that the D.J.C. will in its wisdom see the advisability of allowing the new regulation to remain a dead letter. All that the public ask is that they shall be protected against welshers, but as a matter of fact I have never heard of a case of welshing at the Forbury by the men to whom reference is made. It will be ' seen that there was a meeting of cash fielders on Tuesday evening, and that resolutions passed on the subject. These resolutions are respectful in tone, and I heartily endorse them.

*#* According to tha Standard, a Gore syndicate fell victims to the bogus consultationist whelms been arrested in Sydney trading under the name of "G. Adams." The syndicate forwarded to "G. Adams" a Ll2 10s cheque for 25 tickets, addressing them to the bogus consultationist. Soon after, the manager of the syndicate was somewhat astounded on receiving from " Tattersall" the following cable, " Stop your cheque, L 7 10s ! " Last mail brought the explanation in the following letter, which has been placed at our disposal : — " Our reason for cabling you was b^jause a person, who has been trading on our name for some months past, has just been arrested by the police here, and among the papers found on him we have just seen your letter re cheque for Ll2 10s, addressed to ourselves. We go to the expense of wiring in order to protect you, if possible ; and we shall be glad to learn by return mail that you have stopped payment of the cheque." It is almost a matter of superfluity to add that the Gore gentlemen took immediate and successful efforts to stop payment.

* # * Topical Times (England) says :— " It is rumoured that one .of our leading sportsmen has been relieved of his betting book, and that the loss is a very considerable one, because none of the many bets it contains can be settled without it. It is astonishing that robberies of this kind are not more frequent than they are, when one takes into consideration how careless sporting men generally are, and how full every racecourse is of thieves and pickpockets. There was, of course, a famous case. A well-known welsher, nicknamed 'Flash Fred,' who got five years' penal servitude later for forging a wellknown name on a cheque, stole the betting book of the Marquis of Hastings, when his lordship had a big winning account on the Derby. 'Flash", Fred' knew perfectly well that there were many thousands coming to the Marquis, and that he could not settle without his book. Nothing was heard of the st&len property until a reward of LSOO was offered, and then it was restored to the owner in return for that sum, on the condition that no questions should be asked.

*** Last week the Central Taieri men took temporary possession of the Mosgiel course and got off their race meeting under the rather depressing circumstances of dull, very-likely-to-rain sort of weather, a shortened attendance, restricted speculation, and the prospect of a deficit. No one seemed to have thought of getting some local man whose word could be relied on — say Mr Carncross, the member — to send a telegram to stick up concerning the weather prospects at say 10 a.jn. If that had been done there would have' Been more passengers by the special from town. We all started expecting a wet day, but on getting through Wingatui tunnel found the aspect much brighter, and though [the weather continued dull topcoats were not wanted. There was some delay in starting the first race, owing to the anxiety of the stewards to get as much money as possible on the totalisator. This was excusable for once in a way, seeing the poor show there was of getting round on the balance sheet, but the loss of time was felt all the afternoon. Bar this the management was such as to leave no cause for complaint. I thought M'Kenzie jrode a very good race on Apology II in ttiei^aiden. He let this shifty mare go at her pwn pace till half-way up the straight, and t then asked her for one effort, which she ,'promptly made, to the surprise of even her 'own party, who guessed she would have a show if she would try, but did not think that anything could persuade her to do that. The owner had, I believe, one ticket on her, held jointly by his whole party. The race was not a satisfactory one. To begin with, Tangi Maid, who was'well backed, did not get away at all. There had been about 20 false starts, wholly caused by the unruliness of two or three of the riders, who were lucky to escape fining, and when at last the word was given this mare was pulled up after going about25yds, T. Buddicombe apparently thinking it was another false alarm. He was very positive that the flag was not lowered, and this was the ground on which Mr Carter, the owner, entered a protest. Mr Duff, on the other hand, said that he did drop the flag when he sang out " Go," and the stewards stood by their official. My own impression of the matter is that the flag was lowered but not quite simultaneously with the word "Go," and that Buddicombe was misled by the shouting of some in the crowd who, not being in the best position for seeing, did not observe the flag fall. Then the accident which happened at the finish may perhaps have interfered with the result. It was in this way : Apology II and Tuapeka made their rash at the same moment ; the mare swerved and fell foul of Tuapeka, who tumbled on his side, and Knockhaspie's rider caught his foot in the stirrup of the falling horse, pulling Walter Buddicombe out of the saddle and bringing Knockhaspie down on her knees. For a second or two both Sharp and Walter Buddicombe were in imminent danger of being trodden on, but they luckily escaped with a few bruises

