Takapuna Jockey Club's Winter Meeting.

Observer, Volume XXVII, Issue 35, 18 May 1907, Page 15

Takapuna Jockey Club's Winter Meeting.

(May 18th and 24th) THE final scenes of the present racing season in Auckland are within easy view, only two fixtures now remaining!; on the Calendar — that of the Takapuna Meeting, to open on Saturday, and the Ellerslio Meeting in the beginning of June. The Takanuna dates — Saturday and Friday, 18th and 24th inst. — should prove very convenient to turfites, embracing as they do, the ordinary Saturday half-holiday and a public holiday. The programme is not wholly given over to winter racing; proper, there being two good open handicaps in addition to the usual short distance events and p^ony races, supported by a number of jumping events, all of which promise to be exciting and interesting. The chief handicaps are the Empire Handicap, of 200 soys., l£m., and the Britannia Handicap, of 110 soys., ]m. : the jumping events comprising the Takapuna Steeplechase, of 250 soys., about 3Jm. • Maiden Steeplechase, of 100 soys., about 2sm. ; Hauraki Hurdles, of 150 soys., 2m. ; Hautura Hurdles, of 100 soys., Ifm. ; and a 60 soys. Maiden Hurdle Race. Double machines will be open at the meeting : on the first day on the Empire and Royal Handicaps, and on the second da- on the Britannia and Victoria Handi-

caps. Acceptances for the first day's events and Takapuna Steeplechase closed last Friday, the resulting lists proving indicative of first-class fields, and as several - reat Northern candidates figure as contestants in the jumping events big interest will be centred on these. It is to be hqped that the club will be favoured with fine weather for both days, in which case a successful issue is certain, and turfites anticipation of two days' good racing realised. The following are my anticipations for Saturday's

racing : Maiden Hurdles — Ben Johnson or Potiki. Maiden Plate — Freemount or Pnkekohe. Empire Handicap — Uhlander, Delania, Millie. Royal Handicap — Te Aroha or Certainty. Hauraki Hurdles — Bonomiana or Soultfish. Maiden Steeplechase — Fretwork, Mnulton. or Silica. First Pony Handicap — Manapouri or Glenora.

Oreat Northern weights out. Racing at the Shore on Saturday. Loch Erne reappeared at Ellerslie. Inniskillen is fencing in pleasing style. Apologue and Putty both beaten in Newcastle Cup. Volume did some good track galloping prior to Hawke's Bay Cup day. Ability's winter jumping prospects clouded. He has again fone amiss. Apologue and Putty finished fourth and fifth respectively in Newcastle Cup. T. Williams' trio of jumpers. Inniskillen. Shrapnel and Cavalry have, been doing well. Good jumping; work is being done by the trio, i^en Johnson, Lady Hune and Potiki. Apologue started favourite in Newcastle Cup. Anatroff, a 33 to 1 chance, got home. The trotting horses Polly 11., Princess Ena and Young McKinnev wpro taken South by G. Duncan last week. Tt is evicted that, the "Wellington Racing <~flub will this year run their Winter Meeting out to a three days' fixture. Slow Tom has started in at schoolin or work at Riccarton. and <nvt through a particularly pleasing schooling task last week. D. J. Price, trainer of Sal Tasker. *ias announced to "The Possible" his readiness to match her for £500 against anything in Australasia under certain heat conditions. TTt> to the time the last mail left England, Hewitt had scored three win 8. a second and a third, as the resnlt of seven mounts, and, naturally. T>« is very nleased with the way things are going. Unless business takes a different nspect during the winter months, the ranks of the bookmakers will be (sa^s a Wellington writer) further weakened. The last twelve months have been very hard on the Tommies, many of whom are getting sick of the game. A field of fifteen started for the HawWs Bay Cup. Volume was installed favourite, and won the race by half-a-length Sir Tristram nernq; mnner-up. and Chatterer third. Recent rains h« d resulted in soft ocoincr which would account for the slow time made — 2.14 3-5. Moriartv was at home on the soft track at Hastings on the opening rlav of the Hawke's Bay Meeting. He succeeded in winning the Nursery Handicap with a fair margin from fourteen others, a pood field for a 100 soys. stakes for youngsters. Oxton, the favourite, was second. Lady Annie suffered a defeat on +*>c opening day of the Hawke's Bay Meeting in. the Porangahau Handicap otip mile. Contender pro-vine victor with a 91bs. advantage as to weight, and amiarently (viQp reort) an additional advantage in : the sendoff. Lady Annie came with a big run up the straight.

