THE NEW ZEALAND. CUP ACCEPTANCES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2630, 10 August 1904, Page 50

THE NEW ZEALAND. CUP ACCEPTANCES.

The payment -which, fell due on Friday last ' .for the. New Zealand Cup did -lot so seriously deplete the field as many sporls -anticipated, and when the numerical strength "■"of i;he race is counted it is found to total ' 3io less than 44, o.r 'four above the -number j "which Tem«ined in last year's race after 1 /the £rst acceptance. Of the 13 horses which j ihave dropped out of the race Ih© most j notable defection is that of Roseal, who ihad been accorded a good deal of support ias a, result of his excellent form at the last , •Ricoartoa spring campaign, ■and who formed j •one of the picks by nearly everyone -who I afrftnessed last year's battle. In fact v a few ! *lays before tbe acceptances fell du«e a "fairly large commission was executed in his ■ and his "withdrawal from the race consequently came as a big surprise. Roseal -ir-an a great race in last -year's Clip, and 4lis name represented a bit of quality iha+ •one cannot help -regretting will be missing •from "the field. -Cruoifoum's non-acceptance is another regrettable .defection, as it is the ■presence of such araek performers as the -flying daughter of St. -lieger in a field that i anakes a race worth witnessing. Mr G. G. j -)Stead's orac-k mare is now at Randwick. and , ■as it has been given out that she is not j (altogether herself, it would' not prove- suripcisktg if her -owner sent her "the -fcrip with j ■;r .fl'ouble mission in view. *Th-at is, if she ' ±o "train on nt s Band Wick, she may.'! libo jEated with one of the high-class New j SSouth "Wales stallions prior to 'coming back I ito -tiiiß colony, although this hardly seems j •jpreibalible in ihe face- of the fact that Mr I JSteaii has two :suoh. .pioxciisinig stallions as j tand .JEoyal Artillery. Multiform ' •wouid no doubt jprove a woarthy mate i"~ fCruciform, as he -would give a return of the .successful Pulchra blood, of which each can 4>oast & strain. Canteen's withdrawal was looked for, as a result of -his owner's re- j 'Oently-declared intention of sending the [ Inxpse to Australia, and probably tbe only i ■ipeople to burn their /fingers over tlio s'rey's < mon-acceptanee is those -who backed him j .last year -when tbe market firet opeined on j "the race_, and imagined the experiment was *■ 'Woiriii repeating. None of the- ofeber 10 iwhdch dropped out were ever eeriouslj* Ahougbt of in connection with the race, end •consequently their absence from the list ha.? not given rise to any complaints. Since the publication of the acceptances no great alterations have taken place in the market, -■end Bulawayo is now tbe ruling favourite ait 22' s to 1.

IChe Crest gelding has been supported to i win a good deal of money in connection with the race, and all going well, he is likely to see a short price if he goes to the post. Achilles has continued his engagement, and | ibis chance is now further enhanced by the | .lact -that Canteen, Wairiki, and Roseal, who j .proved such formidable opponents to him Jastyear, are to be absent in next year's race. .Prior to last year's race, doubts were expressed j sis to Achilles being able to see out a two- j jnile course, and although he did not win, «tillj "he .clearly demonstrated that he is enjfcitled- to be Tegarded as a stayer. He has '.fceen asked to carry a fairly stiff burden, jtnit should he go to tho post, even if he does mot win, he ~will at least run a good race .for the ppsition of favourite. A recent move in the market suggests that Nonette cannot be regarded as a light of other days, and it is to be hoped that this is so, as it | would give ti decided fillip to the interest in j 'the race if -the son of Seaton Delaval were i Jonded at the post fit and "well. Convoy is a good, consistent performer, and just the sort to help to -keep a field moving, and •jbady Xillian has only to go to the post -to •fetv© & royal chance with "the nice weight of 8.5 on her back. The equine pocket .Her•cules, Martian, is now at Randwiek, and if lie emerges^-from that campaign safe and Bound, without incurring a penalty, he would l>e entitled to the very highest respect for the ra.ee. The son- of Martagon is to S>e -engaged in several valuable" races at Itandwick. but the conditions attached to , the New Zealand Cup only provide penalties lor winners of from lOOsovs to oOOsoys— tbe extreme penalty being 71b— so that it is possible for either of Mr Stead's team to capture some valuable prizes in Australia without very seriously jeopardising- their chance in the Zealand Cup. A weight | oi 8.12 would, however, read a fairly big Sburden or>*6uch a small horse as Martian, - and perhaps it -would b> advisable for punsters to make a note of the fact. Halberdier i ihas been backed from the right quarter, and < so "has Oblivion, and judging from track re- i Tports, we may see the latter out this month at the National meeting. He has dropped 'out of the Winter Cup, but has been nominated in some of the short-distance handicaps to be decided at fhe meeting. After leaving the 8.0 and over division behind, nothing particularly formidable stands out, •and that fact suggests that the next New Zealand Cup will not be an extremely difficult race to win, unless, of course, colts iikc Uranus. Gladstone. Onewa, Beau . Beaton. Nightfall, and other well-bred cracks '

justify their aristocratic lineapo and take a position in the turf records \Thich is suggested by the Stud Book.