AUCKLAND TOPICS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2849, 21 October 1908, Page 56

AUCKLAND TOPICS.

Taihoa.

October 19. Tho acceptances and entries handled by tho secretary of the Auckland Racing Club on Friday night in connection with tho club's spring gathering to bo held at EllersJie next month constitute a record for the metropolitan body, numbering in all 350, •.gainst 346 for the previous year and 344 •in season 1906-07. The list includes a ■irong sprinkling of h,ors&s from outeulo Auckland districts, and, given favourable .weather .conditions, the spring meeting should prove highly successful. With tho return of Mr E. W. AJieon, chairman of the Takapuna Jockey Club Committee, to Auckland, we may expect •fee. see the inquiry touching the identity of the horee Tauiiki hung up since May Jast resumed. It bad all along been held in jsomo quarters <fchat something of a sensational nature would be disclosed as £be result of the investigation by th©

T.J-.C. stewards-, but from latest developments it would appear that the breeder of tho mare, Mr Samuel Darragh, of Tauranga, has no fear of being involved in any shady oz dishonourable transactions as a result of the inquiry, as in a letter to a local paper he offers to forfeit £100 to any charitable institution the club may name if the stewards or any other club or person can rebut the statement ho publishes over his name. Briefly, he say 3he bred the mare himself at Tauranga, sold her to her present owner, Mr Grant» last December, and that she has never raced under any other name than that of Tauriki, and never figured under silk outside the Dominion. The challenge will doubtless dispose of the rumours circulated to the effect that Tauriki came from India, South Africa, Australia, and various other places. With 17 horses left in the Wellcsley Stakes, the Auckland-owned colt Elysian looks like meeting with pretty solid opposition in the 500sovs event to be decided at the Wellington Club's gathering at Trentham on Wednesday. The son of Soult mil carry the good wishes of a strong section of the sporting fraternity <jf Auckland in his race. The colt Formative, by Seaton Delayal — Formula., has gone amiss, and is not likely to fulfil spring engagements. The Hippocampus mare Satanella, dam of St. Paul, St. Clements, Torsubj, and other well-performed horses, and now in her twenty-eighth year, is this season in foal to Wairekk This will be Satanella's fifteenth foal should Bhe succeed in making a contribution" to the stud book. Foalings announced during the past week arc Folly (by Captivation— The Jilt), colt to Soult; Fairy Tale (by Tasman—Sapphia), filly to Soult; Miss Lottie (by St. Hippo— Lottie), filly to Stoult; Scotch Thistle (by Leolanthus— Hinemoa) ; flllv to Gluten ; Repulse (by Castor— Aida), colt to Waireiki. The Soult horse Grenadier has been shipped 6outh to fulfil engagements at the Wellington and Canterbury -Club's meetAlthoush the Hawke's Bay sportsman, Mr E. J. Watt, has allowed King Billy to drop out of the City Handicap, he evidently intends sending a team up for the Auckland Racing Club's spring meeting, as several of his representatives figure among the nominations for minor events. In view of the euccesees of the Aucklandowned horse Sk>ult Line in Australia, his owners, Messrs Twohill and Deeble, decided to purchase his dam Castor Line. The deal was arranged by cable from Australia, and though the price paid has not transpired, it is understood that a substantial figure was paid for the daughter of Coxtor. One of the conditions of purchase is the guarantee on the part of tre sellers that Castor Line ie in foal to Soult. The foaiings at the Oambria Park 6tu.i have been completed, the last, mare to contribute being Dreamland, dam of Elysian. who has foaled « filly to Obhgado. In all there are,l6 foals at the Papakura Estatenine fillies and seven colts.