Cap and Jacket

Observer, Volume XXIII, Issue 5, 18 October 1902, Page 15

Cap and Jacket

By Boz,

Racing Fixtures. / 19<>2. Oct. 16— North Canterbury J.C. Annual Oct. 16 and 17 -North Otago J.C. Nprinu Oct. 22 and 23-Marlborough B.C. Spring. Oct. 23 and 24— Ashburton Connty R.C. Spnnj. Oc:. 3u and 31— Poverty Bay T.C. Spring Nov. 5 and 6 -Ma9terton R.C. Spring. Nov. 8, 10 and 12— Auckland R.C. Spring. Nov. 8. 10, 12 and 15— C.J.C. Metropolitan Nov. 10— Waverley and Waitotara R.C. Annual Nov. 10— Waipawa R.C. Spring. Nov. 10 and 11 — Taratahi - Carterton R.C. Annual. Nov. 21 and 22— Wellington R.C. Spring. Dee. I and 2— Fielding J.C. Spring Deo. 26, 29, and Jan. 1 and 2— Auckland RC. Summer. AUCKLAND TROTTING CL'JB SPRING MEETING. THE Auckland Trotting Club Spring programme is now published. The dates of the fixture are Saturday, Nov. Ist., and Wednesday, Nov. sth. Eight events are programmed for the first day and soven for the second day, all of which are endowed with very liberal stake values. • • •

The total amount of stakes to be given away under the programme is £540— £300 for the first day and £240 for the second day. Of the seventeen events programmed, thirteen are trotting races and four flat xnces for ponies. The principal trotting events are Spring Trot Handicap of 60 soys., Stewards Trot Handicap of 40 soys., and Class Trot Handicap of 40 soys. on the first day, and the October Handicap Trot of 50 soys., Class Handicap Trot of 35 soys., and Harness Trot Handicap of 35 soys. on the second day. • • •

The pony races have good stakes attached to them. On the first day are the October Handicap of 40 soys., and Flying Handicap of 35 soys., and on the second day, the Junction Handicap of 35 soys., and the Shorts Handicap of 30 soys. It will be seen that the programme is a \ery enticing one to owners, there being plenty of money to run for, and plenty of variation in the classes of events to suit owners. • • •

This meeting will see the opening of the new trotting season, and with such a liberal programme there should be a good response from owners. Nominations for all events close with Mr Mark, secretary, Durham-street, on Friday, 17th inst. Handicaps for the first day's events will appear on Tuesday, 21st inst., and acceptances close on Friday, 24th inst.

N.Z. Cup looking more open. Nonette en route for Riccarton. It is said that £5000 was refused for Welbeck. Soult getting a big start for sires' winning honours. Must be something more in Kelpy's N.Z. Cup chance than his form shows. Lavalette and Grey Seaton will have to improve a great deal to have a chance at Riccarton. Loyal is not doing well and his chance of defeating Abundance in the V.R.C. Derby is very remote. Nonette holds his position as N.Z. Cup favourite at 6 to 1, Siege Gun pressing him closely at 7 to 1. Canteen's owner wasn't asleep when he backed his horse at a long price for the N.Z. Cup the other day. Vfait-a-bit 11. is credited with having run a mile and a-half over hurdles in 2min. 39sec. A wonderful performance if true. Goldspur seems good for another season. His Electric win at Dunedin with ~9st. 131 bin 1.19 3-5 shows there is still some of the old stuff in him. Porirua was only beaten by half a head by Golden Vein in the Hawkes Bay Guineas, a defeat that had almost as much merit in it as a viotory.

Caulfleld Cup is run on Saturday. Twenty-six horses have accepted. Achilles is being strongly backed in doubles in conjunction with N.Z. Cup for Stewards' Mandicap. Dunedin Jockey Cluh.'s Spring Meeting total isator returns showed a shrinkage of £1648 compared with last Spring figures. Those who saw Achilles run at Wahganui consider that this colt, all going well, will have a great chance in the C.J.C. Stewards Handicap. It is a toss-up which is the better colt— Sand Peur or Starshoot ; but the Auckland youngster got in a win on the right day landing a 250 soys. stake. Tortulla is a strong fancy in Auckland for N.Z. Cup, her form at Wanganui having impressed backers. The best price now quoted against her is 8 to 1. Halberdier and Canteen have both shortened in price for N.Z. Cup as a consequence of their recent performances, the best price obtainable about either being 16 to 1. Strata Florida's chance for V.R.C. Derby is hardly second to that of Abundance, for the former's form, taken through Wakeful's running, puts the Caul field Q-uineas winner a bit in front of Abundance. There is not much change in the local betting on N.Z. Cup. Nonette has shortened to s's and Tortulla to 10's. Seven to one can be obtained about Siege Gun. There is no enquiry just now for Lavalette. Owners of trotting horses and ponies require to note that nominations for events in connection with the Auckland Trotting Club's JSpring Meeting close to-morrow (Friday) 17th inst. Both Nonette and Scotty have been well looked after by the Ashburton handicapper. Nonette has 9st. 131 b in the Ashburton Cup, with fist. 71b the minimum, whilst Scotty has 9st. sft in the Laghmor Handicap. Pampero made hard work of his victory in the Ranfurly Handicap, just getting home in front of Welbeck by a neck. The weather was against fast time, the mile taking 1.53. Pampero had a good load to carry in 9st. 51b. Thers seems to be a suspicion that Halberdier may not train on for theN.Z. Cup. It is in his favour that he has already got through enough work to make him fit for the Urn. race won by him at Wanganui, 'and there seems no very apparent reason why he should not get through the rest of his Cup preparation. The winning career of Wakeful this Spring was unfortunately broken into at Flemington on the 4th inst. r when through bad luck and interference, this great mare was rob"bed of her ohance in the October Stakes, her misfortune giving to an outsider, Strata Florida, the victory and the stake. The l-J-m. was run in 2min. 8 3 sec. For some reason or other, sport continues to languish in the Dunedin centre. The D.J.C. fixtures once took rank amongst the most important in the colony, aad the best horses from all parts of N.Z. competed at them. Otago has still good horses of her own, but her race gatherings do not seem to attract outsiders, whilst her turfites appear to lack the enthusiasm which is a strong characteristic of race-followers in all other parts of the colony. The Shannon and Porirua were strongly backed for the King Eaward Handicap at Hawke's Bay Meeting. The Shannon, who, up to this meeting, had had a big run of success, was beaten out of a place, and Porirua, whose two-year-old record was good enough for an easy win, cculd only get third. Hinetaura, the winner, paid the substantial dividend of £26 ss. N.Z. Cup candidate, Kelpy, was in second place, beaten by more than a length in the good time of 1.55£ for nine furlongs. Wanganui correspondent to Canterbury Times, commenting on the form displayed by the eight N.Z. Cup candidates that competed there, says, inter alia, that Tortulla was the picture of health, being more forward than at this time last year. To Halberdier he gives the credit of being undoubtedly fast, though a difficult one to train because of unsoUndness in front. Both Ostiak and Melwood were looking well, though neither ran to advantage in the lim. race. Fakir, he reckons, a sure starter for the Cup, and gives him an outside chance. He anticipated better form from Bowman, and he thinks that Grey Seaton is hardly a Cup horse in appearance.