Coming Events.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume VI, Issue 262, 1 August 1895, Page 6

Coming Events.

[by

BORDERVR.]

NEW ZEALAND GRAND NATIONAL MEETING.

There is nothing very startling to report in connection with the New Zealand Grand National Meeting which opens at Riccarton this day week. The candidates for the big j umping double appear to be placed badly as regards their work, for late Christchurch advices state that tbe weather continues bad and is all against anything like decent work being executed. My Christchurch conf rere wired on Tuesday evening that snow is falling at Riccarton, so it’s" on the cards that the windingup gallops will see several horses short of work, horton, Liberator, Mutiny, and Roscius were fairly strung up when they reached Riccarton so the heavy weather should not affect them. Liberator is said to be in the best of form and private messages are to the effect that “ he can’t lose.” However, I don’t like these deadest of dead certainties, and having declared against the old battler last week I am not going to turn my coat now. Moreover, my shot in the dark of last week re Liberator not contesting the steeplechase may prove to have been not quite so haphazard a guess. But I must repeat that so far there is no definite ground for such a supposition. Norton makes his last bow (for a time at least) to New Zealanders next Thursday, for be goes to England in September, so he will face the Riccarton engagement in dead earnest. The bad weather is of course against the top weights, but the son of Ascot is such a clinker over Riccarton walls that rain, hail, or snow, the writer is going to stand him. Mutiny was my second pick last week, with Roscius as a “ cock-boat,’’and though the last-mentioned prad is friendless in the betting there are more unlikely contingencies than a win by him. Dromedary is a great stayer, and at 9.7 is nicely weighted, but her Hutt gallops last week did not pan out too well. A victory by old Despised would make me whoop with pleasure, but I’m afraid the “ gunner ” will not give me room for the aforesaid whoop. In conclusion, the handicap must be considered an open one, particularly if the bad weather does not break by the end of the week, but I will stick to my early choice and call upon

, Norton to place a further achievement to his credit. The Hurdle Race is even more open than the crosscountry event. Last week I said Liberator would be the hardest to beat if reserved for the small stick event, and if he does leave the steeples alone he is my straight out selection. Next to him Barnardo and Couranto are the best of the proved horses, but the light-weight Victim, if a decent jumper, can beat the field for pace at the weights. Following up a blind idea that

Liberator will not fight out the steeples I select him to win, with Victim as a more than probable upsetter — if he can fence cleanly. Respecting the minor events I refer Review readers to the ideas expressed on page 8 by my Christchurch confrere, and for the present content myself with saying that Marechai Neil will win the Maiden Steeples. Minor acceptances are due next Monday.