AUCKLAND TOPICS. BY TAIHO. November 19.

Otago Witness, Issue 2436, 21 November 1900, Page 42

AUCKLAND TOPICS. BY TAIHO. November 19.

Ihe Auckland Racing Club's Spring meeting >.vas brought to a close last Wednesdaj, when, though little rain fell,- the afternoon was very a sov'-westerly gale interfering. witß Jhe pleasure >i patrons and ac-i-woun'fing foi the comparatively slow times -recorded in pneoi-two'of the- races.- The .Club, races attracted but pooi fields. The "Jotalisatoi returns dropped back a bi. and the iJneeting closed, with £25,145, as against £25,462, jjorjthe corresponding gathering of last year — a Silling-ia-way jt £817. The raoing was again $ood," and the attendance satisfactory, but as the Jesuits- are now past history I will content my--Seli with. .\ '-ew general 'remarks -on the principal events and horses. "" In the absence of Kisaalin'e, who had acted as runner-up

to her stable companion in the Musket Stakes, was the one sorted out to win the Nursery Handicap, and she answered the question very satisfactorily, coming on gamely in the last few strides and winning under her 8.0 in businesslike fashion. The winnei is a- .sturdily-built of Hotchkiss and Brown Alice, and -was picked up cheaply at Mr T. Morrin's sale last January. About the most disappointing member of the two-year-old division was Maroon and Gold, who was not prominent on either of the two occasions that she raced. The son of St. Hippo showed a turn of pace early in ■ the spring — sufficient, indeed, foi his party to anticipate something bettei of him than his Ellerslie performances, as he won his race at Avondale in good style and was all right as far as looks were concerned when brought out last week. As anticipated, La Gloria was struck out of the Ascot Handicap on acceptance night, and when the field went to the post it was seen that Battleaxe was the one njpst in favour, while another to find a large measure of support was -The Needle. Both, however, failed to get^a situation, thejrace going to Beddington, who was - always .well up, .aid won like a r trades-man when called 'upon to answei the question h thi run home; Blue Jacket, who, though not gaining a winning ..bracket, ran consistently, and St. Peter, who ran truly right through the piece, dead-heating for second place. The winner's performance must' be considered satisfactory,, and this, combined with a comfortable win in the Great Northern Derby, fur- . tlier emphasised the fact that the iform of the son of Seaton Delaval at Avondale a few weeks back was all wrong, and that, he is a better one than some judges gave him the credit of being. ."In the Tally-ho Steeplechase Cannongate; who ia entitled to first place among the jiimping division. -seen at Ellerslie during the meeting, was sorted out as the correct pea, but the son of Cannon was prominent right thiough the piece 'and had several lengths the better of Dingo when he landed over the last fence in the straight, he tired away to nothing in the last few strides, and Wright, who had, the mount on Dingo, riding all he knew, succeeded. in beating the favovirite by a couple of lengths.. Dingo, who is an aged son of Sou'wester and Betty, performed so.mev&hat disappointingly over country on the. second day, and consequently the result was hardly inticipated. The gallop must, however, have done him good, a.nd xie thus scored his first winning bracket since last season. Despite the thumping bur- " den of 10.7 the public would have nothing but Hohoro in' the Publicans' Handicap. , When the field of 18 rounded into the straight everything looked in it, but as they dashed 'past the Derby stand Hohoro, who had early been prominent, -shook himself cleai of the field, and coming right away romped in two lengths clear of Hastings. The four-year-old-son ot Tasman and Lady -Moth thus won his fourth race of the meeting and may claim to be considered one of the leading sprinters -in the colony. In the three-year-old division seen out at the meeting nothing was more disappointing than Vai Rosa, while the same remark might be applied to Rosella (the most pronounced failure of the four-year-olds) ..aid St. Ursula, the latter run--ning badly in each of her races. Though not getting' on the winning list, Coronet nevertheless ran a couple of good races, and will pro- • bably be heard more l of 'before the season is far advanced. Mr W. Walters last week shipped to Mr W. H. Nicholls, af Pahiatua, a yearling celt ( by Soult — Lady Antrim. The youngster was bred at Glenora Park. The weight awarded Nanette, ,10.5, by Handicapped Evett for the Nursery Handicap on ihe third day of the A.RIC. Spring"meeting was the' biggest ever put upon -a two-year-old in Auckland. Trenton, Multiform, Pearl Shell, Bloodshot, and other cracks of their day were not awarded a higher impost than 9.12 in a handicap. Nonette was unfortunately overlooked* when the classic^events were nominated for. He is to be eased off and will not be taken up again until the back end foi the Great Northern Foal Stakes. Record Reign, Cavaliero, and Miss Delaval arrived back here during the week, and are m their old quarters %at Ellerslie. Mr -M'Leod evidently changed his mind with regard to Miss Delaval, it having been his intention at first to leave her to compete at Wellington. She looks all the bettei for the trip and may prove worth watching for the Auckland Cup. Cavaliero also looks the picture of condition, his legs being without a blemish, while Record Reign's injured membei is thought to be pretty well sound again. Joui^ readers will no doubt be pleased to hear that the popular Auckland horseman, Joe Gallagher, who made an" attempt on his life at Wellington a week- or two ago, has made an excellent recovery. The running of the West Coast jumper, Troubadour, at the A.R.C. Spring meeting leaves the impression that he is a greatly over-estimated horse. Since La Gloria distinguished herself over a mile and a-half, -many good judges of the game are to be found, extolling hei prospects in the Auckland Cup. Hilda (by Musket — Ouida) md Forme (by Nordenfeldt — Formo) are this season to -be mated with the recently-imported St. Simon 'sirt Phoebus Apollo. o .The Sylvia Park sire, Seaton Delaval, had a good innings' at the A.R.C- meeting, 'when he came out easily at th© head of the list, his re- ' presentatives securing £1125 of the £3520 allotted ,in stakes. ' > ' Mr A. Davis, who manages the,, stud affairs foi the Messrs Nathan, figures it out that the descendants of sires'" and "mares at Sylvia Park were responsible fo* the winning' of £2145 of the £3520 paid away. Handicaps for the Takapuna Jockey Club's Spring meeting were issued on Friday last. In the St. Andrew's Handicap nothing reads better than St. Peter with 8.0, while Drum MmV » with 10.10, has been given a rare chance to score in the First Hurdles, while with 10.2 he, with Dingo 11.4 and Cannongate 11.4, may be put down as the division that will be hard to beat in the Steeplechase. The foalings announced during the week are as under :— Messrs R. and R. Duder's Anita (by King Quail— Anna), filly to Cuirassier ; Mr W. Walters' s Rose and White (by Nordenfeldt— Rosearina), filly to Soult; Mr W. H. Nicholls's Lady Antrim (by Nordenfeldt — Erycina), colt to Soult. - Strathnairn was backed here to-day from Dunedin 'for the Otago Cup.