CAP AND JACKET

Observer, Volume 1, Issue 25, 5 March 1881, Page 259

CAP AND JACKET

M V NOTE BOOK By "Old Turfite."

— The acceptances for the Wangamii Races are very poor, considering the number of nominations. Still this does not prove that the handicaps were bad, as there were many entered that could not have won with, any weight, whilst others have gone amiss. Taking the Wanganui Stakes, the first race, only 18 out of 34 have accepted. For this event there is no penalty for winners, •and the race being the same distance as the Wellington Cup, seems to be at the mercy of Natator. Mr. Lance has also On Dit engaged. Mr. Walters is not likely to send Libeller for it, as he cannot reverse the running in the Wellington Cup, having only 41b. the best of the weights. Of the others, Foul Play, Randwick, and Dan read the best. King Quail will have to improve considerably on his Waikato form to have a chance. Foul Play's running of late has been too bad to be trne ; still I do not fancy him. Bandwick won at Dunedin, "when he was asked." Dan is a speedy horse, but I doubt his ability to stay the distance; therefore I shall expect Natator or On Dit to be returned the winner, with Foul Play or Eandwick next. The Wauganui Cup has only an acceptance of 15 out of 30 nominations. The Handicap is nearly the same as for the Stakes. The distance, however, is a. quarter of a mile further, and penalties being attached to winners makes a great difference. Messrs. Lance and Robinson's stable again reads most dangerous, as they have Natator 9st. and On- Dit 7st. 21bs. engaged. The penalty attached to Natator should hold him safe. Grip, who, it was said, was the blot in the handicap, has not paid the final accexstance, owing to his having shown symptoms of lameness behind, which was the cause of his being scratched at Dunedin. On Dit has nothing to complain of at the weight, and, from her running in the Dimedin Cup, will prove a very good representative of the stable. Libeller, on his Wellington running, is exceedingly well in, and holds Natator and Eandwick safe. Foul Play will find the distance too fax with 9st. 81bs., there being so many light weights in to make the running. Soukar is fancied by some, but, in my opinion, the company is too good for him. The remarks regarding King Quail for the Stakes also apply to this race. Dan, though turned loose, will hardly stay the distance, as it is impossible to find a sst. lOlbs. boy that can hold him together for 2{ miles. I have no fancy for any of the others, and therefore expect Mr. Lance's selected one, most likely On Dit, or Walters' Libeller, to furnish the winner. Judging, however, from the Dunedin tactics, it is dangerous for any outside backer to invest his money unless he has good information. For the Flying Handicap only 13 out of Si have accepted. So much depends on the start in a race of this description that it would be waste of time to go into the handicap ; I can therefore only say that Billingsgate(though he has 9st. 7), Eandwick, and King Quail'read the best in, the two latter for choice. The VVunganui Meeting promises to be the best that has taken place in New Zealand this year. The general entries are exceedingly good. For the weigkt-for-age Hurdle there are 8; for the Handicap Hurdles, 13 ; for the Town Plate, 9 ; 9 for the Eailway Plate ; and 15 for the Maiden. The final acceptances for the Derby number 12, the Sapling Stakes ll,and 15 for the Cup, Grip being the only one that has pegged out. The pluck with which the Wanganui people go in for racing merits success, and when the railway is completed, and access to the town easier both for men and horses, it will become the niostpopular meeting in New Zealand, as they do stick to their rules. — The Dunedin Races do not appear to have been so good as usual, the fields for the most port being small, and the racing of a not very interesting character. The Cup was an utter failure, owing to some of the candidates going amiss, while others suffered from " pencil fever." I do not remember any race in the colonies where horses have been so knocked about in the betting up to the last moment. The night before there was an attempt to make Eandwick a favourite and knock out Volunteer. Sir Modred was one of the firmest horses in the market from the commencement, and he won in rather slow time. From the time the weights were published he was declared one of the three horses that were best in. Though he has won, I am still inclined to doubt whether he was the best handicapped horse in therace. If thepenhad not been putthrough the names of Le Loup, Grip, and Virginia Water, who had gone amiss at Wellington, the result, I think, would have been different. Messrs. Kobinsonand Lance nearly pulled off the treble with On Dit, their second string, Grip, having gone slightly amiss. Lady Emma ran an inferior mare in all her engagements, and I do not think she will ever fulfil her two year old promise. Volunteer, who I expected to run forward, walked in with the crowd after having been a good deal knocked about in the betting, with his stable companion, Eandwick, who was scratched at the last moment. This running is sure to be altered before the end of the season. Natator proved himself in form by winning the D.J.C. Handicap easily. Hilarious also showed himself the speedy horse he promised to be by winning the City Stakes pretty easily. The interest in the Champagne was spoilt owing to the bad start, Idalium, the favourite, getting off shockingly. Mr. Walters' colt did not accept, and will, in all probability, make his first appearance at the Christchurch Autumn Meeting. EanUwick pulled off the Forbury Handicap very cleverly, but he beat nothing. He is a good horse \ip to a mile and a half, but it is doubtful if he likes a longer course. He is also not quite sound.