and were able to walk away. These incidents gave occasion to some to call Apology IPs win a fluke, but I fancy that she would have won in any case.

*#* TheThree-mileTrotwasavery uninteresting affair. Contractor would not go steadliy ; the distance killed Magic ; and Gaiety, nicely nursed by Mr J. M'Kewen, got home easily. Tempest was never asked to make an effort in the Autumn Handicap. When Loughljn brought up Don Pedro with a rush on the inside Sharp just let the mare out, and she won by as much as was necessary. Still, they must have been sliding along when Tempest covered the mile and a-quarter in 2.16£. Loughlin did all he could to win with Pedro. When he found that Sharp would not cease making the pace on Tempest he let her alone and gammoned to be licked at the home turn, coming again with a well-designed rush in the last 100 yds. Sharp, however, was not to be caught that way. As Mr Duff had The Wolf running in the Selling he temporarily resigned the flag to Mr Goodman, who got his field away to what would have been a splendid start but for Emperor, the ultimate winner, hanging at the post. It might have been as well, by the way, if Mr Duff had also stood aside in the Maiden, for the same reason. I am quite sure that no one present could say that he faked the start in his own interest, but none the less is it wropg for any man to allow himself to be placed in such a position as to give people occasion to talk. The Berwick representative, Ranger, had a very soft thing in the Two-mile Trot ; Enfield, nicely ridden, defeated Lady Mab in the Flying with a trifle to spare; Milord secured the stakes in the Hack Race ; and Jack Loughlin nicked his third successive stake by landing Don Pedro winner of the Consolation. Messrs Mason and Roberts passed LBOO through the totalisator during the afternoon. This was short of expectations, and less by L 66 than last year, and I understand the meeting leaves a deficit of nearly L9O, which, however, is covered by guarantees from members. Better luck next time.

*** "Sir Modred" is indebted to a Gore correspondent for the following paragraphs :—: — Mr A, Brennan has purchased Cinnabar from James Allan, of Dunedin, but as she is a very unreliable mare and has been unable to win a hack race latterly, she may not be expected to show to advantage in Southland. Caloro has been turned out, and it is doubtful if he will again carry silk. It is the intention of those connected with Billy to put the grey son of Duntroon over the small sticks, and he will likely be heard of in this line presently. Annie Laurie, who has been a most unreliable performer and has not done her sporting owner, Mr F. R. White, much credit, has been broken to harness and takes very kindly to her new work. Black Jack is very gay and above himself just now, having recovered from the staleness which characterised him at the time of the Mandeville meeting. The Le Loup — Lady Ellen colt is being broken in, and is to all appearances a perfect gentleman. He is under the care of Mr James 'White, who seems to perfectly understand the way in which "to teach the young idea how to shoot." Mr J. Redding has disposed of the trotting mare Fancy. He has Virgin (late Norah) in work with a view to the future. She has hitherto this season not been performing up to her true form, but she now seems to be on the improve. Justice has been turned out for a much-needed spell, as the state of his legs, which showed signs of wear and tear at Lumsden, are not considered satisfactory. It is reported that Young Diomedes is to trot one mile against time on the 12th April for L 25 a-side (?). He has to break 3min to win. He should be able accomplish this task, as he is a beautiful mover.

