AUCKLAND TOPICS

Otago Witness, Issue 2671, 24 May 1905, Page 51

AUCKLAND TOPICS-

*r Tairqa.

May 22.

The Takapuna Jockey Club's winter meetJ ing was commenced on Saturday afternoon, when the weather was delightfully fine, and the attendance good. During the day £5241 was passed through the totalisator on the eight races, several of which provided stirring finishes. The principal event was the Empire Handicap, for which the three-year-old Gladstone, who was well treated with B.S, was served up as a warm favourite. The Seaton Delaval gelding was indifferently ridden, and in consequence suffered a neck defeat at the hands of Putty. In the Hurdle Race Irish showed himself up in attractive colours, and won his race by downright gameness. RLe is undoubtedly a better horse than a good many were inclined to credit him with being. Satisfactory acceptances have been received

tot the two principal events to be decided it tie Auckland Racing Club's big jumping meeting next month. As was generally exSected Up to Date was struck out of the &?eat Northern Hurdle Race, and The Guard Wing also been withdrawn, Haydn occupies "MridTof place with 11.5. The aged son if «Sou-wester has acted as runner-up for two Sears in succession, and on that score will io ctoubt find some supporters, though «. pa« more to my lildng are Trumpery and Borneo. 3foe withdrawal of the Hawke's Bay mare from the Steeplechase may be taken as an indication of Mr Donnelly's intentions as far is the daughter of Dreadnought is conwhile it may be said of Romeo that Although, he has not yet -been seem m public, *umour has it that he knows how to get SveV the small sticks, and « undoutedly *ell treated with 11.0. Cavalry 9.12 and Lady Eune with 21b less- are among the flivision in the light-weigKts, and the chances jbf foe first-named should be made known to Visitors during the present week, as he claima ♦n engagement at the Wanganui meeting. " tadyHuVe ddd n6t please the critics in a $wo-mrle gallop over hurdles * day or two • K o but ttis perliaps ab<raia not be taken .too seriously, w-tto dßUglfter of Cuirassier 5s one that should see out two miles and afcuarter all right when the colours are up. • Although Up to Date has his full deserts In the Great Northern Steeplechase, Mr W. EiVoiiß has seen. At to bring the son of St. Kppo back from iA\istralia to tackle -the cross-country -race, which, must mean "that *he- Auckland bookmaker is not dissatisfied - *rith the treatment his -horse has received. IWith three successive wins to the credit ol fthe-St. Hippo gelding, and meritorious performances at that, Mr Lyons seems to have B orne -reason for -adopting this course. _ The fact that The Guard- remains m points to tis training on all right, and, being a genuine -stayer, the eon of Vanguard must not *c hastily counted out. It must not, however be forgotten that he claims an engagement at Wanganui, and that a wm there •would mean a 7lb penalty for the big Auckland race. . , Princess of Thule is going on nicely, and is " I think, one I shall have a good word fo say for when the time comes to ventureto final selection, while of the lot further $ovm the pair that impress me most are ■Kiatere and Evermore. Canongate has been sent up to Mr Marshall's farm at Makuku, and it is more than Jikely that he will not be seen over the fences The Great Northern Steeplechase candidate XJp to Date arrived from Sydney yesterday, kaving made a satisfactory trip across. The St. Hippo gelding goes into the hands of Prank Macmanemin for his winding up for the big cross-country race. The withdrawal of Moccasin from the Great Northern Steeplechase was rather unexpected, md he was among—those given more than ■Jaa. outside chance. The removal of Papatu's name from the list of those claiming engagements in the fireat Northern Steeplechase was due to uneoundnesg. . „,,,. ~ Monoform, the high-priced full brother to Multiform, has been- put into work again after a spell extending over the best part of bix knonthfl. , TJunmore, Elpeth, Horsa, and Lilymee, the (property of the Hon. Hugh Mosman, have ibeen shipped across to Australia. Toledo, the well-known hack hurdler, was brought up from the south recently, and has 3>een placed under J. Conw-ay's- care. The owners of Gladstone have been again approached by a Sydney -sportsman with a yiew to the purchase of the <Eull brother to j&ladsome, and shall not be surprised at any moment to hear that the Great Noxthexn JDerby trinner has been sold. There has been » fair amount of wagering ©n the Great Northern double during the ■week, Trnmpery and Romeo being among the IHurdle candidates most freely coupled with (the Jioraes in- the cross-country race. When I last week said that the Auckland Racing Club had very properly asked for Jurthelr particulars before endorsing the disqualification placed on'M'Cluskey in connection with his riding. of Putty at Avondale .•recently, I w«s under the impression that the gockey's license had been issued by the metropolitan body, -in -which case the committee ■would have been quite justifisd in seeking the information. It -seems, however, that such .•was not the oa.se, M'Oluskey's license having ibeen issued by the Canterbury Jockey Club, : which puts quite a different complexion on She matter. It appears to throw the A.R.C Committee out of court. The Avondale Jockey *<31ub stewards evidently kept this card up itheir sleeve, and only pl«yed it at the final (meeting, heid last Tuesday, in connection /with the case, when it was decided to appeal tto the New Zealand Racing Conference for to decision. In the reply to the Auckland (Racing Club the Avondale stewards point out that the rules~mentioned by the former only arefer to - the metropolitan club issuing the flicense (Rules 125 a and 141), and that the stewards having in their opinion complied with -the Rules of Racing and acted in accordance wit*h the instructions • given in the 'Appeal Court by Sir Geo. Clifford, deem it piecessaryj in the face of the refusal of the A.R.C. .Committee to endorse the disqualification;, to' appeal to the Conference, as Rule 125 a states that the club issuing the license is 'the one to be informed of complaints against aiders or trainers, and the Avondale stewards hold to the contention that the whole matter was a question of fact.