— Hailstorm is all to pieces. — Mr. Lewissou drew Sir Moclred in tlie Thistle Hotel sweep on the Dunediu Cup. — Joe Gallagher lost £400 odd over the Dunedin Cop, and paid up every penny on Monday night. — Some big sums were lost over the Dunedin Cup. One noted "sport" stood to win £600 on On Dit. — Sweeps are to be put a stop to in Victoria. The Attorney-General has announced his intention to prosecute all promoters. — The saddler who makes the bridles worn hy The Agent ought to receive v, gold medal. The leather must indeed be tough, durable, and well seasoned. —Out of the 15 entered for the Waitara Derby of 1881, 9 are by Mr. Walter's old horse Isaak Walton and &by Eudymion a son of Manuka, imported from Victoria. — "Sinbad" says the yearling brother to Sir Modred and Betrayer is a very promising and symmetrical colt. He takes after the first named animal rather than the latter. — A match was lately arranged (says the Town and Country Journal), between two hacks, the conditions being that the losing horse should be boiled down for pig's food. —King Don, who has enjoyed a lengthened spell, is again in hand in the neighbourhood of Wanganui, and will no doubt give as good an account of himself over hurdles or across country, as he did last year. — A. Southern, book-maker, who despite sundry rumours to his discredit, was admitted as a. member of Tattersalls duriug the Summer Meetine has now come totally to gnef, and tenders his creditors (several of whom belong to Auckland) 5s in the X)ound. —Unless the various TattersalTs Clubs are more particular about whom they admit, respectable bettors will retire from membership, and' try to see if some stricter association cannot be formed Instead of their being fewer defaulters since the club has been initiated, there are more than ever. —The victories of Foul Play, Natator, and Sir Modred, have well nigh broken the Southern Eintr and men who, a few months ago, might hava been trusted to pay a thousand pounds if they lost it are now doubtful marks ; for a " pony » (£25). Immediately after the Dunedni Cup, telegrams reached Auck laud agents, requesting them to collect the local money oweiug, as fast as possible. This is significant

Newmarket, Auckland, N.Z.]^^462

The folio-win" 1 is tlie latest London betting on the Derby to be run June I:— 7 to 1 agst St. Louis (taken), 9 to 1 agst Scobcll (taken), 100 to 8 agst Bal Gal (taken), 40 to 1 agst Earl Godwin (taken). —The first prize in Abbot's sweep on the Dunedin Cup goes to Mr. Thomas the popular sporting draper. Mr. Thomas well deserves Ms luck, bavins? taken five or six tickets in Abbot's sweeps for years and never till now, drawn a horse. —The Sydney Gold Cup of 500sovs. has the fine entry of" 89, including Imrline's colfc Motiea,Calumny's youngster Venom, and the cracks Grand Flaneiu, Progress, and Wellington. The Hawkesbury Handicap of 300sovs. has the proportionately good entry ol /9. Mr H Haine's straightforward conduct in refusing to sell Planet before the Geelong Steeplechase was so much appreciated by his fellow metalhcians that they started a subscription to present him with a testimonial. About £100 was raised in a few minutes, but Mr. Haines refused the gift. —In framing the conditions for future Derbys, lexers, and Champagne Stakes, the Committee of A J C. has made provision for geldings, who are to be allowed 51b. This conception has been made to induce breeders to add some of their colts to the list, as there are always stallions enough and to spare. — Mr. Miller, who won the Waterloo (Coursin^) Cup in 1879 with Misterton, has again been lucky enough to secure the " Derby of the leash," this time with Princess Dagrnar. The runner-up Bishop is owned by Mr. Thomas Brocklebank, a Liverpool gentleman, who held a similar position with Bowf ell in 1862, when Roaring Meg proved triumphant. —Mr. Smith's well known horse, Smuggler, by Fisherman out of Midnight, died on the 26th of January. His principal performance was at the V.R.O. Spring Meeting in 1866, when he defeated Mr. Tints pair, Volunteer and Warwick, in the Queen s Plate the odds being 100 to lon them. Smuggler proved a great success at the Stud. — Raven, the Wanganui hurdle racer, sustained a more serious injury by his fall over a. hurdle on the Hntt Course than was at first supposed. His near foreleg has been badly strained, and were it not for careful strapping, he would scarcely be able to walk. It is very doubtful whether he will be able to run again during this season. —The promised Roman Derby of 1884 for the winner of which the King of Italy has decreed an exceptionally lar»e premium, has infused an unusual spirit ot emulation into the breeding stables of the Roman Princes. As the race is to be run by three-year-olds born and bred on the Roman Campagna or in the province of Home, the competitors have imported from England thoroughbred mares already in foal, whose progeny may l»e thus entitled to take part in the contest. Prince Borghese has established his breeding stud at his villa outside the Porta del Popolo.