AUCKLAND TOPICS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2558, 25 March 1903, Page 47

AUCKLAND TOPICS.

Bt Tathoa. March 23. The principal event of the week locally was th; declaration on Friday evening by Mr Evett of the weights for the Easter Handicap and Hurdles, to be run on th^ opening day of the Auckland Racing Club's autumn meeting, commencing on April 11. It was of course fully anticipated that Achilles would figure at the head of the Easter Handicap, and the oniy question was as to what th© son of Medallion v.ould bo asked to carry over tho mile course at Ellerslie. In fixing the standard at 10.5 "the Auckland handicapper certainly does not leave himself open to the accusation of having erred on the side of leniency, as this is the i highest scale a three-year-old has yet been asked to ccrry in the Easter, and a matter of Sib more than the Auckland crack Nonette won tho same race under last year in the -excellent time of 1.42 — the record for a three-year-old in the handicap under notice. Great horse though Achilles has -prored himself to be, it is therefore clear that he will have to accomplish something very big if he is to place this year's Easier Handicap to tiie credit of the Porirua stable, as there is any amount of good material further down the list. Hohoro follows -with 9.13, and although the Tasman gelding has established his claims to be regarded as a weight-carrier, the fact that his respiratory oigans are affected causes one to doubt his ability to play a prominent part in a race that promises to be run at a solid pace from end to end. Both Wairiki 9.7 and Oiloff 0.6 are given ■ every ounce to which they are entitled; but a ' few pounds lower down ihe scale comes on» , whose chance must be treated with respect. I I refer to Bosella 8.12, who must certainly be regarded as dangerous, provided the daughter of Seaton Delaval is back to her best form on A.pril '11. On recent form Westguard 83 is nicely treated, and Val Eosa 8.4, disappointing though his display has been on more than one occasion, is certainly well in, as he is one that can get a mile in good style when at his best, and can finish up in the last bit with most of I them. Of those lower dov/n the list I like no- | thing better at the present juncture than Heroi ism 7.6, and Jewellery 7.3. In the Hurdle Race Cavaliero has bien given pride of place with 12. G, and although this is an impost that cannot be regarded as robbing the well-performed j son of Cuirassier of a winning chance should I he reach the post in good fig, I may say that after a careful scrutiny of the weights there is , nothing in the race that reads better than j Treeham 10.9. As nothing more has been heard -during the week of the proposal to form a local .syndicate i for the purpose' of securing Pilgrim's Progress, ! passed in at Melbourne recently at a reserve of : 200Qgs, it may be taken for granted that the project has fallen through for want of supi Influenza has made its appearance at training , headquarters at Ellerslie, and among the horses i affected is the Hotchkiss — Fornio colt. General nominations for the Auckland fl.C.'s autumn mesting are due on Friday next, and : on the same day nominations will be received I for the Avondale, Autumn, Eailway, and Steeplechase Handicaps, to be run at the Avon6a!e Jockey Qnb's autumn meeting. While riding a yearling; colt on the road at Elk rslie the other day W. Chaafe, a con of the J veteran trainei, met with a nasty accident. The colt took fright at a piece of paper fluttering about in the basket of a passing butcher boy. reared up, and threw Chaafe on to the bard irctal road, which he struck forcibly with the i back of his head. The little felkt OM not : l egain consciousness for several hours, and will ! b? laid aside for some time to come. At latest reports Achilles, Wairiki, and Rosella were the most sought after by punters for the Eaater Handicap, and all three have been couole.-l pretty freely with Tresham. (Hurdle Race) for the doub>. the price being 100 to 3. Ido cot know anything, bn*. would be inclined <o advise my southern readers to stand off Wairiki till assured that he is being lashed , out. A little bird whispere that the veteran owner-trainer Dan O'Brien owns a really good colt in Heroism, and if hi* is sent up to Auckland next month I know one pretty shrewd judse here who will be found Bounding the praises of the handsome baj son of Grnfton {oi the Eastei Handicap.

Dr 11. E. Owen left Karamoa for Hokihinui on Wednesday morning alone by a i'ou?h and dangerous beach route, and (shoukl have reached his destination that evening, but nothing having been hoard of him, sr-arch parties went out. Ho was discovered by the search party on Sunday in a s<?mi-cxhausted coalition, and was brought to town by a spct-ial train. For four day.-> the doctor, who had missed the track, wa» without a partii-le of food. There is every hope of his making a good rcoorory.