AUCKLAND TOPICS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2402, 15 March 1900, Page 41

AUCKLAND TOPICS.

By Taihoa.

March 12.

Up to the present Waiuku's two-year-old full brother Wellstock, owned by the Hon. Hugh Mosman, has failed to earn a winning bracket ; but as he is improving'' considerably I would not be at all surprised to find him running well next 'month at Ellerslie.

The Wanganui J.C. hero Advance figures among thoge left in the Auckland Racing Club Century Stakes, in which race the Wellington owned three-year-old will now have 9st to carry. Advance, son of Vanguard, also figures in the entries for the A.R.C. Easter and Autunm Handicaps, the weights for which are due on the 20th inst. ; but his acceptance in the Dunedin Cup leaves us wondering as to whether he will be sent north.

Word comes from Napier that St. Lemon, who was recently racing in Auckland over crosscountry, has proved such a disappointment that he has been thrown out of work.

A yoiingster that is going along very nicely is St. Olga, the two-year-old sister to St. Paul, and if nothing interferes between this and the A.R.C. Autumn meeting next month, she may be expected to have a hand in the settlement of the Northern Champagne Stakes.

Record Reign, whose arrival in Auckland from up-country I announced a week or two back, has been one of the most regular attendants at Ellerslie since brought down, and as he bears a blooming appearance, it only remains for all to go we]l between this and next month to see the big son of Winnie rendering a good account of himself in whatever race Mr Roulston mils him.

The old gelding The Sharper, recently purchased on behalf of a Suva sportsman, was shipped to the South Seas on Friday last. Although getting up in years, Sharper will no doubt render a satisfactory account of himself in the company with which he is likely to be brought in contact m the Islands. Pullman, who went amiss on the eve of the A.R.C. Grand National Huidles last season, is reported sound again, and as he has been in training for some time past, should be seen under silk again before long.

That Seahorse should have been- pulled out again in the Australian Cup after his reported unsoundness before and after the Essendon Stakes seems to indicate that the Auckland colt was not seriously wrong ; yet that he should have been in tiouble a long way from home in the Cup leaves little doubt in my mind but that the son of Nelson must have had a screw lsose somewhere, ghouls! Major £rQQrjie ds-

cide to leave the colt in Australia for the Sydney Cup, it is quite on the cards that he will prove that all was not right in the races mentioned. I might add that rumour has it that Seahorse will be brought back to Auckland. The Auckland jumper Favona was backed up to the hilt for the Hurdles at the Wanganui meeting on the first day,and advices from down below say that he would' have romped in had it not been for the spill at the last fence. A number stuck to him on the second day, and were rewarded for their constancy. Tolstoi, winner of the Harrison Memorial Stakes at the same meeting, was well supported by Auckland punters. St. Ursula, the full sister to St Paul, was taken up to the Waikato on Satuiday to fulfil her engagement in the Cup at the South Auckland R.C. meeting, for which she was made a strong tip. The bumpy ground was, however, so foreign to the mare that she was never in the hunt, much to the disgust of old John Chaafe and connections. It has been understood that R. Hall was to go across to Sydney to ride Nor'-west in his cross-country engagements, but I learn that that rider has by no means definitely decided to take the journey. t