*** Palmerston handicaps ajjpear in this issue. They take some picking. I should say that Miss Mack was as likely as any of them in the Gup, but it will be safer to leave the making of a selection for this and the Shag Valley Handicap until we have the acceptances before us. I may, however, remark that in the last-mentioned race Melton seems to be badly treated in comparison with Inchkeith. In the Novel Race, a mile, at the Dunedin Cup meeting, Inchkeith carried 7.12 and won easily by two lengths from Melton 7.7, yet Melton is now called on give Inchkeith 31b at nine furlongs. I am aware that Inchkeith was badly beaten at Central Taieri, and that Melton scored a win at Ettrick, but these performances can hardly count as a set-off to the genuine trial between the two at the Forbury. On paper I like the chances of Rothamstead and Le Roi II for the District Handicap, and The Last for the Novel ; while Contractor and Young Rangi read like a dangerous pair in the trotting events. My final tips will appear in the Daily Times, so as to give me a show to know what is likely to be going. There is every prospect of a good meeting, and I do not think the Palme; ston folk will regret having given way on the question of the date.

*** A few weeks back it was stated that the English Jockey Club had resolved to make the 'experiment of having three separate handicaps prepared for the Babraham Plate, a race run over the Rowley Mile on the 20th April, the conditions being that the handicap which had the largest acceptance was to be the handicap for the race, and in case of a tie as to the number of acceptances, the question to be decided by lot. The last papers to hand give the three handicaps for this event, and it may be interesting to show how the thing has panned out so far. I give as a sample the weights for the three handicaps that are given to the first 25 horses in Handicap No. I : —

The minimum of the handicap is 6.0. It will be observed that the greatest apparent diversity of opinion in regard to the horses mentioned above is to the extent of 91b, that being the variation in regard to Bracken and Ornatus, and the actual diversity is really only 61b in each case, since the higher weights of both these horses are in No. II handicap, which commences 31b above No. I. It occurs to me that the variation is very little for an early spring handicap, and that this shows the handicapping to be pretty good. * # * Glowing accounts come to hand regarding the Hawke's Bay meeting. lam very glad to hear them. For many years past the district has been one in which racing ia generously sup.

ported, and no one with a heart as big as a mouse's will grudge the good people there the success they have so thoroughly earned. They 'had a dead heat to begin with in the Autumn Handicap — the race known in previous years by the meaningless name of the Grand Stand Handicap (we might as well have a Judge's Box Handi^ cap or a Scraping Sheds Handicap). Ranee Nuna, who was sent down here on the morning of the races as a good thing, ran into another horse at the start, or the other one ran into it — all the same in the result — and the finish was left to Daydream's half-sister Dreamland and the little-heard-of Scot Free, who could not be separated at the finish. Their time was exactly the same as that made by Queen of Trumps last year. Waterbury seems to have run a good horse in the Hurdle Race, for he beat that sterling performer Couranto on the point of staying, the latter, however, conceding a stone and a-half. It was doubtless this concession that helped the Natator horse to get home, and if so his Dunedin failures were after all not a dead loss. He would have had more weight had he run up to his form at the Forbury. No fewer than 15 saddled up for the Hawke's Bay Cup. It was the eighteenth year of the race, though prior to Cruchfield's year it was known as the Napier Handicap. Some good horses are on the roll of winners, published in the report. Old Pinfire was a celebrity in his day ; so was Randwick ; and following these there is not a fluker in the list unless perhaps it was Louie, who paid L 259 dividend in the year when Lady Emma was backed down to level money. The field this time was strong in quality as well as in respect to numbers, including as it did last year's winner (Cynisca), the great Crackshot, the Auckland Derby winner Morion, the mare that ran second in the New Zealand Cup (Thame), and the Wanganui Cup heroine. As I expected, the latter won, but really it was a surprise to find her paying such a divvy as Ll6. Most people down here thought that was a mistake when the first telegrams came through, it being expected that later messages would give the correction as L 6, but the original advices proved to be correct. Well, Mr Marsh and Mr Butler must be reckoned to be lucky men in that the public would not follow the Wanganui results.

