CAP AND JACKET

Observer, Volume XXXII, Issue 23, 17 February 1912, Page 15

CAP AND JACKET

[Br The Early Bibd.J

Racing Fixtures

February 21, 22 and 24—Dunedin

J.C. Autumn. February 23 and 24—South Auckland R.C. Annual. February 29 and March 2 — Wanganui J. C. Autumn.

Master Wairiki, who was spelled for a few weeks after the A.R.C. Summer Meeting, has resume*! work again at headquarters.

Although the Canterbury Jockey Club introduced the 10s totalisator, there was a shortage of £512 over last year's turnover. The Canterbury Summer fixture has nearly always showed a loss.

Another breeder of the thoroughbred has cried enough. Mr Reid's extensive breeding establishment went to the hammer recently at Canterbury. Mr Reid had a beautiful collection of fashionably bred mares, and the choicest that brains and money could find. This makes the third breeding concern that has closed its door within twelve months—Grlenora Park, Cambria Park, and the Canterbury concern. With the exception of a few of the high-priced yearlings, the most _of young stock generally bringing wretched prices. The closing down of these big breeding studs only points to one cause—we have not got the buyers we had about a few years ago. With the two-year-old races left in the hands of a.few (Sir Geo. Clifford and others), who have probably a dozen juveniles to piclc from, what chance has the _ small one-horse owner against the big racing man. Two-year-old racing looks to be on the down-grade.

Tui Cakobau, who has been in work since Christmas, negotiated the double jump of the steeplechase, after baulking the first, the _ other morning. The old fellow still carries a lot of condition.

The two Auckland Cup winners, Santa Rosa and Waimangu, are standing up to the collar. They rattled off ffur. on the tan the other morning, not fully extended, finishing together in 1.39 2-ssec.

D. Morrigan has Master Jack and Worcester in capital condition.

An improvement has been made in the double jump in front of the grandstand at Ellerslie. The first fence has been shifted about forty yards, giving a horse a chance to recover should a mistake occur at the first obstacle. The old jump was rather cramped.

The Northern Wairoa gelding, Master Sly, is being- schooled regularly at Ellerslie, and when properly seasoned should be useful over the sticks.

Sandy Baron has put Moreykoff to the lepping business. The gelding jumps the small hurdles in good style, and although on the small side } he is very compact and should be useful at the business.

Te Kuiti last week saw the tote for the first time at its annual meeting and punted £5432 through the machine as a guarantee of good faith in the calculating machine. There was a good attendance, and sleeping accommodation was so much overdrawn in the boom town inns that sports who came from down country by the express had to occupy wall spaces, with their shoulder blades while wearily waiting the dawn.

The South Auckland Racing Club has received capital nominations. The gathering takes place on the 23rd and 24th inst., and is bound to be a success. The District Hack and the District Welter have record entries.

The tote seemed to give added dignity to the officials, and Tapemaster Jackman, Weight-placer Wynyard and Secretary Howarth did their business with sprightly energy and success.

There were some very close finishes to testify to Handicapper Wynyard's judgment. The Ellers-lie-trained neddies showed their bringing up by winning a majority of the races. Rutter, Blue Mountain. Royal Irish, Jolie Fille, Haku and Mahinga each won a race, while Waiotahi and Hikuai, from Thames, also accounted for a race each.

Zuleima (St. Crispin-Zuleika) was out to make the surprise of the meeting in the Taumarunui Hack, and was just about ready to put the finishing touch to the performance, when Haku came along and spoiled it, and in doing so brought a good div. as consolation to a few. Haku's was a fine performance, beating a field of eight, and doing the six furlongs in 1.16 l-ssec.

The imperturbable J. Thorpe, who erstwhile presided over the destinies of the Kati Kati and Northcote Hotels, has taken command of the Occidental Hotel, and says he doesn't mind how many of his friends drop in to inspect the stock. J.T. is suspected of knowing something of " horse," and at one time he was training for the Friedlander brothers and has done some free-lancing in +.TlO same line. If you talk chat to ■T.T. he will follow your meaning for leaving put Cavalier, Apologue, Kilderkin. Silkworm and Lillie (the i.ißf-nampd running eleven seconds for him in one season) through their facings. He learned quite a lot about the business.

H. J. Hawkins, one-time trainer «->f'Pee**«i., Aornes 8., Kirikiriroa, Little Paul. Cedar. Bogey and other trotters, who has been in the Australian States for the last three yenrs has returned to Auckland.

Coromandel is one of the least inconsistent of horses. He carried o«t._ in the Esrmont Cup. and at the finish there was only one horse between him and the post. The Mensehikoff gelding has done a lot of r a cine* since going into A. Jacksou's stable.

Black Northern won his sixth successive victory over hurdles at the TVmont Meeting. This certainly +nlco s a lot of beating. He carried 12.6 in his last win. and left 12 furlongs behind in 2.465ec.

W. Tozer has taken the stables lately occupiqfd by Fred Tonge at ElTarslie. He has Royal News, KinpCapitalist (a trotter), and Crespineer in active training ; also the stallion Gladstone. Just now he is in treaty for a couple of juveniles.

Barney Coyle, who died suddenly at Christchtirch, leaves the Dominion racing world minus one of its biggest and best men. There is not a racing man in the country better known or more respected than was the late Barney Coyle, of Wanganui, who, a decade ago, owned and raced that good horse Ranjdwick, and many other fine horses, for he always looked for the best and well earned his reputation for being in the lead as a judge of horses.

You don't often see two horses start in a race both wearing the " rogue's badge " (blinkers), but both Blakney and Ngatiruanui had the badge on in the Normanby Welter Handicap at Egmont Meeting, won by Mere Mere.

Early double punters burnt their fingers over backing the Parisian in the Australian Cup. The horse has been scratched. He was coupled with most of the good things in the Newmarket Handicap.

Geo. Price, after capturing seven races at the late Wellington Meeting, also won the Egmont Cup with Bronze, who has an engagement in the Wanganui Cup. Cm he win this event also ?