TALK OF THE DAY.

Otago Witness, Issue 3335, 13 February 1918, Page 41

TALK OF THE DAY.

By Sentinel THE DUNEDIN CUP MEETING. Tho excellent, field of acceptors for the Dunedin Cup, including as it docs a quartet of North Islanders, has aroused considerably more interest than usual in the race. There is a final payment to bo made, which may delete two or three from the present strength; but even with a further shrinkago one of tho best fields which has ever contested the race will be found facing the barrier. So far nothing- in the way of a pronounced favourite has been discovered. Devotion was elected to that position, but it would not bo surprising to find Wardancer carrying the strongest support when the totalisator shuts down on the betting. The race is, however, regarded as fairly open, and several of tho field will meet with good support. The 7st minimum has kept un the weights, and makes the burdens read a fair load; but as far as tho present field is concerned the writer is inclined to the opinion that it is in favour of the top-weights, as most of them will go a solid mile and a-half, whilst the bottom division contains several unknown and doubtful quantities in that respect. Adjutant has arrived on the scene of action looking in good order; but Wardancer appeared to be hia master in a gallop over 10 furlongs on Tuesday morning. "When analysing the field it cannot, however, be overlooked that Adjutant has the best of them as far as public form is concerned fairly close to him in the weights. His running at Trentham suggests that ho is back to form, and if that is really so he will be handy at tho finish. In the last Great Autumn Handicap ho was carving 9.0. and overhauling Kilboy and Fiery Cross as thoy flashed past the post. That gallop make's him worthy of respect in any field. Rorke's Drift will strip well. He was not quite himself when Margorino beat him in the Otago Handicap, but will saddle up a better horse this week. One of his best performances was the close fourth he put in in the C.J.C. -Metropolitan behind Teka, Multiply, and Johnny Walker. Dunedin

Cup candidates in Adjutant, Devotion, and Wardancer finished behind him at liicoarton, and, although there is no doubt that this trio have since improved, still it should not be overlooked tliat the Calibre gelding mots Devotion on 81b and Wardancer on 12tb better terms, whilst Adjutant meets him on 61b better terms. Margerine ran a bad race in the Midsummer; but a horse should not be judged on its worst performance. Prior, to her last race she had been running really well this season. She won the Fendalton, which is anything but an easy stako to capture, and followed it up by a further success at Wingatui. Her recent Kiccarton form looks a bit too bad to be true, and it is in her favour that she meets Wardancer on the liberal allowance of 141 b for one bad performance. Wardancer is in point of fact the worst handicapped horse in the race. Prior to his Midsummer win he had been making no show in public, and one has to go back to the Otago Handicap of over 12 months ago to tind where he claims a creditable performance. In that race lie met with a mishap before the start, but gave Rorke's Drift a good gallop when in receipt of 161 b. Now there is 91b between them. Wardancer has shown improvement, but it would bo hard to show whero Rorke's Drift has shown a loss of form; or, if so, it has been only of a fleeting nature. Then, again, Rorke's Drift 6.4 finished well in front of Wardancer 6.11 in the Metropolitan, won in the very smart time of 2min 32 4-ssec; -and that performance also shows WardaMcer to be harshly treated, despite his Midsummer win. Still, many a badly-handicapped horse wins a race, -just as many apparently lenientlytreated horses fail to run to the book. Assuming that Wardancer and Adjutant were a match when the former appeared to be winning a 10-furlong gallop on Tuesday morning, then Wardancer must be particularly dangerous if he repeats in public what he has accomplished in private. In fact, if one could accept the gallop as a reliable guide, supporting his recent win. he is entitled to start favourite- in the writer's estimation. Devotion has not been given much solid work since her arrival at Wingatui last week, but. she was pulling over Rorke's Drift in a gallop over 10 furlongs or. Tuesday morning. The pair got badly away, and there was some waiting oyer the first furlong; but afterwards Devotion wao travelling "much better than the Calibre gelding, who is, however, a had track horse that goes much better when the colours are up. Devotion had a winning run after racing at the last New Zealand Cup meeting. She probably improved afterwards-, and seems right and ready'; but on paper Adjutant should beat her at 61b more than he gave in the W.R.C. Handicap last month. He also finished in front of her m the Wellington Cup. Miss De Val ran third in the Wellington Cup after a bad passage, and now meots Adjutant, who finished fourth, on 41b better terms. She has, however, been under a cloud, and may bo a bit short of work. Marsa beat her well in a gallop on Monday, and looked capable of going away at the finish. Municipal ran second in the Midsummer, and now meets Wardancer on 111 b better terms. That is a liberal margin, which in most cases makes a material difference at tho end of 12 furlongs. Apparently the stable think so, or Multicipal would not have been sent down. Multicipal worked a good mile "on Tuesday and appeared to be staying on better than Killard at the finish. Marsa now b,ears every indication of being in better form at present than at any time during her career. She meets Rorke's Drift on 21b and Margerine on 81b better terms than when she got badly away in the Otago Handicap, and afterwards finished a fair third. If Marsa had. jumped out on terms she would very probably have won, as the others were fully extended at the finishing post, whilst she was gathering them up. She now bears an improved appearance; and if nicely placed with her field, instead of bringing up the rear as her usual pilot generally has her in the early part of a race, the sister to Nanna will be found on the scene at the business end. She should beat all those who follow her in the handicap. Apart, however, from the pros and cons as they appear on paper, tho field should provide a, very fine race.

