WINFGATUI ON THE 24-th

Otago Witness, Issue 2412, 24 May 1900, Page 37

WINFGATUI ON THE 24-th

j The Dunedin Jockey Club has an excellent ' card for Thursday, and every effort is to be made to get the races off in daylight, the first event being timed to start at 12.30 and the last at 4.30. The Hurdle Race, with which the meeting opens, promises to be interesting. Ilex is never to be despised, even with such a weight as 13.1, but somehow or other I scarcely expect to see him quite get home if the going is at all heavy, and this it is almost sure to be. My first fancy was Waikaia, and I still give him a show, but now that Voltaire has arrived I slightly prefer this northerner, and shall tip him^ though expressly cautioning backers that I do not regard him as a good medium for a gamble. St. Hiko will probably prove to ba the best of the light weights. Then comes the Hack Race. Gitanella, having gone amiss, may be struck out. Of the others, I expect a good race betwixt Far Niente, La Heine, Benson, and Proposal, and to take one of the four I shall stick to Far Niente, who has recently won'on the course, and is probably pretty fit. Nobody pretends to be able to pick the Birthday Handicap. Jupiter, Nihilist, Fulmen, Scottish Minstrel, aud Brisa all have admirers. On the weights Fulmen ought to win, and they tell me that Hankins is running him on*the big fide, hoping thereby to find this horse displaying courage. If that is the result, Fulmen should win. Yet I don't like him—he has disappointed us so often. Nor am I so much enamoured of Scottish Minstrel as I was at first. I fear that the course will be heavy, and that this will tell against a young horse with a long stride. Then, again, though the knowing ones-think differently, I fancy that Jupiter will beat Nihilist in a true-run race at a difference of 21b, and 1 hardly think Jupiter can win. What, then, am I to pick? I shall take Brisa, not that I regard her as brilliant, but. I think her light weight will help her to see it out on a holding course. In making this selection T am going right against the betting, but that cannot be helped. Brisa is no good thing:, but I think phe will very uiearlv get home, and I like her better than anything else in this very open race. The Maiden Plate is another puzzle, and my choice shall be a horse that has wen in the mud. I mean Picket, who may be followed home by Bonaparte and Lady Medallist. The Welter should be a good race. Brisa, if reserved, would be my selection, but as she is likely to have a run „ in the Birthday I shall take something else — '** say,- Abercrombie. Hippomeiies is, I suppose, a hopeless chance; but if anything' near his old form the race would be a snip for him. Bristol stands out as a fair thing in the Selling Race. The Tradesmen's Handi-" cap is supposed to be a moral for Glenogle, nothing else being asked for in the doubles ; but T am not in love with the top weight, and have the impudence to select both Gladys II and St. Denis to beat him, while Maremma may perhaps dot so as well. My selections are as follow: — Hurdle Race—Voltaire, with Waikaia and St.JSiko next best. I Hack Race—Far Niente, after a race with Bei)°on and Proposal. I Birthday Handicap—Brisa 1, Scottish Mm- '• strel 2, Jtvoiter 3. , j Maiden _Plate—Picket. W elter—Abercrombie. Selling Race—Bristol or Hippomenes. , Tradesmen's Handicap—Gladys II or St. Denis, with Decoy dangerous. j