AUCKLAND TOPICS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3327, 19 December 1917, Page 48

AUCKLAND TOPICS.

By T4IHO*.

As the Auckland Cup meeting draws near —at the time of writing the opening day of the carnival is exactly a fortnight away —interest in the meeting naturally increases, and the doings of all horses engaged in the various events, and particularly the Cup, are eagerly, noted. Never perhaps has Auckland's quota to the Cup held been regarded so weak as this year, and the most optimistic of local sportsmen are prepared to see the whole of the prizemoney in the principal handicap events go to visiting horses. The withdrawal oi Colonel Soult on Friday last made the local candidates' chance less, and it would appear that any small hopes we have of retaining the prize must be entrusted to Rebel, Sir Ralph, and Uncle Ned. Rebel is one of the favourites but on anything he has yet accomplished his position is a false one, and his only win in the last 10 months was a small race at Hamilton. Ever since then Rebel has failed in all his engagements, and the most that can be said for him is that he has given evidence of staying on well. Uncle Ned, on the other hand, has won several good races, and he has- a fine turn of speed. Good judges incline to the belief that two miles will be too far for him, but there is no reason why it should be. However, I am not enamoured with his chance. Sir Ralph is not a good performer by any means, but he has this to be said for him, that he is a stayer, and though he could hardly be picked out to win, I fancy he will run a good race with his light weight. Royal Rufus, another Aucklander engaged, appears to have no chance at all.

At the time of writing the only visitor to put in r.n appearance is Teka, and to the eye the bay looks really well. On Tuesday morning Teka and Sir Ralph were associated in a gallop over six furlongs, Sir Ralph having all the best of the gallop. However, Teka had only arrived on the previous day, and he will probably stretch out better before the meeting.

The annual meeting of the Bay of Plenty Club was held on Saturday, and that-ie as much as can be said for it. The Cup was won by Royal Irish, who was making his first appearance after a long absence from the race track. I say Royal Irish won, but that is the decision of the judge, who was about the only one who did not think Lady Energy finished first. Favourites had a remarkable run at Tauranga, there being only three dividends to touch over the even-money mark.

The Waipa meeting is the next fixture to be considered by Aucklanders, and I may mention that the owners of Blue Cross and Glendalough will each receive prize-money. C. Coleman took Pink Tie to the Bay of Plenty meeting, and had the satisfaction of winning two races. No notice should be taken of the victories, as each time the opposition was very poor, so poor, in fact, that a sovereign invested on her the first time, all up the second time, would not' have amounted to even money. On Tuesday morning the hurdle mare Glendalough was responsible for a very fine effort over a circuit on the grass at Ellerslie. Just a few minutes before Mullingar Lad, with the assistance of Lough Ennell, covered a circuit in 1.55, doing his best. Glendalough then oamc out, and ran the same distance in 1.55 4-s—not a bad gallop for a hurdler. Glendalough is engaged at the Waipa meeting. Thero was a good deal of sentiment in evidence when Colonel Soult was sold at auction on Friday. The bidding resolved itself into a duel between the part-owners, Messrs W. Casey and J. C. Gleeson, the latter getting the son of Soult at 700 guineas. N. Cunningham is slipping a lot of work into the English horse, Polydamon, and there is no doubt the fine-looking chestnut lias improved considerably. Judging by his track work, ho is not a good beginner, but lie is a rare finisher, and reminds one of the way California would finish at the end of his races.

F. Loomb lias been at Ellerslie some timo now with the Cup candidate Cynic, but so far I have not seen_ him do anything that would suggest him holding more than an outsider's chance. Cynic is engaged in the Waipa Cup, and if ho has any chance at Ellerslie he should win at Waipa. Hopfield, a fancied Railway Handicap candidate, 13 getting through a lot of solid work, but the watch does not make 'him out to be a champion by any moans. He certainly led for seven furlongs in the City Handicap at Ellerslie last month, but he was well beaten then, while some of those then behind him were going cosily. Some 26 horses are expected to arrive from the South on next, so the

training work next week should be unusually interesting. J. Buchanan will ride Hopfield in the Railway Handicap, H. Gray will be on Simonjdes, J. O'Shea Hymestra, and C. Emerson Nanna.

Seadown will be ridden in the Cup by Ashley Reed, and the market indications are that tho chief hopes of the stable will be centred in the son of Downshire.

Signo has been showing signs of soreness lately, but I noticed her working on the track on Tuesday. W. Mobberley took Lupin to Tauranga, but though the chestnut ran a great race in the Cup, and was only two short heads away from tho winner, Mobberly has decided to keep tho son of Lupin at hurdle-racing. He has pace, is a fairly good jumper, and should pick up a stake at the Thames, where he is to race at Christmas.

Malaya, who has been on the easy list for some time, is back in work.