HAWKE’S BAY JOCKEY CLUB.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume III, Issue 151, 15 June 1893, Page 3

HAWKE’S BAY JOCKEY CLUB.

The weights for the Hurdle Race of 100 sovs, 2 miles, and Hawke’s Bay Steeplechase of 3! miles, were due according to the advertised programme on or about the Bth inst, and considering that the Auckland Racing Club had to postpone their Grand National Hurdle Race and Great Northern Steeplechase, the H.B.J.C. might as well have waited till after the Auckland running for Mr Evett’s handicaps. Mr Evett tells me that he made strong representations to the Club on the subject, but they declined

to wait for the handicaps till Monday, though that would only have involved a delay of one publication in a morning daily, while it would have given the weight-adjuster every opportunity of forming his calculations as to the running in the Great Northern Steeplechase. As the acceptances do riot close till to-mor-row, I fail to see where the necessity for the quick declaration of the weights came in.

Mr Evett starts his Hurdle adjustments with 12.0 on Couranto, which he is quite entitled to do, considering the time that this nag has been inretirement. Kulnine, 11.10, is dropped 21b on his Grand National weight, neverthe less he meets Tiritea on the same terms, viz., giving the Napierite ylb. Mr Evettt is consistent herein, but why does not Aorere get taken down in the scale accordingly ? In the A.R.C. Grand National Hurdles Aorere had 10.9, but with Kulnine and Tiritea lowered, why should not similar treatment have been dealt out to the son of Castoff ? Waterbury’s running here was so bad that I must pass him by. Gondolier has been under a cloud for some.time past, but I like Kapua at 10.0, and I think, considering his victory in the Maiden Hurdles at Ellerslie that Mr Evett might have given him a few pounds more. Glenelg. 9.12, has a reputation, but he has not run up to it. Criminal, 9.10, had to be handicapped before the second day of the A.R.C. Meeting or otherwise he would have had a bit more weight to carry after his victory in the Hurdle Race on that day. The Hawke’s Bay correspondent of the Sporting Review, who knows more about Jack, 9.7, than I do, seems to regard him as having a chance. Chester, at 9.7, reads well, and should beat all those below him, and I hardly understand how Mr Evett arrives at the conclusion that he is so much inferior to Kapua and Criminal. Mr Evett starts the handicap for the Steeplechase at 12.8, the same as he gave Norton at Auckland. Whalebone, with 61b below the Southerner, has his full deserts, and I do not fancy Couranto at 12.0. Tiritea, 11.4, did not sample the heavy going at Ellerslie under the same weight as he has now got. Booties ran unplaced in that race, and yet he is raised 31b on what he then carried, while Tiritea is left at the same weight. Why is this ? Then again, neither Aorere nor Gondolier started in the Great Northern Steeplechase in which Mr Evett gave them 10.7 and 10.5 respectively, but according to this, his most recent adjustment, Aorere meets Gondolier on the same mark. Parnell is kept at 10.0, and then comes Otakeho at the same weight, and this I am told is a good horse of his class. I must again express an opinion that Chester has a bit the best of the weights, but the only one of those below him that I have a liking for is Worth. When, however, the acceptances see the light there will be more opportunity of. discussing probabilities.