*#* With Wakawatea out of the way, North' Atlantic gave weight and a beating to St. Katherine and the rest of bhe saplings that dared show their noses out in the Nursery Handicap. This gelding is very nearly firstclass. The Railway Stakes was just a benefit for him, and his party were extremely fortunate in getting 24- to 20 about him in a race for which he might have been made an odds-on chance. On the second day this great colt put up the steadier of 9.12, or 341b more than he had in the Railway Handicap, and ran the six furlongs of the Juvenile Handicap three-fifths of a second faster than he took on the first day. That will show what a soft thing he must have had in the Railway Stakes. Crown Jewel, also, proved on the second day that her first day's performance wasnot the result of a fluke, for with 8.2 on her back she fairly everything in the Burke Memorial, a race once won by St. Clair. The rest of the results at this meeting do not call for comment, unless it be that Retina's performance in the Place Handicap would seem to indicate that she was going off. According to the weights carried and the issue of the race, she would appear to be inferior at a mile to the three others that opposed her in the final contest. I would sooner read it that she had not recovered from her gruelling in the Cup.

*#* In Licensed Victuallers' Gazette appears particulars of the trials which were run by Dulcibella, maternal granddam of our Sir Modred, for the Cesarewitch of 1860. It seems that Wm. Day took her in exchange from Lord Wm. Powlett. She was beaten badly in her first two races, but Day found that she could stay, and when "Jack" Bennett got into a blue funk on account of Killigrew being beaten badly in his trials for the Cesarewitch, Day promised to keep him out of the difficulty he had got into, Bennett having backed Killigrew for such large sums that he would be ruined if he did not hedge or win. When Day first began to back Dulcibella Bennett became alarmed, and expressed a hope that his friend " would not drive him out of the betting," as he was still anxious to hedge. Day did all he could, and in the end Killigrew remained a good favourite to the finish. Dulcibella was galloped with the two horses that had opposed Killigrew in his trials, with the following results : — Dulcibella, 3yrs, 7.0, 1 ; Schism, 4yrs, 7.5, 2 ; Bevis, 4yrs, 6.0, 3 ; and Sutherland, 3yrs, 5.10, 4% The winne? won easily by two lengths, there, was four lengths between second, an,d; \h\r<l, the distance being two miles and; a-.quarter. In order to be certain about what form, the beaten horses were in, Day then, borrowed of Mr Copperthwaite his old mare Twilight. She had just run second to Amsterdam for the Fitzwilliam Stakes at Doncaster, beating a big field, and therefore she must have lead very well. If, therefore, Day could rely on her form to show that Bevis and Schism had speed enough to be trustworthy trial tackle, the Cesarewitch was over. They were'galloped at a mile and threequarters, finishing in the following order : — Bevis, 4yrs, . 5.5, 1 ; Schism, 4yrs, 8.0, 2 ; Twilight, 4yrs, 8.7, 3 ; and Sutherland, 3yrs, 6.0, 4-. Bevis won by two lengths, half a length separating the second and third. Mr Copperthwaite, who was present at this trial, was very excited, and vowed the race was over, thinking that Bevis was the Woodyeates string. Day, though, said that the horse had not got a shilling on him, but he said she could be backed if necessary, and he asked Mr C. how much he would like to stand on Bevis if Day could not find anything that could beat him, or on that if he did. To this, Twilight's owner said he would have LlO. A day or two after this Day was surprised to see Bevis in the Cesarewitch quotations, and then he came to the conclusion that it was Mr Copperthwaite who was backing the horse himself. Then, of course, the Dulcibella commission was executed. She was tried again, proving herself to be equal to Schism at even weights, and naturally the race looked good for those who knew about Dulcibella. Killigrew made the running at a good pace, and Allen Saddler's instructions were to be within a couple of yards of Killigrew to the ditch end, and then to come along as hard as he could all the way. The race proved that William Day had made no mistake, and before reaching the Bushes Dulcibella was nearly a couple of hundred yards in front. In the end she passed the post — about the easiest Cesarewitch winner on record. Dulcibella had 6.11 in the saddle, and it may be mentioned that but for Sir Joseph Hawley the mare would have had 5.9 on her, the weight the Admiral originally fixed. This was altered at Sir Joseph's request at the very last moment. Still, out of evil comes good, as it is very likely that a lighter boy might have lost the race through inability to get his horse along, or through tiring himself owing to the long race.

