Cap and Jacket

Observer, Volume XXI, Issue 1163, 13 April 1901, Page 10

Cap and Jacket

By «Boz.'

RACING FIXTUBEH. April 8. 9. l3— Auckland R C. Aatumn April 17, 18— South Canterbury J.C. Autumn April 25, B7— Wellington R.C Autumn May 83. 24-Wanganui J.O. Winter May 84, 25— Dunedin J.O. May May 24. 25— Tafcapuna J.<\ Winter May 24. 25— Dunedin JO. May Meeting Juue 19, 21— Hawke'B Bay J O. Winter June 17,20— Wellington R.C. Winter.

Racing again at Ellerslie on Saturday.

Big outlook for success of Avondale Autumn Meeting. Did Nonettc frighten out the Southerners this autumn? Where are jumpers coming from for the Grand Nationals this year ? The Takapuna Winter Meeting opens this year on the ueual date, May 25 th.

Where are the ' bards ' of Ellerslie that 'Whalebone' would like bo much to awaken ?

V.A.T.C. G.N. Hurdles increased stake of £1150 is the plum Record Reign'e owner has in his mind's eye.

St. Paul's racing career must be considered as about ended Even J. Cnaafe'a persistency will have to give in

Dartmoor should race by himself, f there is any fan in kicking — and be is cod at it— no one wonld be averse to him and his rider baviog all of it.

Nobility died very suddenly at Napier last week, and with him there dieappeared forever from the race track a horse that had given promise of doing some big things.

The season has been an exceptionally good one for trainers. At no part of it has the ground been baked hard, consequently very few horses have failed to go on right through.

Seahorse's ran in the Easter Han dluap waa not up to the form one would expeot from a horse given a good chance in a race like the Century Stakea He waa all at sea at both ends. Still the distance was one he is not too partial to, bin handi cap big, and the going not too good.

Cavaliero's form at Ellerslie on Monday was not Cavaliero's form at Christchurch. Some people look on Cavaliertf as a champion, or nearly that, over sticks, and certainly he has given promise of great things. I fancy time mty serve him. The winter Bhould suit.

A pressman forming part of a company, invited by the joint owners of a horse to suggest a name for the neddy, startled those assembled by the significant, if profnae, plebian name of ' Rags, Bones aDd Bottles,' the part-owners being, respectively, a draper, a batcher and a publican.

That ambulance again. Sorely vow the A.R.C will Bee the danger of delay—the cruelty even. Better that we had no new camber board, no luxurious, fljwery bordered lawn, or, indeed, any of i he very many elegant conveniences which the A R.C have bo lavishly provided, than no ambulance.

They say that Needle's gallop on the track was good enough for any Easter Hand cap. Yet he was out of it. You can't fasten down a track gallop, label it, and keep it ready for use when required. Something depends upon the humour of the horse on the day Perhaps Needle will bring out that gallop of hia later on.

• Old Dromedary is to tie Been ridden a boat in the Wairarapa district, looking quite sound and apparently still capable of holding her own against a good horse should occasion require. She has a year ling foal by Saracen— a filly— of which good things are said by those that h»ve seen it.

Delia Bose mast be a very kitten in her movements. In her preliminary for the Railway she toppled over a man who was just then crossing the track. She first knocked him down/then gathered him np ai it were with her fore feet, Bcnttled him along, and then taking him np with hex hind feet tamed him over in> double somerßaalt. The fellow was not the least hart, and only deranged to the extent of having to piok op hia hat.

Acceptances for Avondale Meeting are due on Saturday.

Some splendid quality is engaged in Avondale Onp and Autumn Handicap.

'Billy ' Western is still ai Coolgardie in the* carrying business, and iq reported to be doing well.

The late Mr E. T. Barnard enjoyed from the time of retirement as handicapper to the V.BO. and V. A.T.O. nntil the time of bis death a peision of £500. Mr Barnard was 75 yean old, and had lived in Australia 50 years.

Rosehill nsed to be called the 1 Punters' Paradise.' Bulletin says that that name is now a misnomer, which is evidence that Roaehill ia becoming maoh the same as most other race coursers, a plaoe, in the mmdi of beaten punters, a long, long way below Paradise.

Explosion having apparently failed to stand the teat at this time of the year when the ground wa9 in his favour, makes it donbtful whether we shall see him out next season in any of the big events. His trainer may have bad other reasons for withdrawing him from the Century than the fear of pushing him, however.