THE PUBLICANS' HANDICAP. The Publicans' Handicap has not attracted a particularly strong field, and thoso most in demand are Kilboyno, Phil May, The White King, Mohawk', and Killjoy, whilstthere is an inclination to regard Golden King with respect. Killjoy is smart off the murk, and has recent winning form to her credit, but she failed to show up when. running with good horses at the New Zealand Cup meeting. The top-weight is, however, credited with a good gallop before leaving Riccarton, and this fact, following her rccont wins on the West Coast, will find her with plenty of friends. Mohawk looks in good shape, and galloped well after his arrival at Wingatui. At the last Dunedin Cup meeting ho won with 9.9 in 1.17, and afterwards deadheated with Tarka over seven furlongs. He is now apparently an improved horse that has trained on since he won a double- at Tnvercargill early last month. Brambletye, for some reason or other, one never hears mentioned in. connection with the race. She, however, can generally bo relied on to put up a good light, and if she fails to show up in the chief sprint may do better if raced over more ground on the second day. Golden King is nicely treated, but may bo found a bit short' of workas ho has not been long in commission. The Golden Knight gelding was a'frequent winner last season," and generally runs a good solid race. Marsa is an unlikely starter, but her stable mate, Kilboyne, is doing well on the track, and likely to' go out ono of tho prime fancies in the race. Ho now looks robust and more pleasing to the eye than at any time during his career. Phil May has wov twice over six furlongs in weak company, and there is an inclination in some quarters to hold the opinion that he will not seo out a sound run race. He is,' however, smart off the mark, and with a light burden may take some catching if he gets well away. Phil May is up against the best field he has yet tackled, and there is one or two that; will very likely keep him in the collar during the journey to try out his stamina. Ho looks in lino order, and, despite tho doubt about his staying on, should bo found making a bold bid for victory. Glensponse hm, some southern friends, and Battle Eve in a galloping mood would help to make matters interesting. The White King is galloping in pleasing style, and gives one the idea that ho is a better horse than when he won a double at tho New Zealand Cup meeting. If that is so, he is clearly entitled to reepect. Redshire and Kilmeedy, if they behave themselves at the barrier, may prove the best of the light-weight division.

WINGATUI NOTES. There was a fair amount of interesting work at Wingatui yesterday morning. The course proper is becoming hard, and some good gailops from a time point of view snotild be recorded at tiio meeting. Sir Malt was first noticed on the track, and he opened proceedings by running hall a mile in 50 3-osec on the inside grass, which is rather fasto; - than the middle of the course proper, when? most of tho gallops took place. Wardancer appeared to bo finishing a shade better than Adjutant at the end of 10 furlongo on the course in 2min 15 3-ssoe, last mile in lmin 46 2-sseo. Margerine ran the last eight of nine furlongs in lmin 49 4-sseo by herself. Point Blank and Royal Star covered half a inilo in 51sec on tho inside grass. Probation and Love Token cast five furlongs on the course behind' in lmin 6sec. Torfreda and Punka reeled off four furlongs on the same ground in 52sec, whilst two other youngsters in Palladium and Caverock required 53seo to cover tlie same distance. Redshire run down five furlongs in lmin 6 2-ssec. Rorke's Drift and Devotion failed to get away on terms, but afterwards ran together over nine furlongs. They put up a slow journey at the start, concluding 10 furlongs in 2mm 19 4-ssec and a mile in lmin 51sec. Devotion was travelling much freer than the Calibre gelding, who is not a good track horse. Kilmeedy took charge of her boy, and put up a smart sprint along tho back of the coursa. Scornful and Heatherooto finished together at the end of six furlongs in lmin 21seo. Luff was. movingbetter than Sammy Slick and Turehaua when 'eading them homo at the end of half a mile on tho plough in 52 2-ssec. Colder: King ran down three furlongs' 'on the course. Rose Pink got through useful steady work, and Miss Do Val- also- got through steady ' pacing. Multicipal was finishing stronger .than Killard at the end of a mile in lmin 48 4-ssec on tho course. Black Mountain and Glenshino ran 53sec over half a mile on the plough. Kilboyne shaped well in galloping five furlongs on tho course in lmin 6 2-s.=<?c. Thistlecrown and Preface were finishing well when concluding half a mile on the course in 52 4-ssee. Prairie Fno was travelling better than First Robert when schooled over four flights of hurdles, but he whipped off at the second jump. Others out working included Brambletye, Micky Free, Revolution, Spoo tual, Placid, Red Tape, Polonious Rokclaine, Thaddeus, Michaela, Linden, Mohawk, Special Order, Redowa, Hornbeam, Hykus. Marsa. Aycliffo. Kauwhero, Ogier, Tho White King, Phil May, Sir Malt, Speedometer, Hot Air, Kazan, Eurrangong. Take Down,' Borodino. Matilda, Arihia, Wingform. Lionskin, Whipcord, and Lion. F. Christmas arrived during the morning with Fiery Cross, Glendower, Partisan, and Killjoy. F. D. Jones also "arrived with his team, as did R, M'Kay and S. Trilford. with their horses engaged at the meeting.