Cap and Jacket

Observer, Volume XXVII, Issue 46, 3 August 1907, Page 15

Cap and Jacket

By Boz.

RACING FIXTURES

August 13, 15, — C.J.C. Grand National Meeting. September 4 and 5 — Marton J.C. Spring. September 18 and 19 — Rangitikei R.C. Spring.

Wellington Steeplechase won by Haydn. St. Bill has incurred a 51b. penalty for C.J.C. "Winter Cup. Wait ar ere is a notable non-ac-ceptor for the Grand National Steeplechase. A report was current in Wellington last week that Kiatere would not make »the trip to Riccarton for the Grand National. Somateria, and Otago N.Z. Cup candidate, struck herself recently whilst galloping, but the injury is not considered serious. Mahutu is at present doing track work at Opaki. It has not yet been definitely decided whether he shall be specially prepared for the N.Z. Cup. The ljm. of the Jumpers' Flat Race on the second day of the Wellington Meeting proved just a bit beyond Ben Johnson's tether, the Auckland horse succumbing at the pinch to Southern Cross. Good acceptances have been received for the N.Z. Grand Nationals and Winter Cup. Seventeen remain in for the G.N. Steeplechase, thirty-three for the G.N. Hurdles, and twenty-five for the Winter Cup. Wellington business on the N.Z. Grand National double includes the following :— IOOO to 10, Eclair and Paritutu ; 100Q to 10, Loch Fyne and Paritutu ; 500 to 5, Irish and Mahoe ; 500 to I\, Irish and Le Beau ; 400 to 6, Kiatere and Paritutu. The withdrawal of Paritutu and Le Beau from the Wellington Winter Hurdles \ disappointed a large number of outside backers. A Wellington exchange says that upwards of £200 had been received for investment on these two on the double machine. Lull's victory in the Wellington Winter Hurdles stands out as a very good performance. The time made, in spite of the course being a bit heavy, was exceptionally good, and a record for the race. Ben John- • son was pace-maker, but Lull made a good deal of his own running. In double betting at Christchurch the following leading lines are reported : — IOOO to 12, Inniskillen and Regulation ; 1000 to 10, Nadador and Mahoe ; 1000 to 10, Evenlode and Paritutu ; 1000 to 5, Phaetonitis and Aqua Regia ; 500 to 1, Phaetonitis and Regulation ; 500 to 5, Phaetonitis and Le Beau. A Wellington writer thinks that in good going Lull would probably have beaten all previous performances in the colony over the Wellington Winter Hurdles distanced The same writer says, however, that Lull is not the best of fencers, and swerved at the hurdle in the straight the first, time round. . When 'L. Hewitt recently won the Salisbury Cup ,on Golden Measure, that horse was (says an -exchange) a hundred yards behind. the leaders- at one; stage of the race. Golden Measure is one of those houses which run- their best races when allowed to go alon.g as; they please in the early part, and Hewitt, being aware of thia; .diinot ajt^^fevtOAftweMe hU»>M the least;.

Poseidon is said to be lookiik^ thji' picture of health at the present time. Idjasa|s running at Trentham was' disappointing. Aqua Regia i got through a satisfactory schooling task on Saturdays morning. Cuiragno and Silica were shipped . for Christchurch via the west coajst" early this week. Khama jumped well in the Wellington July Steeplechase last Saturday. Haydn beat him for pace. The Sylvia Park horse, Seaman, just managed to scrape home by a head in the Waterloo Handicap at Wellington. Merriwai's name was omitted from the telegraphed list of acceptors for the N.Z. G.K. Hurdles. He still remains in. Landlock was a starter in the Hack Hurdles at Wellington /last Saturday. He finished absolutely last in a field of eleven. Penalties in connection with Wellington victories bring Ellerton's, Winter Cup weight up to lOst. 7ib and St. Bill's up to 9st. 81b. Haydn figures as an acceptor for the N.Z. Grand National Steeplechase, though it was understood in some quarters that Wellington was to be the limit of his trip. Jolly Friar ran well at the Wellington Meeting, securing his second victory at the fixture in the Onslow Handicap. Jolly Friar is a Winter Cup candidate. He was runner-up last year. Loch Fyne negotiated a once round of the Ellerslie steeplechase course on Saturday morning. Irish and Vizier accompanied him over the jumps, but were eased up entering the straight. Evenlode, runner-up to Haydn in the Wellington Steeplechase, made his first public effort over country inthat event, and as he ran the old,. Auckland veteran, Haydn, to a head^' Evenlode's initial effort must be accounted a very satisfactory one. The following N.Z. Cup businessis reported from Christchurch : — 7OO to 34, Maniapoto ; 500 to 20, Marguerite ; 500 to 15, Astrakhan ; 400 to 2.6, Elevation ; 400 to 16, Harvest ; 400 to 16, Armistice ; 300 to 18, Apa. An old ex-constable, who had backed Lion Heart at Flemington, " died from heart failure as a result, it is supposed, of excitement donsequent upon his seeing his . horse coming home with a big lead. He was seen to stagger and fall, and was picked up dead. The Jumpers' Flat on the second day of the Wellington Meeting was a disastrous race, the slipping and falling of Prospector resulting in 'the bringing down of five others or : the field. Three of the five riders/ sustained injuries, the other twd escaping. None of the horses were in--jured. The mile and three-quarters of the . Final Hurdles at Wellington last ■ Saturday proved a comfortable ■ distance for Ben Johnson,, who was out-, stayed in a previous race of the meeting over two miles. Ben Johnson appears to have revelled in his task, as he led from start to finish, and gave none of his opponents the least chance. The July Steeplechase at Wellington last Saturday proved a match' between Haydn and Khama, the^ others of the field, Needlework and > Aquillo, talcing no part in the actualstruggle. Though Khama appear^ to have stuck well to Haydn till within half-a-naile from home, he had no chance at the finish, Haydn winning fairly easy by two lengths. A Melbourne. exchange states that there was a " free " house at Mr 6. Hodgkinson's Edinburgh Castle Hotel, Brunswick, on the night of the Grand National Steeplechase at . Eiemingtohy. to of Diyham. Of the two, Mjr Hodgkinson preferred his^ otner horse, Abdallah, and so did bis trainer* jockey, Fennessy. W. Ray states tha/t at -about' thY fourth^fenceifTom home in the National, Divham took off at least 20ft. He 'shut- hi)? eyes