CHRISTCHURCH.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume VI, Issue 280, 5 December 1895, Page 8

CHRISTCHURCH.

Ruroclydon’s Auckland Cup chance— Wellington, Cup prospects.

[by wire.] December 3. The appearance of the weights for the Auckland Cup has not led to much betting, »ery few of the pencillers showing any desire to do business, principally because backers have but one fancy, viz., Euroclydon. The price on offer about Mr Craig’s colt is simply ridiculous, any backer mad enough to accept the offered price, 3 to 4 to 1, being fit only for a lunatic asylum. It is the same old thing—only let a horse show decent form, and the bookmaker immediately shuts down. Considering that two-thirds of the layers got almost a skinner over the N.Z. Cup, they might surely offer a better price than this. But has Gorton’s son got such a mortgage on the race ? Any one who imagines he is well treated is surely mistaken. It takes a wonderfully good three-year-old to win a two-mile race with 8.7 up. Certainly, St. Hippo did it with 8.0, but Euroclydon is not the equal, in my opinion, to St. Hippo as a three year-old. I have carefully gone over the performances of the last Cup winner, and I have had the privilege of witnessing every gallop he has done in public; and, whilst I admit he is a grand colt, he has no right to be at such a price as 3 to 1. He meets a horse like North Atlantic on 241 b worse terms than he did at Riccarton, and if the latter horse goes to the post fit and well, he will most assuredly beat Euroclydon. The latter has been put on the same mark as The Possible, and although the latter is hot partial to a two-mile journey, he must. have a chance. As you will doubtless criticise the handicap at length, I will merely add that, in'my opinion, North Atlantic is the pick of the Handicap. Of the others, I like The Possible, Euroclydon, Casket, Impulse, Pegasus, and Spindrift. Lady Zetland and Skirmisher are local favourites for the Wellington Cup at 9 to 1, Waiuku, Marino, and Euroclydon being also supported at tens. In the Auckland Cup and Steeplechase, Euroclydon coupled with Roscius, Mutiny, Cingalee, Fishmonger, and Mozel, is the popular pick, but even about this confederation the prices are short. Empire has been destroyed. The West Coast handicapper has evidently got a big opinion of Artilleur, and must surely imagine he is almost the equal of the N.Z. Cup winner. In the Inangahua Cup Artilleur is set to give Marino'6lb, Quiltiri 181 b, Banner 221 b, and Lord Zetland 51b. In the Wellington Cup, ■over the same distance, the handicapper sets Euroclydon at 8.8, and he has to give Marino 101 b, Quiltiri 181 b, Banner 201 b, and Lord Zetland 181 b. Banner, Quiltiri, and Marino meet on somewhat similar terms in both events, but if Lord Zetland has a chance at Reefton, what has he at Wellington ? It will be seen from the above that, taking the opinion of the Reefton handicapper and using the comparison, Eurocly■don is only a 41b better horse than Artilleur at a mile and a half! I should smile. Frame, who was injured by Stonyhurst, is doing very well. Couranto has again been sold, as also Minerva. Both are booked for the West Coast. They have, I understand, been purchased on behalf of the syndicate who formerly owned Liberator, Regalia, and many others. t Last week I remarked that Riccarton trainers had hoped to bring back from Dunedin a little of the needful taken from here by Euroclydon. They succeeded pretty well. A glance at the results shows that horses hailing from Riccarton captured no less than eleven of the events, and something like £l2OO out of the prize money came this way. St. Clements is fast enough, as you know, and in jumping off the mark he has few equals. Barmby, when he defeated the Northern sprinter in Dunedin, got two or three lengths advantage from St. Clements, which he maintained to the 'finish. From this you will see that the Vanguard horse is no slouch, as it takes a good horse to beat St. Clements over four furlongs. The Wellington Cup weights have made their appearance. Without going into lengthy criticism of the adjustment I must say that in my ■opinion North Atlantic, The Possible, Lady Zetland, Skirmisher, Gipsy Grand, Irish Twist, The .Shrew, and Euroclydon are likely to provide the

winner. It would be interesting to know how the handicapper framed his weights. The Shrew carried a stone more than The Miser at the recent Wellington Meeting over a mile and a half, and but for being left at the post would have won. On the second day over a mile anu a quarter The Shrew carried 9.3 and easily defeated The Miser (8.0). Now The Shrew has to give The Miser 111 b. What chance lias the latter got on their recent running ? This is only one piece of evidence of many things I eould quote, bnt refrain. I will conclude by saying that if Mannlicher were well Mr Stead would have a first-class mortgage on the events. Because this hoi’se failed once when undoubtedly unwell he is turned loose whilst other animals, no matter how long they have run, scarcely ever get a chance. That beautiful brute, Sternchaser, attacked, the jockey Donovan a day or two ago, but did not succeed in doing the boy a very serious injury. He is also doing well. Leda, when she won the double at Feilding, was well supported here, as’aleo was Dante. Before Barmby went o’d on the second day at Dunedin, his owner told the stewards that he feared the hors? would be interfered with. This was a serious allegation to make, involving as it did every rider in the race and also the owners. It was a peculiar coincidence, only that and nothing more, so visitors inform me, that Barmby came down in the race, several other animals also going under. The above mentioned coincidence is one more instance of what the owner of Barmby has had to put up with. Brown was disqualified in Dunedin on account of his connection with this horse—mo-t unfairly, by the way. Clarke, when riding him at Riccarton, had the il’-luck to get jammed on the rails, and now at Dunedin Matthews and Barmby rolled into a ditch. Previous to Brown’s disqualification Derrett used to train and ride the horse, but he. too, for some unaccountable reason, had to make way to another. Altogether Barmby has had a short and chequered career. Some people say the horse is a rogue, others say that his owner has been unlucky. Quiltiri has soon repaid Mr Harris a portion of his purchase money, and judging by his form in Dunedin it will no’ be long before his owners receive other cheques earned by Mr W. Douglas’ cast off. '