TALK OF THE DAY.

Otago Witness, Issue 3488, 18 January 1921, Page 39

TALK OF THE DAY.

By

Sentinel.

THE WELLINGTON CUP MEETING. The Wellington Cup meeting will commence on Thursday of this week, and it will mark the first occasion on which a 20QOsovs stake was olfeied at Trentham. The handsome prize-money attached to the Wellington Cup did not, however, attract such a good field as generally expected, but if the 14 horses which remain after declaration of acceptances go to the post it should provide a very interesting race. Client displayed something like his best form by winning the principal event at the recent Manawatu meeting, but he will be up against a stronger field at Trentham. He reads well enough treated in meeting Esperance, who ran second to him in the Manawatu Cup, on 41b worse terms, whilst Lovematch, Nobleman, and Dusky Eve, who were unplaced in the same race, come in on about half a stone easier terms. First Salute followed up his success in the Alison Cup Handicap with 7.11 by running a close second with 8.4 in the Auckland Cup, and it look 3 as if he should account for Red Ribbon and Tenterfield, who were amongst the unplaced division, but Tenterfield has the best of it with First Salute on the R.C. Handicap, which is run over 12 furlongs, a journey which seemed to suit the Australian-bred gelding better than a twomile course. Tenterfield is also worthy of respect on his C.J.C. Metropolitan form, which he won with 8.0 in 2.35. Maioha dead-heated with Red Ribbon at Auckland over a mile and a quarter, and the latter would lie more at home over an extra couple of furlongs. Vespucci ran a good third in the X.Z. Derby, and finished secono to Gasbag in the Great Northern Derby and this, in conjunction with his other forn at the Auckland Cup meeting, will no doubt result in him starting favourite at Welling ton. He is not far behind Gasbag in form and that suggests that Vespucci should b hard to keep out of the money in the Wellington Cup. I’unka gave a glimpse of her best form by winning the Ma-rt’oi Cup, which, however, did not attract strong field. If Punka ran up to her Grea Autumn form she would take a power o beating, but since then her running ha been very disappointing. Some excuse could, however, bo offered on her behalf as she was noticed to be trained rathe too light when running last season. Elen is sure of good support for the race, a he won in attractive style when he cap tured the Invercargill Cup wdth a ston, more than he will have to carry at Tren rharn. It, shout] be a good betting race and the order of favouritism may bo Ves pucci, as first selection, with good mono, for Red Ribbon, Tenterfield, Kleus, nn< Punka. Statuette has been sent up a ston on what she carried in the Railway Ilandi cap. and now meets Silver Link on 81 worse terms, Rossini on 141 b, Ilumbvg o,

'4lb, Hymestra on 211 b, and Miss Mimic in 91b worse terms. Chimera ran a good econd in the Stewards’ Handicap, but now las 111 b more on her back. Humbug has seen kept up fairly well, and Warplane vould be one of the hardest to beat if fight and ready to race. He won at ilanawatu with 8.11 in 1.13 3-5, and the jerformance suggests that he is not far from ;he top of his form. Silver Peak has been ■ated a bit high. She is not too smart off ;hc mark, but she will nevertheless be found naking a bold bid for the money. Affecta:ion has been an unlucky colt this season, o;it he gained a place in two races at Mana•vatu, and is probably coming back to form. In fact, he. was made favourite in the Palmerston North Stakes, so , that he had evidently been going well in his work. Blackmail, who boat" both Warplane and Affectation in the Palmerston North Stakes, jannot be overlooked with Y. 9. Hymestra showed a good turn of speed at Riccarton, but does not seem to be reliable, although he looks well in at 7.8. Miss Mimic will be suited by the small field, and as Going Lip registered/a smart gallop when she won at Auckland she may be found helping to make things busy in the race. Statuette may start favourite, and next in demand may come Blackmail. Warplane, Affectation, and Silver Peak. Rational is sure to be a good favourite for the Wellington Stakes in .which Kick Oft will also have a good following. EQUINE ARISTOCRATS. So many g'ood winners have been bred at the Waikanao stud that there is bound to be a good demand for the eight yearlings which will go under the hammer in 17 cllington on Friday next. The youngsters are, to go up absolutely without any reserve being placed on them, and as they are by the successful stallions, Martian, Kilbroney, and Boniform, they should attract plenty of attention when in the ring. The first to be offered is a bay colt bv Martian from the Birkenhead mare Pa.pb.ia., who belongs to the Mermaid family, one of the best winning lines in the stud book. It is worthy of note that Papilla is by Birkenhead, who promises to do very well as a sire of broodmares, and when it is remembered that he was got by Orme, the sire of Flying Fox and Orby, it is not surprising that he should breed on. Another horse that should make a great sire of brood mares is Bezonian, who belongs to the famous Paraffin family, which made such a great, success in Lord Derby’s stud in England. Bezonian’s daughter, Secret Link, is represented by a filly by Boniform. and is thus a very stoutlv-bred sort, as she contains two strains of Galopin with two of Musket, and in addition links up two of the best taproots in the stud book in Sunshine and Paraffin. Secret Link has produced a particularly smart galloper in Silver Link, and her daughter to Boniform should command a good figure. The Boniform—Lady Jean filly has an attractive pedigree, as her second dam was sired by Amphion, the sire of Sundridge, who has proved such a stud success in England and France. This filly is inbred to Springfield, the maternal grandsire of Otterden, the dam of Martian and Boniform, and also represents the Musket-St. Simon Cross. The Kilbroney—Rosyth colt has a pedigree which commands attention, as it links up three strains of Galopin on to two of Musket. Two of the Galopin strains are inherited through St. Simon, and the other through Angelica, the sister to St. Simon. Rosyth, it is worthy of note, is out of a Wallace mare. Peirene was such a particularly smart filly that something good should come from her mating with Boniform. as it doubles up Musket on the Sapphire taproot, which has produced such good winners as Bluefire. Cunieform, Sa-uci, Parisian Diamond, Subterranean, Mannlicher, and other good performers. Another Bezonian mare in Sea Waif has a filly by Martian which belongs to the Iclalia taproot, from which we got Sir Modred, Betrayer. Cheviot. Isolt, and other high-class racehorses. There are three strains of Musket in the Boniform —Mayhap filly which belongs to the same family as Manton, Gipsy King. Coeur do Lion, St. Crispin, Arline. Chasseur, and others tracing back to Gitana. The last on the list is the Boniform —Snowstell filly which ranks as a halfsister to a smart mare in Rebekah. the winner of several good races. Snowstell belongs to the Mermaid family, which ranks second to none as a producing line in the New Zealand Stud Book. The above lot are a most attractively bred lot that should prove very valuable on in§ turf and subsequently for stud purposes.

