TALK OF THE DAY.

Otago Witness, Issue 3339, 13 March 1918, Page 41

TALK OF THE DAY.

By Sentinel THE C.J.C. AUTUMN MEETING. The usually great interest surrounding the weights tor the Great Easter and Great Autumn, is not likely to drop below par. with such excellent fields engaged to deepen the problem. Biplane's well-proved brilliancy made it obvious that he would receive a good load to carry and he has been asked to take up the same that under which Cruciform scored as 1 a three-year-old in 1902.- Cruciform could have won with a bit more weight; but, even so, Biplane's task reads more difficult to accomplish, as he is up against a much stronger field than that which followed borne the daughter of St. Leger when she made light of her load. Biplane is a rare galloper, and would in all probability account for those handicapped above eight stone if he goes to the post: Several near him, such as Fiery Cross, Menelaus, Sasanof, Adjutant, Wishful, and Margerme, have been running over a distance, and hence may not be able to exhibit sufficient brilliancy to get a good place in tho rush from the barrier, although they would be able to gallop on at the business end of the journey if they get anything like a clear run, In summing up the form in connection with big events, it is wise to stick to the form in races of a similar class; and on that line Croesus, who has been kept to the same branch of business, shouldbe dangerous amongst the top-weights. Note, ior instance,- that he ran second in the Stewards' to Form. Up, and now meets Margerine, who has been running over miles and a-half, on a stone better terms. Nanna, Disdainful, and Daytime are a trio that should skip a good seven furlongs, and the danger zone in the handicap appears to bo around lot listed-from Nanna down to Kilboyne. Wardancer had Fiery Cross extended at the distance when meeting him over a mile at 81b during the Dunedin Cup meeting, fit and well, should beat him at 211 b over sever, furlongs. Some of the light-weight, division may bo more worthy of consideration if they survive: the first payment. The majority of the top-weight division may be more at home over tho . Great Autumn distance than in the Great Easter. Assuming that Johnny Walker can repeat his last Riocarton form, ho should be dangerous at 7.10, as he ought to beat Menelaus in the scale of weights. Biplane's mission is more likely to be tho Challenge Stakes than the Great Autumn. Adjutant has been running somewhat disappointingly, birt it may be worthy 'of note that he meets Fiery Cross on no less than 2Slb better terms than last year. This is a liberal enough concession to allow the Chokebore stable horse to turn the tables. Margerine and Wardancer were on about the top of their form at the Dunedin Cup meeting, but, unfortunately, the latter is now regarded as a doubtful starter. Margerine meets Adjutant on 101 b worse terms than when they ran in the Dunedin Cup, and Wardancer on 41b worse terms. Rorke's Drift is one- of the best-treated horses in the race. He meets Margerine on 191 b better terms than in the Dunedin Cup, and on his best form reads to have a good charice. He finished a close fourth in the Metropolitan with 8.4, .and a repetition .of that run should carry him close up again at Ricoarton. Killard may prove the best of the light-weight division, as he is regarded as an improving sort that will very likely train on to better form with increasing age. THE GORE MEETING. The Gore Racing Club experienced excellent weather for their summer meeting, and there was a very satisfactory attendance considering the restricted means of reaching the course. Very few, indeed, journeyed by train from Dunedin on the morning of the races; but a large fleet of motors came from all parts to assist in filling the enclosures. The track presented a burnt-up appearance, and the goi?g was very hard, and not relished by some of the runners who wore not too sound in the legs or feet. The racing, from beginning to end, was very interesting, except in the Steeplechase, which provided one of the poorest displays the writer has ever seen over country. Ascalaphus won the Cup easily at the finish; but a bit of a scramble round the home turn contributed to his winning margin owing to some of the others getting kr.ocked about at a critical moment of the race. There is. however, no denying that Ascalaphus was always going very well, and would have required a power of beating on the day. The chief sprint event was climaxed by a close go between Benefit and The White King, whilst Glensponse and Revolution finished right on top of the first two. More judiciously handle!. The White King would nave won nicely, or might, indeed, have lasted it out if minus his overweight. Helicon did not appear to have too good a passago in the Croydon Handicap; but he scored at tho finish from Mohawk, who was a bit too far out of his ground in the carlv part to be dangerous at the finish. The first trot proved a good thing for Red Empress; but Erie, Rothschild might have upset Socialist's win had lie been more patiently handled when running half a milo from home. THE WAIMATE MEETING. It is feared that the field in the Waimate Cu|> will not prove very strong from a numerical point of view, as Marsa is a doubtful starter. Her absence would reduce the field to six, a small enough num-

