AUCKLAND TOPICS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2168, 12 September 1895, Page 31

AUCKLAND TOPICS.

By Taihoa. Auckland. September 9. Wi:h only 13 scratching frmn B(!hoi>e3 weighted for the seven handicaps to bo decided at tho Auckland Rating Club First Spriug nict-ting, and 16 two year-olds entered for the Welcome Stakes, we have great promtac of some fine racing. Kp'emlid weather in being experienced, and should no chango take place between now and the end of the week the tiack will be in grand condition. So far Waiuku has not put in an appe-ir&nce, fut he is expected by Wednesday's boat, and hough ho will only have a couple of day* at Elleiblie, I understand he has done a good preparation down the coast and is very forward. No fault can be found in that connection with the local candidates for the opening hand Iran honours, and St. Clements and Forma are cpecb ally fit. Impulse, who bai paid up for the ruccc,, his dune s.>lid work at his private training location, and if in Commission mu>t bo hard to heat at D 1, 51b less than he carried when he won tin A.R C. Autumn Mile and a-Quartcr Handicap in tho season 18.^2-9.1. covering the distance in 2min Issscc. If ho is intended for th« nice he is tbo pick of the handicap, although veiy small fault can ba fouud vritll Foriua'.s weight, 7.2 She was our b*st two. year-old, and is weighted 711) under wcight-for-ace, or Mlb better 1 rented through the weight for* age scale than was Pegasus when he voq this handicap in the season IS\)1 91. lie won under 8 2, ond I fancy Form* was a better two-year-oM than ever Pega-un was. To my mind it is only a question of L'Vrma having staying powers to givo her the victory. An impression obtains ground amongst most of tho Ellcrslie courfe watchers that Forma cannot stay, b it I am of a different opinion. Another throe-yoar-old that will mako a big fight for victory is St. R"g*l, by St. Legor— Friendship, who is a vastly-improved colt. He and Forma should beat the aged division at the weights, and the likeliest m. inter of that section in form and condition I take to be St. Clements. Th* winding-up gallop may reveal s.mething uelfcer in the shape of VVaiuJ^u, who ia a t-trong coastal fancy, but at prosent I think one of the thrce-year-olr'b will win— viz., Foimii or St. Regal. Cup_ horses' are not always to be trusted in early spring racing. The Wtlcom« Slakes should benhird imeto pick, for neaily nil of the 10 nomin.i'.t-d art; vory forward and of more than fair gallophil ability. Early last week Armilla and Qaiclcriic were »nmch ahead of their rivals in track p*if Kni.tnce?, but at the latter end of the wedk the Caroine filly went off slightly, but of couibe may ba quite right again by Satmdiy. The C»stor— Hilda colt Autarej will be one of the (itte»t youngsters on the day ; and St. Clements' full two-year-old brother St. Paul has shown mirkru 1 alii itv off mark, although he is only a handful of hoiverlo&h. Thive of the likeliest cundi dates ate Quickfire, Armilla, and Antarca, mid I should an soon VA' comtneud the Hilda ct It an nay other, although the rao will bo a vary open affair. Admiral Hawke has gelding allowance, which pi tees him on the filly's mark, 7.9, but; though he has lately been bsating Qaickfirw in her work, I faucy the latter will prove Major George's most reliable representative. In tbo Steep echase Fishmonger v exceptionally well treated with 10.2, and if he stands up will about win. He is very fit, but is a fearfully un'ucky hoixe, seconds falling t'i him with sickening reguUiity. A groat horse in this handicap that in showing gi-o'l tiack work is Kingswood, syn. by Ingomar, an inmata of John Itae's Btablo. To talc*; one itgun-a Iho fiold I like Fishmonger. Tbo Hurdle Race is another very flat In ing .i fljustmont, but Levanter at 10 C should w.n it wtll and wanted. Union Jivk has not arrived fit I'm ground so far, so I am in ignorance as to bis rendition ; but though ha and other acceptor?, ivad hi pofesessing very even chance, Levanter flu-tilil a,r.t home if stripped in earnest. The lute "out hern horse Esparto is in the Trial Handicap, ' m, lim H J.C. Suburban Welter win, lOOiov;, sli. nL! make him ineligible for this event, which i , for horses that have not won COsjvs. Slut per. Grenadier, and Lady Marion read best here anil for one I like Grenadier, who has done sound preparation. Waiuku ohould get away with tha Flying Handicap, and the five-year-old St. Leget — Saiauella marc Stella is the pick of the Maiden Handicap. Hazelmere or Quail arc selected from the ponies in the event for miniatures, although Fidget will shak* them up. Foalings reported since last wire are Lady Emintrline, colt to Ulair-gowrie ; Jessie, colt to Regal; Cunt-niere, colt to St. Hi) pi; Br^gella, colt to St. Legcr. The NordenfcHt-C'jtemn-stra liomc Ore«tes wan auctioned locilly last Fnday for (Jigs. Tho Spring meeting of the Auckland 'fmtting Club has b«en postponed from October 19 and 2b' ■ to November 10 and 30, to avoid clashing with the date of the eight-hours' demonstration sports. The trotting trainer and owner Edward?, who was mixed up in the Auckland-Cxnterbury Club's squabble, left here today with his team to reside at Wellington. The Imported trotting stallion La Rue has been leased by him from Abbott,' of Auckland, and the bor«e will serve the forthcoming season at Christchuich; after which ha will join Edwards's string at Wellington.