AUCKLAND TOPICS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2603, 3 February 1904, Page 47

AUCKLAND TOPICS.

t>t Taihoa.

Febi-nry 1

The Takapuna Jockey Clvb's stimmei meeting was inauguiated on Fridiy and co-itir.uxl on Saturday with satisfactory financial results to the club, the sum of £17,064 having been passed through the nipchin?. Taken dii the whole, \.he racing was interesting, Mr Knight's handicaps producing some close finishes, whila in kcep.ug with meetings of the past there were two or three surprises carrying jtod dividends on the first day. The principal ruce was the Takapuna Cup, for which the- starteis numbered 10, Idas 8.5 bems sorted out as the most

likely winner, while Hnie' r ania 8.4 was also welt backed in the nine ; .•;■! d-hdU r.ice. Hiss Lottie 8 4 v.js the r.uicki.'st to gc<- going, anu. she stawd at the Le.ut of ''>c fic'.cl for a mile, vheie H.iio'auia, An loyed 7.1, and Jewellery 6.12 were cose ))<■ ely, v ith Jlaro 7.6 n^xt in ord n r. A furlong iioiti home Miss Lottie began to drop back, and Hinetoura taking chaige she was p3a3'ing the pait of pacemaker when the head oi the straight v, as leached, the lightlyfancied Dolores 7.2 having by this headed p,ll ths others. Coming with a well-sustained run the erratic daughter of Freedom and Scotch Mist, who vas nicely handled by Keely, headed Hinotaura about tMe distance and won easily by a couple of lengths in 2mm lOsec — a fresh record for the North Shore pours 3 , which, with ats sharp turns, is against fast, tune. Maro was alength and a-half away third, and the pony Annoyed filled fotuth place just m front of Miss Lottie. The favourite never once flattered the hopes of her numerDus admirers by her perfoimance. Dolores upset the somewhat geneial impression that she was riot equal to gc-tmg to the end of a coundly-iun mile and ahalf. Hmetaura ran a far lace, but has been responsible for better finishes, and appeared tc take none tco kindly to the turns, which puzzled her somewhat. The principal Hat raca on the second day, the Takapuna J.C. Handicap, was also productive of a surpnse, the mile and a -quarter event being won by a rank outsider m the shape of the pony niare Annoyed 7.0 The field nunibeic-d eight, Hinetaura 8.11 being most in demand, while Miss Lottie 8.3 and Dolores 8.2 ?lso claimed a stiong following. Annoyed had won the Pony Race of six fm longs, wh-.ch immediately preceded the Takapuna Handicap, under an impost of 10.4, and this m itself was sufficient io cause investors to regard the prospects of the shapely little daughter of Regel and Torment lightly. Consequently she was only one remove from tho absolute outsiders of the lace. She was, however, one- of the earliest to begin, and taking charge before they had gone iar the Regel pony made a sound pace all along, ultimately wi.ming by a couple of lengths from Maro; Miss Lottie, a length away, third. The official time was returned as 2mm 9sec, but rekr-ble private watches made it fully 2sec slower, i'he others were evidently expecting the pony to come buck to them in the doing stages, and were slipped up, though it is quite on tho cards that p drffeient tale would have been told had they gone up to her early in the race. The Handicap Steeplechase was contested by a field of seven. Dingo 9.12 being sent out a rather beter tavouu.te than Kanaka, 11.6. Incheape 9.7 was the one to crill for most attention, and although Dingo flattered the hopes of his supporters by reaching the water jump first the last time, Incheape had his measure all along in' the lun round the course proper, and the son of Gorton and Faiiy Queen won easiiy by three lengths fiom the favouiite. The winner was always with the leading division, and took his fences m fine slj'le all through the piece.

Although Nonette is, as stated in my last, to be used for stud purposes next spring, it seems that his new owner, Mr E. Stavenson, will also make an effort to again get the chestnut, son of Sc-aton Delaval in racing him by the autumn of next season. The hoise is to be fired and blistered, and all going well with him he will be put into training again about 12 months iience.

The tho: oughb.cd sires in Auckland ho- .. undergone a further reductic i during the present week by the death of the Cambria Park stallion, Cyrenian. The son of St. Simon had 1 been in a bad way for some days prior to his death, and to those acquainted with his condition the end was not unexpected. It was some five years ago that Mr Leonard Marshall secured Cyrenian in England foi stud purposes for 2500g5, but though beautifully brod the St. Simon horse had not proved a success £<s a sire, as up to the time of his death only one of his gets had earned winning distinction, though his latest foals bear a more attractive appearance than any of his earlier offspring. When th» establishment passsd uito the hands of the pr&sent company Cyreman was insured for £1000, but as the policy was not renewed on expiration the loss will be a senous one to those concerned.

A couple of highly-bred mares were purchased by Mr W. Walte-s for the Glenora Park stud from Mr F. Leslie, the Victorian bookmaker, who arrived m Auckland on a short visit early in the week by the Mokoia. The ndditiions to the Glenora Park matrons are Golden Mavis, a daughter of Impetus and Golden Belle (by Tranby), and The Squaw, a daughter of Warpaint and Rostella (by Nordenfeldt). They will be mated with the St. Simon sire, Soult.

The string ot racehorses owned by Mr Hugo Fricdlander, the well-known Ashburton sportsman, who is relinquishing racing in Auckland, were further leduced during the week by the sale of the two-year-olds, Kilrnarnock and Elgin. The buyer was the Victorian penciller F. Leslie, who shipped the pair to Australia to-da}', together with a yearling cold by Soult from Hotchsuna, puichased from Mr W. Walters, of Glenora Park.

Joe Gallagher, who formerly lode for <he Messrs Nathan and more recently acted as private tiamcr to tho^e gentlemen, until they decided to retire fiom the ownersh'p of the. thcroughbied, is srettmq- togethsi a string at tha Kohimarama stables, where he has set up as a public tramer. The latest horses to be placed an the hands of this young trainer are the four-year-old halt-biother to Swordiish (by Souk), a colt by St. Leger — Lady Thornton, and the yearling by Phcebus Apollo — Lady Gertrude.

Cannongf>t2, who was taken up again some little time back after an extended spell figured in; the Hurdle Race on the first day of the Takapuna meeting under 11.9. He had the services of S. Fergus, but was never dangerous, and his lunning gave tha impression that ho is many removes from the Cannongate of a season ago, when he was numbered among the first flight cf jumpers in ihess parts. Possib'y ho will comp on again later en.

Mr J. Ryan, formerly owner c F JCorettc, has joined the ranks cf Auckland pcricillc-rs.

A private cab^ leceived h n c 1 lie other day states that Bacchus, the goocl-looTcrng brother to the ISTpw Zealand Cup w.nnpr Canteen, recently defeated ths Australian mare Bother in a match for £100 aside at Suvi.