MY NOTE BOOK.

Observer, Volume 1, Issue 22, 12 February 1881, Page 223

MY NOTE BOOK.

By "Old Turfite."

The acceptances for the Wanganui Cup do not contrast favourably with some of the other handicaps, only 1(3 out of the 36 having cried content. Still Mr. Hately ought to be satisfied, as many of those entered had no chance even with the proverbial "postage stamp." The principal absentees are Betrayer, who injured himself before the Auckland meeting, and has been thrown up. Volunteer, Virginia "Water, and Lady Emma, who are heavily engaged at Dunedin. The remainder never had any chance. Foul Play heads the list of acceptances with 9st. 3lbs. At this weight Ido not fancy his chance. Natator (Sst. olbs.) won the Wellington Cup pretty easily, his penalty i of 71bs. bringing his weight to Bst. 121bs. Should he, therefore, be the selected one i of the stable, he will be dangerous. Grip (7st. 131b5.) is his stable companion, and has been backed to win the Dunediu Cup. Should he win that, he is quite able to land this even with his penalty of 71bs. Libeller (7st. 41 Us.) ran second to Natator for the Wellington Cup at a difference of 11 lbs. He Avas, ' however, beaten rather easily. He escapes a penalty for winning the Racing Club Handicap at the same meeting, therefore his weight is not raised, and the meets Natator on lllbs., better terms, which ought to bring him home. " On Dit (7st. 2lbs.) is also in Messrs. Lance and Robinson's stable. This mare will do a good thing some day. It is even now whispered that she will be the selected one of the stable for the Dunedin Cup. However, with the three, they will be most dangerous at Wanganui. Soukar is out of place in this company. Eandwick (7st. lib.) is a horse that I expect to do a good thing soon. At Wellington he parted company with his jockey when running forward. As the stable has accepted with him in preference to Volunteer, who appeared Avell in, he may prove dangerous for the race. Norseman (6st. 121b5.) is reported to be a good horse, but his running points to him being one of those unlucky animals that blunder up in front, but can never land a big stake. King Quail (6st. 121b5.) has, if n't and well, a good show,_ as he is a game honest horse, and one that is sure to go for the money. He is not a good beginner, but can stay any distance. For the remainder I have very little fancy. The race seems to be confined to the following, as I never can fancy a cocktail for a race of this description : Foul Play, Natator, Grip, Libeller, On Dit, Kandwick, Norseman, and King Quail. With Dunedin coming first it is a difficult tiring to reduce them ; still, with the Yeoman's prize in view, I Avill reduce them to Messrs. Robinson and Lance's selected one, Natator for choice, with Libeller or King Quail to furnish the [ winner. The Wanganui Stakes has an acceptance of 17 out 34. The horses left in are nearly the same as for the Cup. The Handicap being very similar, only a couple of pounds heavier. The distance, however, is a quarter of a mile j shorter, which Avill suit" some of them better. It is, hoArever, greatly dependent on previous running. I shall, hoAvever, expect the same stable to furnish the Avinner. On Dit for preference this time, with Libeller, Avhose best dis- . tance, in my opinion, is from a mile and a half, !to tA\ r o miles, and. Randwick to furnish the winner. I The Flying Stakes has only an acceptance of 12 out of 33. This race is greatly dependent on previous running. HoAvever, I fancy the chances of Billinpsgate, Randwick, and On ! Dit best.

Wellington races are over, and the second act of the Racing Dram a has been played. Natator won the Cup easily, -with Libeller second. When Foul Play won the Auckland Cup and was sold. by the stable, it was declared by all the cognoscenti that the Wellington Cup was a good thing for Natator. Messrs. Robinson apd Lance hold a strong hand, especially with

w th Mr. Griffiths as handicapper. Some time agol sketched the programme that was laid out by the stable. The hrst two events have come off, and it now remains to be seen if the third (The Sff^fi 0 "^ wUI do T S0 ' thou S h under a clittei ent handicapper. In my own mind, lam of an opinion that both Grip and On Dit will land a coup when wanted, but at this distance away, and with the telegrams so imperfect, it is impossible to watch the market. It seems however, not unlikely that Messrs. Robinson and .Lance s stable will win the Dunedin Cup, Wangamu Cup and Stakes, together with the principal handicaps at the Christchurch Autumn Meeting. I have often been abused for running clown handicappers and saying tliere is not a competent man at present handicapping If there is, he cannot get about and attend all the race meetings, watching the running of the different horses. There is nothing easier if you have the cattle than to "prepare" them for the handicapper, and win all the principal handicaps. Taking this point of v *ew, it strikes me from Agent's runnin°-at Wellington that he is waiting, perhaps for the Grand Intercolonial that is talked about to take place this winter in Victoria. Libeller managed to win the Racing Club Handicap, and thus pay expenses for his owner. Mr. Walters has been truly unlucky this season, finding something just good enough to beat him for the principal handicaps that have been run. Lady Emma whose appearance has been looked forward to with interest, was scratched for the Cup owing to her jockey, Williams, who had come over from Australia to ride her, breaking his collar bone in the first race of the meeting Virginia Water, who was greatly fancied for the Cup, was brought to Wellington, and scratched at the last moment. Whether she was brought for "milking purposes" or went amiss, the telegrams are too meagre to enable one to say. The remainder of the racing was not interesting and does not tend to throw light on any future events.

