THE NEW ZEALAND CUP.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume V, Issue 258, 4 July 1895, Page 4

THE NEW ZEALAND CUP.

Mr Henry’s handicap for the New Zealand Cup has been laid before the public, and on all sides we are told it is a flattering one. Perhaps it is, but at the same time it is not a difficult matter to pick out a dozen horses against whom the field has only Buckley’s chance, providing ordinary luck falls to the lot of the chosen twelve. Looking at it from a betting point of view there is, in the first place, a big uncertainty respecting the future movements of a few important horses engaged. Mr Gollan’s string, St. Hippo, Royal Rose, and Osculator may be fairly named as dangerous, horses but who knows where they will be on Cup day ? Then there is the question,'was the breakdown of Lottie at Ellerslie in the Autumn, a mishap of sufficient importance to cast a doubt upon her future, and is Pegasus perfectly recovered from the kick he received from The Work- . man? We do notknow what Mr Gollan’s intentions are with regard to Bessie McCarthy, The Possible, and Pounamu, who are engaged in the, three Cups, and then Bonnie Scotland and Saracen are placed in a similar triangular engagement. St. Hippo, if sound, may fly at the bigger prizes to be obtained on the other siee; Royal Rose has a Caulfield engagement which may be regarded by his party as an inducement to leave him on the other side, seeing that he is a better mile arid a half horse than a two. miler ; and Osculator is, I understand, so highly thought of as a Derby candidate by his owner that in all probability the colt will be away from Maoriland when the Cup is decided. So we can reckon that eleven members of the Cup field are what I may term uncertain quantities. However, disregarding what is in the womb of Time, let us look.at the appearance of the different weightings. Starting with St. Hippo, I he would be a more than likely looking candidate were he in the form that enabled him to carry off the Auckland Cup so easily under 8.9. But can he be got back to that form ? If so, will he fight at Christchurch or Melbourne ?, Not being prepared at present with an answer to these questions, I take leave to pass St. Hippo by. Then there is North Atlantic, whose deeds, good as they..' are, do not strike me as justifi-i cation for the idea obtaining down, South that his chance is second to none. Prime Warden, if he had not the weight of so many years on his .back, would be one of the pick : of the handicap at 8.13, but I fear he has been too long at the game. Bessie McCarthy strikes me as a bit overweighted, but at 8.11 Makaki i hits you in the eye and compels a long, scrutiny. Up.t0.,9.0 he can carry weight, stay, and show and moreover he will probably b© ridden by T. Taylor, whom I believe to be one of the best jockeys in the two islands. Taylor, may not be a genius at a start, but he rides a judicious race, and at the finish can come with bulldog determination. We were treated to a lit-tle-very little—insight regarding Mahaki at Ellerslie and The Hutt, and perhaps the tale will be ridded to when the cracks fight at Riccarton. Mahaki is a good horse, a stayer, has a nice weight, and will be steered by a competent rider. The Possible and Skirmisher are Uncertain . quantities, but the fact of the latter not being engaged in either the Caulfield or Melbourne Cups looks as though his mission may be the Riccarton re-union. Impulse has been put into work again, and as the weight awarded last year’s winner is a satisfactory measure he may be regarded as a probable starter. He has been measured lOlbs above the weight he scored with last year, and though he did win the question we have now to ask ourselves is, Did. he have close on a stone.up his sieve? Spectators of the fight say that Lottie. should have beaten him, and as she meets him on a pound better terms than she did last November) perhaps she may fie the safer article to trust: According : to competent critics. Impulse had the: luck, last Npvemlier, so the odds-are he w,ill not bq eimilarly favoured this year. All the some, I should not like to write out Mr Bradley’s horse. He was Ifibking as healthy as possible when I saw him a few weeks back; and Ireckon it only- requires moderate work, to make him as hard as granite. At 8.5- Lady Zetland, does not impress me favourably, and though Skirmisher is, one of the early favourites I am hot going to rush baldheaded for him. Mr Reid ? s colt has 11b more than he carried last year, and is, if good judges are worth, one of the. plums of! the handicap. . A doggy owner and bookmaker, lyfio hajls from the South, maintains t hat. Skirmisher is a “ ringing good thing,” and has, I believe, demonstrated his belief by staking sundry shekels on the chance. At least one Auckland trainer, who has a representative in the race, asserts that Skirmisher is only a degree removed from that heaven-sept gift, “ a hook,” and several very cute and perky punters have already laid their, dollars on the chance. Yet lam not enamoured of it. Let us look at him last year. Ido not mean when he was sent out favourite for the Auckland Cup (in

