NOTES BY MONITOR.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXIV, Issue XXIII, 9 June 1900, Page 1069

NOTES BY MONITOR.

NORTH NEW ZEALAND GRAND NATIONAL MEETING.

The coming Winter Meeting of the Auckland Club is arousing even greater interest than usual in sporting circles, and speculation on the chief events has been very brisk for some time past. The fixture is always a popular one with the general public, comprising, as it does, so many jumping races, which at all times, for the non-betting portion of the community, are more worth watching than the short five-furlong dashes usually associated with the other meetings throughout the year. At present there would seem to be a probability of a greater number of visiting horses being seen out at Ellerslie than has been the case for some considerable time past. Among these may be mentioned Torpina, Shylock, Silver Ray, Social Pest. The Guard, Pensioner and Venture. No doubt, owing to the quantity of rain which has fallen recently, the going may prove somewhat holding, but this, of course, is generally the ease at this period of Die year. In addition to the two big events of the meeting, the minor fixtures have received very- satisfactory' acceptances, and there can be little doubt that with fine weather the attendance of the public will be verylarge. Mr Percival, the popular secretary. has his arrangements, as usual, fixed up in a thoroughly- up-to-date manner, and the comfort of patrons has been exceptionally well attended to. Proceedings will open with the Maiden Steeplechase, for which a field of seventeen have accepted, including the Southern horses. Pensioner, Venture and Silver Ray. Venture has been awarded pride of place, but I feel somewhat dubious as to whether he is good enough to concede over a stone to Woolman, who is in line form just now’, while Volcano is another one who will take a lot of beating, and I take these two latter horses to beat the field. The Winter Welter TTamln •ap follows, for which a big field promises to start. Record Reign has been accorded a thumping impost with 12.10 on his back, and although the sou of Castor is undoubtedly a good one. I hardly think him equal to the task. In reading down the list nothing strikes me so favourably as Winsome or Solo, and I will take Winnie’s daughter to win outright. The big event of the day. the Grand National Hurdle Race, is next on the list, and in this seventeen yet remain. The Southerner. Social Pest, with 12.10, is in pride of place, but good though the son of Ahua has proved himself, it is possible that the big weight and the heavy going will find him out. Dummy I like better for the Steeplechase, but Torpina. with 11.3, is one of the most dangerous candidates entered. The Torpedo gelding is in fine trim, and there is no horse engaged for whose chance I have a greater respect. Troubadour is a fine stamp of a hurdle horse, but it remains to be seen whether he has the required brilliancy to win a big event of the kind. Blackdust, although accepted for, is a certain non-starter, while Drum Major is rather above himself in the matter of condition: he. however, will have improved on the eventful day, and. if taken to the front at once, will assuredly be thereabouts at the finish. 1-ast year's winner. Shylock, has been brought up to Like part in this race, but 1 hardly fancy that the little son of Wapiti will do the

trick this year. On his running at the Shore Cavalier must possess excellent winning prospects, but owing to some indifferent fencing at Ellerslie he has receded in the betting quotations. I have no great liking for Cairo, but the next on the list. The Guard, judged by his Wanganui form, should be in the very first flight at the finishing end. Of the others, possibly Karimate and Korowai may have the best prospects, but. it is hard to see why seine of the light-weight division were ever entered. To sum up I will take Torpina, The Guard and Drum Major to finish in that order.

