CANTERBURY JOCKEY CLUB’S AUTUMN MEETING.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume III, Issue 140, 30 March 1893, Page 5

CANTERBURY JOCKEY CLUB’S AUTUMN MEETING.

The Canterbury Jockey Club originally decided to hold their Autumn Meeting on Saturday and Monday next, but they have now changed the days, and their racing will be brought off on Easter Monday and Tuesday. The general entries were not as a whole satisfactory, for they showed a good falling off from last year’s total, but the Challenge Stakes on the second day should prove a big draw, and as the amount of that stake has mostly been subscribed by owners, the Club will incur no responsibility in connection therewith. With this and fine weather given in, they should have a successful meeting. Taking the events in the order in which they appear on the card, I come first of all to the Epsom Welter Handicap of lOOsovs, one mile and a half. The acceptances closed last night (Wednesday), so I have no opportunity of seeing them at the time of writing, and must

therefore take the weights as they stand. Crackshot heads the list at 10.0, but I’m told by some people who saw him at Napier that one of his legs wears a very suspicious look, and certainly he did not run well there. I pass him by therefore, and Exile at 9.1 and Captive at 9.0 do not commend themselves to me. Beau Nash has before now shown his ability to carry welter weights, and at 8.13 I think he will take a lot of beating. Awarua Rose at the same weight is not to my fancy, but I like Lumper at 8.12. But I think whatever beats Beau Nash will win. One of the most interesting events of the meeting will be the Champagne Stakes of 300sovs, 6 furlongs, for two-year-olds. Each of the seven acceptors is in a different interest, and though a final payment of 7sovs towards the sweepstake was to be made last night I don’t suppose that any of the septette will drop out. On public form, of course, Strowan is entitled to most respect, and, be it remembered, there are no penalties for previous wins. There are at least a couple of his opponents that, be he in his best form he will have to reckon with judging by previous running, and these are Mr D. O’Brien’s filly Response by Richmond —Bis Bis, and Mr J. Paul’s colt Westmere by Escutcheon —Leonessa. Nor are these the only ones in the field that have already won races, for Beadonwell by St. Clair —Dione, and Gitano by Le Loup— Gitana (both Dunedinites) have flashed past the judge in first place. Lake Shell (who is half-brother to Cynisca and Pygmalion), and Crawley (who is by Apremont out of Whakawatea’s half-sister Mrs Rawdon), are both maidens, but Lake Shell has run into a place more than once, and Cutts may on Monday be recompensed for some previous disappointments with him. I have already remarked that it is a rather open race, and so it is, but I think the final struggle will be narrowed down to Strowan, Response and Westmere, and even bearing in memory the sterling performances of Mr Stead’s colt this season under big weights, I shall take Westmere to lower his colours. The third event on the card is one in which more interest will be taken by North Islanders than in the previous races, because they have several representatives engaged in the Great Easter Handicap of SOOsovs. 7 furlongs. I have gone over the handicap for this race more than once, and with a final payment due last night it is rather hard to gauge the strength of the field. However, I should say that out of the 18 that accepted a few days back there will not be more than three absentees, say Morpheus, Paramu and Tangi Maid. This would leave the following in:—Merganser 9.12 (including 101 b penalty), The Workman 9.4, Stepniak 9.3, Prime Warden 8.12, Kulnine 8.5, Heather Bell 8.3, Lady Zetland 7.12, Melinite 7.12, Swordbelt 7.11, Thame 7.10, Saracen 7.8, Lustre 7.5, Au Re voir 7.0, Ua 6.13 (including 51b penalty), and Dora 6.8. Half a dozen out of the eight I selected when the weights appeared are left in, and these are The Workman, Stepniak, Kulnine, Lady Zetland, Lustre and Dora, and to try and make a place selection I shall put Lady Zetland .. .. 1 Kulnine .. .. . . 2 Lus're .. .. .. 3 The Kildare Steeplechase of 200sovs, about three miles, has the poor acceptance of five, but then there were only eight entered. Norton, who has top impost of 13.2, went down in a flat race at Amuri (North Canterbury) the other day, (particulars of which will be found in a “ turf topic” in another column), but, nevertheless, I shall not be surprised to hear of his leaving the paddock first favourite for the event under notice. From the time the weights appeared I have never deviated from a liking for Magpie at 11.3, and this is the horse I expect to win. The Russley Stakes Handicap of 190 sovs, five furlongs, is confined to two-year-olds that have never won a race of the value of lOOsovs, and is therefore very interesting. This year there are 10 engaged, and Strowan’s stable - mate Geraint is top weight with 8.9. Zanella, who won a race for Mr Rathbone at Napier last week, receives her sexual allowance of 21b from Mr Stead’s colt. Then comes Cajolery’s sister Persuasion wijh 8.5, and she certainly is such a handy ’un over 5 furlongs that I deem her capable of beating the pair above her. I hardly see how Token, 7.12, is entitled to give 21b to Gitano, who I look on as the pick of the lot. If Taranna, 7.8, at all