which he failed like a half drowned cat endeavouring to escape from a sixty-foot well), but in the last New Zealand Cup. When be was stripped for the Auckland Cup .1 know that Skirmisher was in very ugly shape. I was not at Eiccarton on N.Z. Cup day, so must accept the testimony of eye-witnesses as to the colt's outward seeming on that day. Reference to the notes penned by “ Spectator,” re the paddock appearance of the various Cup candidates, tells us that “ Skirmisher was very fit, and could perhaps not be improved upon. He looked muscular and bright.” Yet when we turn to the description of the fight we find that Skirmisher (who was well backed) was in seventh position when the straight was entered, and when the box was reached No. 7 was still his numeral. According to the Press account he was never a fighting factor in the race, and to my reading failed miserably. AVe also saw him fail badly; but up here he was all to pieces. At Riccarton, however, we have “ Spectator’s ” word that Mr Reid’s colt was muscular, bright, and not to be improved upon. Now, against his form last season, which on the whole was very disappointing, we have the monetary guidance of shrewd professional backers who are placing their “ pieces of eight ” upon Skirmisher. That means they know (or imagine they know) the colt to be vastly improved, and that his showing next November will be points above his 1894-1895 form. The price at which the colt stands shows he has been inquired after to some purpose, but I think the same thing happened last year and yet he ran miserably. ‘ The market and a multitude of voices proclaim him to be a good thing; but 1

want some better evidence of his return to form ' than is indicated by the fact that a few generally shrewd men are backing him. Au Revoir, Pounamu, and Saracen won’t remain in my eyesight po long as Lottie stands within a pound of them. Kean’s mare is a dasher and a stayer up to eight and a-half stone, so 8.3 fits her beautifully. In fair company she can carry bigger burdens with success, but in a Cup contest something lighter may be required. However, at 8.3 she has got a beautiful weight seeing the slash she made at the Cup last, year.' In that fight she had all the outside J running, and scores of on-lookers to whom I have spoken hold that if she had received the luck that fell to Impulse she would have landed the stake. Irish Twist shows something like the lines of a stayer, and the confidence of his Connections that he will run a big horse isj I fancy, quite justified. Bonnie Scotland’s future whereabouts are uncertain, but Casket is a certain starter and is entitled to consideration. Outpost, will gain friends when the market steadies .down, • although I notice the Dunedin betting has. sb far not disclosed anything very much in his favour. Pegasus has 31bs less than he had last year and certainly stands in light / enough. This colt has possibilities, but they ' show out so seldom that I am indisposed to give him a chance. Waiuku (7.9) strikes experts who • >. have had chances of extended study as likely to fail in truly run long-distance races, but. I fancy he Has staying power. The three on the 7.6 mark, Magazine, Marino, and Gipsy Grand, are all worth backing, and they have already been pencilled to a decent figure. Magazine was the la>e“ hot pot” of last year’s race, and though he failed, his party are sanguine of a better show being

made this time. Nelson’s son Marino, is a good one, but Gipsy Grand rather overshadows him. Westmere (7,2) and Oscplator (6.12) are a pair worth backing, and at present the lighter weights look hopeless. Tn this cursory examination of the weights I do not intend pinning my faith to any particular horse. My object is to indicate a few contestants whose chances are sufficiently bright to justify early backing. Mahaki, Irish Twist, Lottie, Casket, Impulse, Outpost, Magazine, Marino, Gipsy Grand, Westmere, Osculator, aud Aidershot all give promise of future hedging. Skirmisher and North Atlantic will carry a lot of money before many weeks are past, but I would not be run over in rushing across the road to back them. When there is more financial light on the horizon I shall return to the Cup. V.R.C. GRAND NATIONALE MEETING. Saturday next will see the opening of the Grand National Meeting, and as the acceptances are to hand for the two leading events, I will briefly indicate my ideas of the chances. In the hurdle race a good trio can be found in Rosestem, Emmalea, and Ripple, and three likely chasers are Daimio, Highborn IL, and Romsdal. GISBORNE PARK STEEPLECHASE MEETING. The annual gathering of the above Club will be held at the Poverty Bay Park this day week (the 11th inst.), but as acceptances are not due until to-night consideration of the chances must

stand Over until our next issue. I may, however, say that Bombardier, Donald McKinn&h,' and Deceiver must, make it hot for the steeplechasers, while St; Patrick, if accepted for in the Winter Oats, should run a good six furlongs. He is also engaged in the mile and a distance Final Handicap, in which his weight is the handy one of 10.10.