AUCKLAND TOPICS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2634, 7 September 1904, Page 52

AUCKLAND TOPICS.

Bt T.jhoa.

The Melbourne Cup candidate "Wairiki will be on his way to Sydney before this reaches your readers. I had a look at the big son of Soult on Saturday, and waa somewhat surprised 1 to find him in such condition ; in fact, at no time has M'Hugh had him looking so well in the spring a? is the case this year. There is a marked development in Wairiki since he -was last seen under cilk, and if his suspicious forelegs (a weak point with more than one of the Soult family) do not cause any {trouble the brown horse should, .as far ns condition is concerned, be thoroughly ready to play his part in the big- race -ait Fiemington when the day rolls round. The owner of Wairiki (Mr S._ Bradley) and his trainer do not appear to view the enlargements noticeable on the horse's forelegs with any great measure o£ alarm, and seem to think tihat he will train on air right, but I would think that the critics on 'the other side will be inclined "to 'stand off. when they see them. There 13 very little speculation going on locally about the New Zealia.T2dl.Citp, and ihe ■ persistent rumour that -Abhillesi .may not be. found among the start-era appears- to be making 1 matters worsel as far as the -betting is concerned.; while those who fonoy Grand. jßapidsand Martian are naturally inclined to stand off until they find the southern candidates landed back safe and well from Australia. Rambler, the full brother to Battleaxe, is coming on splendidly, anal now fills the eye as a really fine stamp of the thoroughbred." He hits out in a most taking- style in his gallons, and it will come as a surprise, if the 120 guineas sunk in his purchase as a yearling ido not prove a good investment. Rambler may not be quite ready in tlhe early spring, bufc there can be ; little doubt but that he wiE distinguish hiru- [ self as he goes on. the two-year-olds- in I training at Ellerslie, Master Delaval seems to ba shaping as nicely as anything, and will in all probability be given a run in the Avondale Stakes about a fortnight hence. j A couple of veterans likely to be relegated to the illegitimats game are Solo and Weilcast, both of whom have been tried over the battens, and shape fairly well as beginners. The Avond*le Jockey Club received capital general entries last Friday for i'he spring meeting commencing on iSeptcmbcr 17,^ and every thing points to a successful gathering. Some two or three years ago the Auckland Racing Club Committee formed a night school for the benefit of jockeys and stable lads, but those for whom the means of improving their education were provided have made so little use of the school lately that the authorities j have decided to -close it. Latest withdrawals irom the G-rea.t Northern Guineas, to be run at the Auckland. Ra<dng Club spring meeting, are Wairaka.u, LadyCommodore, Mai'akoff, Queen's Messenger, Bod News, and the bay colt by Cyrenian from "Windmill. The committee of the Auckland Racing Club fixed the penalties for tbe Great Northern Oaks' Stakes of 1907 during the present week as follows: — The winner of any race of the vialue of 300sovs, 3lb extra; of 500sovs, slb extra; of» lOOOsovs collectively, 3,01b extra, the latter being the maximum penalty ; and maidens arc to be allowed 7lb. 1 J. G'ainsford, the ox-Australiam jockey, who has ridden Wairiki in all his engagements to date, was offered the mount on the son of i Soult in the Melbourne Cup, but could not see : his way 01-ear to make the trip across to Ausj tralia. ! The Auckland Racing Club authorities are j keeping a close eye on our riders, and. it is rumoured that more than one of the local kiiights of the pigskin who have applications in for renewals of licenses will have to appear before the metropolitan committee to answer a question or two before^ they receive their tickets. Haydn, who -was brought back from the south during th-e week, is likely to be given a spell. Marshal Soult, whose name I mentioned last week in connection with the weights for the Avondale spring meeting, has been backed to win the double — the Cup and the sixfurlong race. It is reported that the Messrs Duder Bros, have 1a smart colt in work at Takapuna in the shape of the youngster by Soult from Anna, and as he claims an engagement in the Avondale Stakes I suppose ,ye shall see him out in that event this month. Up-to-date, the well-known jumper, and halfbrother to the great Record Reign, is looking well, land should be heard of over the fences during the coming season. He has been having an easy time of it since the Auckland ; Racing Club's winter meeting owing tc a bruised foot. Foalings during the week at Wellington Park stud are : — 'Cuiralba (by Cuirassier — j Albatross), colt to Mensdhikoff; Lady Nannie , (by St. Lsger — Rangi), filly to Hotohkiss ; Miss Delaval (by Seaton Delaval.—^Campania), filly j to Hotchkiss. 1 The imported stallion, Phoebus Apollo dieci at Wellington Park on Saturday. The hoarse, it appears, met with an a-ccident, and a broken pelvis bone resulted. Phoebus Apollo, who was a son of the celebrated sir© St. Simon, was imported from England some three years back by Mr T. Mqrrin, and he was iaoiseA j'-naa M a

valuable addition to the- list of blood horses in New Zealand. The yearlings sired by him submitted to auction at the last two sales held at Wellington, Park realised good) prices, and there are several two-year-olds got by him that show much prornis-e. The death of Phoebus Apollo is a serious loss to the Wellington Park Stud Company, but it is understood that he is insured for a fair amount with the International Horse Agency. 1 When the defunct stallion Phoebus Apollo | was landed in Auckland some three years ago , I belisvo he was covered with the Interj national Horse Agency to the extent of £2000, . and there is every reason to believe that tha j amount of insurance remained on the horse at [ the time of his death.