THE NEW ZEALAND CUP.

Otago Witness, Issue 2371, 10 August 1899, Page 35

THE NEW ZEALAND CUP.

The first acceptance for thi3 race has re■ulted in the dropping out of 13 of the candidates, leaving 47 engaged. This is a satisfactory acceptance. Last year 50 were entered and 41 paid up ; the year before thero were 59 entries and 4?. acceptors. Those that failed to pay up this year are Daunt, Swordfish 11, Starahot, St. Crispin, Oingo, Blue Jacket, tord Rosslyn, Obbligado, Crow's Nest, Hussar, Temeraare, Eon, and Straybird. Of these four only were backed for anything like money, namoly, ' Daunt, Swordfish, Starshot and Oingo, and, indeed, we may say that only two have given backers real trouble, these being Daunt and Starshot, a pair picked in several quarters as the good things of the race on tho mere matter of weight. The two that I originally named, Castashoro and Djin Djin stand in", and I reckon that both are good goods in that they are bound to see a shorter price bar accident. I had a chat with Mr Peter Grant on Saturday about the betting on this Cup, and he spoke thus: — "Tho first demand- was for Malatua, but he has fizzled out. Then backers came for San Ilario and Battleaxe, and the latter still remains a marketable line, but St. Lucia has displaced San Ilaro in the regards of those who follow Mr Stead's stable. They backed hor for a couple of thousands. We were next asked for Pitch and Toss. I don't know that that was a stable move. The stable wanted a certain price, but others were more anxious to get on and came to our terms. Amongst the local horses, however, Fulmen is backed the mo3t heavily. Jupiter we haye laid for a couple of thousand — £1000 in one pop, and the other £1000 is to people who are apparently inspired. Of Mr Ormond's horses backers have taken Dauntless and Sir Lancelot, and then there was a run from the north upon Miss Delaval and Explosion. About- tho same time a move was made in Favour of Seahorse, and we also laid Labourer to a fair amount, putting in £1000 to the right people. We have also laid Roseplot to those who are evidently in the know. Sylvia Park has been backed at outaide prices for £1500. Amongst the Christchurch horses the only one backed, apart from Mr Stead's horses, is Strathnairn. I should •have mentioned that Skobeloff has been selected as well as the others of Mr Stead's that I told you about, but I cannot tell you much about his backing, excepting that one man took £1000 because he liked the geldings breeding. There has been all through a demand for Tire at 100 to 3, and one way and another we have laid him a couple of thousand. We have also laid £1000 Trask to the right quarter, and £1000 Tauhei, and Uhlan has been we-» supported up to now. The Ufcegt wagers are 500 ta 25 Battleaxe, 1500 to

95 Douglas, and 1000 to 15 St. Paul. Castashore and First .Blood are also backed by the right people. 'Yes, if is a splendid betting race, and we have plenty of money for a lot of god horses yet, including Boreas and Djin Djin.' r From Barnett and Grant's I then went to* Mr A. Moss's office. Mr Moss himself was away in Wellington, but Mr J. Dalziell, his clerk, told me that he had laid 21 horses to more or less large sums and that -it was a really good race to bet on.