AUCKLAND TOPICS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2437, 28 November 1900, Page 42

AUCKLAND TOPICS.

Bt Taihoa.

' November 26. ! The. Takapuna Jockey Club's Spring meeting commences on Wednesday. Present indications a successful gathering. In the 'iSt. Andrew's Handicap, St. Peter should run f\vell, * arid his most da~ngerous opponent may /be The Doctor,"who has been doing really good l-work. In Ihe Hurdles Drum Major must be given a chance, but Volcano and Hylas are well in-, and must both be ticked as dangerous. tDruirr'Major has also accepted for the Steeplechase on the second day, but from what I can gather, no one has seen him go over the country. This, however, may not mean much, as ithe course at Takapuna is not a severe one, and {Drum Major is a bold fencer, and one who will , 'never turn his head at anything, j I hear to-day, but am not prepared to vouch ior the accuracy, that a well-known local Bportsman is likely to leave our midst and take up his residence in Australia. No doubt more light will be thrown on the matter in the course of the next few weeks. I Mr A. Dvis, who managed the Sylvia Park stud for the Messrs Nathan, left ior Sydney this evening. His intention is to be present at jthe St. Albans sale next week, and though it as hardly likely ,that he is in search of a stalU'ion, it may be taken for granted that the list cf mares at Sylvia Park will be added to as a result 'of his visit."- • Seahorse, who was brought back from Australia last week, is a regular attendant at Ellersflie, where he is being treated to the mildest 'exercise, and I understand that Major George is hopeful of getting the crack in trim for tho "A. R. C. Summer meeting. The chestnut has made a * wonderful recovery from the influenza. i I 'hear that Labourer, who was left behind ■when , Major George returned from Melbourne •last' week, has been' disposed of to a Queens-land-sport. ' • • The local- horseman, Joe Gallagher, who returned a- few; -days ago, has completely recovered and has been riding in .work. I am pleased to hear that he is likely to don silk at Tak'apuna this week. ' . _■ ! The / "Hon. Hugh Mosman, the well-known Queensland sportsman, arrived here from Sydney, by the Zealandia yesterday • As Blue Jacket was withdrawn from the ' St. 'Andrew's Handicap, ii is" not expected that lie -will be seen out again until the Auckland (Dap comes round. *~ i Mr Ryan's clipping two-year-old TsTonette ,was left out of the Great Northern Foal Stakes 'owing to his being a bit overgrown as a yearling, the opinion then being that he would not com© to hand early. In this colt's absence Mr 'G., G. Stead app*ears to hold a mortgage over ihe Foal Stakes. Miss Delaval and La- Gloria, are a pair that are going on nicely in their morning tasks at (Ellerslie. t The racing mare Yvonne sustained injuries ,in the Tokatea Handicap, run at Coromandel 'last Wednesday, and had to- be destroyed a day \tr two later. The speedy sprinter Hohoro will not be seen out at the Takapuna meeting this week. On Thursday last a sad fatality occurred at the Messrs Duder's establishment at Devon•poft. A 14-year-old lad named Noonan, who .■was attending the three-year-old Volee, was ,found in the mare's box in an unconscious \fctate, with bis skull shattered. It was at once xecognised that the poor little fellow's life was [fast ebbing away, and he died before medical* 'mid. arrived. It is supposed that the mare kicked him. The weights for the AucLTSnd Cup have just come to hand by telegraph, and it must be said \bhat the standard of 10.2 is a bit Jower than was generally anticipated would be the case. The Ntop weight, Advance, must be decidedly hard ,to beat, more particularly when one takes into account the fact that there is' just a chance *that Seahorse will not be seen at his best. further down the list, it must be said j jihat Coronet, the runner-up in the two previous j Cups, is nicely in with 8.4, and as the son of Castor. is in capital nick, he may be depended upon to run a good race.