* # * Waimate races, fixed forTthe 17th, had to be postponed for a day owiog to heavy rain, In the St. Patrick's Handicap the chance of Count d'Orsay was, largely prejudiced by hie losing ground at the start, Mfas Maok an,d Liberator fought out a splendid finish, The Trot unfoi>

tunately resulted in a muddle. Geordie Dowse — the horse of that name — went away to what his rider believed to be a stnrt, and did not come back when called. The rider (C. Cornelius) refused to start again, and the others went off without him. A protest was lodged on his account against Guy, the horse declared the winner ; but after consideration it was dismissed and the stakes paid to Guy, the dividend being Ll3 14s. Cornlius was fined L 2 for disobeying the starter. Old Windsor seems to have taken a fresh lease of life, for with 7.12 on his back he fought out a desperate finish with Count d'Orsay in the Harvest Handicap and was beaten by only a head ; and an hour later ho appropriated the Flying in good style. Exile had a turn in the Ladies' Purse. Messrs Mason and Roberts passed L7OB through the totalisator. Mr Fenwick started in Mr Teschemaker's absence.

*** A word of advice by "Thistledown" in the Australasian as to stable nostrums: — "I have met several farmers in this colony that take a great interest in horse-breeding, who complain of having suffered severe losses owing to the sudden and mysterious death of some of their most valuable animnls. In questioning them as to the probable cause, no satisfactory answer can be obtained. ' They really do not know what was the matter, but imagine that the groom must have been too kind to them.' The man in charge of the stud has been instructed to be 'pretty good' to this or that animal, and he generally does his best to make the beasts under his care look well. Nob satisfied, however, with the effects of corn and hay ad lib., professional stablemen have ' nostrums ' and ' recipes ' of their own, with which they dose their horses in order to make their c6at shine. First amongst these are generally to be found arsenic and antimony — two actiyo poisons — but they aro great favourites with men who administer them in secret. These drugs are cheap, and the men who use them buy and pay for them themselves. Occasionally a man will administer an over-dose, and a horse is found dead the next morning. Nitre is also cheap, and in some stabJcs is secretly administered to an alarming extent— not sufficient to kill the horses right off, but still enough to undermine their constitutions. The innocent owners are either ignorant that their men are making use of these agents, or else satisfy themselves by remarking that their groom understands horses very well, and 'if ho does not bring them round no one else can.' There aro yet other nostrums which all stablemen keep. They are used more openly, and are even highly approved of by some owners. First amongst these rank 'Jioof ointments' ; be they either a secret with the stablemen or a patent it does not make much difference. They almost always consist of admixtures of some or all of the following ingredients : — Tar, beeswax, train oil, suet, and honey. Applications of this kind shut up the pores in the roof, prevent tho natural moisture from reaching the surface outwardly, and the air from circulating inwardsconsequences which act upon tho horse with ruinous results."

