TALK OF THE DAY.

Otago Witness, Issue 3336, 20 February 1918, Page 40

TALK OF THE DAY.

By Sentinel

THE DUNEDIN CUP MEETING. The Dunedin Cup meeting of 1918 is entitled". to go into racing history as the moat successful fixture ever held on the Wingatui. Racecourse. The attendance has to be deemed very satisfactory indeed, although quite a number of those who are usually prominent patrons of Wingatui were conspicuous by absence. The curtailed railway service was anything but an assistance towards success. Still, it would be too much to expect that the ordinary state of affairs should exist under the mo9t extraordinary state of affairs in "the world's history. Nevertheless one cannot help regretting that the unusually attractive cards on offer at Wingatui did not have the very necessary auxiliary to complete success in the shape of an easy method of conveyance to the course. The main thing, however, is the sport, and that from beginning to end was full of interest. Good fields were quite the order of the day. and if tho sting had been out of the going it is quite safe to say that several horses unable to muster a challenge at the business end of their races would in all probability have played a much stronger hand on less adamantine ground. It was somewhat unique in the history of tho Dunedin Cup to find all those colouring on tho card, and representing at least a numerically fine field of 18, going .to the post. Such" a very pleasing state of affairs leads one to believe that tho most historic race of Otago will once again enjoy the prominence it occupied on tho racing calendar. It is true that some of the. field apparently held only a very remote chance of success, and so it proved; and, bearing that fact in mind, one was inclined to resent their inclusion in the field, as some of them would possibly get in the way of a good horse at some stage or other of the proceedings. This year's-field marked a record for tne raco since it has been decided at Wingatui, and it is only fitting 'that a stirring and hard-fought finish should be identified with the battle. Tho next best field was supplied in 1909, when Prim won from 13 others. In 1912 Parable led home a dozen others, and last year Bee piloted 11 past tho post. v Ten v/as the main for each of the three preceding years,, including 1914, when Flora Macdonald created a time

