AUCKLAND TOPICS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3111, 29 October 1913, Page 50

AUCKLAND TOPICS.

Bt Tathoa .

The veteran Michaeloff is one' of the regulars working on the tracks. It is a couple of years since the bay gelding sported silk, and though he could go fast when training he was never of much account with the colours up. D. Moraghan_ is keeping both Prince * Soult and Tragedy King going, and in a gallop the other morning there was little to choose between them. The Prince went through last season without scoring a win, but perhaps now that he has been added to the' HSt-he ■ will do better. Previously ho was a very lazy worker. A glance through the nominations received for the Ellerslio meeting reveals a strong number of visiting horses, several of whom are recent winners. Bobrikoff’s name figures in the lists, and the appearance of the champion would add to the interest taken In the racing. The Benzonian —Labona colt, and halfbrother to Apellon, in T*. IVl'Manemin’s stable, has had the name of Hadj bestowed upon him. He has been doing fair sprinting work, but nothing that would make him out a good one. C. Coleman lias Woe Olga looking well, and the daughter of Merriwee and St. Olga will be on hand to play her part next month. She is a useful mare when the opposition is not the best, but she has had a good spell, and may need a race to sharpen her up. The Auckland-bred filly Queenie Soult started favourite in the 14-hands handicap at Ascot bn the Ist of the month, but she failed to finish in the first three. This is the second time she has been backed for money and failed. Prestwick, the Birkenhead gelding reccntly purchased from the Hon. J. D. Ormond, is now at Ellcrslie in J. Chaafe’s stable. With the present poor lot of fencers in Auckland, Prestwick should prove a payable proposition. * B. Dooley's injured wrist is now quite well, and he left Auckland during the week . to ride at the Wellington meeting, which opens this afternoon. SoultikofT is engaged in both the Guineas and City Handicap, run on the same afternoon ; but It will depend upon the strength of the field in the Guineas which race ho stalls in. Hawcra, The Reckoner, Captain Jack, and Irishmaid gave a fine display of jumping over tho steeplechase course at Ellerslie last week. They' cleared the abstacles in. good' style, and kept well together throughout, Hawera finishing in front. Donzel started with them, but refused at the first fence of tho double, the second obstacle negotiated. Before going south, J. Rae stepped the New Zealand Cup candidate La Rcina out over a mile and a-half on the grass. At different stages of the journey she was assisted by Ovation and Montiform. the lastnamed bringing--her- home; La Reina set a solid pace--throughout, but she did nob appear to finish-as -strongly ‘ as’usual. Parapara has been transferred from W. Olive’s to H. French’s stable. Parapara is inclined to be mad-headed,--and so far has not displayed, tho pace • necessary to win a race. However, a change of quarters often works wonders. Spectre continues to shape well in his schooling work over the small fences, and with the pace ho possesses he should turn out useful at- this branch of tho business. He has already won a maiden hurdle -at Takapuna, but that was about three seasons ago. F. B. Ross brought his team from the lake to Ellcrslie last week in order to school

his jumpers. Marangai’s display over the hurdles was faultless, while Lady Jean nego* tiated the big fences satisfactorily after refusing at the water-jump. P. Brady’s team, Ruse de Guerre, Salute, and Fleet Arrow, are well forward to fulfil engagements. Ruse de Guerre is engaged in the Guineas, and she may do better than expected. In sprint events she will certainly be worth noting. P. Jones is keeping Toreador doing useful exercise, and no doubt the big son of Spalpeen will claim big support when he steps out. Toreador nas never yet encountered select opposition, and it will be interesting to note how he fares when h© does. Jack Dolaval is being sorted out as the correct solution of the City Handicap. Undoubtedly a good little horse and a genuine one, but with 8.6 over a mile and a-auar-ter he may find it a very difficult task to Seat one or two of those engaged. With 8.3 Maxwell appears to have all the weight he is entitled to in the City Handicap, but J. Chaafe has the ®on of Soult looking and going so well that I shall be surprised if he is not a source of trouble to the best engaged. He can stay, and con sprint faster than most people think. A. Hall is expected to bring a strong team from Wanganui to the Ellerslie meeting. With such horses as North-East, Phrqso, and Denis Orrao he should have little difficuty in paying expenses. At the time of writing it is not definitely known whether Soltano will be brought up to run in the Great Northern Guineas, but it looks certain that Mr Lowry will be represented at the meeting, as his horses Chime, Brocade, Bobrikoff, and The Hague figure amongst the nominations. The southern jockey, B. Oliver, will be riding at Ellerslie, and, amongst others, he will ride Solitude in her races. This filly can muster up a fine dash of pace, but she will not stand much galloping when training. B. Decley will be riding on the first day at Ellerslie. and will leave the same evening to fulfil engagements at the New Zeaand Cup meeting. Allegation is reported to be galloping well at Takapnna, where |the same owner has Tiresome and a of two-year-olds working. A.t Avondale Allegation looked as though he had not done a great amount of work, and perhaps he will be much improved next month. Little Monoline looks nice and bright, and is getting through some useful sprinting. However,- she is very much on the email side, and the wide course will not help her in her races. Kakama, whose owner considered her harshly treated in the City Handicap with 8.6, and scratched her, has been entered for the shorter races. A couple of seasons ago the mare was one of our best sprinters, but latterly she has been running in races extending to a mile and a-quarter. Almeida is galloping attractively at present, and is much more forward than when she raced at Avondale. She is in the City Handicap at 6.10, but she hardly appears class enough to cope with the opposition in that race. The fine-looking colt Monsignor will not be seen at the approaching gathering, as she is being treated to a short rest. Ellerslieites are giving Merry Roe a good chance in the Stewards’ Handicap. She can certainly go fast fqp six furlongs, but there are a number engaged who may go still better. The brood mare Erry Roe, dam of Merry Roc and Castalia, has foaled a filly to Elysjan at Ascot stud, Mangere. Ovation, a half-brother to the one-time crack Elevation, will be racing at Ellerslie. E. J. Rae has the gelding well forward; but so far his track efforts are nothing to write home about. J. Thorpe still perseveres with Taimanupo. The old horse gallops fairly well on the track, but he is getting well on in years, and can hardly be expected to cope with his younger rivals. The Reckoner, a grey hunter in F. Loomb’s stables, negotiated the big fences in good style, and if he can stay may have more than a rough chance in hunters’ events in the near future. * Blue Garment, who let his supporters down badly at Avondale, is displaying all his old dash over short distances. Ho was responsible for tome brilliant gallons before Avondale, but in view of his showing at that meeting punters will be chary ol him in future. Another mare who haa failed to fulfil expectations is Tangiwai. The chestnut mare is not overworked, end she has had every chance to prove herself a good one. The Val Rosa gelding, Dash, who cut a very sorry figure in the Hurdles at Avondale, will be given a run in flat races next month. Ho is not yet seasoned to racing, and it will bo well on in the season before he develops into pace to win races. Brookfield is looking '.veil, but his galloping powers do not appear to have improved at all. However, trme roa-y do a lot for the eon of Gluten, as he is a fair-sized horse. Glad Tidings, easily one of the fastest horses over a short distance working at hurdles, is being kept going by -F. Stenning. Glad Tidings has the reputation of being unreliable, and his running bears this out. N. Cunningham is paying a bit of attention to Gloy. At the weights now being allotted him, the first time the son of Gluten strikes form his opponents are in for a stern chase.