AUCKLAND RACING CLUB’S SUMMER MEETING

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume IX, Issue 439, 22 December 1898, Page 12

AUCKLAND RACING CLUB’S SUMMER MEETING

[By

Atlas.]

There is every reason, I think, to anticipate that the Summer Meeting of the Auckland Racing Club, which will open on Monday next, and continued on December 29 and January 2 and 3, will be one of the most successful yet held under the auspices of the metropolitan body. Business men as well as sportsmen seem to be imbued with that notion, as the privileges in connection with the meeting, sold by Messrs Churton and Co. on Friday last, realised more than those of any previous meetings held under the auspices of the metropolitan body. Well-known sporting men from all parts of Australasia will bo in attendance, and I think they will find the racing good, while it is pretty certain that they will be pleased with the management at Ellerslie for the comfort of the public. It has been a splendid season for the grass, and the course and its surroundings present a beautiful app ?arance. Special trains will, as usual, run to the ground. The fields are numerous, and the task of picking winners by no means easy, but I suppose 1 must make an effort. Proceedings will be opened on the first day with the Trial Handicap. There are at present fourteen left in, and I am inclined to think that our visitors will play a strong hand. The best may be— Rangefinder ... ... ... 1 Battleaxe ... ... ... 2 Djin-Djin 3 Great Northern Foal Stakes. The meeting of Screw Gun and Miss Delaval in this event is sure to create a lot of interest, and both will have a strong following. They are each Auckland-bred, and should finish in front of the others. I feel inclined to place them — Miss Delaval 1 Screw Gun 2 EAH< RSE 3 A colt that has improved very much of late is St. Peter. Auckland Cup. At the time of writing there are still eighteen left in the event of the meeting, but I do not suppose there will be more than a dozen starters. Nestor is, perhaps, better than he has ever been before. Fabulist has been working privately at Mangare, and so also has Swordfish, about whom good things are said. The N.Z. Cup winner, Tirant d’Eau, will strip in splendid condition, and should beat Coeur de Lion. Crusoe only arrived on Tuesday, so that we cannot know much about him, but for all that he is such a good little horse, and is, moreover, so well treated, that his chances must be viewed with respect. Impulse is the stable companion of Swordfish, who, I think, will be the elect. I do not like Acone over two miles. Coronet has proved himself a gay deceiver, but he has been doing some wonderfully good work on the track. Of those lower down I like best the chances of St. Gordon. There are no bright, particular stars in the field this year, and for that reason I think the race an open one. I venture to select— TIRANT D’EAU 1 NESTOR 2 SWORDFISH 3 Handicap Hurdles. Dante ... ... ... ... 1 Cairo ... ... ... ... 2 Tim 3 Railway Handicap. This race should bring about an exciting contest, and I like best — Red Lancer ... ... ... 1 Rex ... ... ... ... 2 Okoari 3 Nursery Handicap. The Afghan ... ... ... 1 Hastings or Rosella... ... 2 Christmas Handicap Battleaxe ... ... ... 1 Fabulist ... ... ... 2 Rex 3 Pony Cup Handicap. Botfly ... ... ... ... 1 Little Wonder ... ... 2 Lady Howitzer ... ... 3 Great Northern Derby. Explosion ... ... ... 1 . Bluejacket ... ... ... 2 St. Lawrence... ... ... 3 Altair is still in this event, and although I have no doubt that he is a real good colt, he was sore on Tuesday morning, and for that reason I cannot have him this time. Royal Stakes. The running in the Great Northern Foal Stakes should be the most reliable indication of what should win the Royal Stakes. Summer Steeplechase. Magpie... ... ... ... 1 Dummy ... ... ... • ... 2 Nor’-West ... ... ... 3