DUNEDIN.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume VI, Issue 303, 14 May 1896, Page 5

DUNEDIN.

Good acceptances—Selections for Birthday Meeting—Mr Dowse recovering from illness — Euroclydon a robable starter second day — Hippomenes, Black and Red, and Beadonwell in good nick.

Acceptances for our Birthday Meeting are exceptionally good, the Birthday Handicap being one of the most open events we have had here for some time past. Good double betting is going on, and amongst the leading bookmakers, Barnett and Grant are doing the volume of business, and, with other pencillers, £6OO good money can be got even over this bye-meeting. There are a lot of smaller fry working on from £25 to even a £5 double. •

For the five flat races on the first day, there were only 55 acceptors last year, while this time there are 75, an increase of 20.

Just prior to the acceptances, the following were genuinely backed for all the money procurable, viz., Lady Zetland and Bizarre, at 100 to 4; Black and Red and Beadonwell, 100 to 3; Hippomenes and Maremma, 100 to 3 ; Hippomenes and Van Buren, 100 to 3 and 4. The latter flavours strongly of a stable commission, and I know the first-named came from head-quarters. The double is, of course, Birthday and Tradesman’s Handicaps. Mr Dowse is getting better, but very slowly. His handicaps for our coming meeting have been well received throughout, and without the customary grumbling. Miss Madge was submitted to auction last Saturday, but did not. find a purchaser, although the reserve was only 35 guineas. Malcolm Allen has charge of her. Euroclydon passing out of the first day’s race is a surprise, as it was reckoned dead sure that he would start in one event. I asked Mr Godman on Tuesday night if anything was wrong with the Cup winner, but, he thinks, if all goes well, he will run him on the second day. Euroclydon’s withdrawal points out thatjthe stable must have a fancy for Jane Eyre’s chance, as the New Zealand Cup victor was doing capital work. Hippomenes is doing capital work every morning. Black and Red and Beadonwell are both in great heart. : Bellicent appears to me to be the favourite amongst the knowing ones, although not so- frequently taken in doubles, probably because Mr Stead does not often mn his horses in handicaps in Dunedin. “ Billy” Sharpe is at present in DunediriJgjA few years ago he was our leading jockey ‘and

should be worth his thousands, instead of which he tells me lie is “ battling.” Mr Matthew Barnett, of Barnett and Grant, has gone to Christchurch to settle there for a while, with a view of probably removing the head quarters of the firm to that centre, being more convenient for their business operations. . Rebel is doing good strong work.