THE CARNIVAL WEEK. _ The excellent list of entries received for tile Dunedin Cup Meeting and the Forbury Park Trotting Club’s Meeting, which form the chief attraction of the local Carnival Week, mark the first step towards a successful gathering. Good fields have been engaged at both meetings, and patrons of both branches of sport have every prospect of viewing some good racing-. The Dunedin Cup closed with an entry of 23, and although they are not a particularly high class lot, still there is some good winning form engaged. A pleasing- feature of the entry is the fact that the North Island is represented by Affectation, Rose Wreath, and Esperance. The Jockey Club Handicap, The Publicans’ Handicap, The Flying Handicap, each closed with a good entry, and the Hazlett Memorial Plate was well patronised by an entry of 15, which included the important horse Arrow-smith. The Champagne Stakes field now stands ata round dozen, which should supply a fair field. The minor events filled very well, and the Dunedin Jockey Club are in the very pleasing position of being able to offer their patrons an attractive card for each day at Wingatui. The Forbury Park Trotting lOlub are in a similarly pleasing position. ’l’lie Dunedin Trotting Cup of 1025gns (including a trophy valued at 25sovs) closed with an entry of 19. and the list includes several of the best light harness horses in commission. The IN. V,. Trotting Stakes of 50Gsovs for three year-. Id nnhopplcd trotters has proved more atira-tivo than usual, and no less than Id youngsters still stand their ground, which makes a gratifying result to the club’s effort-', to cater for the best typo of light harness races. Taken all round the sporting side of the Dunedin Carnival Week bears a very attractive appearance, and it seems quite safe to anticipate well filled enclosures at both Wingatui and Forburv Parlt. TIIE STARTING QUESTION. Apparently the Trotting Association are. not going to let the question of the starting at the last Forbury Park meeting drop because the club do not consider it necessary to send up a representative to discuss the matter with the association. The matter is to be considered at the next meeting

of the association. In the meantime another race meeting will have taken place at Forbury Park. On this occasion Mr W I*. Dunne will have a paid assistant to help him, and this should give every chance to make satisfactroy starts. W here Mr Dunne has erred in the past is clue to liis placing the horses on their marks and then hurriedly climbing* on the stand and sending the field away almost as soon lie .goto there. This has led some to anticipate the start and cause trouble, whilst occasionally a horse has been left through turning as Mr Dunne climbed to his stanch Mr Dunne could not do better than adopt the method so successfully used by Mr \\ ■ Norman in despatching fields the socalled standing start. Under Mr Norman s system each group in a handicap is under the control of a steward, and the starter does not send away a field until every steward has indicated by his flag, that all the horses under his control are in a fair way to make a good start. Nothing could be simpler, and if adopted at Forbury Park would give just the same satisfaction as it does elsewhere. THE NORTH OTAGO MEETING. The fact that the North Otago Jockey Club’s meeting follows hotfoot after the Dunedin Cup meeting will no doubt help to win a considerable amount of patronage from owners who intend being represented at Wingatui. The North Otago Club intend hanging up £3020 in stakes, and the principal events on the programme will be the North Otago Cup. of 40Qsovs, seven furlongs; the Buckley Memorial, .of 4-OOsovs, one mile and a-quarter; the Flying Handicap. of 250sovs; and the Waitaki Handicap, of 20060v5. The balance of the programme is made up with events for hurdlers, two-year-olds, maidens, hack, and the usual welters. Nominations for all events close on Thursday, January 27, at 7 p.in*