AUCKLAND TOPICS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2401, 8 March 1900, Page 41

AUCKLAND TOPICS.

Br Taihoa.

March 5. The Wangauui Jockey Club meeting is billed for Thursday ai:d Friday, the principal race of the first day being the Wanganui Cup, in which the Aucklander Coronet, who has of late shown himself a really improved horse by pulling off two or three decent races down the Coast, forms one of the final acceptors. With top weight (9.6), the son of Castor cannot, however, be said to have anything the best of the weights. I pick Skobeloff 7.5 as the one most likely to win, as the son of Stepniak has nothing to complain of on the score of weight, and only the other day finished a good second to Ben Farley at Riccarton in a fast mn mile and a-half.

Favona, who has the services of R. Hall, must prove very dangeious in the hurdles.

Just before leaving for Sydney last week Peter Chaafe sold St. Elmo to a patron of W.

Gall's staJjle, and the little son of Castor now occupies a box at the Green Lane establishment of the trainer mentioned.

R. Hall, who has steered Nor'-west in the majority of- his bis; engagements, will in all probability go across to Sydney to ride the Auckland steeplechase crack in his Australian engagements.

Mr E. 'A. Joel, well known down your way, purchased the hurdle racer Verdi on Friday at auction for 27gs.

Old St. Clements has beon put in work again at Ellerslie.

The defeat of Seahorse in the Essendon Stakes did not come as a surprise. Some of our local pencillers fielded against the Auckland crack for all they were worth, the result ot a, cable from the othe rside, where experts saw days before the race that the son of Moonga would, not see the jotirney through.

Constable Matthews has been transferred from Gore to Dunedin. He will be succeeded at Gore by Constable W. Quin, of Invercar-