Coming Events.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume III, Issue 107, 11 August 1892, Page 4

Coming Events.

[By

“Sir Launcelot.”]

C.J.C. GRAND NATIONAL MEETING. The Canterbury Jockey Club’s Grand National Meeting commences to-day, and the final payments for the different events to be then decided—as well as those for the Grand National Hurdle Race, to be run on Saturday—will be found in our “ Turf Record ” column in another portion of this issue. The final payments for all the events of to-day are eminently satisfactory, and with fine weather it promises to be a real Grand National gathering. To commence at the beginning, let me start with the first item of the card, the First Hunters’ Hurdle Race. There are eleven acceptors, headed by the Bundoora gelding, Rangiora, at 12.7. This horse has not shown a particularly great aptitude for jumping since the Dunedin trainer, Loughlin, schooled him to the business, and I do not fancy him. Neither have I any liking for Regalia with zlb less, and I think both are held safe by Launcelot 11. at 12.3. Of the merits of Scamp, Qui Vive, Lancet, and Black but Mr. Knott has reputation. I L believe 11. ner, The Maiden and only W arf igal clined Friday half-a-dozen in. As, year’s custom, the Grand Race is not run till the second cM||||||| as neither Kulnine nor Cajolery engagement in the Grand Steeplechase, there is nothing to prevent them running in this Maiden Hurdles. As I indicated last week when I reviewed the weights I do not think Kulnine at all badly treated, although he has the top weight of 12.3. His performance in running second to Couranto in the Grand National Hurdle Race was one of sterling merit, and he is certainly better class than any of those opposed to him, unless it be Cajolery, of whose pace on the flat there can be no question. If Cajolery has taken kindly to the jumping business, as I have every reason to believe he has, a concession of iglb. from Kulnine seems to me to make his chance particularly rosy. However, backers would do well to remember that Kulnine and Cajolery are both in the same stable, but all in and both “ jigging ” I shall select Cajolery as best at the weights. The only one I am apprehensive will upset the stable companions is Mrs. Mullaney, who is no novice at the hurdle business. I shall stick to my last week’s selection of Mrs. Mullaney, with Cajolery next best. Next comes the piece de resistance — the Grand National Steeplechase, of 500 sovs., about three miles and a half. There were on Friday night only two defections —Lyndoora and Smuggler—which the field of 15 to go to the post. What a fine sight it will be should they all face the starter, and what a good betting race it will be. Whalebone heads the list at 11.13, and though I am told by some he is a great fencer, I must decline to think that he is anything above the average. His recent victories have not been achieved in very great company, and now that he has some decent class to meet and is giving weight to everything, I think he will go down. Ahua has had a bit of weight taken off him, and on paper reads well at 11.9, but the little horse has failed over the course previously, and will, I think, do so again. He has never been any pet of mine as a steeplechaser, and would have been, in my opinion, far better kept at the hurdle game, at which he was in his day facileprinceps. I have had a strong liking for Couranto all through the piece, and I still think that whatever