ber, which is a bit disappointing in tho face of tho stake on offer. Despite tho small field, however, the Waimate Cup should provide an interesting race even though most students of form may regard it as something in which Killard is entitled to start a good favourite. Davthne is also in the President's Handicap," in which Kilboyne will very probably start favourite. Hot Air won so convincingly at Wingatui that she .will meet with strong support for the Studholme Handicap. The Waitanga Hack reads one of the most open races on the card; but as most of tho acceptors in the various events claim more than one engagement, the fields may, and no doubt will, bear a rather' different aspect when at the post from what they do at present. A DETHRONED QUEEN. After her trainer's positive assurance that Desert Gold could stay any distance it would make very disappointing- reading when her admirers found that she could not defeat the by no means strong field she met in the King's Plate at Flomington. As far as the writer could gather from the reports of her track work in Australia, it would not, however, havo been surprising to find that Desert Gold had declined the contest over two miles, as she did not appear to be receiving the right preparation to carry her over a distance. Presumably she trained on as a result of her racing at Caullield and in the early part of the Flemington meeting, and was deemed ready to run in the King's Plate, in which her most formidable opponent appeared to be Wallace Isinglass, whom she had just handsomely defeated over, a mile and a-half in the Governor's Plate. As far as one can gather from the cabled report of the run for the King's Plate, Desert Gold's pilot appears to have made a tremendous lot of use of her in taking her so far out in front as the allengcd 20 lengths. If the mare was not quite strung up for the journey it amounted to a suicidal policy and a great error of judgment on trie part of her rider, or whoever was responsible for his instructions to rush her out and apparently run her to a standstill. Sometimes one is strongly inclined to doubt if some of even our most prominent riders and trainers have ever made a study of riding tactics such as an Archer, a distance, or a Fordham would adopt under certain circumstances. In a slowrun race there is every reason to believe that Desert 'Gold wouid have smothered Wallace Isinglass for speed at the finish. She is a fairly kind-going mare —indeed, we read of her being positively lazy in her races. Cetigne apparently had her extended at Cauifield; but, when shaken up? she came away from him, and if she had been kept with her field in the King's Plate without being pulled about Wallace Isinglass would once more have in all probability been a modest pursuer of the crack All Black mare. There w-as no pace set in the Governor's Plate, and the same tactics would have won her the King's Plate unless her owner _ desired to test her, as he claimed when side-stepping Cetigne, over a journey, and test her in such a manner as to court defeat. Her apologists will no doubt have much to say in explaining away her defeat; but it is'feared now, as it has been feared before in these columns, that Desert Gold does npt combine her great brilliancy with, great stamina. She will, however, have ' an opportunity to retrieve her laurels during the course of the A.J.C. meeting, when she should be strung up and thoroughly fit and well to tackle the •longest distance on the programme. Prior to that there will be an opportunity to gather full accounts of her triumphs and defeats in Victoria. THE INVERCARGILL SPRINT. At the-Dunedin Cup meeting Glensponse just beat Mohawk over six furlongs when in receipt of 231 b, and the latter has received an excellent opportunity of. turning the tables on the former in meeting hnn on 91b better terms over the eame distance at Lnvercargill. Glensponse also has the worst of it on the running in tho Croydon Handicap at Gore, where Mohawk, after getting badly away, beat the Glenapp gelding when giving him 191 b. Redshire was in receipt of 2lb when he finished in front of Glensponse in the Publicans' Handicap, and was handicapped to give away 51b on the second day. JNow they meet on oven terms, an adjustment which does not read hard upoii Redshire; but the latter, like Glensponse, should be held _ safe by the top weight, as the American-bred horse meets Redshire on 31b and Glensponse on lib better terms than when they met in the Publicans' Handicap. The White King beat Glenspons>e at Gore when in receipt of 21b, and should beat him again at even weights, but Mohawk once again seems to dominate the situation by meeting the King's Guest gelding on 91b better terms than when they last met at Wingatui.' Travelling further on in tho Flying Handicap at lnvercargill, one is inclined to halt at Michacla at 7.4. She beat Benefit out of a place in the Warrington • Handicap;' rum at the Dunedin Cup meeting, when in receipt of 31b. On that line Michaela is rather better than a match for Benefit, and hence on the Gore running, she represents the last-named at 7.4 in the Flying at lnvercargill. .At Gore we found Benefit beating The White King at 15£lb, and consequently Michaela also leads his master at 141 b. According to the line supplied by collateral form, Michaela reads rather dangerous, whijst Mohawk dominates the situation from his end of the list. Lion was handicapped at 21b from Glensponse at Gore, whilst at lnvercargill he meets the latter on 161 b better terms. Lion was in at the minimum at the Dunedin Cup meeting, and the marked difference of opinion between the weight-adjusters will no doubt -make interesting reading to owners closely concerned in the matter. It is worthy of note that Lion was on the Gore course last week, and would probably have started on more suitable going, and, if that is so, his owner should have reason to be pleased in getting ©uch a pull in the weights for not starling. THE SOUTHLAND MEETING. • There has been so much chopping and changing in connection with tho handicapping at the Southland race meetings that tho re-appointment of Mr W. A. Saunders as handicapper to the Southland Racing Club naturally draws a little extra attention to his work in connection with the coming meeting. Rorke's Drift has been let away lib in. the Southland Cup on what ho carried at Gore, and he now meets Ascalaphus on 121 b better terms. Ascalaphus won in apparently very decisive stylo at Gore, but there was sonio bumping at tho home turn likely to hamper some of-the runners; whilst Ascalaphus, on the other hand, obtained a clear run and established such a good lead that he practically had the race won over a furlong