The Ohaupo Races (Waikato), give promise of producing a nice little meeting. Unfortunately the club gave 150 soys. for a Derby, which, considering the few horses likely to be entered as foals, was a mistake. The handicaps have a fair number of entries, but unfortunately three orfour were late, owing to carelessness.

There is a rumour going about that Vampire has gone crooked, and it is not without some foundation, therefore I strongly advise my readers not to back him for Dargaville until something more is known about him. I am told lie will not run.

A new sporting paper has been started in Sydney, under the name of the Australian Sportsman. The Oamaru Jockey Club has issued a programme for a two days race meeting in March. The money given amounts to about £450. Mr. J. W. Feild, of Tasmania, died on Jan. 14th. He was a well known breeder of thoroughbred stock, and years ago he was one of the leading racing men. Mr. Percival was asked to act as handicapper to the Waikato Turf Club, but could not go up to Hamilton till Saturday, so the appointment was tendered Captain Hundley. Le Lonp, Grip, and Sir Modred are the best favourites for the Dunediu Cup, but up to the present time the betting has been very limited. Now however that the Wellington Cup is over, it will become more spirited. "Old Turfite" was quite wrong in stating last week that the books_ were " chary" of laying against Vampire for tlie Dargaville Races. From the very fir3t a fair price has been forthcoming against him, in fact, the general opinion seems to be that, eveu supposing him to be fit and well, two or three others are better in. The general entries for Dunedin give promise of a first-class meeting-, nearly all the principal horses beinj>- engaged. Mr. Walters' name, for a wonder, is missing from the general entries, though I believe it is his intention to run the colt by Yattendon, out of Peeress, in the Champion Stakes. Mr. J. Lennard, of Epsom, had the misfortune to lose Venus at Tauranga, in a match over hurdles with Doubtful for £50 a, side. The mare appeared to be winning easily, when she fell at one of the hurdles and broke her neck. Williams, her jockey was much shaken and cut about the head, but is now doing well. Misenus, the winner of the Great Shropshire Handicap, was purchased by James Dover, the trainer, on behalf of a lady of title, who races under the name of Mr. Cameron, at a " weed out" in 1878, for only 200gs. The horse is good-looking enough for anything. He started at the remunerative price of 20 to 1, having being beaten in the Liverpool Cup and also in the Beechor Hurdle Eace by Turco, the week previous. The entries for the Tarauaki Races are very good, there being 22 in the Autumn Handicap, 11 in the Steeplechase and the samp number in the Hurdles. The horses, with the exception of Longlands, Hilarious and Mr. Walters' Libeller and Hippocampus, are local horses. The meeting has greatly improved during the last few years, and would do more so if Tarauaki was not such a bad place to get at, the landing being most dangerous for horses. j At a meeting of the Stewards of the North Canterbury Races, it has been determined that the Cup stakes be not paid to the owner of .Farewell until the 1 protest of the owner of Bandwick be fully considered, and that a full statement of the proceedings be submitted to the C.J.C., and that Messieurs P. McGrath, G. H. Lee, and M. Duncan, be deputed a committee to collect evidence and lay same before the Club for decision. Says the St. James's Gazette of a recent , date : — " It has been remarked by careful observers for many years past that proportionately more first favourites are successful in what may be called the great races of the season than in the minor races ; and-u comparison of the results of the twenty-two most important events of the closing season shows that, though first favourites have not done nearly so well as usual, the loss to a backer of horses who had followed them from beginning j to end would have been but trifling. Last year twelve ! out of the twenty-two principal races were won by first favourites, but this year only seven have been successful, though it is worth notice that in an equal number of cases the second favourites have won. First favourites won the Great Metropolitan Stakes at Epsom, the Chester Cup, the Derby, the Ascot Cup, the Alexandra Plate, the Goodwood Stakes, and the Newmarket Champion Stakes ; while the second favourite secured the City and Suburban Handicap, the One Thousand Guineas, the Goodwood Cup, the Ebor Handicap, the Doncaster St. Leger, the Middle Park Plate, and the Liverpool Cup. The Liverpool Steeplechase and the Northumberland Plate were won by Empress and Myeanpe, both of whom started at 8 to 1, A point I longer odds was laid against Kobert the Devil for the : Cesarewitch, while Eosy Cross, winner off the Lincoln- ! shire Handicap, and Lucetta, who secured the Cambridgeshire, stood at about 16 to 1. The two animals against which the longest odds were laid in the great races of the year were Petronel, who stood at 20 to 1 when he ran for the Two Thousand Guineas, and Jenny i Howlett, against whom as much as 33 to 1 was betted just before the start for the Oaks. Although " following the first favourite" in the races of this season would have resulted in a loss, this loss would" be transformed into a<lafge gain if an equal suiii had been invested upon the second favourite,