*#* Mr Henry's weights for the Great Autumn Handicap and Great Easter Handicap — I am afraid it will take us a long time to get used to the " Great " in connection with the Easter Handicap — were published in Christchurch on Saturday morning, and saw the light in Dunedin on Monday night, the duty of sending them on to this city having been overlooked by some one. The handicapper has elected to commence with old Dudu, and having nothing better to put at the top of the list he has wisely begun with the moderate weight of 9.0, or a pound under w.f.a. Last year she had 8.12 and did not run, but on that occasion there were such giants in the list as Tirailleur, Crackshot, and Freedom, so that she is this year really better treated thcin then ; and as she carried 9.2 into third place in the fast-run Wanganui Cup three weeks since, over a mile and three-quarters, when she was supposed to be a bit off, I reckon she has a show if at her best. I do not think that Merrio England is over well treated. With 41b less than his present impost he was very badly beaten in the Forbury Handicap, the race being won by Cruchfield, who had the same weight as now, and Crackshot, who was then second, is lowered 41b. For the Forbury Handicap result, therefore, Merrie England receives 41b from Cruchfield and nothing from Crackshot. There is this to be said, that Merrie England was not as fit as he looked when at the Forbury, and he may improve, but his trainer seems to be having a lot of trouble with him, and it would be unsafe toreckon that the improvement is sure to b& effected. Boulanger, on the other hand, is sofar as we know a sound horse, and with nags of that class it is discreet to calculate on what may happen if they strip fit. What this joker is capable of doing was shown at the Forbury in; the spring. In the Otago Cup, the same distance as the Great Autumn, ho finished second, giving Occident and Cruchfield each 51b and a doing. Next day, over the mile and a-quarter of the President's Handicap he carried 8.8 to> victory, and Occident 8.0 was third. We may perhaps be safe in saying that Cruchfield was then not quite wound up,, but Occident was not far from fit. And as toCruchfield we find that at the end of January, when his preparation for the Dunedin meeting; must have been pretty well advanced, Boulanger gave him 171b and a beating for places in, the mile and a-half of the Wellington Cup. On this form, taken all together, the son o£ Fleurette must have a great show if he strips athis best.

* # * If I had not myself seen the racing at the Dunedin Cup meeting I 'should indeed say outright that Boulanger holds Cruchfield safe. But the latter horse performed wonders at thatmeeting, and ran so consistently well that I have the greatest respect for him with anything like the weight that he then had ; and he has only to carry the same impost thathe saddled up with when he went out to victory in the Forbury Handicap. Moreover, Cruchfield's is recent form, and he won twice, and therefore may have had a little to spare. You oan very seldom tell whether a winner is all out. Boulanger, it will be remembered, has to bejudged by three races, two of which he did not win. All things considered, I do' not see that Mr Henry could have very well improved on his present arrangement of putting these two horses on the same mark. Occident is certainly well .in at 8.9. He receives 121b from Cruchfield for the beating the latter gave him in the D.J.C. Handicap. Ido not think there was quite as much as that in it, and, calling to mind that the Cup winner was evidently stiff in his pins when he went out on the second day, while Cruchfield seemed to be none the worse for his gruelling, I feel very much disposed to commit myself to the opinion that in a run on their merits, both fit and well, we shall find Occident defeating Mr Clifford's gelding in this Autumn Handicap, and perhaps winning right out. I don't like Crackshot a little bit. On the score of weight he cannot make much complaint, for 8,9 is a bagatelle to such a strapping horse, and some say that he would have very nearly won the Forbury Handicap, in which he was giving Cruchfield 31b, if he had not got blocked ; but I do not think he oan race a mile and

a-half with that game leg of his. Of course if he were got quite right — well, nothing else would have a show with him, that's all. He may be worth watching, but certainly he is not worth backing just yet.

