AUCKLAND TOPICS.

Otago Witness, Volume 14, Issue 2648, 14 December 1904, Page 52

AUCKLAND TOPICS.

By Taihoa.

December 12. -•' The withdrawal of 'Cruciform from the Auckland Cup has left the early punters lamentIng, as the daughter of St. Leger had been ' freely supported straight iout and in doubles with Railway' Handicap candidates; but, on *le other hand, it may be argued that the Wee will be followed -with more interest, and that speculation will not now be. so cramped ks would have been the case had Mr Stead s fcne mare gone to the post. With Cruciform >ut of the way, Mahutonga stands at the nead of the list, and 'though the Quilt gelding has had full portion to carry in 8.13, he is shaping in a pleasing manner at training headnifartera, and seems likely to remain at the kead of tfa»~Cup quotations. Borneo v being worked regularly, and looks well, and -the same taay be said oi Scotty,- who appears to be Eainine friends for the two-mile race, but has Lfc yft been put to the test, so that we are still in the dark as to what the St. {Le^er gelding is capable of over the extended course. All that car be said a', present is rtiat when Mashal Soult dead-heated with him in the City Handicap at EHerslie early last anoitfh, Scotty hardly finished up -like a sti-rer. Starshoot, whs has been claiming more attention than his stable companion, Mettodeon, gave his admirers a bit of a set-back last ■Wednesday and Thursday, wnen he failed to get a. place in either of his engagements at the Woodville meeting. - Douche, who won the leading event at ."Woodville, is a really good young mare, and one that should prove a good stake-earner. The week we are just entering on should, however, give us a lino to work on concerning the lespective merits of the stablemates, Starshoot and Melodeoji, as both will be seen en the EHerslie training track. The Canterbury sportsman, Mr G. G. Stead, looks like reaping a gdlden harvest in the classic races at the A.R.C. meeting. In tne iGreat Northern Foal Stakes the Auckland representatives don't impress .one as boasting anything capable of extending the Yaldhurst trio Sungod, Delaware, and Noctiform, and although King Billy, is evidently coming to -^iJillerslie, we must not forget that the son oi Merriwee found the selected of Mr Stead s youngsters too hot for him at Rieoarton. In lhc Great Northern Derby, for which lOjretoained in, the squire of Yaldhurst Boasts a couple of top-notchers in Savoury and Nightfall, and unless Sir G. Clifford's representative, Signalman, can gallop with them, it is lifncult to nominate opposition that one could reasonably ■ label as dangerous. Twenty-two are still engaged in the Royal Stakes, but there is sure to be a big cweeding-ouit, as taany of them clearly remain on the list owing to an oversight. Mr Stead holds a powerful hand with Sungod 1 , Rubia, Delaware, Nocti- {' orni, the best left in to oppose the Yaldhurst ot being King Billy .and Boris. ' The A.R.C. Summer Steeplechase favourite, .Up-to-date, has been responsible for a couple of taking gallops over the cross-country courses at EHerslie during the week, his jumping being faultlless. ." Fharaoh, tihe only outside horse, beyond Catherine Gordon, nominated for the Hurdle ißaces at the A.R.O. summer meeting, was •brought up from New Plymouth during the •week, and placed in Frank Macmanemin's jtable. The visitor looks -very well. ' As Boomerang, winner of the A.R.C. Welcome Stakes, has been nominated for all the iwo-year-dld handicaps on ihe summer programme, it would seem pretty certain that the colt is to form one of Mr E. J. Watt's team for the Auckland 1 gathering. ■ ■ Alonoform, the high-priced three-year-old full brother to Multiform, developed soreness a few days ago and has been eased up. He> will probably not be seen "under silk again till the autumn. . , • The only Auckland horse nominated for the /Wellington Cup is Borneo. .It is understood that starter O. O Connor will take up his permanent residence in Auckland. The Auckland Trotting Club hag received good nominations for its bummer meeting (December 27 and 31, and January 7), including a very fair sprinkling of trotting horses fe«n outsids the AuskUuA distStfil

T Since jotting down my few notes about the Auckland Cup at the head of the cohimn, 1 ran across a Icvetl-headed EHerslie trainer who is of opinion that Scotty will give a good account of himself over two miles. In fact, has went the length of saying that he regarded the son of St. Leger as capable of beating the Cup candidates so far seen on the track at training headquarters. Sir Geo. Clifford's team for the A.R.C. meeting — Signalman, Quarryman, To-morrow, and Golden Vein — arrived here yesterday from, the south under the care of E. Cutts. J. M'Guinesß also reached Auckland with Ailsa and Crichton. It is understood that Mr Stead's team will leave for Auckland' under Mason's care on Wednesday next.