Winners and losers in the betting ring over the doable event Easter and Hardies were what one would call mixed. Home layers escaped almost wholly, others laid the winning donble for appreciable snms, whilst one at least was hit for his very worst. There is lack in laying as well as in backing

In the matter of hero worship we have gone oar length with Advance. No New Zealand horse probably has received more praise We made a boom of him here, and turf writers followed, and the papers the other aide followed them. Whole columns have been written. We now await the rising of another champion.

If ever Okoari had a good chance to win a big stake she had one on Easter Monday, shot ont at the start 10 lengths in front of everything, she had bat]to keep op the pace and last It oat to bring her home a good bit to the good. Bat that iB where she failed — running as if to a standstill she passed oat of the race completely at the home bend

The outside public at Ellerslie on Eaeter Monday woe able to appreciate to the fall the great improvement f ffaoud on the ground where the ' ring ' take their stand. The days of mud and slash are passed, locomotion /on wet days is practicable, and even the ladus can pat their ' bit ' on witbont fear of draggled Bkirts— all thanks to a little tar and sand.

Easter Monday racing at Ellerslie waß, ia spite of the strangely fi tfnl weather, very good (port, arid it might have been even better if Mr Cutts bad been more successful in some of his efforts, as then certain other horses would have had a chance of chipping in at the finish of their respective events, which they were pre vented from doing by misfortune at the post

Advance has at laet scored on Australian ground, and cannot now return to Maoriland barren of winning honours. I doubt if he will return at all. Dispraised as be has been in some quarters, there are plenty of others who are able to see his value Amongst them is one man who seems to itch for his ownership — Sir Rupert Clark— and I should not be surprised if he got him.

On the appearance of the Easter Handicap weights, Roaella appeared to me thn absolute pick of the whole bunch, and I did not hesitate to second my opinion in these columns RoielU would have been the public fancy aUo, if there had been no ante po»t betting, for, whilst her stable stood off, lbe stables of Okoari, Hohora and others came in in support of their r« preservatives and ousted Rose] la from the position of nominal favourite.

Cannongate, on Easter Monday, again demonstrated bow much more than useful he has become over hurdles. Indeed, he is quite aB good over country. That last jump of his in the Hurdles en Monday was an eye opener to those who could not previously fancy him. The jump won him the race. You could see him, whilst still in the air, range up against Tim, who, before rising, was nearly a full length to the good. Then, in the ding dong race up the straight, with 181 b the worst of the weights, Oannongate gave us another view of his quality— that of sticking.

The opening day of the A.R.C Autumn was not too propitious. The weather in the early morning was deceptive, or the A R.O. would have Buffered more is the attendance The gay colouring of the ladies' dresses on the grand--4band were a marked contrast to the heavy, raita-charged atmosphere over lawn and raoWaek Occasional glimpses of sunshine saved the sport from being totally diseaohanting, whilst even the showers that did fall were not sufficiently heavy to prevent moderately enthusiastic sportsmen from getting plenty of enjoyment oat of the racing.

The late H V. Crasweller, whore demise was recently cabled, raced gome yean ago at Sydney. He was a big punter, and it was reputed of him that he took about £15,000 from the bookmakers as a result of a plunge on McDonald in one of the Sir Joseph Banks Handicaps, Botany Bay. His best horse was Paramatta.

That the reducing of distances for important events results in a moon larger nnmber of competitors haß been amply proved, and in thiß fact lies a great temptation to racing dabs Oar own Easter Handicap is a oane in point. When alj mile race, the number of competitors was nothing l early like the nnmber it now attracts. Again, if the Auckland Cap distance were reduced to 1J miles, probably doable the usual number of starters would ran. Bat in time, if this polioy were pursued throughout the country we should have a decent stayer in the colony.

At a country meeting recently there were just three starters. The clever ones determined that two only of the three had chances A dead Bet was made on one, and the price rapidly tightened np to baying point. It was easy reasoning that the other wan 'tied np' in another way. Tbe neglected outeider went a-begging for supporters). Ten to ooe in a field of three with the favourite, the odds the other way ; all this spelt 'no chance.' Bat an odd thing occurred. The 10 to 1 chance won, and the surprise of the few deadbeats who had backed the forlorn hope was equalled only by the diagußt of the conspiritors.