THE THOMPSON HANDICAP.

Otago Witness, Issue 2356, 20 April 1899, Page 36

THE THOMPSON HANDICAP.

It is mainly on the Easter Handicap running that Boreas gets his 10.0 in this Wellington mile race. Let us therefore consider first how he stands affected with the horses he defeated in the Easter Handicap. He now allows Ben Farley 21b, Tortulla 21b, Starshot 61b. Ideal 71b, Goldleaf 81b, and Dundas 101b. Dundas finished fourth in the Easter Handicap, yet he gets ,a .greater concession than horses which came in •astern of him. Mr Hobbs's colt is well treated on that showing. I don't know, however, that the 101b will bring him home. It is not a great allowance as between first and fourth. But if Dundas has not a chance we can at once wipe out of calculations the other five, that is if form is of any value. And Boreas is probably to be preferred to Douglas at 41b lss& Douglas is not so brilliant up to a mile as the Sou-west-er gelding. .Besides, I think Battleaxe has a fair show of beating the Napier horse. • That is arguable from the Auckland form. In the St. George's Handicap, a mile and a quarter, Battleaxe, receiving 191b, beat Douglas rather badly. For this result Battleaxe is penalised 61b, and I fancy he can give that away and still have a- cay. Altair at 9.0 must not be passed over hurriedly. This Thompson^ Handicap is his distance, and he has won' brilliantly at half a mile further with 41b less on his back. In Australia they give the Derby winners bigger weights than we do, and they come out pretty well at the back end. Tauhei is another that must be respectfully thought of. She won at Auckland with as much as 9.5 -on her back, and seems to be pretty consistent. Djin Djin would be worthy of notice if going well, and of the others in the seven-stone division Rubin, Okoari: and Maremma are probably the best unless Starshot comes to life again. This mare hasn't a hope on the Easter Handicap running, -but 1 cannot believe that she has been displaying her real form. One of these days "she will give us a taste of her quality again. I hope it will be when hei owner has a. bit on to repay him for receipt disappointments. There are several horses in this race whose value cannot very well be assessed. This gives the handicap an open appearance, and 1 cannot pretend to pick holes in Mr Henry's work or to spot the winner. In naming Boreas, Altair, Tauhei, Battleaxe, Starshot, and Maremma as possibles I may not have put my finger on the winner, but this is a pretty fair crowd.