THE AVONDALE JOCKEY CLUB’S SPRING MEETING.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume X, Issue 475, 31 August 1899, Page 14

THE AVONDALE JOCKEY CLUB’S SPRING MEETING.

[By

Atlas. ]

The Avondale Jockey Club has been entrusted •with the responsibility of opening the racing season in the Auckland district, and there is every prospect of the efforts of the club being crowned with success. The acceptance for the Avondale Stakes will not close until to-morrow night. The race is sure to create a lot of interest, as we are all anxious to know what the two-year-old form is like —whether St. Elwyn is better than St. Olga, and so on Mr J. O. Evett published the weights for the principal handicaps on Monday afternoon, and, after the dull winter recess, it is not surprising that the event created .a little bit of a fuss, and then, of course, the criticism the handicapper is always subjected to, and must always expect, commenced. In the Avondale Cup, one mile and a quarter, Mr Evett has started with the thumping big weight of lOst lOlbs on St. Paul. It is a great task to require the little bounder to perform, but it must not be forgotten that he is partial to the Avondale course and has won the Cup two years in succession, carrying 9st 21b to victory as a four-year old and lOst 81b as a five-year-old. Of course, since then St. Paul has been beneath a cloud, and, under the circumstances, the weight appears to be a crusher. Mr Evett has handicapped the horse up to his best form, fearing probably that if he did otherwise he would be assailed with the howl of the prejudiced. It may be truly said that St. Paul has never been a leniently-treated horse, and certainly Mr Henry has given him more liberty than our own handicapper. The southern handicapper, according to the Cup weights, makes St. Paul and Miss Delaval lib worse than weight-for-age. Mr Evett makes Miss Delaval 21bs below weight - for - age •quality, and St. Paul 181bs better than weight-for-age quality. There is, therefore, a big difference of opinion between the two handicappers, but perhaps both are a bit astray. At any rate, I think that the stable will prefer St. Ursula s chance to that of her brother. •Coronet has never shown himself partial to anything over Bst, but, for all that, he will be hard to beat with Bst 121 b if he is in the humour. Bight down the list after this the adjustment appears a very fair one, but Miss 1 elaval seems to be well treated with 7st 61b. Her last appearance in public was in the Criterion Stakes at Ellerslie, which she won, Mr Evett estimating her at 61bs better than weight for age because she then carried Bst. Her victory justified Mr Evett’s estimate of her; but although she has never appeared in public since, she has dropped in the genial handicapper’s mind, and instead of being 61b better than weight-for-age she is now 21b worse. Mr Evett may be right, but we will see on the day At present I like best Miss Delaval, St. Ursula, Blue Jacket, and Coronet. The Hunt Club events have been supported in a highly satisfactory manner. The Steeplechase has twenty-one competitors, but there is not much data on which to base an idea of the form of the big field. I think that Crusado, Mangere, and Biot should be a dangerous trio. There are a lot of unknown ones in the field of twenty - six entered for the Hunt Club Hurdles. The winner may come from Thelma, Foudroyant, Crusado, or Evening Wonder.