In the Maiden Handicap. Hurdles twelve are entered, and of these possibly Pensioner or Heart Whist may provide the winner. A good field is almost certain to take part in the Maiden Welter, and among the host of moderates engaged Cadiz, The Frenchman, Donnybrook, and Bacchus possess good chances; and F will take the former to win. On Monday the chief item will be the Great Northern Steeplechase. for which sixteen have been left in. N’or'west is at the lop of the poll, but £ fancy he has hardly sufficiently recovered from his trip to Sydney to be a starter. Dumiqy should accordingly be actual top weight in the race, and although the chestnut son of The Mute is set a severe task when asked to carry 12st 4)b. it is by no means beyond his powers. Dentist, with list, should possess a fine chance. but 1 understand he is under suspicion for a leg ailment. On her running at the Shore Muscatel can have no possible chance, while Black Dust will lie an absentee. Ihe length of the journey will probably find Troubadour out. while I have no great regard for Cairo or Tataramoa. The two Southerners, Venture and The Guard, are on the mark together at Ost 10lb, and of these I much prefer the latter, although. of course. his running in the Hurd’e Race should give a good line as to his prospects in the race in question. Jim, Silver Ray. Pills and Kowhai 1 will pass, but Kaimale has a fair outside chance as also has Voltigeur 11., who is one of the light weights fro n which danger may be expected. To summarise the position F will take Dummy to win outright, with Dentist and Kaimute as his nearest attendants. ® ® ® Among our illustrations this week will be found a portrait of the Taka pun a Jockey Club stewards, whom our artist has managed to get a snapshot of during the running of a race. The popular secretary, Mr Robt. Wynyard. can easily be recognised, while the figures of Drs. Walker ami Laing, Messrs Donald Mcl-edd. Wm. Adams, and E. W. Alison stand out very prominently. Another picture is that of rhe wellknown hurdle mare Korowai, which annexed the Second Hurdle Race. The daughter of Hotchkiss is engaged in the G.N. Hurdles at Ellerslie, and there are quite a number who fancy she will run very prominently in the big race on Saturday. The Waikato owned Honesty is also shown. This game little equine has well earned her name, for she has won quite a number of races in the country this season. Her latest performance was in the Britannia Handicap at the recent Shore meeting, in which she beat a very respectable field. Betting on the Grand National Meeting has been fairly brisk during the week, and several large lines have been written by our local bookmakers. The Guard and Torpina are quoted favourites for the Hurdle Race at 3 to 1 each, while on the double, G.N. Hurdles and Great Northern Steeplechase. 100 to 7 is offered on the field. The Great Northern Steeplechase candidate Dummy is looking exceedingly well at present, and although the chestnut son of The Mirte is asked to carry a big burden he will take no end of beating in the big cross country race on Monday next. Tbv gelding, it will be remembered, was seen out in rhe Hurdle Race at the Takapuna meeting, but on that occasion did not during any part of the rare show to advantage. He appeared to me to be rather on the big side thei) and has since fined down somewhat. A horse whose chance must nut be

overlooked in the big cross country event at Ellerslie on Monday next is Kaimate. This big upstanding chestnut ran a good rare al Ellerslie at Easter time, when hr downed Tim. Since then he has placed the Wanganui Hurdles to his credit. The Australian’s sen is reported to be very writ al present.

The news received by cable lasi week of the victory of the Prince of Wales' horse Diamond .Jubilee in ihe Derby was nor unexpected, as the horse's running in the Two Thousand Guineas and the New market Slakes pointed to lhe fact that he was just about the best of his year. Diamond Jubilee, as is well known, is by that great sire St. Simon, out of Perdita 11.. and was bred by the Prince himself. He comes of a very successful family, having for full brothers two such tine animals a_s Elorize! 11. and Persimmon. He is engaged in the St. Leger, Princess of Wales Stakes. Eclipse Stakes, and Jockey Club Stakes, the three latter races each being worth Iu.OOO sov., so that it would seem that his winnings for the year should run into a pretty big total. The Southern horse Bl:i<-k Dust w is considered to have a fine chance in one of the big races at the coming Elh-rslie meeting. The black son of Bull's-eye sustained an iniury however when running at the Wanganui meeting the other day, the result being that he will noa fulfil bis Northern Engagements. This is rather a knock to the numerous early punters, who considered the horse a good thing. The biggest horse on record was one exhibited at York in ISS9. Thm-<’y drsdale turned the beam at 30C‘)llis, or nearlx one ton seven hundred weight. Re was 20J hands high and although only five years old measured 32 inches round the arm, 45 inches round the stifle. 95 inches gii th, 34A inches round the hip. and ll 1-3 feet in length. lhe horse was of perfect proport tons.. having a head three feet long. The result of the Oaks, run at the Epsom (England) Spring Meeting. is to hand. This year the Ladies' Pace fell to the Duke o F Portia id's- hav filly La Roche, by St. Simon--Miss Miiil.-d. who bad as her nearest attendant Mr W. H. Walker's bay filly Merry Gal. by Galopin from Mary Seaton, while third place was filled by Mr J. Mu ker's bay filly Lady Schomberg. by Aughrim from Clonavam. The chestimt gelding Kef th drum was sold last Friday 'to Mr W. FT. North for 120 guinea, a’ whirl: price the son of Hotchkiss and Wen-cl could hardly be considered a bargain. Mr Noith also bought the West Coast horse 'The Major, while an ih r to change hands was the disappointing Verdi, who went to Mr .I. 11. XVili.-.m-son's bid of 34 guineas. The mares which Mr G. (»'. Stead is importing for Yahihurs: ar» <>!irl«‘r. by Sheen from Spring Morn; Hawthorne. by Orvieto from St. M ’f!r«-d by St. Simon; and Saiiror, by y a"(‘rrer from Angola. The first n: nu »l. Glitter. has been stinted 1o Mart; gou, by Bend Or. Sanccrer. who is rh. sire of Saucer, is by Ormond; while Angola is a half-sister to Orme, so that there is a certain amount of inbreeding in this pedigree. The time should prove a xalunble addition to the blood stock of the colony.