MMgMFrri will win. The fact of Norton scratched, for the Hurdles should strong tip as to his ability to Steeplechase course, for Lunn is a Miost accomplished mentor of jumpers, Knd with the trying tackle he possesses 'must have tried Norton highly. However, I don’t like novices for big journeys like this, so I shall be bold enough to leave Norton out of my calculations, albeit I should not be surprised to see him start first favourite. I have no liking for Sir Garnet or Commotion, but Booties has an outside chance, and so has Caloola. Magpie is a new horse over the big country, and I like him better in the Hurdle Race with 21b less. Kaimanawa, had he not hit the last obstacle, would very probably have won the Wellington Steeplechase, and I’m very partial to his chance now with i lb less than he carried then. Flintstone incurred sib penalty by winning the United Hunt Steeplechase, which brings his weight up to 9.12, at which I pass him by; but I will have Morok as possessing a big chance of annexing this valuable prize, and he should hold Chance, Waitangi and Worth as safe as if they were in their stables. It will be seen that those I like best are Couranto, Booties, Caloola, Kaimanawa and Morok, and to try and place them I go for — Couranto .. .. • • 1 Morok .. .. .. 2 Kaimanawa .. • • 3 Passing by the Tally-Ho Steeplechase I come to the Ladies’ Bracelet, which, I may briefly remark, should go to Captain Webb, if he be all he is represented to be. His owner, Mr. Gollan, is always dangerous in events of this description, but I should not be surprised to see him beaten by Calm. The Maiden Steeplechase is the worst filled event of the card, for only five have been entered for it, and of these, Worth and Norton have an engagement in the Grand National, and so may not run. I shall therefore go for Smuggler. The Winter Handicap has an acceptance of 14, the people that have shown their dislike to Mr. Henry’s handicap Jjeing/The owners of Liberator, Young |MKeviot, Zaccho, Aquarius, Von Tempsky, Count d’Orsay, Kilmarnock and -triot harshly dealt by on previous form. If the two top weights, Merrie England • and Crackshot, were pink I should take them to fight out the finish, but this will probably be a sort of preliminary canter for them, pending more valuable engagements later on in the season. Bay King is still my pick, and with Young Cheviot withdrawn in favour of Beau Nash, the latter must be reckoned with. Erin-go-Bragh and The Idler have a big say, but I shall decide for Bay King, with Erin- - go-Bragh and Beau Nash in the other places. With Saturday’s Grand National Hurdle Race I shall not deal at length, as of . necessity the first day’s running must shed some light on it, and may in fact materially alter calculations. If Couranto misses the Steeples I shall expect him to win the Hurdles, and if Kaimanawa don’t win the Steeples I expect him to have a say in the event run over the “ little sticks.” Magpie and Cajolery are the only other ones I care for out of the 1 o acceptors, and I shall divide my vote between Couranto and Kaimanawa, with Magpie and Cajolery next best.

An acceptance of 50 for the New Zealand Gup is something for Mr. Henry, the handicapper, to be proud of. That his handicap was a flattering one all turfites agreed on at the time it was issued, and a “best on record” for an acceptance in connection with the only “thousand pounder” run in New Zealand has been the result. Really nothing of any note dropped out on Friday last, except it be Kulnine and Fiesole, for Occident, Brigand, Morpheus, Cruchfield, Sir Robert, and Young Cheviot were all eliminated before the acceptance night. The absentees other than those mentioned are The Workman, who is now absent in Australia and is likely to remain there; Thame, who got hurt so badly during the season just closed that her appearance under silk again is exceedingly problematic; Free Lance, who has disap--5 pointed the Hon. J. D. Ormond many a time ere now ; Johnny Faa, who is not in active work just now; Tireur and Lord Hornet, two three-year olds, the latter of whom has never run, while Tireur only performed once, unsuccessfully, as a two-year old; Bay Bell and at- Hakimana, both of whom I must confess I expected to see paid up for ; and Nile, Monte Carlo, Ozioso and tJa, all practically

