OTAGO.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume IX, Issue 660, 2 October 1902, Page 15

OTAGO.

- ■ Dunedin, September 30. The weights for the Dunedin Jockey Club Spring Meeting made their appearance on Monday, and as the meeting commences before I will have an opportunity tp make any selections after the acceptances appear,. it is necessary to send my impressions of the principal handicaps this week. On glancing through the races it is noticed that horses trained by J. McGuiness are likely to play a prominent part on the first "day of the meeting. AU his horses are fairly well handicapped, with the exception of Lady Roslyn, who has been well taken care of in her engagements. 1 Pampero is very forward at present, and I expect tp see him account for the Mosgiel Handicap. Zither and The Earl read the best in the Hurdlqs; Secret Society and Forward Guard* should account fdr the first Hack between them. Red Gauntlet would be my selection for the Electric Handicap if he ,goes to the post, and in his . absence Ayrdale or Canteen. In the October - Welter Vladimir is my first ’ Choice, and next to him Ardnarff and . Transport. ... , . I was present at the Geraldine Meeting last week, and the club were extremely unfortunate . in experiencing very bad weather for their meeting. Despite the small fields competing in the various races there was some, very interesting sport- witnessed during the two days. Magnificent picked up a double at the meeting. On the first day he won the Squatters’ Handicap in reallv good style, but in the principal -handicap on the second day he squeezed home by the narrowest of margins in front of Terrapin. R. King, on the latter,delayed his run too long, and just failed to get up. In the G.Ri.C. Handicap ■ on the first . day Terrapin downed a highly-fancied horse in Cameo. Rosemere and Lady Lillian each won their races, with a good deal in hand. Lady Lillian looked bigger than I have ever previously ■ noted the Phaeton < mare, but she made hacks of the field competing against her. Her big condition choked off many from backing her, and no doubt was largely instrumental in building up the dividend she paid. Cvclamen, - the half-sister by Gipsy Grand to Gold Medallist, showed a rare dash of speed in the Shorts' Handicap on the second day, and should be worth watching when engaged in sprint events in the future. Four furlongs is, however, commonly supposed to be the extreme length of' her tether. Punamu, the half-sister by St. Hippo to Explosion, picked up the Farewell Handicap, but did not display anything like Cup form. She only had a solitary and moderate opponent in the race, and had ■ to be vigorously ridden to win. This mornfng at Wingatui St. Denis 'was slackened out over four furlongs, and shaped • fairly well- He is a bit thick in the wind, but it was his first fast gallop since being taken up. Canteen was escorted over different parts of a mile by Donna Rosa and Glenelg. The grey dailv improves in appearance; and is gradually converting beef into muscle. Pampero, who is looking the

picture of health and condition, in company with Vladimir, strode along over seven furlongs in a pleasing style. Red Gauntlet and Ayrdale were coupled in a six-furlong go, and both shaped well. Red Gauntlet is a horse likely to keep the name of his recently-defunct sire, Lochiel, green in the memories of sports. Goldspur and several others did useful work. The recent severe weather has made the tracks at Wingatui very heavy, and good weather will be required up to the date of the spring meeting to see the going firm. C. O’Connor has been appointed starter for the D.J.C. Spring Meeting. Tsaritsa is doing fairly good work at Oamaru, and Petrovna, Florodora, a half-sister to Goldspur, and Poltava, a half-sister to Secret Society, who are in the same stable, are also doing well on "the tracks. The Forbury Park Racing Club have fixed the date of their meeting for December 20, which falls on the Saturday preceding the D.J.C. Meeting.