AUCKLAND. TOPICS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2285, 16 December 1897, Page 55

AUCKLAND. TOPICS.

By Taihoa.

'. December 13. The biggest ":move during the past week in i reference to the Auckland Cup has "'been the backing of Day.Star, throe hundred being taken about, the Castor horse at Ift-'s. Whether tho move came fiorn the stable I am iiuable to say, but what I do know is that both tho trainer and the owner are confident of sucdchS. To my mind, i that happening entirely depends upon the state of the ground. Day Star has a weakness in one of his feet, aud it is on the cards that the hard : nature of the Ellerslie tiacks will crack him up unless we have some raiu, which has been absent for the paßt two months. If he gets to the post quite sound, he will certainly stand a chance. He was fourth in the New Zealand Cup, and now mtets both St. Paul and Wainku on greatly improved terms. His market price now stands at 8 tol. Steady support has been forthcoming for St. Paul at 4'», and he is iiow firm at 3to 1. Nothing .could be better than the way this horse is travelling in his work, and Cup day will certainly see him just a:- fit as he was down at Christi church. | Waiuku is not yet on- the ground, but is timed to arrive here next Wednesday. His people are confident of success, and have backed him extensively in doubles. 'Nestor's ptrty have accepted, to everyone's surprise. When they s*\y their horse in at 9.0 they declared him overweighted (and so he was) and talked about not starting. All the same they have been giving the colt long work during the week, and now believe he has a chance. For my part I think St. Paul at level weights will surely beat him. F.ibulist is going on satisfactorily in his work, and has been well backed duriDg the week. Both An tares and Panoply are doing good work. Of the two I prefer Antares, who has a good outside chancer* Coronet dda fine two-mile gallop the other day, and At she has only 6 12 te carry ehe may prove equal to creating a sin prise. Put together in a trial, Mis« Anna was much too good for ' Anita, but the former is all out of form, so tha trial is not worth much. As regards the outlook, I still prefer the chance of St. Paul to any other, and if he is beaten Day Star should prove his hardest opponent. la the Steeplechase Levanter is held to be the best goods in »pite of his big burden of 12.12. Heavy a* the weight is it will not stop him, but it has yet to bo seen which will be Kae's selected —he or Kingawood. The latter has not jet been put in commission for a big race, and until he has been no one but Rae will know how good he is. Bombardier has been given a good chance with 10.10, and Mozsl's light burden of 9 8 should enable him to cut out a rare pace. This horse has been backed for a thousand in conjunction with Panoply, and Waiuku for a similar amount together with his stable mate Muscatel. The favourite double is St. Paul and Levanter, about which combination the beat price obtainable is the short one of 100 to 8. An offer to buy Fabulist was made this week, but the price asked was too high. The owner would uot part with him under £700, and the buyer's figure was £400. The three year-old Leolantis horse Leo met wuh an accident last week that necessitated hit) destroyal. He jumped out of hia owner's paddock and cut his knees so badly that a bullet was put through his head. A son of Trident for a tenner was one of the sales last week at Hunter and Nolan's yards. The horse, which was got by Trident from Miss Pho3be, was brought from the Sydney side recently. As a yearling he cost 150gs. Mr E F. Roche's brood mare Abydos, by Nelson from Memphis, has foaled a filly foal to Seaton Delaval. December 14. The only fresh move in betting re the Auckland Cup since yesterday has been the backing of Day Star and Nestor. A line of 200 to 27 was taken about the first-named and 300 to 24 about Nestor. The double of Panoply and Muscatel was booked at 500 to 10. St. Paul is now a strong favourite for the Cup at 5 to 2 against.