AUCKLAND TOPICS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2667, 26 April 1905, Page 48

AUCKLAND TOPICS.

TJt Taihoa.

April 24.

The Auckland Racing Club's autumn meeting was commenced on Saturday, the weather being fine and the attendance well up to expectations. The heavy rainfall overnight and during the previous day had made the track somewhat holding, but otherwise the conditions under which the gathering was inaugurated left nothing to be desired, the fields being large a-nd the sport good. Again the totalisator returns (£9202) showed a shrinkage compared with the first day of the previous year, amounting to £774, and as the 1904 receipts were rather smaller than in 1903, the financial results point to either a tightness of money or a disinclination on the part of investors to put their money on the machine under the two-dividend system. I am inclined to the opinion that both causes have contributed to the falling away.

The first event of note to engage attention was the Northern Champagne Stake?, with a field of seven to contest the rich two-yeaT-olaT" race. Mr Stead's representative Delaware, who had been, pleasing watchers at the track side by consistently beating Mr Watt's pair, King Billy and Boomerang, in work, was made the favourite, and of the oth-ers the local filly Annette was the one to claim most support. Apologue wus the first to move when Mr O'Connor released the lever, but they had not settled fairly into their stride before Annette took charge, and sh? ran up through the cutting a length in. front of Boomerang, with King Billy a similar distance back third, followed by Carl Rosa, Multifid, and Delaware. Annette maintained her advantage from Boomerang and King Billy across the top stretch, the latter pair being now in close company, two lengths to the good of Multifid and Carl Kc-aa, with Delaware and Apologue last. King Billy got to Annette's girths at the home turn, where Boomerang was handy, and there was very little between them when they reached the head of the straight. King Billy drew out a bit coming to the distance, and finishing up his task in good style, the brown colt won his race by just on two lengths from Boomerang, Carl Rosa over three lengths away third, closely attended by Annette. Delaware was two lengths ba-ek in fifth place, and then came Multifid and Apologue. King Billy is a brown son of Merriwee, out of the Stepniak mare Indian Queen, and a colt of medium size. Both he and the runner-up werd bred by their owner, Mr E. J. Watt, of Longlands, Hawke's Bay. The disappointment of the race was, of course. Dola-•war-e, the son of Seaton Delavai being in trouble b«f<r>-c. they had gone half the distance, and finishing seven or eight lengths back from the winner. Annette showed a nice dash of pace, and made matters very merry while she lasted, but found the 1:tance just i bit too long for her.

Of the 24 acceptors for the Easter Handicap only five were withdrawn, they being Kohoro, Crichton, Rambler, Lovelink, and Chola. This left a field of 19 in the mile race, and although last year's winner, Regulation, carried most money and Gladstone ranked as second favourite, nc less than 10

of them were well backed, and so open was the ra^e regarded that when they closed the bookmakers could be still heard calling the odds of '"Eight to one the field'" a price probably never before quoted in an important lace in Ihis colony. When they filed out for their preliminaries Scotty got rid of his rider, Mark Ryan, but was soon caught, while a medical cvaruinatioii of the jockey showed that no bonos were broken, and lie mounted the ' c on of St. Leger. The horses lined up nicely at the post, with the exception of Starshoot, who, as iT.ua], caused a deal of trouble. The cranky 'little son of Hotchkiss was eventually takj^> over to the outside of the Peld, and when Mr O'Connor released the barrier the whole field jumped off in perfect line. Lady Rose was the first to show out in front, and a sound pace was immediately set. At the end of two furlongs Lady Annie dashed up, and \ the two daughters of Soult led the field across the top stretch, where Gladstone, Delania, Te Aioha, and Scotty were running close handy. Lady Rose was done with before the head of the straight was reached, and Lady Annie had shot her bolt at the distance. Scotty, who was on the extieme outside, had all the best of his opponents in the run home, and ho won by a length from his stable mate Delania, Heroism three parts of a length back in third place, closely attended by Strathavon, Lady Annie, and Gladstone, with Romeo and Full Cry next in order. Seotty'o win was wel! received, and his trainer, Frank Macmanemin, w?s warmly congratulated, as in addition to the winner h-e was also responsible for the preparation of the runner-up — Delania. Regulation <*ot inio -a bad position early in the race, and never extricated herself from it, while Auratus, another visitor to claim a good deal of attention from investors, was never with the -leading division.

Four was the main in the Brighton Hurdle "Race, for which Hakarhi was made a rather batter favourite than Princess of Thule. The public estimate of the son of Reynard proved correct, for after sharing the pace-making with Irish, he lasted long enough, ridden out, to hold off Princess of Thule at the business end. and won by rather over a length.

Half a dozen turned out for the Onslow Stakes, a race confined to the two-year-old brigade. Syren, an attractive-looking little daughter of Cyrenian and Torment, was singled out as a likely one to return a dividend and the confidence proved to be well placed, for she came out at the right end and won her race comfortably by a couule of lengths from the Lochiel colt Glenullin.

The list of foals running at the Glenora Park Stud underwent a reduction the other day by the death of the colt by Soult from Princess Alice. The youngster, -who phowed a lot of promise, fell while wlnving in the oaddoek, and, breaking one of his legs, had to be destroyed.

Latest ad\'ic-es are to the effect that the new owners of Seahorse 11, formerly the property of Mr Soencer Gollan, of New Zealand, are Mes«rs E. T. Gwarthney and E. M. Weld, of Boston <TJ S.A.). As the price at which the son of Nelson and Moonga changed hands is said to be 1200gs, the Hawke's Bay sportsman may be said to have made a pood deal, 58 during: his racing in "England Senhorse only credited Mr Gollan with one Sinn 1 ! race. When Seahorse was purchased in Auckland for Mr Gollan, the sum paid for him was said to be 2000gs.

There i<* some likelihood that the tliree-year-old EamblCT, who has broken blood vessels in his head on two or three occasions while in work lately, will be put to the stud.

Southern owners are reminder! tlint nominations for the Great Northern Hurdle?. Great Northern Steeplechase, and Winter Sieet)lcchaPe, to be run at the Auckland Racing Club's big June jumping meeting, close on Friday -evening next.

John Rae, the well-known Auckland trainer and one-time cross-country rider, leaves for Western Australia on May 1 to train privately for XTr T». H. Darlofc and orher pporfcsmen there. He will take with him a team of about a dozen horses.