AUCKLAND TOPICS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3016, 3 January 1912, Page 55

AUCKLAND TOPICS.

By Taihoa,

AUCKLAND. January 2

The Auckland racing carnival opened on Boxing Day at Ellerslie under the most favourable weather conditions.. The two previous days had been wet and boisterous, but Boxing Day was ushered in by brilliant sunshine and a light breeze. The result was that the alluring attractions of racing drew a record attendance estimated at between 30,000 and 35,000. The sport provided was worthy ot the occasion, being of a most interesting character, anid some most exciting finishes were witnessed. Both the big events provided surprises. Gipsy Belle’s victory in the Railway Handicap carried with it a dividend of over a third of a century, while Santa Rosa,’s win in the Cup would have been worth much the same to his supporters had he not been bracketed on the machine with Waimahgu, who won the event last year, and was well supported. The efroat concourse of people who gathered at Ellerslie on Boxing Day was apparently well endowed with gold, for the totalisator investments on the machines reached the enormous total of £48,002 10s, which might easily have been £50.000 had the inadequate facilities not restricted speculation to some extent. Nevertheless, the amount that actually did pass tl#bugh is easily a record for the Dominion on a single day’s racing; in fact, it was over £BOOO ahead of the last New Zealand Cup day at Riccarton, the previous record. Without wishing to disparage the organising ability and energy of the A.R.C. officials, there can be no gainsaying the fact that the club showed a want of foresight in not making more ample provision for serving the public, who so generously patronised the races. The catering arrangements were totally inadequate to meet the demand made on them. The cloak-rooms were in a state of chaos, and the refreshment booths were disgracefully overcrowded, and unable to cope with requirements; while the limited accommodation at the totalisator houses caused great inconvenience, although the staff did splendid worlT under most trying conditions. As to the means of transit to and from the course, they were a hopeless failure. The trains were only able to convey a small proportion of the thousands who chose that means of transit, while the crowding to get back to town was a positive disgrace. But the provision made by the Railway Department was little short of scandalous. Every train that loft town was packed to a state that should never have been permitted, and on account of lack of rolling stock, ladies and first class passengers had to bo content to travel in dirty covered trucks. The discomfort of this can only be realised by those who had to pass through the long Parnoll tunnel, heavily pungent with sulphur and oily fumes, black with soot, and the atmosphere raised to a high temperature with steam from the engines. Considering all the inconveniences and disabilities the public had to suffer, they took it in a truly philosophical spirit, and were remarkably orderly. It is to be hoped that the Auckland Racing Club will profit by the experience of Boxing Day. so that in future the public will have no cause for complaint on the score of lack of facilities. The racing throughout Tuesday and Friday, the first two -Hays of the gallops, was of a particularly interesling character. The fields were largo, and the finishes in nearly every case were keenly fought out. while a number of events created great excitement

Tho Trial Handicap wont further to eonfirm the. hieh onim’on of Golfl-o/.o (Gluten — Gold Webbl. who scored a double win nt the reeont Takapuna meeting. This three-year-old gelding’ won easily under an imposition of 7.6 from n fairly strong field in irnin 30sec. Tho Groat Northern Foal Stakes resulted in Sir George Clifford's Winning Way scoring a decisive victory, with Beldame second. Ermenirarde did not run tin to expectations, although it must ho said that he had a poor start and a bad

