AVONDALE CUP AND FLYING.

Observer, Volume XXI, Issue 1183, 31 August 1901, Page 16

AVONDALE CUP AND FLYING.

MR EVITT'S weights for Avon, dale Cup and Flying — his first work of the season — have been well received. The handicapper had to start pretty high •in both, • races ; Hohora, Battleaxe and Bluejacket in the Cup, and Battleaxe and Rosella in the Flying, calling for marked attention. We don't favour the chances of top weights in a high scale handicap in a general way. On his best form Hohora is master of that weight, and especially so considering the distance. It appears to me he is where he should be. But for choice in the field I like others lower down. The S st. division, is a strong one, and Rosella appears to me the pick of the lot with Sst. 41b., and I think the pick of the handicap. St. Ursula is always dangerous when well, and when in form there is no more consistent mare. She is the sort that starts the season early. Her chance should be a good one at the same weight as St. Ursula. I think Mr Kvitt has done right in placing them together, though 1 have .a preference for Rosella. Nonette and Glasgow look the likeliest at the weights of the Tst. division, though Nonette has rather the worst of it. If Val Rosa should be in good form and well forward on the day, there is nothing I would choose to beat him in the Flying. But he is a horse that docs not always run well. St. Olga, in form, would be dangerous with Sst, and Solo is such a good horse over the distance that he must be considered. The weight will not trouble him. There are some possible ones amongst the light weights, but it is more a question of what will be the most forward on the day than one of handicap in regard to most of these. The variation in weight is very small. The acceptances for the two events do not fall due until the 13th Sept., so that there is still plenty of time for developments. There -is every reason to anticipate good entries for the other events of the meeting next week, and, altogether, it seems likely that our opening race meeting this year will be a splendid beginning of our new season.

Avondale Cup weights out. Sundial has changed hands at 200gs. Coronet appears sound and looks well. Sundial is now owned by Mr FobsMoraghan will train him. , Swordfish was shipped last week to his new home at Gisborne. Hairtrigger has been purchased by Mr Baird, of Invercargill. Mr Siever recently refused 20,000g5. for his colt, Duke of Westminster. Blood-poisoning was the cause of Needle's withdrawal from the G.N. Hurdles. Roller is now the property of Mr Brown, of Ashburton, the price paid being 196gs. Favona will probably race no more. He broke down badly in the G.N. Hurdles. An endeavour was made to sell in Christchurch for stud purposes.

- , Au Revoir died last week from blood poisoning. Quite a number of horses changed hands after the ('..1.c. Grand National. 300gs. was the highest -price offered for Haydn by auction at Christclnvrch I last week. : Ideal was the medium last week of t the substantial wager of 500 to 32 for the N.Z. Cup. " If ever a horse suffered the penalty for a bubble reputation, Malatua has ! done so." — Exchange. Geo. Wright's team seem in good health. Beddington and Hoaella should do well this spring. Applications for the positions of judge and starter, to the Auckland Racing Club close! on. Monday next. The (Jrand -National Steeplechase proved too much "for Natation. He pulled up so lame afterwards that he could not be started in any other race. Some \vltnesses of the race for the G.N. Hurdles think Long Tom had bad luck not to win, Haydn having iuterfered with him at the critical moment. .1. Rae had exceptionally bad luck at Riccarton. When he left here his prospects looked enticing. Fortunately, however, the ail mentis of both Needle and Natation arc likely to be only temporary. Grasspan, winner of the first w.f.a* race of the season in Australia- the Hopetoun Stakes-has, as a result of his victory, been hacked for all the money obtainable on the Caul field Cup (Town to 100 to (>. Hadyn's performances over hurdles at the National Meeting were unique. Such extraordinary improvement on his Ilutt running could hardly have been anticipated even by the most sanguine of his connections, Trainers at F^llerslie have taken advantage of the fine spring weather, and training work has begun in real earnest. A feature of the work is the sprinting of the two year olds, of which quite a large number arc to he seen out each day. Dartmoor somewhat reinstated himself in the opinion of his fanciers for the G.N. by the style of his victory in the Final Hurdles. He is one of a select number of horses that race at the Nationals that will probably be worth following during the spring. New Zealand Cup betting is still stagnant. The lines done are few and far between, and hi striking contrast to the busy wagering of this time of the year on past Cups. The bookmakers say it is the starting price betting that is killing the ante-post betting, and some of them prophesy that the former style will have completely given way to the latter in the course of a season or two. Last week the cable informed us of the death of Mr W. Forrester, popularly called "Bill" Forrester, one of the most prominent figures in the Australian sporting world for , years past, and whose more recent successes with Grafton and Gaulus rendered his name synonymous with all that is lucky in racing. "Lucky Bill" could have been as aptly called "Straight-going Bill" Forrester. Gobo's owner had luck in retaining the G.N. Steeple winner, though, of course, the luck was sustained by the foresight well known to be a strong attribute of this sporting owner. At a time when Gobo was hors de combat, and there was but a remote chance of his becoming a really valuable performer, Mr Gordon endeavoured to get quit of him at the low fignre of £100, but, failing he placed him in the hands of his old owner, Prosser. The French law prohibiting "tipping" in newspapers has been ridden through by a clever advertiser who guaranteed his clients an income of £250 a-year on a capital outlay of £12. The Public Prosecutor indicted the author of this " infallable system," and also the proprietor of the newspaper publishing his. advertisements. For the defence it was argued that the system was based on " mathematical calculations and statistics," and that the advice to clients was not a tip. The pase was dismissed.. _ • .

Sfc, Ursula and St. Peter* are being kept up to the collar, and hoth are airly forwar d. . . / Formula and Nonette promise to he enrolled amongst, the number of early performers this season. The man in the street has got all the names of likely candidates for the A.R.C. judgeship pat, and amongst them, is that of the well - known "Archie." He, however, informs me that the man in the street is wrong, and that his present inclination is not that way. That is rather a pity, as Archie's 20 years or more experience of racing, covering all that is required of a capable judge, would give him a chance not to he despised. Mr V. Harris has, in the sale of Formosan, got quit of what seems to have been a bad speculation from his point of view. Loss on the purchase money apart, there is the further loss of the considerable expense he has been at during the time Formosan has been owned by him. It is an established fact about all Mr Stead's transactions in racing that he almost invariably does the right thing with a horse, anil few of his casts-off have proved good speculations to their purchasers. Some bookmakers tell us that laying means getting, periodically " laid out," that is, flattened. Others don't go so far as that, but none ever will admit that the game is a good one. Vet in Auckland there are several of the younger members of the ring who, with a very small percentage of the betting done, have, apparently, very good reason to be satisfied with the profits of their vocation. If they were frank they would probably tell you that it doesn't need an apprenticeship. Look here,' said a man on the Mordialloc station on Saturday morning " if these Parliamentary coves stop Tattersall's sweeps they ought to be rubbed out; I believe in 'em, and have taken tickets ever since they've been in existence." " Did you ever draw a horse ?" asked his friend. " No," replied the first speaker, "and that's where the injustice of the thing comes in. What about all our dead stuff, after all these years, if. we're not to have a chance of drawing one '!" Truly, says "Javelin," hope springs eternal in the gamblers breast.