Cap and Jacket

Observer, Volume XXVII, Issue 38, 8 June 1907, Page 15

Cap and Jacket

By Boz,

Auckland Racing Club's Winter Meeting. THE two instalments of this meeting already given have furnished turfites with highly interesting sport. There was beautiful weather for the opening day, and though sunshine was lacking on Prince of Wales' s Birthday, no rain fell. Mr Hartland is to be commended for the efficiency with which all the details of management were carried out, and the Club congratulated on the success thus far achieved. The racing was enjoyed by all present, the fields being large in nearly every instance, and the contests of the most exciting kind. The two Great Northern events were fine races, and it would be hard to say which was the more exciting — Merriwai's G.N. Hurdles win or Kiatere's victory in the G.N. Steeplechase. The palm went to Kiatere on the score of a big performance, as he carried the thumping weight of 12st. 131 b. — a record for the race in regard to weight. Speculation during the two days was kept up briskly, the return totalling £32,400, an increase of £4000 on last year's figures. The double machine was well patronised each day, the dividends paid being £117 13s on the first day and £14H Is on the second. The successful combinations were, respectively, Merriwai and Triinium, and Kiatere and Tui Cakobau. The meetintr will be concluded on Saturday, Bth inst., Avhen another good programme of seven events will be put before the public. If fine weather is again obtained, there should be a big attendance to witness the final racing of the season.

On the handicaps — the acceptances not having been declared at the time of writing — the following horses may run prominently : — TamaKi Steeplechase, No Shot or Fretwork ; York Welter, Uranium, Tui Oakobau, Certainty ; Winter Steeplechase, Waiterere, Khama, Irish ; Campbell Hurdles, Shrapnel, Creusot, Nestator ; Fitzroy Welter, Ben Johnson, Dogger Bank ; Farewell Handicap, Frederick, Te Aroha, Ruaparaha.

Great Northern Hurdles won by . Merriwai. • 1 All the favourites out of the hunt for the G.N. Hurdles. Nor' west ran a sad last in the Great Northern Hurdles. < Tie Beau made a bold bid for the G.N. Hurdles, but failed at the pinch. i At the time of writing, Towers, who sustained a bad fall with Lady I Lanta in the A.R.C. Maiden Steeplechase on Saturday, still lies at the hospital in a semi-conscious con- • dition. Mahoe gave backers a knock last week, though, fortunately for the many, there was not sufficient time between the date of the Wanganui meeting and that of his scratching for the Great Northern, for any big scramble. Mahoe's paper chance was a big one. Irish was not taken much on trust by backers for the Great Northern Hurdles, and in consequence he paid a good second dividend. It was not certain that he would start until the day. and even then most people had him in mind more for the Steeplechase than the Hurdles. Kiatere's Great Northern Steeplechase victory was a great performance. To carry one pound short of 13st. against such a strong field over country like Ellerslie, and win comfortably at the finish, was a bi" feat. The race was a severe one, and only a well seasoned chaser and true jumper like Kiatere could have won under such conditions. The principal event on the opening day of the Dunedin J.C.s "Winter Meeting — the Birthday Handicap — resulted in a great finish between the placed horses. Harvest, Red Gauntlet and Apollodoris. Harvest won by a neck from Red Gauntlet, who beat Apollodoris by the same narrow margin for second place. Harvest paid £5 12s. The Maiden Hurdles on Saturday was the only small field for the openday at Ellerslie. There were only three starters, and Ben Johnson looked the good thing of the day, hackers making it an odds-on chance on the machine. Though Ben Johnson won, he had not so easy a task as most people anticipated, for Millie made the contest a hot one. Monday, though Prince of Wales's Birthday, was not declared a holiday, but racegoers managed to get to Ellerslie all the same. "When the big steeplechase came on, the grand stand was packed from roof to basement, and the outside stands and enclosures were also full. The only portion of the ground comparatively deserted was under the trees, the popular picnicking ground- in summer. Young rode a dashing race on Trish in the Great Northern Hurdles. Irish made one faulty jump during the running, but Young's horsemanship saved the position. Merriwai, the winner, was also handled cleverly by J. O'Connell. The 500 soys. stake was in the balance at the last jump between the pair, and the Hawke's Bay horse practically gained the stake by his clever manipulation of this hurdle. The surprise of Saturday's racing at Ellerslie was the victory of Manapouri in the Jervois Handicap. The sensation was accentuated by reason of the pony's name having been omitted from the card. Of the eighty odd investors on the Soult pony's chance, a few wouid back her for that reason only, the incident being one that would appeal very strongly to the superstitious mind of the " tip ".-seeking punter. A £22 dividend was a nice return for , that sort of "picking."

