CAP and JACKET

Observer, Volume XVI, Issue 924, 26 September 1896, Page 27

CAP and JACKET

BAGING FIXTURES. Oct. 5 & 6— Hawke's Bay J.C. Spring Oct. 13 & 14— Napier Park B.C. Spring Oct. 22 & 23— Wanganui J.C. Spring Nov. 9 & 11— Auckland B.C. Second Spring Nov. 9. 11 & 14— Canterbury J.C. Spring Nov. 21 & 25— Wellington 8.0. Spring Nov. 25, 27 & 28— Dunedin J.C. Spring Dec. 26, Jan. 1 & 2— Auckland B.C. Bummer Jan-l-Hawke'sßay Summer Jan. 20 & 22— Wellington B.C. Summer Feb. 7— C.J.C. Summer Feb. 24, 25 & 27— Dunedin J.C. Autumn Mar. 4 & s— Wanganui J.C. Autumn Mar. 17 & 18 - Hawke's Bay J.C. Autumn Mar. 23 & 24— Napier Park B.C. Autumn Mar. 27— Danedin Anniversary April 6, 7 & 11— Auckland B.C. Autumn June 6 & B— North N.Z. Grand National

A.R.C. FIRST SPRING MEETING. Fiest Day. The opening day of the Auckland racing season last Saturday reanlted auspiciously. With such beautiful spring weather as we experienced on that day, it would have been strange indeed if the liberal bill of fare provided by the A.R.C. bad not attracted an average attendance. But the Club could hardly h.ave been prepared, or at least could hardly have expected so early in the season, such a really grand one. The day's sport proved such as really merited Buch liberal patronage to the Club, and the most harsh critic could hardly, with justice, find cause for complaint. Such good racing is due, in no Bmall measure, to the very even character of the fields, brought about by judicious handicapping. The running of the Hurdle Race and the Steeplechase was distinctly opposite in character. In the former the series of falla deducted from the interest in the event as a race ; whilst the cross-country event was of an order worih witnessing; albeit the favourite— Levanter— scored a very easy victory at the finißh. The prospective improvements at Ellerslie are being made good progress with, and these are extensive, and when finished will highly enhance the A.R.C. course property and the convenience of visitors, and all connected with racing at Ellerslie. A few last words in praise of the management of the club's meeting are more than due. To the caretaker also, who is an indefatigable servant to the A.R.C, is comment due for the splendid state of the course and surroundings.

AVONDALE JOCKEY CLUB. On Saturday of next week the Spring Meeting of the Avondale Jockey Club commences. The Club has received excellent nominations for the various events of the first day's running. Weights were to have appeared earlier, but the Club wisely postponed the production of the handicaps till after the conclusion of the meeting at Ellerslie, and they will probably appear to-day (Thursday). Acceptances will close with Mr H. H. flayr, secretary, to-morrow (Friday) at 9 p.m.

Bombshell has arrived in England in good condition. Racing at Avondale next Saturday week and following Saturday. Hortensius and Duke of Richmond have been scratched for both Caulfield and Melbourne Cups. The Sportsman figures out Mr L. de Bothschild's winnings, up to July 25th, to amount to £41,480 in stakes. Mr Harry McCalmont, owner of Insinglass, ia expected to visit New Zealand during his tour round the world. The pony Valencia won a 14-2 handicap at Roseberry Park (Sydney), on September Ist, starting favourite at 3 to 1. During the six seasons Prime "Warden has been racing he haa earned in" stakes. £4170. Lady Yetland during the Bame time haß earned £3700. .. Messrs Cleland and McLeod have apparently a nice colt in Sabretache. He ia a colt likely to improve a good deal by next November, and with luck it is hard to say what he might dp for his owners He is in good hands as' regards his training, and in that justice is certain to be done to him.

