THE NEW ZEALAND CUP.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXXI, Issue XVI, 17 October 1903, Page 18

THE NEW ZEALAND CUP.

A FORECAST. (By Whalebone.) With the form at the New Zealand Grand National, S-mth Canterbury. Ashburton. Geraldine. Wanganui, and Hawke's Bay meetings before us. we can turn to the New Zealand Cup and discuss probabilities in connection with that race, for a good many Cup candidates have been seen out and their doings have been carefully noted. The big betting race is only a mouth away—less than a month, in fact—and everywhere throughout the colony much interest is being manifested in the coming contest. The same old fire has been kindled, and I Lave been plied everywhere during my travels with the same question. “What will win the Cup?*’ I have crossed Cooks Strait six times during the past nine weeks, and visited most of the meetings of note, and it is on the cards t -at inspiration may have come from the s: a air. so I am now going to try and help my readers to a solution of rhe Cup problem, surrounded with so many difficulties. There is an impression that Achilles will nor bo a starter, his owner Laving stated som - time ago that it was improbable he would run the brilliant son of Medallion for this particular event. There has been some speculation, however, as to why Jenkins, who it was expected would ride Lady give a definite answer to the trainer re riding that mare. The-f :-'t is, Jenkins is retained to ride for The Porirv.a -table, an t A. Lilies and Sea I.ion are both in the race. Sea Lion is at 7.0. hut Jenkins could not ride under 7.7 v ithont d.-ing an unusually severe waste. This has been interpreted to mean that Achilles may • •mpete after all. or that the stable may put Jeukins up a bit overweight on the younger colt. Lady Lillian, it is now <• trie 1. is to he ridden by Hewitt. Sea Lion’s chan, e has not been held in much favour until recently, and those who entert tin an idea that Achilles may start aft rt r all have been under the impression that Sea Lion is not a Cup horse. I am not so sure <>f this. A decent three-year-old must never be overlooked, and Sea Lion's running at Wanganui und r S.lO in the Wanganui Guineas was creditable at least, and I quite expect he will run and run well, though his legs may not • airy him through a long turf career. Roth brothers are at long prices in the betting market, hut neither has been supported by the stable so far as is known. Wairiki may have a race before the day. but want of racing is the strongest argument that can be ad van -d against his chance, remembering the past, when every race seemed to improve him more than work in private. This, coupled with the fact that he did not do any really searching tasks before leaving for the South, and has not done much since reaching Canterbury, owing it is said to hi< having caught a flight cold, is probably the reason of his being easier in the belting market. So far as racing in public is concerned, he stands in the same position as Achilles. Achilles, however, is in a stable where there is plenty of trying tackle and is a colt that may not require racing lik° Mr Bradley's «-olt. Ten to one ’to the extent »»f several hundreds was on offer at Wanganui about Wairiki last Friday, and <-u Saturday part of the money was taken by an Auckland penciller, who retailed it again at the same price. More has since got locally from Canterbury layers. Some Southern pent Kiers have not laid all their money ye: against the son of Sonlt, but Lady Lillian is well backed everywhere in the Routh, and was going in splendid form reeentl.v at Geraldine, and looks likely to take a power of beating, for she is a

good one without a doubt. She is now six years old. aud well seasoned, and like her dam still improving, as did that mare with ago like all the Verkin Warbeck family to whi h they belong. The chances are against Halberdier being seen at the post so welt ns ho was la«t year, and thonpdi his owner is doing his best tn ret him to scale, the market gives a fair indication as to his chance: but he should be left alone, even at such tempting odds. Shrapnel wants racing. and this was quite evident to visitors at Wanganui, where he was big and above himself when he went out favourite for the Wanganui Stakes. He did nut hare the best of luck in the race, and was galloping ou the heels of other horses, added to which

bln breast-pbite broke. All the name, It was a sluw-run race over the first three furlongs, and he was not in It when it came to business. due to want of proper racing eomlirion. His work on the track led bin connections to expect better of him. His trainer has a task before him to have him ready at Cup time for such a long race. He seemed almost as forward in August last. In six weeks, from the March meeting at Wanganui to the April meeting in Wellington. Shrapnel came on very quickly with racing he received at Wanganui and Feilding. but at best I opine a shorter course than two miles will be to his liking. Hundreds to six were freely offered against

