TALK OF THE DAY

Otago Witness, 5 December 1900, Page 39

TALK OF THE DAY

By HAZEPPA.

THE D.J.C. SUMMER MEETING. Dundee's win in the opening Hurdle Race at Wingatui last week was of the very softest order, and a better performance than he showed in the same race a year ago, as he in this later event carried 61b more, made 2£sec faster time, and won easier. Southerly Buster, if at his best, might, I think, have trouble Dundee. As it was, the Southlander was / very sore, and tailing off all the way,- and Dundee won with at least a stone in hand. This was not Mr Dowses fault. He could not foretell Southerly Buster's soreness, nor that Dundee

would suddenly come back to his best form. In the Hack Handicap Ukase and Off Chance were prominent until the pace was put on, and then Sally came to the front with a run that showed either she is a fair mare, or that the others are a set of duffers, whichever way you like to argue it. The daughter of Sortie won all alone, and Gladys II was almost as far ahead of "the third horse. Mosca seemed to get into a bad position, but even when clear she displayed none of the pace she must have been credited with by those who made her a hot favourite. Backers also made a mistake about the two-year-old race, the Dunedin Handicap. Last year they laid odds on Tremor in a field of four, and went down decisively by the victory of Melita. This year they had only two candidates to deal with, and then failed to find the winner. Red Gauntlet, who had won at Chrislehurch, looked so like a good thing that the searchers for certainties betted 20 to 3 on him in the totalisator. But it was Canteen's race all the way. Mr Moss's colt certainly secured a little advantage by the flying start, but the best proof that that advantage was not deemed of very much consequence is the fact that all through the race Red Gauntlet's backers were expecting their celt to come up, and did not despair even in the beginning of the last furlong. Though the competitors are stable companions, everybody was quite satisfied as to the race being run on its merits, and my own opinion is that the better colt at the weights won. Red Gauntlet may have been a trifle past hi 3 best after the C.J.C. meeting; Canteen, on the other hand, had just come on, and was very fresh' and willing ; but he, in turn, has not quite come to his best. In a fair go Red Gauntlet will never be able to concede Canteen a stone and a-half — perhaps not a pound and a-half. Canteen I tabs to be a realty good colt, one that will ripen into a commanding three-year-old, and probably show gameness .. as . well as weight-carrying ability. Red Gauntlet is not a bad one either, but I am not yet satisfied that he stands pressing. At Christchurch, on the fourth day, when Jenkins drew the stick to him, he didn't seem to relish the discipline. His shrinking up, or as the boys put it, running away from the whip, is not conclusive evidence as to his being a quitter — he may have been just a bit tired -after his previous exertions at the meeting. Still, he will now be watched, in order to see whether he is real grit or not. The Otago Cup came next. A week before this race the knowing ones assigned it to Strathnairn; but this supposed good thing did not start. He got shunted of? at Oamaru on the way down, and cduld not get the galloping at Wingatui that had been planned, and I suppose that and the knowledge that Paladin was forward enough to represent the stable were the facts that induced Air Victor Harris to rely on Paladin alone. As a matter of fact, he won all the way, sticking to his opponents till about three furlongs had to be run, and then bidding them an unceremonioiis farewell. Since joining the allaged company. Paladin's principal performances have been as follows : —

AT THREE YEARS. Geraldine, September — Won Spring Handicap, 6.10, seven furlongs, lmiu 32sec, beating Cactus 8.6 and three others. /*

Hororata, February— Won Bangor Plate, 7.3, seven furlongs, lmin 32sec, beating Artilleryman 6.7 and four others.

Tiniaru, April — Won High-weight Handicap, 7.11, seven furlongs, lmin 32^&ec, beating Sea-, brook 9.0 and two others.

AT FOUR, YEAES

Reefton, December — Dead heat in Trial Handicap, 6.9, with Bloomsbury 7.2, six furlongs, limn 21sec, beating Sylph 7.10 an<3 two others ; second with 7.6 to Haria 8.13 in Midland Handicap, one mile; won Electric Handicap, 8.4, six furlongs, lmin 23sec, beating Bloomfebury. 7.13.

Greymouth, January— Won Flying, 7.8, six furlongs, Imin 18 3-ssec, beating The Spinner 9.7 and five others; second in Publicans' Handicap, 7.11, won by Rochester 8.2. Westland, January— Second with 9.7 to Hyp.? notist 7.12 in Town Plate; won Railway Handicap, 8.6, one mile, lmin 51Jsec, beating Frenchy 7.9 and two others. Greymouth, March — Won Metropolitan Handicap, 7.6, one mile and a-quarier, 2min 15 2-ssec, beating Surrey 7.9 and Epaulet 9.5; won Midland Stakes, S.B, nine furlongs, 2mm 2 3-ssec, beating Surrey 7.12 and Haria 8.2. Wellington, April— Third with 7.0 in Thompson Handicap, won by Amoureux 6.0, with Okoari 7.8 second; won Hutt Handicap, 7.10, one, mile, lmin 42 <i-ssec, beating First Blood 7.6 and seven others ; second in Autumn Handicap, 7.10, won by Battleaxe, 8.7. North Canterbury, May — Won J.C. Handicap, 7.10, one mile and a-quarler, 2mm 15 2-ssec, beating Rangefinder 6.13 and two others.

