AUCKLAND TOPICS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2241, 11 February 1897, Page 33

AUCKLAND TOPICS.

By Taihoa.

February*B. Postponed meetings do not; as a rule meet with success, but although twice postponed the Takapuna gathering promises to be entirely successful. Two days of the meeting are over, and in both cases there were good attendances, spirited betting, and interesting racing. Since last holding a meeting at Takapuna the club has epent a large sum in improving the course, and some very fine alterations have resulted, but one oversight baa completely spoiled everything. The club erected a fine commtfdious grand stand, but placed it within 10ft of the course. Thus there is very little slope in the flooring, the result being that only those people occupying the front seats can see the straight. Everyone else on the stand might just as well be in Timbuctoo as far as seeing the racing in tha straight is concerned. If it were not for this defect the Takapuna course could rank as one of the best suburban tracks in Australasia. During the racing one lamentable accident occurred which cost jockey Castloton his life. He was riding Lufra in the Stewards' Handicap, and when in a leading position the mare fell, and young Castleton was galloped oh by the rest of the field. When picked up he was living, but he died in a few minutes. Lufra's accident was due either to a hole in the course or through crossing her legs. Although Castleton's death took place in one of the straight stretches, this Takapuna course is a dangerous one owing to its sharp turns. The bend into the straight is a very sharp pinch, and if something is not done to it there will be a bad smash there some day. Volley came to grief there and threw her rider, who luckily escaped unhurt, but I can picture a horse falling there while leading a big field. A fearful smash would result. As regards the racing, tha Takapun* Cap produced a good struggle, the winner turning up in the Castor — Hilda colt Antares, who had been a disappointment until this race. The sharp turns spoilt tho chance of Nestor, as I predicted, but Fabulist ran well, and would have done better had ho nob been galloped on

by Folly at the home turn. Panoply again disgraced himself, and George Wright appear? to find difficulty -in getting this horse into J true form. In the principal flat race on the I second d*y, fche J.C. Handicap, there were only j second-raters eugnged. Folly looked a good thiug, but she was never prominent, the run ! home being between fir&rkinch, Merry Maid, ; and Retaliation. The fi'sb pair dead-heated, I doing the mile in 2inm 15\|:-<ec, and Retaliation wa« close up. For an important handicap tho field was very poor in quality. In the two-year-old racing the St. Hippo— Anaa maro Miss Anna w*s head aud shoulders above everything else. The flrub day only three facwd her in the Calliope Hatdicap, which she won in x canter, bub the second day, iv the Hobson Handicap, it wan thought Miss Rose would beat her, at at the Christmas Ellerslie meeting Miss Anna only just defeated her. Mis 9 Rose should "have won, but Miss Anna, again triumphed as she liked. She has improved considerably since the EUernlie meeting, and had rhe advantage of being trained on the Takapuna course. Iv the jumping events Aughadowey and Gipsy Prince shared the honours, although Miss Nelson could have besften thorn both. She ran one«, And wag then reserved for the Steeplechase. Ib was her maiden attempt over country, and although she jumped well, she tired' at the finish,. bub showed up well enough to prove that sh« will pay .as a steeplechaser. Bombardiei' jumped slovenly, at hi always doas, and so allowed a light weight, Gsen!ora, to get home. .. Doris was in good form on the second day, and carried I>ff & double, the Suburban and Auuivereary Handicaps, iv which she carried 8.12 and 9.12, and won in good time. George Wright could not get this msre to wiu, bub Frank M'Minaznin gets a win out of her every bitr.e of asking, lc is oft.on so — a change of ownership changing the luck of a horse. It is the same with one Sfc. I>gsr colt Rex. J. B. Willlaatson could do nothing with him, -but Booth ia making him pay. Rex won the Zealandia Handioap at Tak»puna cleverly. Big divis are always expected at this meeting, and Hairy Legs provided one on the opening day, slipping home unexpectedly m the Maiden Hurdles with dividend! of £24- 19s and £17 lls htugiug to hies. This is the horse that paid a roturu of £61 odd at Te Aroha last March. The meeting will be concluded next Saturd*y, and promises to be a very successful gathering. Tho trotting match for £100 a-s:de between Albert Victor and Pteasanton has beeu postponed until next June. Four Aucklanders had the good luck to win £1500 in Tattersbll'a ewosp over the recent Anniversary Handicap, run in Sydney. One of the quartei is Mr Sie.vwright, a native of your city. Mr Shoves's horses Booties, Conscript, and UljHats were booked to leave by the Waihora for Sydney to-day. Hukatere showed a reverwal of form at T*kaputia tbat led the stewards to dicqualify thf horse. Tho owner oskod for a rehearing, at which he stated that the bcrse was suffering from a tumour in the throat, which burritin the Maiden Hurdles — the race iv which he performed so badly. Tbi* was held to be sufficient? jnstifioattou for -the horse's running better iv stronger company the same day, and the disqualification was removed 1 . • Nestor has been notaiualed for the Sydney Cup. Poor Castleton, who was killed at Takapuna, wag called the "big-dividend jockey here, ' owing to the way he soraped home on poorlybacked horses. One of hi* smartest things in this way took place at the A B.C. Spring meeting of 1895. St. Rpgel was an odds«on thing for tho Mai tie n P!<vte, which race he held at hi si merry. However, his jockey went to sleip insi'ie the distance, and then Caibleton, who had bsen persistently flogging Mantle along, cams with a ruik, and catching St. Regel on the post made a dead heat of it. So poorly was Mantle backed that her dividend for the dead heat; was £139 10a. Cavtleton was » good ridnr, and was never known to steer a dead 'nn, and he bad hosts of friends, his firmest supporter being Mr Donald M'Kiunon, well-knowp in connection with Lochness.