Irish was looking fit when taken to Hawera.

Prank Ross has of late been working his team at Ellerslie.

Inniskillen's correct weight in G.N. Steeplechase is lOst. 131 b. Maremma's death is reported from Dunedin. He was foaled in 1891.

Black and Gold has been pesrforjning satisfactorily in schooling tasks..

Pario in the hands of Moraq;han at Riccarton is showing proficiency over hurdles.

The double machine at Takaptma on Saturday will be open on the Enrnire. and Ro^al Hadicaps. Franklin and Hardship jumped in rather slovenly fashion when schooled together the other morning. Hippowai, who has been off the scene for some time, is now doing strong jumping work at Ellerslie.

Black Reynard, a G-.N. Hurdles candidate, holds the N.Z. record for two miles over hurdles — 3.46.

W. Wilson has quite recovered from the results of his recent fall at Avondale, and is now riding work at Ellerslie.

The one time favourite chaser, Haydn, is this year, so far, one of the biggest outsiders for the G.N. Steeplechase.

Mr R. Hannon is said to be retiring from racing shortly, and it is understood his team will be offered for sale after the June meeting.

The two Nestators. G.N. Hurdles and G.N. Steeplechase, have been substantially supported at 100 to 2. This combination is now quoted at 33 to 1.

0.V.M., whose nronounced victory at Ohristclnrroh R.C.s Meeting in the Spreydon Trot Handicap raises him above the common order, was bred in Victoria from Mystery by the American sire Owhyee.

D. Price was to leave Wellington last Friday for Melbourne -with a team of eight horses, including Submarine, Pink'un, and Savoury. The rest of the team is made up of several non-performers., and the trotting mares Sal Tasker and Black Venus.

A Riccarton writer sneaks well of Evenlode. He takes him as an exception to an otherwise weak Riccarton lot, and he thinks him the only one of the Rir^arton jumpers likely to prove capable of making a bold bid for the Grand National Steeplechase.

On track form the following horses should run well at the Shore : Freemount, St. Cyren, Ben Johnson, Franklin, Waipuna, TJhlander Delania. Soultmaid, Te Aroha, Omati, Soultfish, Moulton,, Caohuca, Silica, Yolette, Shrannel. Mighty Atom, Waihoxi, Minimanu.

Double betting has started in Christchurch on the Great Northern jumping events. From the report of the business done. Uranium ax>nears to be a very strong fancy for the G. N. Hurdles, as nearly everyone of the combinations laid commences with him.

Lionheart comes back to New Zealand with a very creditable lumping performance to support his ~rosnects. The worst that " Javelin " has to say against — and he puts it rather as a oualitv — is that the Leolantis horse seems to be inclined to run down his hurdles a little.

On Saturday __ morning last at Ellerslie the ouintette, Inniskillen, Kanaka, Silica. Tanglefoot and Moultan went about 2sm. over the Ellerslie country. Both Tanglefoot and Silica came to grief, but were caught, remounted, and set to apeain, both jumping well. Inniskillen, Moultan, and Kanaka finished together.

R. O'Connor would be pleased (says Sydney Referee) if . anyone could enlighten him as to the whereabouts of the chestnut horse Star«hobt> Recently the trainer named received a letter from New : Zealan& from Messrs Nettleford and Price asking' Kim to take the chestnut "in hand, but he does not know where to look for him, as the -gentleman who had charge of Starshoot, when the owners returned to New. Zealand subsequently left for Englanfl. and for cot to advise the owners, as, $o with whom he had placed the'horse: No doubt Starshoot is turned out somewhere near Sydney.