Cambrian has gone into retirement until the Spring. Great Northern Meeting to be concluded at Ellerslie on Saturday. The starting at Wanganui Meeting strongly criticised by Auckland visitors to the Winter Meeting. Millie shaped splendidly over hurdles at Ellerslie last Saturday, though Ben Johnson was too good for her at the finish.

Romany King was prominent only in the early stages of the G.N. Hurdles. For the rest of the distance he was in the ruck. There are small nominations for the Napier Park Steeplechase, the entrants numbering fourteen. The only Auckland entry is that of Irish. Uranium won the Cornwall Handicap by making her own running. Assuming the lead from almost the start, she was kept going in front of her field the whole way. The warning bell was sounded about Scotty last week, his absence from the track for two or three days spelling trouble. He turned up towards the end of the week, but, though apparently sound, galloped badly. The effort of Irish in the Great Northern Huddles settled his chance for the Great Northern Steeplechase. Apart from the fact that the stout race he ran in the former event must have had its effect, he knocked himself badly at the last jump. Catch'em tried very hard to run up to his name in the Maiden Hurdles last Saturday, when after his rider had allowed his two opponents to steal a pretty good break on him, he set sail after the pair. But Catch'em was set just a bit too big a task. The Maiden Welter at Ellerslie last Saturday furnished an exhibition of perfect starting. Twenty-one horses faced the barrier, and but for one horse. Turbine, they would have been despatched on -J,e instant of their taking their places in perfect I\ ne " WheTl Turbine came forward, the whole twenty-one stood with noses level, and when the lever was pulled they left as one horse. It was a masterpiece of starting. The aptness of the name of Mr Ring's pony, Mighty Atom, could not fail to strike those who saw the little fellow leading a field of twenty horses in the Maiden "Welter last Saturday. His disadvantage as to size was compensated for in some part by the lucky draw of the inside running. He was galloping from the first stride, and held the advantage to the end of the five furlongs. Casual criticisms on the racecourse of a horse's prospects in a big race are seldom of much value, because racing is a game of which the rules are so pleasingly (?) variable. I overheard a man at Ellerslie — himself an owner and of racing experience — say of Irish, "I wouldn't have him at any price for this race " (the G.N. Hurdles). And yet Irish ran a splendid race, and finished second. With the conclusion of the A.R.C.'s Great Northern Meeting on Saturday of this week, the Auckland calendar for the season 1906---1907 closes. • In Southern racing there remain the various steeplechase meetings : during June the Hawke's Bay and Napier Park Meetings, and in July, the Gisborne Steeplechases and Wellington Meeting. The Grand_ National Meeting at Christchurch in August technically opens the new season. A fine field of fifteen horses started for the Great Northern Hurdles, and hardly one of the lot but looked in good racing condition. It would appear tliat in summing up the proba 7 bilities in regard to this race, insufficient account was taken of the distance. Two and a-half miles^ is r a long stretch over hurdles. Irish ■ showed the advantage which a well- ! seasoned horse has in such a race, l for he practically made all the ran- • ning, and his ' second was as meritorious as Merriwai's first.