CAP & JACKET

Observer, Volume XL, Issue 8, 25 October 1919, Page 26

CAP & JACKET

[By the Eably Bibd.] RACING FIXTURES. October 25, 27.—Gore R.C. October 22.—Auckland T.C. Spring. October 25, 27.—Greymouth T.C. October 25, 27.—Wellington R.C. October 27.—North Canterbury and Oxford Jockey Club. October 27. — Waverley.Waitotara Racing Club. October 27.—Waipawa County R.C. October 30, 31.—Poverty Bay Turf Club. The Auckland Trotting Club opened the Spring Meeting on Saturday in glorious weather and a record attendance for a Spring-fixture. The fields, although small, provided some very good racing and good finishes took place, including a dead heat during the afternoon. The public were well equipped with the sinews of Avar, and made vigorous attacks on the apparatus, which hardly ever lies £35,400, passed through the legalised channel.

Mr. W. G. Bright opened his racing on Saturday in Auckland with a win with his fine trotting gelding Marble Hall, which won previously in the South.

The win was full of merit, as the son of Elkton Hall-Ngatiawa, won off the back mark (72 yards behind), and was handled with great skill by Syd. Groat. The horse downed seventeen others.

The winner of the Maiden Trot started favourite, and the second place was filled by the visitor, Welcome South, nicely handled by C. Hird.

The most popular race of the day was when Judge Lusk could not separate Kewpie and Mt. Albert in the Improvers' Handicap. The drivers, McKendrick and Hall, came in for an ovation when the numbers were hoisted.

Lord Rose, who had done fine work in his training, made a runaway race of the Spring Handicap by making all his own pace and winning comfortably.

T. Roe's mare, Steel Bell, on the back mark, had a hard row to hoe from one hundred and eight yards behind, but the mare has not raced for some time, and was very backward in condition.

C. Redshaw's Bronze Patch demoralised the rest of the field in the Onehunga Handicap by rushing to the front and staying there. Hint, one of the strong fancies, seemed taken off his feet.

Tim Doolan spoilt his chance in the Stewards' Handicap by falling, and the owner was permitted to scratch his horse. Dorothy Dimple, nicely ridden by W. J. Paull, toddled in.

R. T. Reed had Eccentric up for sale on Friday, and as the reserve was not reached proved lucky, as the white gelding ran second to Dorothy Dimple, and picked up the score of pounds.

Lady Park, the favourite, easily annexed the Mountain Trot Handicap, the visiting horses Lobster and Overrate filling the places. The latter looked like winning till he left his feet close to the winning post,

T. Rpe caught the October Handicap with' his smart little pacing mare Gold Girl. The mare was handled .by R. Hall. Dorothy Dimple, who faulted, did not act as well in the sulky as in saddle.

The Australian-bred Kempsey had his winning turn in the Electric Handicap, outing seven others. The owner-trainer, W. Kelsey, had the son of Design-Childe Harold very well.

Groat won on Marble Hall and also drove Lord Rose. Hall deadheated on Mt. Albert, and won on Gold Girl. G. A. McKendrick drove a very fine race for an amateur, fighting out a good finish on the post.

C. Redshaw handled his own horse. Bronze Patch, when the sou of Dan Patch got home in the Onehunga Handicap. W. Kelsey put up a like performance on Kempsey in the Electric Handicap.

T. Richards arrived on Saturday with-Waverley, and although handled by the Southern expert driver, Jas. Bryce, had to lower his colours to Gold Girl in the October Handicap.

Mr. F. J. McManemin gave some good even starts out of the sixtyseven which he handled from the tapes. F.J.M. was acting for C. O'Connor during the latter's absence in the South. Mr. Harry Moss acted as clerk of the scales during the absence ol' Mr. F. W. Marks, owing to illness. The Auckland-trained horses, Marble Hall, Kewpie, Mt. Albert (dead heat), Lord Rose, Bronze Patch. Dorothy Dimple. Lady Park. Gold Girl, and Kempsey, all won. Mr. Harry Davey, the Stipendiary Steward, was present, but had a very easy time on the opening day of the Auckland Trotting Club Spring Meeting. Although Jas. Bryce, the crack Southern reinsman, was driving at the gathering, places was the nearest he could get. He looked like squeezing Waverley in the October Handicap. E. R. Brown leaves early in the week with three of his team for Gisborne—General Stephens, Escaped, and probably Valley Queen will make up the trio. Mangapotae (Tutchen) was schooled over the battens on Thursday and Saturday. He made several faulty jumps on Saturday, besides stopping. Silverton and Maori Tekianga flew the battens on Thursday, and the latter was schooled again on Saturday. Blue Black was given a few jumps over the little sticks on Wednesday, shaping well. Royal Mark, by King Mark-Chan-tress, had a few schooling lessons during the week, and gives promise of being useful in this department when seasoned. Seville (Tutchen) went over a round (4) of the big battens on Saturday, fencing cleanly and well. Backfire jumped one of the pony battens alone on Saturday, while Calias negotiated a couple of the same. The best jumping bout of the morning was between Coleman's pair, Lombardy and Rome. They equitted themselves well, especially the latter, for a novice. Pearl-de-Mont has been turned out for, a spell. The big mare went through a course of schooling work during the autumn months. Ising Arch was sold on Friday at the Haymarket, going.to the bid of Mr. J. Wilson for 60 guineas. The daughter of Marble Arch-Miss Pauline looks a bargain at the price. The pacing gelding. Prince Rufus, was knocked down at 21 guineas to Mr. Hedley. The old son of Prince Imperial-Fanny Wood was very poor.

W. Smith has added Boxhall, by Elysian-Lyddite, to his team. No Mistake, Sandy McDonald, and Co. all look in a flourishing condition at the Dresent time.

The Australian gelding Hopfield, in J. E. Thorpe's stable, while doing gentle work in the centre of the course on Saturday morning, was seen to falter and fall. He never afterwards moved.

Wee Olga, the owner (Mr. Tom Stuart) informed the writer, dropped a fine colt foal to Marble Arch last week. The new arrival is a shapely little fellow.

John Murray, who for over '25 years was on the staff of workmen employed by the Auckland Racing Club, who was living with his son, Ben Murray, on his farm in the King Country, recently died at his daughter's residence, Mt. Eden. His many friends will be sorry to hear.

The acceptances in the Mitchelson Cup number twenty nicely handicapped horses, and a surprise may come from any quarter.

The best dividend at the opening day of the A.T.C. Spring Meeting was paid out on the dead heat between Mt. Albert and Kewpie.

The Spring Handicap, with a field of only six horses, carried a fine pool of over five thousand pounds. Every horse in the race was Avell supported.

Windorah has dropped out of the New Zealand Cup. It seems hard to have nearly two hundred horses in training at headquarters and not one worthy to be stepped out to oppose the Southern cracks for the big money.

The keen-visioned punters had the situation well sized up in the opening event, selecting Marble Hall and Welcome South in order of favouritism.