AUCKLAND RACING CLUB CHRISTMAS CAMPAIGN.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume V, Issue 230, 20 December 1894, Page 6

AUCKLAND RACING CLUB CHRISTMAS CAMPAIGN.

The prospects are exceedingly favourable for our annual racing carnival. Good fields are promised for the opening day, Wednesday next; the quality of the local cattle is undoubted; the' cracks from the South are all in-the best of fettle and promise to stretch the Northern necks to some purpose; and, so far as can be judged at the time of writing, the weather outlook is all that could be desired. No, not quite ; for a shower or so would be acceptable in view of the hard going, brought about by the long spell of blazing sunshine to which we have been treated of late. The track is becoming very bricky, and should no change take place the A.R.C. authorities would be wise were they to place a coating of tan on the landing side of the steeplechase jumps. Such an improvement will, I fancy, be carried out should there be no break in the weather. Talking of the latter possibility, I am sorry to say that several sage old salt-water authorities prophesy a wet Xmastide —a not unlikely development considering the absence of. rainfall during the past few weeks. However, rain or no rain, the course is looking splendid and certainly reflects credit upon those entrusted with its care. The near approach of the meeting has worked a wonderful transformation in"’the appearance of

the track in the early morning, and keen-eyed touts are as common as grass when the rising sun draws the equine performers from their boxes to the exercise ground. Right along the line good work has been the order, and small as the field for the Cup will be, the contest will prove one of the best ever known at Ellerslie. The South has a big battle in front of it to wrest the victory from local stables, but I fancy the fight will go to them after all. A pleasant feature of this year’s gathering will be the presence of Grey’s starting machine at all the releasing posts, and looking back at the. experience of last season sportsmen must rejoice at the prospect of machine starting. The new order was an unmixed blessing at the spring meeting, and as our racers have since become accustomed to the working of the “ gate,” there is ground for the belief that the measure of success then achieved will be con-

siderably larger next week. The Railway Department has amply provided for the wants of the travelling public as will seen from thfceir notific tion appearing in the business columns of the Review, and Mr Percival intimates that backers residing at a distance who wish to speculate on the races may (lo so by despatching their instructions in time to reach the secretary's office not later than 11 a.m. on race days. Boxing Day and New Year’s Day being public holidays orders.should be despatched the day before. The privileges of the gathering have sold well; the quality of the animals engaged will give excellent racing; so with favourable treatment at the hands of the King of the Clouds the 1894-95 meeting of the A.R.C. should establish a record in the club’s history. The race meetings already held this season show an all-round advance, and the spirit of progress will surely apply to the fixture under notice. So much for the prelimi-

nary canter, now for the prospects of the contes- , tants. The acceptances only reached me a very short time prior to the Review going to press, so I had only time to glance' through the list. And as the racers have two more days to negotiate, 1 feel a little' uncertain how. to Ibcate their winning vein. However, treating them all as triers, I think thusly In the Trial Handicap Lord Dunluce and Crescent are the only defectors and from a hurried glance at the eleven acceeptors, I should fancy the selected of Messrs Nathans’ stable, The Dancer or Campania, must play an important part in settling this race. Campania, Eve, and Norina look the best trio. The Foal Stakes has eight good youngsters engaged, and though Auckland confidently expects Forma to again prove a flier I fancy she will for once have .to step back. The Castor eolt, Orion’s Belt, has a nice style of galloping, and Armour is no “slouch,” believe me. Forma will run well, but much as I would like to see the north triumph I fancy Bloodshot and Caribou will prove too much for us. Then will come the event of the meeting, the Auckland Cup. One of the strongest stays of the home prospects was the New Zealand Cup hero, Impulse, and he was a favourite pick straight out and in doubles.’ Unfortunately he failed in his work a day or so back, and yesterday his owner had no option but to scratch him. I lookeii upon him as the. strongest ' opponent of Murray Hobbs’ pair, arid with him out ,of the way the prospect of the visitors scoring looks better than ever. Prime Warden is doing his work in a fashion that satisfies me: he will. be the hardest horse to beat in the race, -and whatever takes down his number will certainly get home. His weight is a tidy burden, but the Apremont horse is doing so famously that there appears sound justification for his strong position in the market. His measure is 6 to 4—a narrow price, but the horse’s chance is worth it. His stable companion, Saracen figures at 10 to 1, so on market indications he can have a very indifferent chance, but it is as well to remember that the Mentor of the stable under review is as clever a turfite as there is in New Zealand, and I for one would not like to back the top weight and neglect Saracen. He was good enough for them to rely upon in the New Zealand Cup, and so tjiere is no reason why he should not administer an upper cut to plungers on the favourite. Saracen’s work is, however, rather much on the halfpace side to make one incline to his Cup chance; but my prejudice is that if I backed Murray Hobbs’ champion I-should also have a bit on the second neddy in the stable. St. Kilda appears to he doing no . Cup galloping, is at 20 to 1, and consequently looks out of it. A two-miler this, but Prime Warden must beat him. Lottie, on track form, is very much in it; but I have already deejared against her, and though I ani very much