North Atlantic is still in the paddock, also Spindrift and Hopeful. A Taranaki owned colt, son of Sovereign, has been appropriately named Quid. Acceptances for the Hawke's Bay Meeting are due next Thursday, 24th inst. Beggarman, thought to be done, ran fairly well at Ellerslie. He haa not forgotten how to jump. Sabretache again ran second at the AJ.C. Meeting, being beaten a neck by Survivor in the Members' Handicap, 1 mile 1 furlong. Fishmonger shaped badly on Saturday. In addition to going sore, he refused badly, behaviour which was probably in consequence of that soreness. Betting on the New Zealand Cup has been stagnant tbis week owing to local Spring racing occupying the whole of the attention of turfites. The next payments in connection with the New Zealand and Canterbury Cups are due on Oct. 16th., general entry day for the OJ.C. Cup meeting. Ilex, the l)(urdler, has been winning at Timaru. £Fhis is the horse whose chance was thqught a deal of by some for ; the last Ohrist£hurch Grand National, in which I believe he felL True Blue with the penalties attached through hia Waverley Handicap victory will probably put him out of count for both Caulfield and Melbourne Cupa. He will now have to carry 9st lllb. Christchurch lieferee, referring to Lord Roslyn, a New Zealand Cup candidate, says he 'was not trained for the Kensington Handicap atForbury, when he was last in a field of four. He was palpably big in condition.' Haria v as nearly springing a surprise on backers on Saturday. Haria is not a duffer at galloping ; he has run some good races, and it is qaite on the cards he may win a good race or two during the season. | The Flirt, Folly's half-sister, I showed promise of pace in the Maiden last I Saturday. She is as fine and well grown a mare as any at Ellerslie, but green. If as good as Folly she will pay well to race. A Maori with limited ideas about horse production sent his old draught to a blood stallion to secure a ' racer.' Some time afterwards he wrote the owner of the 1 sire : ' That fole him no tarn good. He killed by lightnin'. Me send horse again. Me no want grey fole thish time. Kapai bay ! allee same Carbine.' — Sydney Bullentin. According to Southern New Zealand Cup betting quotations, there are occasional backers of Mahaki. Personally I have not heard how this horse ia progressing, aud think it doubtful if he will be found standing next November. His name does not apper in the list of nominations for the Hawke's Bay Spring and Flying Handicaps. The double first day Ellerslie Spring —St. Paul and Levanter— actually paid per totalisator, 4 to 1. This double was well backed with bookmakers, and on Saturday morning sevens to one would have been accepted, but there were no layers. One bookmaker, who had laid his full book, had the foresight and the pluck to back it back at half the odds laid. News comes from Hawke's Bay to the effect that the Hon. J. D. Ormond's Cup representatives are doing well. Defiance and Sabreur are putting in long work, and though Dauntless is also doing all right there is a growing impression amongst track habitues that sprinting will be found to be more to his liking than long journeys. The Auckland bookmaker who was recently credited with having picked the winning double at Sydney TattersaU's recent meeting, for an acceptable thousand,' when he sees the report of his supposed good luck, will probably sigh as he reflects Sow acceptable that thousand would have been. Even the credit of ' picking ' was not due our friend of the satchel, and the harder luck was his, that the persuasiveness of a racing friend, one of Sydney's best judges, was powerless to project that four pounds which would have resolved into a thousand. The Ellerslie judgment, on the strength of the juveniles, was borne out as absolutely correct by the running of the Welcome Stakes. Coronet and St. Evelyn — first and second — were respectively matched. But in regard to tho St. Evelyn stable the money would' appear to have been on the unplaced one— Janet. She was second favourite, whilst St. Evelyn was only a short" length from paying nearly a £46 dividend.

Captive won the Timaru Cup and paid £26 5s dividend. When coupling him with Hippotnenes in last issue, I hadn't the least idea I was getting so near to a quarter-of-a-century dividend. The confidence placed in Tire (Mr Gollan's colt) during the A.J.G. Meeting was not misplaced, for, although the Medallion colt did not score ia the opening races, he made some amends in annexing the Eandwick Plate. Last year, at the A.E.C. first Spring Meeting, the first day Lady Marion won the Trial On Saturday, she was second. Last year, also, Bombardier won the Hurdles, he also putting up with second place in that race this year. Uhlan, in the Trial Handicap at Elleralie laat Saturday, boasted of only one solitary pound invested on his chance, and would nave paid about £460, whilst Retaliation was showing a dividend of over £500 in the Flying, she also having only one friend. True Blue fittingly crowned his previous placed performances at the A.J.G. Meeting by a victory in Waverley Handicap, 1% miles. The time was good — 3min 7sec — whilst the weight carried over such a distance stamps the performance as an excellent one. Aughadowey had exceptionally good luck to score his Hurdle Race victory last Saturday. He did not seem to me to have any sort of a chance going up the back stretch, and but for the ill-luck which befel those in front of him, I do not think his number would have been hoisted. St. Paul proves the sticker which was shadowed forth doriitg his two-year-old career. If he keeps well, and races as I expect to see him race, he will probably be called the 'bull dog.' Strange, the family he hails from were not stayers, whilst he gives promise of being one of the best. Fahulist's friends need not underestimate their fancy's chance for the New Zealand Cup, because of his defeat on Saturday last. We all know what sort of a customer St. Clements is over sis furlongs, though for some reason he did not seem to be too strongly fancied on Saturday. Fab ulist, trained as he has been for long distances, showed a capability of sprinting, and a dash of pace, quite up to his threeyear old brilliancy.