*** To get an idea of what Clanrauald can do over a distance we must turn to the records of the Auckland Summer meeting. We there find that he went out a strong favourite for the Derby and was beaten by Morion, but the time was 2.40, and he was only a length away, and he was then carrying 51b more than his present handicap. It looks as if he had a show, doesn't it? Eight-five is a good weight for a three-year-old, but Merrie England, who by the same token also went out from Lunn's stable, won this very race at the same age with 9.1. Why not prefer Morion, who has a pound less, and beat Clanranald in the Derby referred to? Because Morion has since then disappointed his friends, while Clanranald ran a magnificent race in the Marshall Memorial. That is enough for me. I have never seen Morion running, but if he and Clanranald meet in this race I think the latter will do him. That of course is to some extent a fancy ; but there is more than a fancy in it from a backer's point of view, as Morion is a thousand miles away and Clanranald is on the spot. Prime Warden must have been a difficult beast to handicap. He hardly showed his best form at Dunedin, I fancy. Mr Henry has given him the same weight as he had when he finished third in the Cup ; while Occident is raised 131b and Cruchfield 201b. If that does not give P. W. a chance then nothing in the way of weight will. Fraternite is apparently held safe by Clanranald and Morion. He and Clanranald meet at exactly the same weights as in the Auckland Plate, also a mile and a-half, when Clanranald beat him. I, however, use the -word " apparently" with a reason, since it was given out that Fraternite was then running some pounds below his form. May be that was so, but he seems to have kept below his form, and I don't like him, although I give in that Mr Henry should know the colt better than I do. Blizzard is in the paddock ; therefore his chance need not be discussed. Morpheus has not yet been fairly tried in public over a mile and a-half course. When he ran in the C.J.C. Derby, he was not, I understand, trained for that distance. But he is an out-and-outer at a mile, and the handicapper has wisely taken care not to throw him in. This power of staying sometimes comes very suddenly. Flinders is another that is properly shepherded. His spring and midsummer form was very indifferent, but at the Forbury last month he won the Maiden simply because he was the best stayer, and goodness only knows whether by next month he may not have come back to the form he must have shown when hjs party thought him a good thing for the New .Zealand Cup. Three-year-olds that are improving need watching at the back-end, don't they, Mr Henry ? *** Recluse is in the same position as Crackshot t well in at the weights, but hardly likely to win. Retina is quite another kind of property. With 7.5 she beat all but one in the Hawke's Bay Cup, at a mile and three-quarters, in fast time, and to go further back, methinks she ran a rattling race in the D.J.C. Birthday Handicap 10 months ago over the same distance as the race we are now speaking of. She has a show. And so has Palliser if at his best. He was certainly beaten in this very event last year, when carrying 221b under weight for age; but don't forget that he met with bad luck in that race, and then was a good second in exceptionally fast time, while now he has 181b under weight for age. So that, though carrying a stone more than when he was licked, he is not to be despised. Moreover, in November last he won the Metropolitan, with 7.13 up, in 2.41^, beating a firstclass field. I should like that fast miler (as we know him), Kulnine, very much indeed if it were not that I doubt whether he will represent the stabje. When the owner backs him it will be time enough to follow. Freelances show may be better appraised after we have seen how he shapes at Napier Park. Mean: time lam not in love with him. Tlie Dreamer is one that we have not' yet seen the best of, and though' on recent form he may be despised, it may not be unprofitable to remember, in justification of his place in the handicap, that he carried 7.0 into third place in the Auckland Cup. Thame has done nothing since to show that she retains the form displayed when she ran second in the New Zealand Cup ; and we may pass her by till we know for sure that she is at Riccarton and doing good ' work there. Hippomenes has the same weight as when he made hacks of a good field in the Hopeful Stakes. That was at six' furlongs, and the present race is twice as far, I am aware, but if we don't know that he can stay we also don't know that he can't, and I think he has no ground for grumbling. Heather Bell is a four-year-old, and we may reckon that if she could get more than a mile she would have done so before now, wherefore her lenient impost is perhaps right enough. The same remark may be made as to Tempest, who has never won at a greater distance than a mile and a furlong till last week at a country meeting. At first sight it seems to be a blunder to ask Hippomenes to give weight to Tempest, but on due consideration I think Mr Henry is right to be specially careful of the three-year-olds at the back end, when they are winning, though, apart from comparisons, I should think that Tempest is pretty fairly treated. Merganser, a three-year-old daughter of Nordenfeldt and Albatross, and a winner at Hawke's Bay, may be dangerous if she comes. Diadem has ,' been going to do something for ever so long, and I shall wait till she does before backing her. Ranee Nuna is' perhaps as promising as any of the light weights, but there is reason jto doubt whether she is quite class enough to win. Johnny Faa is turned out. Galtee ran third in the D.J.C. Handicap, and for that beating he receives 201b from Cruchfield who won, and 81b from ' Occident who was second. As the only representative of Mr Goodman's stable he may have a show, but I think Occident can beat him. Dilemma is not in training for this event. Of the other 10 I can say very little by way of recommendation, but may perhaps be near the mark in supposing that Awarua Rose and May are the most likely to be heard of if any of the division are spoken about. Awarua Rose is said to be a promising colt, and I remember that some rather knowing folk backed May for the Metropolitan won by Palliser — the race in which she fell. To sum up, my opinion is that Mr Henry has produced a good handicap. I think that he has rather under-rated Occident, but if such is the case it is by very little, and I am free to confess that the handicapper's judgment on so fine a point may be better than mine. I have also expressed the opinion that Merrie England is not well treated ; but that also is a point which is fairly open to argument. Leaving these two questions open, I am prepared to maintain that the handicap is one that can be supported by sound reasoning, and in selecting boulanger cruchfield Occident Clanhanald as the most likely of the lot, I by no means put t^hese forward as a quartette that is bound to