Shrapnel after his Wanganui Stakes display. Should Kelbnrn’s logs stand, he may be expected to be landed at the post fit, but he is n« too good on his understandings. and appeared when I saw him recently to be going over fore and aft. I should prefer him on soft rather than on hard going. He will likely race in the interval. If anyone can do him justice. F . Holmes should. He has m»t been backed by his owner from what I can learn. Canteen's owner has some faith in his representative, and a few weeks ago wanted hundreds to five about him, but declined market offerings of a shorter price. Canteen is reported to be going on satisfactorily, and dressed in his best should run well. He will race shortly, and something of his form will be gathered. Reports concerning Pampero are contradictory. On top of one that he had been knocking out horses working with him at Wingatui. another is that one of his legs has again been causing trouble. The distance is not thought beyond him by many of his Dunedin friends, but I have always regarded him as one that would be more at home under than beyond a mile and a half. Hinetanra was very well at Wanganui, where on the second day her racing did not count, as her chance was spoilt at the start. If the leg that caused trouble after she ran second to Advance in the Wellington Cup stands, she may give a good account of herself, as she is a good bit of stuff. Her leg did not look too promising last week, however. She may race at Wellington. Mars is going on much as he has done all along, but one of his legs is always a source of suspicion. He is to go South shortly from Auckland. Strathavon races big. but many who saw him at Avondale hold that there is none too much time to have him ready, and he will not get racing in public before the day. which is probably not to his advantage. Melwood, by being raced at Wanganui, should be improvtHi, and another race or two before the day will help him along a good deal. If he stands Melwood may run a good race, and Davis appears to be giving him the right kind of preparation. Motor's name still appears in the list, but he is not considered a likely starter. Ringman may do better for The racing he is getting, but while he can be regarded as a stayer when well, he is a hard one to get well, and at best is not of the class he has been estimated in many quarters. He is leggy, narrow and wasted looking. Heroism struck himself recently while working, and hau to he rested for a few days, bur was all right soon afterwards. lie has grown up a good deal, and should he all the better for more time. There is a chance of him racing in the interval, but at present lie is not voted a good Cup prospect. General Symons I saw recently at Ashburton :n an adjoining box io his brother Count of Kolmar, who had done some racing at South Canterbury and Ashburton, and looked the more seasoned <>f rhe pair, and who impressed me as possessing on the Ashburton form an outside Cup chance. General Symons is the one that the owner has backed for most money, but the recent support accorded to Count of Kolmar is believed to have been for the stable, and that bas caused the last named to supplant his brother in the market. Fit and well on the day. General Symons, with bis light impost, will do himself credit, and less than a month hence he may bo much more in favour than he is to-day. He is likely to see some service

in the interval, as his trainer recognises that racing is of material benefit to him. A slight mishap caused his owner to decifife on scratching him at the last moment at South Canterbury, where he had sent him to race. For Sychem. Dnnedinites have no fancy, but he promised to make a useful colt last spring. Great Gun will not win an important stake for some time, I fancy, and just now the New Zealand Cup is beyond his compass. Royal Fusilier may not be got ready to run so long a race, but he is credited with having run well in private over a mile, and be may be started, as his owner supported him on the strength of what he had done at home. His Guineas running at Hawke's Bay need not be taken as an indication of the best he Is capable of. Rosea 1 is a useful handicap colt, and one that will be galloping on at the right end if his trainer is right in his conclusion that he can stay. Ills running at Wanganui indicated speed and stamina, but it was more the way he won than the strength of the opposition he beat that impressed m<»st people. There was quite a run on the son of Handsome Jack after he won the Hack Race on the second day. aud he touched hundreds to seven in the betting, which hardly seems a fair price for backers to accept, and on reflecting some thought they had been too ket?n in their anxiety to get on. If be can stay they need not relent, for like most of Rosalind's progeny he can go fast. Seeing that he covered a mile and a distance in 1.57 2-5 this was a fair gallop. Sea Lion, with the same impost, and in the same field, would no doubt just as easily have accounted for the opposition, and so also such three-year-olds as Rose Shield, who, however, may not be paid up for. Black Reynard may or may not make the journey. He may race at Wellington, all going well with him. Leonore must run a fair race if at all better than when she won the Ashburton County Cup. for on her form in that event, which many regarded as lucky, she should run two miles at Riccarton in 3.32 or under. Secret Society is most consistent in his running, and though he does not look like furnishing into a Cup horse, there is no telling until he is tried how far he may get successfully. Lavalette is being worked on in the expectation that he will race more generously, but his chance is not thought a great deal of, and he now figures at a long price in the quotations. Bandmaster is not showing form. Auratus does not give promise of staying. Sirius can have no chance, aud old Volley, even at the minimum, is hardly class enough. Creusot is a useful sort, whether good enough remains to bo seen. Bulawayo is another on the minimum mark that has been winning this season, but few who haye seen him vote him at all likely to earn distinction in a big race. Bombardo is a colt I expected better things of than he has shown of late. To sum up I like Lady Lillian. General Symons, Melwood, Sea Lion. Rosea 1. aud Leonore, best of those still engaged.