AUCKLAND TOPICS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3029, 3 April 1912, Page 56

AUCKLAND TOPICS.

By Taihoa The autumn meeting- of the Auckland Racing Club gives every promise of being a big success. The Easter Handicap is exciting an unusual amount of interest, and already the anti-post punters have manifested their inability to select a strong favourite. In addition to the Easter, all the other handicap events are well Oiled, and promise to afford some excellent sport. The Great Northern Oaks will doubtless draw the smallest field, and appears to be at the mercy of Sir George Clifford's champion filly Counterfeit. The deflection of Maori King from the Easter Handicap, of which he was ruling a hot favourite last week, came as a keen disappointment to early backers. As soon as this Hawko's Bay horse'.s handicap was announced the big commissions came to hand, backing him straight out and in doubles. This groat haste to get in early has now left many lamenting. It was somewhat strange that he should have been so favoured, because last season he did nothing, and in his two starts at Napier Park he did little to merit confidence, especially when he was known to be unsound, and asked to carry an impost of nine stone. However, Maori King was scratched, and the money has now put three local candidates—Antoinette (last year's winner), Kakama, and Larena —at tho head of the betting lists. The sole " Highden " representative at Ellerslie this autumn is Boanerges, and he has come in for strong support during the last couple of days, and is now only a point behind the three Soult mares on the betting cards. Gloy, who :'is trained at Avondale, is credited with some fast track work, and will have to be reckoned with on Saturday, while Taranaki considers Crown Pearl is capable of showing the Auckland candidates a clean pair of heels. Tho Waikato is represented by Domino, who has run some excellent distance races with bad luck this season, but will still find many friends. General Latour, the winner of the Great Northern Guineas in 1.40 2-5, is stated to be an improved colt, and if ho goes to the post us such lie must 1» one of the hardest to beat. Of the Easter Handicap candidates training on the Ellersiio tracks, La Reina has been attracting most attention, and on Saturday morning gave her followers renewed confidence when she galloped seven furlongs in 1.31 1-5. The half-mile was done in a fraction under even time, and the six furlongs post was passed in 1.17 4-5. Considering La Reina is only asked to carry 6.10. her chances look bright, if sho should get a clour run. Kakama has been doing most of her work with her full sister, Miss Winsome, as companion, and on each occasion when they have fought out a gallop the former has shown to advantage. This should give students of form cause for reflection, l>ecause in tho spring Miss Winsome ran General Latour to a head in the Great Northern Guineas, covered, as before stated, in 1.40 2-5, when the colt had to concede 51b to the filly. On Saturday Miss Winsome 7.4 has 18U> advantage over General Latour, so that if Kakama 7.6 ran beat Miss Winsome fairly comfortably she should be a formidable candidate for a mile rare that was done last year in 1.41 1-5, and the record for which is 1.40. Idealism still retains his position as favourite for the Brighton Hurdles, but Master Theory, a. recruit this season to the jumping game, who won his only hurdle race at Takamtna in January, is running him close. The latter has "been showing eplendid form on the tracks, and is jump" ing faultlessly. On Saturday Idealism and Black Northern were associated in a spin over the hurdles. Both fenced well until the last hurdle was reached, when the Hawko's Bay horse struck the obstacle heavily, and very nearly came down. Lloyds is another entrant for the big hurdle race that is likely to be among the best supported on Saturday next. The indications are that the weather has settled, and that good conditions will prevail for Easter.