run. Even so, however, he was no match for the winner, who covered the six furlongs in limn 17 3-seec. Erxnengarde was made a hoc favourite in the Criterion Handicap, six furlongs, on the second day; but although ho led from the start to well within the distance, his 9.1 impost proved too much in the last stage of the race, which \\'cs won by Prince Boult 8.8, a most promising son of the late Sir Soult. This youngster also won the Nursery Handicap on the opening day very comfortably. Ho is now sure to start one of the hest-lancied candidates in the Royal Stakes. There are not a few sound judges that declare that this colt will turn out one of the most successful of Soult’s progeny. The Auckland Oup resulted in the favourites being badly vanquished. Tire two three-year-olde, Counterfeit and Miscount, filled the positions of first and second favourite respectively, yrhile Midnight Sun was the next best fancied candidate. Santa Rosa, who won a splendid race under the able guidance of Claude Brown, was only two off being the biggest outsider in the big event, but the fact of her being bracketed on the totalisator with Waimangu reduced the dividend to 'under double figures, for his stable companion was the fourth best backed hors© in the race. At various stages of the race Beulab, Counterfeit, Goldfindcr, and Domino each held the position of loader. Coming into the straight Domino’s chances looked rosy, but in the final pfcages the Freedom horse tjred, and Santa Rose, who was lying handy during the last half-mile, shot to the front, and with a well-sustained finish passed the winning post a comparatively easy winner by two lengths. Soulfcoria, who finished gamelv, was only beaten for second honours by a short neck. The time recorded for the event was 3min 31 3-ssec, which, considering the somewhat dull state of the course, must be regarded as highly meritorious. Midnight Sun gave a good deal of trouble at the start, and got a very ibad run. He, however, made amends for his loss on the second day, winning the Summer Cup. one mile and a-quartor from start to finish, beating Coromandel, another unsuccessful Cup candidate, fairly easily. The Gmafton Hurdles proved a good thing fpr the favourite Delegate, who was well ridden by Julian. The Railway Handicap went to one of the biggest outsiders, Gipsy Belle. The favourite, Equitas, ran a most disappointing race, but came cut the second day in the Islington Plate against the best horses in the Dominion, and simply romped In. The running on the two occasions certainly merited a good deal of the adverse criticism that was expressed. BobrikofF who finished second in the latter race, finished brilliantly, but his appearance clearly indicated that he was too gross to show his best form. The Christmas Handicap proved an .easy race for General Eatonr, a most promising three-year-old colt by Soult, out of Merry Wife. On the second day Dawn (Birkenhead- —Eos) won a double in the Visitors’ Handicap, five furlongs, in ] :nin 3 2-ssec, and the Salisbury Welter, one mile in Imin 53 l-ssec, which certainly proved the gelding has again struck form, and can be reckoned a® a good handicap horse. Jolie Fille and Duma provided a most exciting race in the Waitcmata Handicap, which the former won after a desperate ncck-and-neck race from the distance by a nose. On Wednesday last the Auckland' Trotting Club officially opened their fine View course at Alexandra Park. Nine months ago the club, with commendable enterprise, purchased the 20 odd acres of land at Epsom known ag Potter’s Paddock, which was one of the first race tracks in the Auckland province, and bias subsequently been the home of Rugby football and the agricultural show grounds. The purchase price was £22,500, and since taking over their property the Trotting. Club has spent a further £6OOO on carrying out a very comprehensive scheme of impovememt which has, transformed Alexandra Park into one of the finest trotting, tracks in Australasia. It augurs well for the future of trotting in the' north that the official opening proved a great unqualified success. There was an attendance of between 8000 and 10,000 people present. The sport wa s distinctly good, and the investments on the totalisator amounted to £11,822, which is the largest amount ever passed through the machine on a single day’s trotting in the North Island. There was a largo contingent of visiting trotters and pacers from all parts of the island, and** as far south as Marlborough and Christchurch. Among the visitors present; were the members of the Now South Wales Totalisator Commission, who one and all expressed themselves a® astonished at the great strides trotting had made, and particularly pleased with tho sport. Tho new' course, which is five and ahialf furlong? in length, is laid down in fine volcanic scoria, banked and splendidly graded. That it is a fast course was clearly demonstrated by the good times registered. In the Trotting" Cup Bingana (Usee) put up what constituted a record for competitive trotting in Auckland. The various stages were done as follow'3:—First mile 2min 22-ec, mile and a-half 3min 33 l-ssec. two mihs 4>nin 4 4-ssec. The scratch horse, Mandorenc, covered the distance in 3rnin 55?e,c.

The second day of the trotting meeting was seriously marred by wet weather, which became so bad that the stewards agreed after the second race had been decided to jKistponc the remaining six events until Saturday, when they were disposed of under favourable climatic conditions, and before a fairly large attendance. The totalisator rofnrns for the two events decided Thursday and the six on Saturday amoiihted to £10.329 10s, which brought the total for the meeting to date up to £22,651, with still another day to go.