from homo; otherwise his winning - margin might not have been so great. Ascalaphus certainly looks a bit close to Koike's Drift at 61b, but on the other hand the Martian gelding has not boon harshly treated in view of the style in which he apparently captured the Gore Cup, Golden King did not reproduce form when running at the Dunedin Cup meeting, but ho may be in bettor racing shape and more at homo on the turfy going at Invercargil than he was on the hard ground at Wingatui. Marsa finished in front of him in the last Birthday Handicap when in receipt of 61b, and phould boat him again at 41b if she runs to the book. Marsa was finishing much faster than anything else in the Gore Cup, and as she now meets Ascalaphus on 10lb better terms, should certainly be very dangerous if she has not turned an absolutejade. She meets Rorke’s Drift at 21b *worse than at Gore, and has been nicely treated through him. Gunrest has been granted an excellent opportunity at 8.4, and, in fact, the handioapper appears to have taken a liberty with him. At the last Riverton meeting he was giving Rorke’s Drift lib, 261 b to Marsa, and 531 b to Thaddeus; and, as the form at the last S.R.C. autumn meeting suggests that Gunrest and Rorke’s Drift are about a match, the former is obviously well treated at a concession of 121 b. Gunrest was handicapped at 41b from Rorko’s Drift at Gore, and the Southland figures show a marked difference of opinion. Scdd-el-Bahr won at the last New Zealand Gup meeting, and on his Provincial Handicap form meets Gunrest on 161 b worse terms and Marsa on 121 b worse terms. Thaddeus ran disappointingly at Gore, but is well treated in meeting Ascalaphus at 171 b better terms and. Marsa at 7lb better terms. Thaddeus, however, reads oven much bettor treated on his D.J.C. Handicap form, as he now meets Rorke’s Drift on 11b and Marsa on 3lb better terms. Kauwhero has a very remote chance, as on his Gore running he can have no chance with those who beat him last week, and on top of the figures ho appears “to have lightened .up and lost the strongthy appearance ho sported earlier in the season. The writer held a strong suspicion that Awahou beat Rorke’s Drift at Gore, and, if that is so, then the former has nothing to complain about in coming in on 21b better terms as far as the topweight is concerned; and it is interesting to note that Redowa meets Jock on 61b better terms than when she got badly away and finished in front of him at Gore. Acceptances are due on Friday, March 15.