afraid she will run a big mare, I still stick pigheadedly to the idea that she will just be beaten. A mare at this season of the year and in such weather is a risky article to pin one’s faith to, so I’ll let her go. ’Royal Rose’s work on the track has not been worth shucks; but a training track gallop can be made wonderfully deceptive. If he has a prominent chance, Forme must have a say, and should she be sent to make the pace for him she may slip along at a rate beyond catching power. Mahaki is moving really well, and here there must rest a very good chance indeed. Ben Godfrey and Ida will hardly face the music ; but Pegasus will come up to the scratch, and from the work he has been doing with The Workman, I take it he cannot be written out in spite of his 10 to 1 market estimate. I am far ■from being in love with his chance, but I think enough of it to risk a few shillings on it. He will run a. good horse. My idea is that Murray Hobbs will win this Cup despite Lottie and Royal Rose; Mahaki will run a big horse; Pegasus js a. good outsider. Prime Warden and Mahaki is my final reading of the race, with Pegasus as a possible upsetter. In the hurdle race Ebor is lightly treated with 12.11, and 1 am afraid the other acceptors will find it hard to stop Mr Gollon’s horse. On his form at the exercise ground he should win easily. Roscius may have a chapce for he possesses great pace, but I fancy the Australian importation holds him fairly safe. Warrior with 10.9 looks a niceish quantity, but at the weights Fright and Ingorina are more likely to trouble tbe top weight. Marechai Neil if persuaded to try would have a show. The race will prove an easy thing for Ebor with Ingorina next best. Hazlemere declined the 8.7 offered in the Nursery Handicap, which defection leaves 11 youngsters in. This should provide a good race for Kingsman, Pirate, St. Regel, and Deadshot will be very hard to separate. I prefer Kingsman and St. Regel for a pair. The Railway Handicap offered no attraction for St. Kilda at 9.10 and 21b above St. Clements, and very naturally, too, seeing that the race is over St. Clements’ pet distance and that as a gelding St. Kilda is sized up as entitled to a 31b allowance. Therefore Mr Evett, in putting 9.10 and 9.8 opposite these racers’ names, made St. Kilda out a 51b better horse than St. Clements. St. Kilda is a good horse, but he is not quite the superior of St. Clements over a sprint. Tbe Workman now heads the list with 9.8 and will run well, but on her track work I like Stepfeldt as well as anything, and for three Doris, Stepfeldt, and Norina are far from an unlikely collection. In the Pony Cup there are thirteen miniatures to- select from, and over a mile and at the weights, Storyteller and Silkworm must be very warm. So must Nannie if well, and Virgin, although possessing little to recommend her, has a mileage that will take her well within speaking distance of tbe winning gait. Silkworm and Virgin may score in this event. The mile and a quarter race, the Xmas Handicap, has a strong field engaged, and Annabelle, if in form, must be warm ; and Lady Marion must be several shades hotter. And at 6.9 Eve must be very dangerous. With the top weight, Fornie, the racers named should settle this race. For two I take Lady Marion and Eve. So much for the first day. Next week will be time enough for the latter events.