AUCKLAND TOPICS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2394, 18 January 1900, Page 45

AUCKLAND TOPICS.

*3r Tairoa. January IS. The Takapuna Jockey Club will inaugurate their Summer meeting on the 291h, and as the anniversary regf-tta has this year been abandoned, the suburban club's gathering should meet with a large measure of support. Next week will be time enough to anticipate the probable winners of the twb big races, the. , Takapuna Cup and the Steeples, though r* may be said that the two most liked for the

„ first-named event are Mids Delaval 8.13 and La Gloria 7 8, whil» Nor'-west, despite the thumping impost of 13.5, is lavoiuite lor tlie crosbcountry journey, and others claiming consideiation. are Opou 11.0, and Crusado 10.10. The withdrawal of Explosion from Lhe Wellington Cup has robltsd the event of a considerable amount of ltb local interest, though iihe big event of the W.R.C. meeting still continues to attract a fair share of attention here, bs mentioned last week. The Me3Ers Nathan Sully intended that the bis b.uck son of Cuirassier should form oa.e of the string to be taken ilo Wellington by Geo. Wright on Saturday laot, . flout a day or two back he developed signs of shoulder lameness, and was immediately struck <out of his Wellington engagements. In apportioning Boreas 9.7 in making up his xc-adjustments for the Cup, Mr Evett cannot !be accused of leniency— a remark that may be also applied to the raising of Tortulia from ~ J7.2 to 8.6; and if Djin Djin 7.11 can be got back io form he should prove hard to beat, while ißoaella 7.9, who has been acquitting herself •well over the mile and a-half at Ellerslie of late, is another to recommend herself to consideration; and Pitch and Toss, despite her very indifferent display in the Grand Stand Handicap at our recent Summer meeting, is one that may have something to say in the settling of the Cup under the handy impost of 7.8. In iact> I might go fuither and 'say thai I have a Breaking regard for the chances of the lastnamed. ' Geo. Wright left for Wellington on SaturBay, taking with him Rosella, iSeddington, and Eastings. The last-named looks a bit light, and it is quite possible the Eilerslie trainer has (taken the chestnut south as much m the hope .that a change will prove beneficial as of picking up a race with him. Mr A. F. Scott, the owner of the Auckland Cup winner Bluejacket, came up from Napier during the week, and I understand that it is Ms intention to allow the colt to remain in •Auckland, and that Peter Chaafe will continue ■to act as his trainer. It is rumoured that the Hon. Mr Mosman in- j tends breaking tip his private training establishment here, and that the string will be j placed in the hands of an Auckland trainer for {uture preparation. On Friday last at Hunter ancl Nolan's, Doneta.lle, by St. Leger — Balista, and Cabeller, by Catesby — Wai, were sold by auction at 25gs jmd logs respectively, the \iurchaser being Mr &. Tyree, of the West Coast. It is stated that the ponies Blue Paul and First Whisper will be shipped across to Sydney in the course of a few weeks, with a view of taking part in the Lilliputian events of the other Bide. Seahorse, who claims engagements in the [Newmarket Handicap and Australian Cup, is ibeing kept going at Ellerslie, and is doing really good workr- . The famous old brood mare Frailty, after 22 years above ground, has been placed under ihe turf, and thus the page turns over on one of the gems of the stud book. As yearlings her rprogeny always brought a long figitre, and, in ,fche majority of cases, proved racehorses, j 'Amongst the number were Trenton, Cuirassier, | (Niagara, Zalinski, and Havoc. Years back eFrailty, who was born at Tocal, New South (Wales, was purchased in Sydney by Mr 3?crkins, then licensee of the Occidental, in . Auckland, and subsequently found her way into the hands of Messrs T. and S. Morrin, when she has contributed to the fame of fclie Wellington Park breeding establishment. She leaves behind her, at Mr Morrin' s estate, ,Cissy, the dam of Daystar, Altair, Circe, and Jsmt IlaTio. The St. Leger— Hilda filly, and the St. Leger '—Hazel filly, purchased by Mr W. Nichols, at the recent Wellington Park sales, will be shipped to England in March. The St. Leger '—Necklace filly purchased at Wellington Park /by Mr A. Moss, of your city, was, it transpires. ' obtained on behalf of Mr D. A. M'Leod, of while the Castor— Lady Wellington filly was secured for an Auckland sportsman who races under the name of Mr E. J. Evans. The Napier sportsman Mr E. J. Watt is evidently getting an extensive string around him, his last purchase being Donovan.