run up to the form he was supposed to possess before he competed at the Auckland Summer Meeting he should be about at the finish, but I am afraid he is none too reliable. Busybody, 7.0, is another that had a big track reputation, but has signally failed to sustain it in public. However, I shall not be surprised to see this half-sister to Whisper win a good race yet, and this may be the one. However, all in, I like Gitano best and Persuasion may be the most dangerous of the others. I cannot say anything about the Sockburn Handicap of lOOsovs, one mile and a quarter, for the reason that acceptances closed last night, and that several of the competitors have engagements to fulfil earlier in the day and entries for the Grincrack Race of 30sovs, 6 furlongs, which winds up the day’s card and the winner of which is to be sold for 20sovs (any surplus to go to the funds), did not close till last night. There are only two races on the second day with which I can deal, and they occur in consecutive order—the Great Autumn Handicap of 500 sovs, one mile and a half, and the First Challenge Stakes of 2000 sovs, six furlongs. To deal first with the Great Autumn Handicap of 500 sovs, one mile and a half, I may premise that there was afinal payment due last night and that the race may be affected materially by the result of the Easter Handicap. The number of 13 acceptors on the 18th inst. has been reduced by one by the scratching of Captive. Merganser’s Napier Cup win earned her no more than the 101 b penalty she had incurred before, so that 9.8 is her present weight. Judging by the manner in which she won at Hastings and Napier Park, perhaps she doesn’t seem overburdened, but I must say that, having regard to the different company she will now have to meet, I do not expect her to get into a place. I have stuck to Stepniak, 8.13, since the weights appeared, and providing he does not incur a penalty by winning the Great Easter Handicap I look on him as “ good goods very.” Though Prime Warden won this race last year with 8.2, I do not like him now with 101 b more, though I am aware that in holding that opinion I am in direct opposition to several judges of racing whose opinions I have a great respect for. Time will prove who is right, though. Crack shot, 8.7, I must discard after his Napier running. Should Kulnine run a good horse in the Great Easter, his stable companion Merrie England is sure to come into the market strongly for the Great Autumn which he won three years ago with 101 b more than he is now called upon to carry. Be this as it may, I regard him as one of the “ has beens,’ though I am willing to admit that he put up a great performance at Easter time 1890, when, although only half fit, he won easily in 2min Palliser at 7.12 is a great fancy of mine, and as I mentioned last week I have a sneaking regard for Retina, 7.10. Thame, 7.9. is another I’ve a great respect for, more especially if she be an absentee from the Easter Handicap. I adhere to my last week’s quartette — Stepniak, Palliser, Retina, and Thame, and to try to place them I vote for Thame .. .. • • 1 Palliser .. .. .. 2 Retina .. • • .. 3 Following right on to the Great Autumn Handicap comes the First Challenge Stakes of 2000 sovs., 6 furlongs, and 23 made the last payment, but some of these were palpably left in by mistake ; Captive has since been scratched, and it is hardly likely that Mr Stead will run all his trio— Stepniak 9.3, Melinite 8.1 2, and Strowan 7.1 1. Whichever he starts, though, is pretty sure to be formidable, but I certainly prefer either the three-year-old or the two-year-old to Melinite. Cajolery, 9.3, is a speedy ’un, but is too uncertain to trust, albeit if he take into his head to go on tne day neither the weight nor the distance will stop him. However, I think The Workman will beat both Stepniak and Cajolery at the weights. Though Dora won the Oaks with 8.10, she beat a very poor field, and I don’t think she has a chance now with the same weight. If Vogengang were in his two-year-old form I would have a great fancy for him at 8.9, but it doesn’t seem to me as if he has trained on, and therefore I prefer his contemporary Launceston at the same weight. Last week I expressed the opinion that Wakawatea would bea’‘ soft thing.” if he were in his two-year-old form. I am in the dark as to his present condition, but from what I can gather, though

not as well forward as he might be, he is not by any means on the sick list. Therefore I should advise backers not to entirely disregard him. Strowan, 7.11, is entitled to the greatest of respect, and so will Skirmisher, 7.9, be if he come to the post, but I do not look on that as a very probable contingency. I think we may eliminate the C.J.C. Welcome Stakes winner from the list. The chances of Westmere and Strowan will be better estimated after their Champagne battle, but I think Mr Paul’s colt will hold his own with the best of them. Unless it be Zanella, 7.2, or Lake Shell, 6.13, I don’t see that any of the light-weighted two-year-olds can beat Strowan and Westmere, and both these youngsters will have had a previous opportunity of getting their strength guaged through Strowan and Westmere in the Champagne. The Workman ; the best of Mr Stead’s trio, which I take to be Strowan ; Westmere and Lake Shell seem to me the quartette most likely to fight it out, and with the uncertainty as to what penalties may be incurred over the first day’s racing, I think it wisest to indicate my opinion that whatever beats The Workman will win.

“ Spectator,” of the Weekly Press, who somehow is generally pretty well informed about the inmates of Mr Stead’s stable, says in his last week’s notes: —“ Owing to Reflector having contracted a cold, Mr Stead did not pay up for him in the Champagne or Challenge Stakes, or, indeed, for any of his C.J.C. Autumn engagements.” Commenting on the acceptances for the Great Easter Handicap, the same scribe says : —“ As for Stepniak, I saw that colt as late as Saturday, and without knowing aught of the intention of his owner, I should say that Mason is likely to have the son of Nordenfeldt and Steppe ready to fulfil any engagement that he may be wanted for, as he has apparently got him over the trouble which striking himself at work at the C.J.C. Meeting occasioned. Melinite, in the same stable, looks like one that has not been idle, and though she appeared to me to have trained light, as many of the Nordenfeldt’s do, I would not be surprised to see her run a better race than she did in the Craven Stakes, if the elect of the stable on the day for this particular journey.”