TURF GOSSIP.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XVII, Issue 5206, 3 November 1883, Page 2

TURF GOSSIP.

. (by spectator.) 1 he chief of New Zealand Spring Meetings takes place next week, commencing on Tuesday. I allude to the Canterbury Metrepolitain, but it is outside my province to tip on the events to be decided there. Oudeis is the "red hot" favourite for the Derby. Welcome Jack is most fancied for the Canterbury Cup, and Tasman, Chevoit, and Turquoise are the standing dishes for the great event — the New Zealand Cup— and thoße who ought to know say that one of this trio must win. Turquoise had all along been my fancy, and ever since I saw him do a gallop on the Auckland course, just before the last Cup meeting there, I have held a very high.opinion of the merits of thia soa of Tubal Cain, and I make bold to sly that 1 think- he would have beaten Welcome Jack bad be not met with an accident which prevented him starting. The final payments show that thirteen horses are left in the race, and a capital one it should be if all come to the post. The Poet in at such a light impost as 6st 121bs. Hippodamia and Adamant, the last Dunedin Cup winner, and some of the light weights should be able to make the pace a cracker. Consul, the colt that ran so well here as a 2-year oldlast season appears to be " up to his neck" in the Wairarapa Spring Cup.whichhe should win. Satellites third or fourth rater, heads the list with 9st. Consul is handicapped at 6st 121bs. The Waverley -Waitotara and Taranaki meetings also come on next week, Nov 9th. Wairuareka should pull off the Waverley Guineas ; Bugler the Hurdl« Handicap ; Hinemoa the Flying Handicap ; Alma the Maiden Plate ; Bayard or Buzzard the W. W. Handicap. Bugler would have a show in the Taranaki Steeplechase if sent there. Billy-go-by-em is quite good enough to carry his weight to victory, but he is so unreliable that I cannot trust him. If The General is well he will go very near winning. The flat handicaps are on a higher scale than those for the Waverley meeting. The acceptances are not yet known. The handicaps, on the whole, are better than are usually produced for the Taranaki Club, but some of the Wanganui horses are not likely to compete, owiDg to the Waverley meeting coming on the same day. I shall tip on the events after the acceptances appear, in the mean' ime remarking that I expect to see Dan a bit better than he was at Wanganui. I was unable to be present at the Spring Meeting of the Wanganui Jockey Club on the 17th, and it is perhaps late in the day to say much about it. I promised that when I gave my tips that if I saw any reason to alter them I should do so, and finding but at the last moment that I could not get to the I wired to the editor of this journal to substitute Bayard in my tips. The alteration, however, did not appear. I quite lost sight of Ahua when tipping for the Maiden and Bracelet races, forgetting .that this was the colt I took a long shot about 18 months ago. He was then unnamed. The success of this &oa of Cornelia only gives further proof of the great lo s we suffered by the death of the Painter. The course was very heavy- going, contrary to the usual order of things in Wanganui, and I have no doubt that some of the races might have terminated differently had not such been the case. Daa was evidently not strung up, Whitiora had had a > gruelling in the Maiden Plate, and, like Hippona, is not built for getcing through mud ; and, under the circumstances, too much important must not be attached to Bayard's victory. If report is right, he was much fitter than anything else. Nominations for the Waitara Jockey Club races, which take place on the Ist and 2nd January, closed with the Hon Secretary (Mr J. A. Connell), on Thursday nrxt, November Bth. The amounts payable are — Handicap Hurdle races lsoveach, Waitara Jockey Club Handicap 2sovs, Publicans' Handicap 2sovs, Steeplechase 2sovs. Capt Edwin telegraphs a« follows : —Bad weather approaching between norih and east and south-east. Glass falling soon, and within 12 hours' heavy fall of rain ; indications bad. A committee meeting of the Union Boat Club was held at the Occidental Hot' 1 last evening. There were present Messrs Bates, Ferry, Hackett, Armstrong, Davenport, and West. Mr W. McDonald was elected a working member. Rules and bye-laws were drawn up for the coming season and it was resolved to have a general meeting of the Club on Thursday, Bth November, for their final approval or alteration. R. Ward, Esq.. R.M., occupied the bench at the Police Court this morning. John Champion Young was charged on the information of his wife, Elizabeth Youn?, with falling to provide adequate means of support for his two children, John Champion Young and Herbert Rainsford Young. Evidence having been taken, His Worship ordered tho payment of 8s a week towards the maintenance of Herbert Kainsford Young till he attain the age of 14 years, pay.nent to be made every four weeks, first payment to be due in December 1883. Defendant was also ordered to pay cost?.