AUCKLAND TOPICS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2649, 21 December 1904, Page 55

AUCKLAND TOPICS.

Bt Taihoa.

The Auckland Racing Club's summer meet. ' ing, which extends over four days, commences on Monday next, and everything points to the metropolitan club scoring a success with this mest important gathering of the year. So far in advance it is a difficult matter to sum. up ihe Auckland Cup, and the task is rendered ail the more difficult by the fact that two of the candidates (Starshoot and Melodeon) only arrived at training headquarters yesterday, vhiie Ghoorka has not yet reached Auckland. As far as those in work at Eiierslie are concerned, there is nothing v<»ry fresh to chronicle beyond the fact that Mahutonga, who was installed: favourite immediately after the withdrawal of Crueiforn., has shown signs of weakening in the. betting during the 'last day or tiao. This is due to -the fact that he still appears somewhat above himself in condition, and there are doubts as to his being ready to do himself justice on the day, in addition to ' • which there is just a, fear that he may develop ' SJieness before the time comes round. Mahutonga is not lookerl upon as a particularly "good track horse, and there still remains seven days, so that he may get in the necessary work in the interim to bring about a return of favour; but I must say that at the present juncture I cannot see my way clear to recommend him to backers, as he wili need to be fitter than he was at Riccarton on the opening day to carry j his extra poundage to victory in the Auckland | Cup. The Auckland-owned Romeo has most ; pleased the touts, having been responsible for a couple of talcing gallops towards the end of the week, and he seems likely to claim niQ£b support among the local division. With someono on his back capable of keeping him in hand in the earlier stages Romeo should play his part satisfactorily in the two-mile race. Starshoot is in at a nice harl3y weight (7.9), and the movement made in the betting market in his case seems to point to the party behind him preferring the chance of the son of Hotchkiss to that of Melodeon. Beyond the fact that the money taken about him is believed to have gone into the hands of his party, we have, however, nothing to go on; but this may be taken as a hint that hs has shown those most concerned some evidence of his ability to run out the Cup journey saiisfactorily. Scotty never looked so well as at present, and on Saturday morning the son of St. Leger finished 1 ud a mile and a-half gallop in businesslike ; style, despite the fact that Romeo came home in front of him. Though Scotty has nothing to his credit beyond si mile and ■a-quarter, • there is an impression that Frank Macmanemin • . entertains strong hopes of his running a good w.-ce in the Cup. Idas is the one most to my liking in the light-weights', and if anything upsets the "pot" it may be her. From the somewhat" indecisive tenor of my remarks, your readers will conclude that we find it difficult" . to unearth the likely "winner just now, and they will not be faa: out, as the race reads decidedly open ; but if placed on the point of the ! bayonet I would single out Starshoot and ■ Romeo as the pair to fight it out, giving Romeo 1 the preference. j Tber« has been such a consistent run on : Savoury that there is every reason to believe jMr Stead's horse will go to the post the i hottest favourite on record for the Railway • Hacdicap. Recent arrivals from the south, and 1 men in a position to sneak with some authority, regard Savoury for the Railway as the tit-bit of the meeting, and as this coincides with the local view I would not be justified in looking any further for the winner of the six-furlong I race. j The Great Northern Foal Stakes also comes up for decision on the opening day of the meeting, and Mr Stead should annex the classic wi+li Sungod. It has been stated that Hewitt will have the mount on Starshoot in the Auckland Cup but I understand that Mr Watt's horse 'will be ridden by Kemp, a Napier light-weight, who came up with the team yesterday. There is plenty of time to talk about the SteeiDlcchase, which is not run till the la^t day of the meeting: but it may be said that Up-to*-Date has stone throusrh a very polid preparation, and has done so well that, all going on right in the iuterim, it wil' takp something out o£ • f!i3 common to show the way home to the halfbrother to E°eord Reign in the cross-country i raos on that day. Spalpeen appears to be getting back into I fo-nn, and should account for a nurd 1 © raca before the A. R.C. summer meeting is over. Miss Lottie's withdrawal from all enga^sn.enta p.t fie A.R C summer meeting is cTns td hpr havw> injured herself m wprk - tr vr 1 days nsro. I The brood mare Songstress died at Car^ 1 Park during tho week- The defunct m«t>-'- - ■>vns bred in Australia, and was- qr>t br Thv> Drttmirer from Cftnarv. Son^stre= (: ! wa? the dam of isevval useful liotbp=. nvd her filly fosl by Cvrenian at Cambria Park is being , reared by Tiai-srl. ■ Th* South Island pony Reduction has ac- j esutecl for the Pony Cup at the A.R.C. summerj

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jveeting, btit is not, I understand, another Bulawayo. The Middy, a hauf-brother to Bluejacket, is toing on nicely in his preparation, and it is ftuite probable that he will no longer race as a taaiden after the A.R.C. summer meeting. 'Betting on the A.R.C. double Cup and RailVay Handicap continues quiet, and prices are cramped. A few straight-out Cup wagers £ay« been booked, including 100 to. 20 about Starshoot, who haa also been coupled with lone o* two horses in the Railway, and 150 \o 60 against Mahutonga, who is now quoted Bt 3 to 1 for the two-mile race. In consequence of the support accorded Starehoot, bis stable companion Melodeon has lengthened in price, and an offer of 100 to 12 ;; f aiied to find an. acceptor. Signalman has been responsible for one or \wo attractive gallops during the week, and 4>eing in robust condition, Sir Geo. Clifford's fcolt- should reproduce his best form when it fiomes to racing. By this J mean that SignalInan ehould;get on the winning list during the Approaching metropolitan meeting. Should Scotty, who was backed for a small >mount early in the week, go to the post for >he Auc&idnd Cup, M*rk Ryan will have tho tnount. s • Mr-E» J. Watt's team for the A.R.C, meeting, '•"consisting of Melodeon, Staxshot, King -Billy/ Boomerang, and Kremlin, arrived here yesterday by the s.s. Victoria. 'Mr Stead's horses, Nightfall, Delaware, Sa.voury.. Noefcuiforum, and Sungod, came by the •ame boat. . " - • Mr L. H. Darlot, pf Western Australia, arlived in Auckland a day or two ago, and-■vyill-remain here fox some. time. Mr Darlotj • acting on behalf of wei'i-known sportsmen on jtne other side, and also for himself, has durdng the last year or two been found! jwnoug >thbse bidding"at the ringside when our- yearlings have been" brought under Jjptice, and ■there is reason to believe that he will again be found among the buyers at the approaching •sties. . Anything coupled with SavoUxy, the Railway - Handicap favourite, in the double is at a ■rery short price. . M Juhutonga and Savoury are .quoted at 8> to 1, and pencillers do not seem Knxious to, rush business at that price. • The Dunedin-owned fi'Jy Ailsa galloped so badly over the Railway Handicap distance (six furlongs) on Saturday morning that her stable companion, Grichton, easily finished in front. "Her form was almost too poor to be true, as'; •he looks in -great«lieart, and is as fine a filly »t herbage as one could wish to see. : • Boxes have been engaged at J. Rae's establishment at Green Lane for Dan O'Brien's bair, Heroism' and Multifi*. " Pearl Necklet may win a race for Mr John marshal I duringthe- A.R.C. -summer meeting. The pony ' mare Avalanche has been re-* iponsible for good work at Ellerslie, and her, j E' nnections expect her , to- run "a gfeod rac« j the Railway Handicap at the A.it.C. meet-