TALK OF THE DAY.

Otago Witness, Issue 2569, 10 June 1903, Page 49

TALK OF THE DAY.

THi: D.J.C. WINTER MEETING

With the conclusion of the Dunedin .lockey Club s wint»r meeting the curtain has been rung down on the sport of racing in Dunedin for the present season, and some time will elapse e'-e the dub again asks its patrons to wend their way to Wingatui. La.st week's meeting was not the least successful gathering held by the club during tho season, and I question very much if finor soort has been witnessed in any part of the inland than that which was furnished fay the various events on the first clay's card. In the t!ne& principal races of the day it was guesswork to try and name the winner of either of tho races when the fields wero fifty yard- from Lome, and at the conclusion of tin- day's racing winners and losers alike were unanimous in the opinion that tho racing wa-, a treat to witness The- bad w cither vriuch had foisted i*-s unwelcome p r<^r.ce on us on ths days lr.modiateiy 11 *r.ig the meeting caused the track to be heavy and holding, and owing to the c'ayey and .sticky nature of the soil it made some of the hoises a bit le»;j weary beforo they returned to the saddling paddock after their r.-oes. The first day's s-port commenced with the Fiwt Hurdles, and pun tew were w ido of the mark in thcit effort? to locate >the winner, as Waikaia paid £7 10s in a field of five. He took command after going half a mile, and from that out had things his own way. Khaki got ovnr tho first two fencr-s fairly well, but dwelt badly at the obstacles, and be ran right into the jumn in front of the «tand before rising at it. Despite his faulty jumping, his pace kept him with the field for about a mile and a-half, and then he dropped out of the conte6t. Neither Southerly Bunt or nor Snider could unako any impression on Waiktiia in the run homo, and there is no doubt that the winner's display was somewhat astonishing, as those who are Fupposed to know the Epicure goldmg have always contended that he cannot get beyond a mile and a-half in decent company. Bombardo was elected a strong favourite for the First Hack Handicap, and the handsome son of Hotchkiss justified the confidence reposed in him; but he had to have- the whip drawn on him to stall off a challenge from Witch Winnie, on whom Harding delayed Ins run over long. Bombardo has grown into a fine big colt, and next season he may repay wa.tching. On breeding there is very little to find wrong, as on both sides of the houso he inherits excellent strain"* of blood. His dam (Val»ntina) has thrown nothing of note as yet, but she is by Leolinus, the iml>orted son of Caterer, out of Lyre, a half-s'-tor to Gorton. Lyre is also a half-sister to Mars and Lyrebird, the dam. of Renown. All There, who is a full brother to Lyie, was a good performer, and won many races in Australia. It will be se?n that Bombardo is closely related to some good performers on the dam's side, and )v.« •'•ire (Botehkifs) has proved himself so often that it is unnecessary to de.-ca-nt on his merits ''.ore.

The Birthday Handicap came next on the card, and the scratching pen was brought into 11 v. and General Symons and Vladimir were bot-'i struck out of the race. Tr>i9 left a quartet to saddle up for the race, and Kelburn was elected to tho position of favourite. He did not appear to act too well in tho going, and '.lip.p'vl about a good deal during the race. Lady Lillian looked all over a winner, and had Pine allowed th^ maro to run along in tho> last furlong I l)"lie-vo she miuit 1 aye \>on Th« Fh-a/»thrn mnrf is n bit of a handful, and requires a &tron<? r'tier to kee-p her in hand without fighting too much for Eiipremacv. It is s*id that if the mire once gets her head up she stops "to nothing" '» her races. As it wis t apr>parr>d to tho ■writer r'-.ai the tr:i'i=i ion from 'being puUcd ai to being ridden was too sudden and too near the jxjit : but hi* ridpr Utr;- 1 at "him, v.-ith a lucky to 10-e- the stoke. The winner, Terra-v-n, ran v. very cjamo horso, and looked to bo beaten a full hundred yards from the po>' : but his rider kr<r>t at him. wiH: a rc«ult that h no-.r a, mattor of hintorv. Terrapin wn bred by Sir Goorge Clifford, and was got by Cl.imanald out of the Maxim mam Toredina. He wps tin fir^t f(»,il of Ivu dam, uikl h\s pedigrort iuns as follow,: —

NareLs^us was rerved up \ery vvurm for tho Maiden Plate, but was uadly beaten in the race hy Caeque. Nnrcissus, however, it ofterwsrds trans]>ircd, was off colour on the day of the race, and on tho following day developed an attack of strangles, which accounts for the poor fi^ht ho made in tho T3.ro-. Cfctsque, the winner, is a shapely son of Oa-ikot, tlie Wellington Park-bred 6on of Castor and Bangle, and Ins dam (Sweetbriar) is a grey mare by Daniel O'Rorke out of n Tra-duoor mare. Casque haa a f-ir ■ict of wins to ]>:s credit, as he has started

sr i \on times and scored in five races. In. hia fin i start at Invercargill he reared at tho sl.ut, nnd toct no part in the raoej aad

. -—.t \ at Lawrence he started twice and scored once. Since then he has registered foufi con>ocuiive wins. In the "Winter Welter Handicap Ardnarff registered a win afteS a good race with Tugela and Count of Kol^ mar. Glenelg- ran a good horse with 10.3^ and finished close up with tho pieced horses. Battler score-d in the Selling Race, and wast returned to his owner at £42. The North", Island bred gelding Ixia was the popular) fancy, but he could not foot it with Baittler^ at the business end of the journey. Tho Tradesmen's Handicap furnished A splendid^ race, and the winner could not bo named! . with certainty when the field was fifty yards' from the post, at wkich point everything in the n>oo bar Petrovna looked to possess a* winning chance. Scylla got clear on tht<^ outside .and scored by a narrow margin*; from Tsaritsa, who ju3t pipped Lolah for*< sooond place. Vladimir, Lolah, andlj Tsarifcsa finished almost in line, and Vladi-i nnr did not get a clear run, getting boxed! o-i itho rails. Scylla, the winner, has been.' a very meritorious performer, and she wast bred by Mr J. F. Reid at the Elderslie stud. Her pedigree runs as follows : —

St Lc;:?r (iir.pj Duacister A.tlan'ii-(imp') Marifoli) I'lyrrninby Hl.i >irane i .Scoi'cli Las>-ie j^cotti,h Chief \.(). of the Isles Mis« Ann ruisett? I f/^ni Lyon Ronpj foso Musket (imp) T'.xopbilitft \V Auitral'n m s Sl.ixim I i Realisation (Imp) V«spir"ian Hopeful Duch'-. I I Teredo i Apr»moot (imp ) tAfortenier A^auCßria Nautilus Tr»ducer (imp.) Wat-rwitcb

iMusket (imp. Foxophiht" W. Austwl'n m CL, r. Xordenfeldt Onyx Ancler Chrytolitc ilrfsh Birdcat'et il-'nnui Stepte (imp.), ! I I Saunterer j i '■ <: Seclusion TaJnior Mi s helon I ! i ! i I i St. Georgfi ' ! Yatterdon Sir Hercules CatEw.dra !a La 'y Chester I 1 'st< ckwell „AD6trey JThe Libsl ' 'Aretliusi I Waterfprite Tradrcer(imp| Water witch ( .wden i.A[trnia!d