record for the distance. Armamento holds tho somewhat doubtful honour of beating seven otners, comprising tho worst field that has ever contested, the race, and when Advanco was saddled up and sent out the strongest Dunedin Cup favourite ever seen at Wingatui he had only three to oppose him. Djin Ujin won the first Cup docided on the course, and he was followed home by seven others, including Starsr ot, the dam of this year's winner, and who figures as the heroine of the last Dunedin Cup decided at Forbury Park. It is pleasing to note on going through tho records that the fields have shown a tendency to increase in quality and quantity during recent years, and this, no doubt, is due to the substantial prize money latterly on offer. Such a state of affairs is encouraging to tho club, and acts as a spur to a progress which has been called to a halt by the war. A very pleasing feature of this year's race was the patronage it attracted from tho North Island, and from this it seems obvious that our principal fixture would win more attention from the north if the Wanganui Cup meeting did not press it so closely on the racing calendar. Under more favourable circumstances it would not have been surprising to find such horses as Mcnelaus or Johnny Walker sent down by the old-time Dunedin trainer J. Lowe, and possibly Noble 1 man, Snub, and one or two more would have journeyed south. That would have .supplied a Cup field indeed, and as it was quite within the bounds of possibilities, it may be achieved in the near future It is evident, however, that the Cup programme must carry as tempting a list of prize money as possible; otherwise wo would sigh in vain for the giants of the turf to come south and measure .strides at Wingatui. The minor events on this year's programme won very pleasing patronage from horse-owners, and it was a fitting climax to a successful gathering and a good augury for the future to find no fewer than 19 horses saddled up for the final contest. THE WANGANUI CUP MEETING. It- is rather interesting to note that Sasanof, a winner of the Melbourne Cup, and Menelaus, a winner of the New Zealand Cup, share the honours of being topweight in the Wanganui Cup. Sasanof achieved his great Flemington victory under the feather-weight of 6.12, whilst Menelaus put up his lticearton performance under 8.1. Both horses (have since shown good form, and it would be very interesting to see how they shape at the weights. Menelaus is rated a shade high if Snub is to be judged on his best form, instead of the poor displays he has given over short courses. There was not a great deal between Menelaus and Snub in the New Zealand Cup, and the latter now meets the former on 211 b better terms over a quarter of a mile less ground. Snub should certainly beat Menelaus at the weights, but the latter is the more reliable of the two. Wishful seems to have quite his full share of weight, and it is a mild surprise to find Nobleman missing from the list of acceptors. Client is the ruling favourite; but it would not be surprising to find Menelaus and Snub again beating him as they did at Riccarton, whilst Susanof should be capable of giving the favourite 91b, as well as Menelaus. A good field of smart sprinters figure in the Flying Handicap, and it should provide an interesting race, as the possible runners include some of the best winners during tho present season. The Jackson Stakes will be decided on the second day, and as Biplane is on the scene and galloping well, tne club will have a star attraction if the son of Comedy King sports silk at the meeting. THE CAST IRON CASE. The Cast Iron case invites attention because it brought about a disqualification based on an apparent display o{ inconsistent form sufficiently wide Ho make the North Otago stewards take action. It is a common opinion that a charge of inconsistent running must fail if the element or atmosphere of fraud cannot be established, or if the character of those concerned is not too t sound. At first blush Cast Iron's form at Oamaru did present a rather inconsistent appearance, as he was tailed off in the early part of his first race, but, nevertheless, made up a good deal of ground towards the finish. Cast Iron lost his position whilst the field was racing over the first two or three hurdles, and never y reduced the gap until tho tiring leaders were fighting out a strenuous finish. On the second day Cast Iron jumped quicker and better, and had the race won at the second last fence, but had to kept busy right to the end. It seemed to be quite a common opinion that he won easily, because he scored by a good margin; but it is doubtful if that margin could have been increased to any material extent even if he were flogged out instead of ridden with hands and heels. On the first day the going was distinctly sloppy as a result of heavy rain, which fell for several hours overnight, and the writer noticed, when watching the preliminary, that the horses went fetlock deep in Grossing the plough on their way to the track. Furthermore, two or three horses slipped from the grass to the plough gallop as they cantered on the narrow strip of the outside the wing of the stand hurdle. That is quite sufficient to establish the fact thai the going was anything but good. On the second day the ground was in much better going order, and track conditions very much improved. It is quite possible that a hoi'so might show a marked improvement in form under such a change of track conditions without having any great advantage .in a handicap. At the Dunedin summer meeting Cast Iron, on fnirly firm ground, finished a close second to Silver Shield, and incidentally beat Prairie Fire, to whom he was giving 291 b. On the second at Oamaru Cast Iron was meeting Prairio Firo on 61b better terms than when he beat the latter at Wingatui.' As another factor in tho former's favour it may bo pointed out that Cast Iron was acting under 11.7 at Wingatui, and could reasonably be expected to go better under 10.9 at Oamaru. Then, again, Cast Iron was Prairie Fire on 111 b better terms on their Oamaru running, whilst San Scbastjan had to allow 141 b. Cast Iron, in point of fact, was very favourably treated, particularly in tho light of his Wingatui form only a few days before his Oamaru race. This is also noticeable through Silver Shield, who just beat him at Wingatui, and whom Cast Iron met on 141 b better terms on tho second day a't Oamaru. _ Cast Iron went out favourite for his winning effort, but, as a matter of fact, carried only £l2l more than on the first day, San Sebastian carried £3 10s less. Silver Shield £Bl 10s more, and Pr.arrie Fire £l4- more on the totalisator: whilst Luff, who .carried £283 on the first day, did not start. Henco thero was no

very marked alteration in the betting or the amount of money going. It ie true that Cast Iron's running might have been regarded with suspicion and open to question, but it also admits of quite an acceptable explanation. THE INVERCARGILL AUTUMN MEETING. Thb Southland Racing Club is out with another all-round sporting programme, consisting of fiat racing, 'chasing, and trotting, and so endeavours to cater for spectators and participants in each branch of racing. The chief items on the programme are the Southland Cup, of 350sovs, one mil© and a-qunrtor; the Southland Steeples, of 250sovs, about three miles; tho Awarua Handicap, of 210sovs, one mile and a distance; and the Invercargill Steeples, of. 175sovs, about two miles and a-halt. Tho* Flying .Handicap of 150sovs, six furlongs; Tradesmen's Handicap, of 150sovs, ono mile, Winter Oats- Handicap, of 150sove, one mile; and the President's Handicap, of 125sovs, six furlongs, go towards assisting the principal events in the financial attractiveness of the programme. The minor events each carry a stake of lOOsovs, and in addition there are the Waverley Trot, of 150sovs; Invercargill Harness Trot, of 120sovs; New River Harness Trot, of 150sovs; and the Dash Saddle Trot, of 120sovs. Nominations for all events on the programme are due on Friday, March 1.