THE CANTERBURY JOCKEY CLUB’S METROPOLITAN MEETING.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume VII, Issue 328, 5 November 1896, Page 9

THE CANTERBURY JOCKEY CLUB’S METROPOLITAN MEETING.

The Cup Horses Reviewed. [By OubjQantebbuby Oobbespondent.] The Canterbury Jockey Club’s Metropolitan Meeting will be commenced at Ricearton on Monday next. In my notes this week I shall endeavour to give your numerous readers throughout New Zealand particulars of the training operations and prospects of the various horses engaged in the races on the first day. Great interest is being manifested in the meeting, which promises, providing that all-important factor, the weather, be fine, to be up to the standard of the very successful meeting held a year ago. Visitors are now arriving from all parts of the colony. At all sporting resorts — and there are a great many in Christchurch — one continually hears the question, “ Who is going to win the Cup at Ricearton ?” Visitors who travel out to see the training exhibit keen interest in the doings of the various horses en-

gaged in the big race. Although lam writing before the final acceptances have closed, I shall endeavour to give your readers my selections for the chief events on the first day. Twenty-five horses still remain in the New Zealand Cup, but as Mahaki, Lorelei. Casket, Man-o’-War, Ngatuere, and Crimson Streak are considered doubtful starters, this leaves me with nineteen horses to deal with. Euroclydon, last year’s winner, heads the list with 9.5, and is now first favourite at 5 to 1. Since his arrival at Ricearton he has done good work. All his gallops have greatly pleased the touts. On Wednesday last he beat The Shrew, Aidershot, and Lord Roslyn in a gallop over one mile and a quarter. On Saturday he had a trial with The Shrew over the Cup distance. The gallop was really a good one, and Euroclydon beat his companion by three lengths in 3min 42sec. I think he is very fit, and should run a great horse. Fabulist (8.12) has, to my mind, undergone a better preparation than any of the horses located at Ricearton. He is looking in blooming health, and if he can stay two miles the horse that beats him will, I think, win. Lady

Zetland has also undergone a sound preparation, and is now looking as well as ever. This fine mare has shown capital form all through her work. Some of her .gallops have pleased all who saw them. . I think she will get a place. Saracen is looking in good nick. Many think he will be the selected of the stable. If this should be correct, then his connections must have a high opinion of his staying abilities. Personally I think two miles is a little too far for him. The Possible has been training at Yaldhurst, and very little has been seen of him since the Hawke’s Bay Meeting. He was on the track for the first time on Saturday. After cantering once round at half-pace, he brushed along for a mile with Culverin at a fairly strong pace, beating his companion at the finish. I am sure he will run forward, but I do not think he will beat the three top-weights. Mahaki and Ngatuere are both improbable starters. Culverin has got through the work allotted to her in fine style, and should strip very fit. Her running at Ricearton last autumn is still fresh in the memories of most of

your readers. If she stays-as well as-her sire did she should be close up to' the winner at the finish. Lorelei is a doubtful starter. The. Shrew, despite her recent displays, cannot, I think, beat Euroclydon or Fabulist. Quiltiri, who'was unwell a week ago, is now all - right. His gallop over a mile and a half, which he cut out in 2min 41|sec on Saturday last, has gained him many admirers ; the distance is, I think, a little too far for him. Casket is an improbable starter. Bellicent has undergone a thorough preparation with Epaulet, at the owner’s private track ; the selected will be bound to run prominently. Lotion has not been showing his best form since his arrival at Ricearton, but with only 7 9 oh his back he is bound to run well A similar remark applies to Pompom, who is considered one of the best outsiders in the race. Man-o’-War is an unlikely starter. Aidershot has competed in the race before, and, although he is very well, I do not think he can beat those just above him. Day Star was a strong favourite until a day or two ago, but he suddenly developed lameness, and at once went down in the betting. On Saturday he was badly beaten in a mile and a half gallop with Fabulist and Black and Red; unless he shows greatly improved form during the next five days I think he will be outside of the placed division ; he is still lame, and it is rumoured he will not start. Epaulet is I think, the best of the thre'e-year-olds in- the race, and if any of them win it will be him. Defiance, Captive, and Lord Roslyn have not done anything startling on the track, ’but they are all in good condition, the son of St. Clair being, I think, the most likely to effect a surprise. Voltigeur is the light weight of the field, having only 6.7 on his back ; he should be handy at the finish. lam now compelled to give my selection. After considering the performances of the various horses and their present form I shall place — Euboclydon ... ... 1 Fabulist ..." .. '• ... 2 Lady Zetland ... ... ... 3 Should the track be at all heavy, I shall expect to see Lotion win. After the horses I have mentioned I like The Possible and Epaulet. f In the Spring Hurdles Tally-ho and Ilex should between them fight out the finish, the former being my selection. The Welcome Stakes should furnish a .good race. All the youngsters are well bred, and most of them have showed pace.. Sib Launcelot, Multifobm, and Seashell are my selections, and I think they will finish, in the order named. The winner of the Ricearton Welter Handicap should come from MabqUis of Zetland (9.3), Jewel (9.1), Dalliance (8.8.) Twenty-six; horses still remain in the Stewards’ Stakes. The race is a very open one, but I think the winner will come from Manilla, Bisley, and Dabedevil. , 7 - In the Curragh Steeple I like Robin .‘and Gillie. .. ’’ . ’.-•.*Z’-'. Dalliance, Abmilla, or St.' Ouida are my selections for the Oaks Stakes. Epaulet or Unifobm should win the Derby.

Our Napier correspondent, who has had the opportunity of seeing a number of the New Zealand Cup horses recently, supplies the following As this will be the last issue of the SpobTING Review previous to the decision of the N.Z. Cup, I will take the opportunity of giving my forecast for that event. Although I will be handicapped by not being able to see the final payments, ,my vote will go for Fabulist, The Shbew, and Bellicent to fill the places. Should an outsider prevail I opine it will be Aidershot. . In the Derby, Defiance will have the services of a horseman (H. Moore) who kn,ow& his mount well, coupled with the fact that he is one of those big striding horses who take a lot of holding together, making him essentially a man’s horse. Certainly, at Wanganui, he had the services of a competent man in Percy White, but then at Riccarton he will have no St. Paql to meet,; and I consider that he (St. Paul) could beat Day Star; therefore, I expect the bearer of the “ all cerise” to prove victorious in the classic event at Christchurch on the 11th of next month. In the Welcome Stakes the aristocratic and handsome-looking half-brother to Sir Modred, Sib Launcelot should annex that event; and, in the Welter, Solitaibe should silence all opposition. In the Stewards’ Handicap, Dreadnought son, Dabedevil, looks to me to be a real good thing, and in Kapua we have got a horse who will take a power of beating, and, as everybody knows how game and fast he is, I shall pin my faith fo him, and select him as the winner of .the Spring Hurdle Race.