AUCKLAND TOPICS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2727, 20 June 1906, Page 51

AUCKLAND TOPICS.

xßr Tuhoa.

June 18.

The secretary of the" Auckland Racing Club (Mr J. F. Kar.tla.iid) submitted a very satisfactory statement of accounts- m connection ■with tho club's Great Northern meeting at tbe monthly meeting of committee- last Thursday evening. The .fignrea showed a- profit of* £2300. -which is easily- » record for the winter gathering.

Mr R. Pratt, who took several horses horn Auckland to South Africa- about two years ago, has returned, and states thai his racing ventures were fairly successful. Tradewind and Vekli were his principal winners, but tha former broke down so badly shortly before he left that he had to be. destroyed.

Fred Davis, the well-known, trainer-rider, intends retiring from racing, and will devote himself entirely to training. Mr WaHer Davis, one of the owners of Haydn, has come to the conclusion that theveteran jumper has seen his best day under siik, and in all probability the old horse's racing career will shortly be closed. It is quite probable that Swimmer, the clean little jumper who ran second to Sol in the big cross-country event at Ellerslie, wil' be shipped io Sydney shortly. Irish was shipped sdulh on Sunday J x> fulfil engagements at «.he Hawke's Bay J.C winter meeting. His stable mate Catherine Gordon was also to have made the trip, bist show-ed signs of soreness a day or two ago, and will remain in Auckland.

The Auckland-owned horsas nominated for the Wellington Steeplechase are Sol, Baritone, Hakaria, Kruger, Haydn, Cannongate, Swimmer, and Irish. Johr Thorpe, the well-known Auckland trainer, contemplates, provided all goes well meanwhile, leaving for Sydney about the end of next month with tho two-year-old colts claiming engagement" in the juvenile events at the A-J-C. spring meeting. Th« youngsters engaged are the co'.t by Soult— Hotcherina and the Cyrenian— Miss Annie colt. Thorpe -will ftlso take across the pony Sonoma- for sale. * The Auckland Hght-weight rider B. Deeley, who has accepted an engagement with Mr-J. Watt, the Hawke's Bay sportsman, left for Napier a day or two ago. and will make tb» east coast township his future home. ' In referting to the Winter Steeplechase in my last week's notes I said that Aka. Aka > came in lame. It now seems that the breakdown of the eon of R«gel is of such a serious character that it will be some tinie before it will be possible to race him again, while it is just on the cards that he has seen his last r»ce The Auckland Racing Club authorities have foT some time past been looking for more commodious offices than those in DuTh«m street, ard on Friday last negotiations were consr-eic-d for the purchase of a substantial two-storey brick building and s^cfion at the top of Shortland street. Several alterations | to the bnildirg will be necessary, but befors the end of the present year the club should bo able *- take possession of the new quar- - ters. , , Tbo much-ti!kfd-of match between th* two jumping horses Major and Loch Fyne, over the Takapuna Steeplechase course, has fallen through The own-er of llajor is s-aid to I have been anxious to go on. but Loch Fyne's ' ewer refused to run his horse. Sol's victor}' in the Great Northern Steeple-c-haee recalls the fact that the son of Soult wn« tn the ring some months ago,, and was passed in with » reserve of J6200- on him. ■ Th^ cornmit^e of the Auckland R.C. have for some tiraa- past been expending consider- ! abe sums in improvement on the jffurse a* i> Ellerslie, and have now a scheme -in hand for b&au'ifying" the ground and adding* conveniences which, when completed, will make the Ellerslie racecourse second to-none in the colony if nci aiready entitled to claim, that enviable position. j Auckland does not appear to be strongly i represented in the two-year-old events of next ' season, as up to the present ott]y 22 young- ' ster9 have made their appearance at training headquarters.

The labour agent, at Oamaiu has been requested to send as many capable navvit»s as he can muster to the North Island Main

Trunk works.