AT FIVE YEAES,

Dunedin, October— Second with 7.11 in Mosgiel Handicap, won by Jupiter 8.11; won Ranfurly Handicap, 7.10, mile, lmin 4*B l-s&ec, beating Brisa 7.7 and two others. Gore, October — "VVon Plying Handicap, 9.5, six furlongs, lmin 19sec, beating Nihilist 8.3 and two others; second in Waikak*a Handicap, 9.10, won by Edelweiss 8.0. C.J.C., November — Second in Stewards' Purse, 7.9, won by Benzoin 7.8; second in Farewell, 8.3, won by Benzoin 8.11. Dunedin, November — Won Federal Handicap, 8.3, six furlongs, limn 18 3-ssec, beating.. Brisa 7.8 and seven others; second in St. Andrew's Handicap, 9.0, won by Dundas 8.8. Manawatu, December— Third in Cup, 7.11, won by Boreas 9.4, with To Hapuku 7.12 second; second in Grand Stand Handicap, 8.12, won by Palaver 7.1 ; won Summer Handicap, 8.13, seven furlongs, linin 32sec, beating The Hempie 7.3 aiid five others : second in Electric Handicap, 9.7, won by Ostiak 8.10. Wairarapa. January — Won Racing Club Handicap, 9.5, one mile and a-quarter, 2niin Msec, beating Volley 5.4. Gore, January — Won R.C. Handicap, 8.13, mile and distance, 2min 0 l-ssec, beating Black and Red 8.4 and three others.

Dunedin, March — Won Domain Handicap, 3.9, six furlongs, lmin 22sec, beating Bristol 7.2 and six others.

Christchurch R.C., May — Second in Autumn Handicap, 8.4, won by Djin Djin 8.12. North Canterbury, May— Won Flying Handicap, 9.4, five furlongs, lmin 5 4-ssec, beating Lapidary 8.4 and two others.

at six years.

Timaiu, September — Won Seadown Handicap, 9.0, five furlongs, lrnin 6see, beating Warrington 7.13 and four others. North Otago, September— Won Flying Handicap, 9.7, five furlongs, lmin 7 2-ssec, beating* Vanilla 7.13 and three others.

C.J.C., November— Second in Ashley Handicap, 8.6, won by Blazer 9.13 The above is distinctly a good record ; but those who stipulate for absolute proof over the distance would not find in it anything to show them that Paladin could stay a mile and a-half. So far as my memory serves me, Paladin had only tried that distance once, that being when he finished third in the Manawalu Cup. However, there is no doubt now about Paladin's getting a mile and a-half all right. His opponents in the Otago Cup could not have caught him if the distance had been two miles and a-half. He was hanging it out better than any of them, and in truth, won on the point of Etaying. From what 1 hear, the stable anticipated this, and had a good win, though whether they would have been confident beforehand if they had known that 2.40

was wanted is another question that J-v'OTv not at all sure about. La Heine's perfoinv^ ar.ce in tlie Maiden Plate was a good one, ow-i, ing to her having to make up so much grounoVAs a matter of fact, she was last to move off/, By way of consolation, however, she secured}' an inside passage round the home turn. Her- 4 ' ir>o.=a was in her baby days one of the fleetest racers we had, and white her victory in tha^ Federal Handicap was a surprise, because ifc was ever so much better than her other re* cent public performances, I cannot say thafi the result was a thing we ought to have been} surprised at. A perusal of the training} notes might have put us on to this really gooa) thing, She is back to her form, and will win again shortly. It takes a pretty good one to cut down Pampero as she did. The Salisbury Hate would have been a good thing foi« Blazer, but the veteran had slightly hurt him.' r? ij could no * starfc > and in his absensa Goldspur won easily." It sometimes pays an owner to nominate on the off chance. Thei Welter provided a good race, Brisa beatina ; i Hermosa by less than a length after a rattling set-to. Rancour, the clever one's tip, ran dis. appointingly. The story that went about be, forehand was that he had won a trial from lulmen. The second day's racing was decidedly below par. Dundee won the Hurdle Race without an effort, being assisted to a large extent by Pipi and Slumberer falling Ilex gave up early in the race ; he seemed tq' have lost his dash, and was not persevered) with to the finish, wherein Robertson was quite right. Tsaritza found the weight telU'ing in the Welter before starting the lasjj furlong, and Red Banner ran in an easy whinner. Paladin threw away his chance of tho. • fc>t. Andrew s Handicap by playing up at the post, and Jupiter had the race in hand all the way. The Stephenson Memorial was a capital go between Battler and Komuri up to the last three or four strides, when the two-year-old by superior gameness secured an advantage which enabled him to get' his first win. Gladys II easily . outstayed her opponents in the Back Race; Abercrombie lasted better than Hermosa in the Grand Stand Handicap ; the Juvenile Handicap was a gift to Canteen; and in the Farewell Handicap the favourite, Magnificent, ran last, Edelweiss repeating her performance in the October Farewell by jumping away from the start and smothering everything in the first furlong.