include the winner. As to the Easter Handicap, consideration may be deferred, but meanwhile I like the chances of Clanranald, Huguenot, and Heather Bell. * # * Our Auckland correspondent telegraphs on Wednesday night :— " I have just learnt that there is a kind of ' barrack ' against the meeting to be held by the Papakura Racing Club, owing to their having engaged Mr Evett, the popular handicapper for the A.R.C., to adjust their weights. It has puzzled me for some weeks why the meeting was dragging among sporting men. I have now got to the bottom of the matter, and shall be able to send you further particulars next week. — The A.R.C. secretary is at once going to take steps rc^ jockeys out of employment. They give their employer a week's notice on the most frivolous grounds, and then disclose all the stable secrets. That is what I hear is the complaint, and it is to be put a stop to. I don't brand all alike, as wehave some mostrespectable jockeys ; but the ' black sheep ' will be shorn by themselves. It has been a crying disgrace here for some time."

No. 1. ys st lb Blue-green 5 9 0 Workington 6 8 12 Lord George 6 8 11 BelDemonio ... 5 8 10 Father Confessor ... a 8 9 tfartagon 6 8 9 Sainfoin 5 8 7 FardAnn 6 8 7 Bumptious 4 8 7 Magistrate ... ... 6 8 5 Warlaby a 8 4 illoway 5 8 3 3uttlestone 4 8 2 Drion 4 8 1 Melody 4 8 0 Patrick Blue 4 7 12 Houndsditch ... 6 7 12 Peter Flower ... 4 7 11 Jiwrtus 6 7 9 Detective 5 7 8 Henry VIII 4 7 8 Bracken 4 7 8 Star 5 7 7 Dearest 5 7 7 Drnatus 5 7 7 No. 2 st lb 9 3 9 0 8 9 8 10 8 9 8 8 8 9 8 9 8 11 8 7 8 4 8 6 8 2 8 7 8 5 8 6 8 6 8 2 7 9 7 7 8 0 8 3 7 12 7 9 8 2 No. 3 st lb 9 2 9 3 9 0 8 13 8 10 8 7 9 0 8 12 8 12 8 6 8 5 8 3 8 6 8 4 8 8 8 5 8 6 8 4 7 10 7 9 7 12 8 0 7 4 7 11 8 2