untried two-year olds. Fiesole’s absence is accounted for by her pulling up lame last week, after a gallop, and Maj or George will now have to rely on Coalscuttle, who is nicely handicapped. Kulnine’s absence is most probably accounted for by the fact that he has been prepared specially for the Grand National Meeting, and that his stable companion, Clanranald, has been tried highly enough for the N.Z. Cup to warrant the wealthy connections of the “H. Lunn’s ns ” stable in backing him for a good bit to win the C.J.C.’s big Spring event. At present the owner most strongly represented in the stake is Mr. Stead, with a quartette (Lebel, Stepniak, Reynard and Hybrid). Mr. D O’Brien has a trio (Flinders, Launceston, and Captive); and so have Mr. G. Hunter (Cynisca, Whisper, and Mystic), Mr. Douglas (Strephon, Rosefeldt, and the Mute — Christina gelding), and the Hon. J. D. Ormond (North Atlantic, Queen of Trumps, and Spinfeldt). When the weights came out I summed up my article thereon as follows:-—“I shall expect the winner of the New Zealand Cup of 1892 to come from the following eight :—Cynisca, Crackshot, Crown Jewel, Whisper, Prestige, Coalscuttle, North Atlantic, and St. Hippo.” All these have accepted, so I need say no more now. The further payment for the Welcome Stakes produced another capital acceptance, 26 youngsters being paid for. Auckland owners are conspicuous by their absence, but there are several Aucklandbred ones engaged. The Hon. J. D. Ormond is the largest with five representatives namely, a half-sister to Queen of Trumps, a half-brother to Sir Modred, a colt by Nordenfeldt out of Speargrass, a full sister to Spinfeldt, and a halfbrother to All There.

There was also a progress payment on Friday for the Canterbury Derby, and 20 three-year olds were paid for. Mr. Stead has left in his trio of N.Z. Cup youngsters, Reynard, Hybrid, and Stepniak. Mr Goodson, Mr. D. O’Brien, Mr H. A. Knight, and the Hon. J. D. Ormond each have a pair engaged. Auckland is to be battled for by St. Hippo and Puwerewere, and I feel certain the former will not disgrace our city. Of the 20 candidates four are by Nordenfeldt, three -two by Le Loup, two by Gorton, and two by Apremont, while Somnus, Leolinus, St. Leger, Total Eclipse, St. George, Tasman and Burlington have each one representative. ~ • - Yet another further payment in connection with the C.J.C. Spring Meeting was that for the Oaks, and ten young ladies are now left in this stake. Mr. Marshall, with Puwerewere, is the only Aucklander in the list. Curiously enough each of the acceptors is got by a different sire, the stallions responsible for their paternity being Tasman, Captivator, Nordenfeldt, Apremont, Gorton, Cadogan, St. George, Piscatorious, The Mute, and Burlington. The weights for the A.J.C. Metropolitan Stakes, to be run on September 13, have been issued by Mr. Scarr and will be found in another column. He commences with Marvel at 10.5 and puts izlb between him and Bungebah and then come Stromboli at 9.3 and Oxide at 8.12. In the Caulfield Cup of the same distance Bungebah had to concede Stromboli jib and Oxide ylb, so there is but little difference between the relative estimates of Mr. Scarr and Mr. Bernard. The Queenslander Donizetti has been taken good care of at 8.12. Mr. Scarr seems to differ with his brother handicappers as to the relative merits of St. Albans II and Tirailleur, for he places them at level weights—B.lo each—whereas Mr. Barnard made Tirailleur give St. Albans 11. 41b and in the Melbourne Cup of half-a-mlie further, Mr. Dakin askedTirailleurto concede St. Albans 11. 1 lb. Paris, who is a good deal fancied in some quarters for the Caulfield Cup, has exactly the same weight, 8.8, in the “ Metrop.” The Workman, at 8.6, is similarly treated having relation to the Caulfield Cup adjustment. Autonomy was not entered for the Caulfield Cup, but Mr. Scarr now puts him 21b above the weight Mr. Dakin gave him in the Melbourne Cup, but it must be remembered that Mr. D. started his handicap with 9.8, while Mr. S. starts with 10.5, and as the “ Metrop” is half-a-mile shorter than the Melbourne Cup, it appears to me as if Mr. Scarr, who has often been not inaptly termed “ the Admiral Rous of Australia,” does not regard Autonomy as the phenomenal twoyear old .that some people represent him to be. < Florrie, at 8.2, is in a better position than in the Caulfield Cup, and the other New Zealanders engaged are apportioned thusly : Sternchaser, 7.2 ; Culloden, 6.12 ; Cannon, 6.7 ; and Silver Knight, 6.5.