CAP AND JACKET

Observer, Volume XV, Issue 796, 31 March 1894, Page 13

CAP AND JACKET

[By Eemington.]

FACING tfIXTUBES. April 6.— Mauku Jockey Club. Way 10.— Egmont Bacing Club. Way 19, 24. — Takapuna Jockey Club. May 24.— Wan ganui Jockey Club. June 4, 8.- Auckland Bacing Club Winter.

Auckland Trotting Clab second day's Autumn Meeting at Potter's next Saturday.

Percy Johnston was with us again this week. Percy is very popular with all who know him, and his triends were all glad to see him looking: so well.

Owners were very much disgusted last week at the short time allowed them between the time the weights appeared and the time when acceptances were due over the A.R.C. Autumn Meeting.

The big gelding Fright has shown us on several occasions that he can gallop and also jump. His victory in the Hurdle Eace was a good performance. The time for the 2 miles was 3 mm 52 aec, and this is good enough for Grand National honours.

Schoolgirl's victory at Potter's on Saturday was a very hollow one. This mare has been running very. indifferently of late, probably owing to unfitness. When well she is a good mare, and her Saturday's performance is perhaps short of her best form.

Pica carried his 12st to victory in the hurdles at Potter's last Saturday, as I predicted he would ; but Kffie ran a game mare all the same, and her rider a vigorous race. Yet the latter was all out whilst Pica was hardly pressed, and his condition should enable him to win the Steeplechase on Saturday.

Despised cut a very inglorious figure at Ellerslie on Monday in the Hurdle Eace. No doubt 12st 101 bis a good lump to carryover hurdles over a two mile course, but I think the son of Cap-a-pie could not have been the Despised of old or he would have been a deal closer up at the finish.

Three Star again demonstrated his good quality at Ellerslie last Monday. Although the time, 1 mm 18 sec, was not extra good considering the going, the colt was carrying a big weight with 9.3. Three Star certainly got the best of the starts, and it is probable if Grenadier had not bolted a considerable distance just before the start he might have given Mr Nathan's a little more to do to win.

Some take exception to two-year-olds running in pony races. Why, I don't know. At this time of the year, a two-year-old less than pony height is likely to remain a pony. Too small to have much chance in two year-old races, except under very lenient weights, all owners must have something to run for. As regards breeding, have we not amongst the pony brigade other than two-year-olds, a lew exceptionally bred ones ?

The absence of the tout at Ellerslie was a noticeable fact this Eastertide. To what cause this is traceable, 1 don't know: Perhaps the amateur is now alive to the fact that touting is all very well if you don't go much on what you see. Perhaps his absence is due to the extra chilliness of the atmosphere at early morn. Anyway, I must say the ardour of the Auckand amateur is apparently very easily damped.

What about blood for trotting? What about Budge's Albert Victor ? We haven't seen anything like it in Auckland. There's style about Albert Victor, mountains above aDy of our other trotters, bar perhaps one or two. AndAucklanders, too, know how to admire quality when they see it, and those of them at Potter's, admired to their fill, and did not fail in their enthusiasm to heap encomiums, well deserved, «n the best bit of trotting blood we have yet seen pacing it at Potter's.

A dead bird was much more than whispered around in town last Saturday morning in connection with the trotting at Potter's later on. No secret was made that Waratah was the best of good things for the Maiden Trot. It was given around as loud as possible that he would walk in. Even if he fell down, they said, he could get up and then walk in. Everybody knew it, and heaven knows what sort of a div. he would have paid. But Waratah was not allowed tojlstart, and he walked in to his box.

Quadrant has apparently come back to something like his old form- He is rather late in. the day however, and I doubt if we shall ace him with the colours up after this season.

Perhaps about the easiest win at Ellerslie last Monday was that of Kathleen, in the Pony Race. This mare has an exceedingly pretty style of going, a long free stride, she gallops without apparent effort.

Pica, if not too heavily weighted, should about win the Steeplechase at Potter's next Saturday, as hia condition is a bit above the others engaged. Effie should run well in the same event, and I expect to see her run into a place.

The A B.C. must congratulate itself on the success met with at their Autumn Meeting. On Easter Monday the attendance was not as large as usual, but speculation was brisk, and the machine officials were kept busy over each race.

Grenadier I reckon is about the best-looking colt at present located at Ellerslie. I doubt if when at his best later on, Three Star will be able to beat him at anything near even weights. Grenadier is a colt who requires a great deal of time.

Another blow to backers the other side was the downfall once again of the mighty Carbine's relative Carnage. The colt has so far cost his followers a pretty penny. His defeat in the A.T.C. St. Leger was the hardest cut of all, as it was thought he could not possibly lose.

Followers of form have been having a rough time of it of late. Light Artillery on his recent running certainly looked a good thing for the Sydney Cup. The winner turned up in a filly, Lady Trentor, a daughter of Light Artillery's sire Trentor, out of Black Swan.

Mr W. Walters' Doris was very unlncky at Ellerslie on Monday. I do not think she had any-possible chance of beating Three Star in the Champagne, but unfortunately for her owner, this fractious fiery threw away what chance she may have had by bolting once round the course.

The Helensville Racing Club's annual meeting takes place on Saturday, April 7th, at Te Makari Racecourse. A special train is arranged for, so that no doubt a fair number of Ancklanders will make the trip to what should prove an enjoyable day's sport and outing.

All think that Acacia ought to have won the Tradesman's Plate at Ellerslie last Monday. Certainly she was left very badly and pot over her ground in a surprising 1 manner, yet Quadrant had a bit up his sleeve at the finish, and this would probably have assisted him had ha been tackled more strongly.

The proceedings at Potter's Paddock last Saturday were delayed somewhat at the very start over an eaquiry into the qualification of the trotting horse Waratah to run in ths Maiden Trot. The stewards decided to disallow this horso from starting, as the necessary declaration had not been complied with re the horse's breeding, &c.

Mr D. Rutherford's pair, Kulnine and Norton, were both successful at the first day of the C.J.C. Autumn meeting at Riecarton, the former winning the Epsom Handicap (Im.) with 9st 111 b np, and cutting the mile out in lmin 43secs, whilst Norton accounted for the Kildare Steeplechase (3m.), carrying 12st 71b and winning easily.

Blarney, who was looked on as a 'dead cert' for the C.J.C. Champagne Stakes run on Saturday last, failed to fun into a place. Mr G. G. Stead's b.f. Bluefire, one of Maxim's gets out of Sapphire, was returned the winner, Casket and Pompom filling' the places. Casket is the much-talked-of colt by Castor — Bangle, and was bred by Mr T. Morrin at Wellington Park.

Lottie, always voted a non-stayer, proved her ability to get a mile and a half in the Easter Handicap last Monday. Her victory, too, was a fairly easy one, and the time 2min, 40see, very creditable indeed. My choice last week was Tulloch, with Lottie and Yattenfeldt in the places. However, Tulloch's mare was missing amongst the first three, and his failure was evidently caused through soreness.

The Auckland Trotting Ciub bring their Autumn Meeting to a conclusion on Satnrday next. As there are no weights or acceptances declared up to the time of writing, it is impossible for me to go into details concerning the racing. Readers have the first day's racing before them and will be able to judge what horses and ponies will be able to run well. With fine weather again next Saturday, the A.T.C. should come out on the right side over their two days' Autumn meeting.

Mr Davies, of the Exchange and Mart, advertises that he has for sale a pair of Biunial Lanterns of the newest construction with every appliance for producing etho-oxygen or oxy-hydrogen light. Large number of valuable slides, etc., suitable for professional exhibitor.