AUCKLAND TOPICS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2287, 30 December 1897, Page 33

AUCKLAND TOPICS.

By Taihoa.

Auckland, December 27.

There was a good attendance at the fiist day of the Auckland Racing Club's Summer meeting. The first race of the day, the Trial Handicap, was easily won by Eton, who beat Lufra and Swordfish for the places ; time, lrnin Co«ec ; dividend, £2 15*. Mr G. G. Stead swamped all opposition in the Great Northern Foal Stakes. His selected was Couqueror, and that horse won from end to end, Hermosa and Altair in the places ; time, lmin 19sec ; dividend, £1 4s. St. P«ml was a skiong favourite for the Auckland Cup, and when the finish name hs bad everything beaten bar Aiitare.?, who came with such a determined rush that the favourite h>d to give in, and Antares won by alengtb, with St. Paul second and Nestor thiid; dividend, £16 13s. In the Hurdles MUs Nelfou yimply walked them down, winning' in 3miu SS-'ec, with Tallyho and Nor'-west in the pUeef ; dividend. £'i ss. Eton won the Railway Handicap as he liktd, St. ICImo and Bowshot in the places; time, Jmin 37iaec; dividend, £2 7a. The Nuiseiy Handicap was a, pretty goo'i thifcg for Lady Harriot, who easily defeat* d Dayntree and Kosana; time, lmin 6ueo ; dividend, £13 13s. In tha Pony Gup Napokou was made a strong favourite, but Rangiuru vron as he liked, Mavourueen second and Napolem ihlrd ; time, lmin 32o*e ; dividend, £3 lfis. Swordfi-h won the Chris' mas Hindicap from end to end, Waiorongomai second, Miss Anna third. A fine trotting performance was seen at Puttei's paddock last Friday on the opening day of the Ancklaud Trotting Club's Rummer meeting. 1 Duke C, starting from soratch iv the Epsom Trot Handicap of !00»ovs (in harues?), two mile*, won a sp'lendidly-contestad race from Ln Rue by a length, coveting the two -miles iv the fine time of smin 7sci, which I think ranks uext to Brooklyn's New Zealand record. Prior to i'uke C.'s exhibition the best two miks ever seen at Potter's paddock was the performance of Rarus, who put up smiu 24s c. Duke C. was a strong favourite, ancl paid £1 6s for 10s lick«ts. The runner-up, La l'ue. would have won if he had not made two bad breaks in the last mile. La Rue is otic of the s>taudard-bred trotters imported a couple of jenra Lack by Mr De Lopez. He had not been long in training, having just finished a Eeason at the stud, to his performance wa& a really first-class one. One of his yeaiUn»s w.is got from Yum Yum, who has a2min 27! sec record, ho the youngster should do something decent if lie inherits the pace of his sire and dam. La Rue. had an easy win in the last racs of the day, tho December Harness Trot, one mile, winniDg iv comfortable fashion in 2iniu 38aec, Golden King ar.d Duke C. in the placeu. 'Jhe Electric Trot, one mile, proved a boil over, the favourite, Slim Jim, breaking badly and allowing 'an outsider, Cobweb, to get home in 3oiin 01=ec and pay the nice dividend of £7 12 for 10s. Charlie and Old Judge filled the place?. The Maiden Trot was won from end to end by IJiic, who did the mile in 3min 2sec, and paid £4 5s for IPs. A xjoor crowd of pony trotters were led home l>y Crusty, who did his mile und a half in 4rnin SOsec and piid £5 10s for 10s. Tn the pony class, flat rac<»is, fii^t honours fell ti Bit o' Fashion, who had no difficulty in winning the Pony Cup, one niil«\ in lroin 4!teec, Kit and Norma in the* places ; dividend, £2 14s for 10.-5. The Dove was strongly backed for the Handicap Hurdles, one mile and a-hnlf. but struck her colours to Fauntlerov. who was followed home liy Newboy and Little Tom ; divu'enJ, £2 5s for 10s. Stetison won the Maiden Pony Race, fivefurlongs, from start to finish in lmin 7£sen ; Sweetheart second. Playboy third : dividend, £1 11b for 10s. The Telephone Handicap, five furlongs, was another run-away race, Cupid winning by a length from Lena. Robin third ; time, lmin 6^sec ; dividend, £2 390 for 103.