OTAGO.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XII, Issue 708, 1 October 1903, Page 9

OTAGO.

Dunedin, September 29. Last week the Geraldine Racing Club held the most successful meeting the club has experienced for several years, and during the two days £2452 was put through the machine, an amount which was £613 in excess of last year’s total, besides which the club gathered £6O in license fees from the bookmakers. The racing was fairly interesting, and the glorious uncertainty of the turf was exemplified by more than one pronounced reversal of form. The items of interest in connection with the meeting was the fact that the ruling favourite for the New Zealand Cup, Lady Lillian, sported silk on the first day of the meeting. She did all she was asked to do and won handsomely, but the opposition was very weak. Looking over Lady Lillian she /appeared to be lighter in condition than what I have previously noticed, but judging by the bold manner in which she strode along in the race she is evidently in good order. Under the flanks she still sports her winter coat, and perhaps her lightish appearance could be accounted for by the fact that she has not quite got over a dose of physic she was treated to some little time back. Sirius returned home after the Geraldine meeting, after having been absent on a profitless tour extending over two months. After arriving at Riccarton for the National Meeting he we-.it all to pieces, but is now on the mend. On the first day’s form at Geraldine it looked a moral that he would beat Terrapin on the* second day, but the latter jumped away at the start and beat the Dreadnought gelding from a yard up. The Muscovite party had another good win over the Stepniak gelding's success at Geraldine. Cordon Rouge was a very strong order here for the Electric Handicap, which he won at Avondale. Canteen continues to do useful work, and shaped pleasingly over ten furlongs

this morning. None of the money which was taken during the past week about the Castor horse’s chance in the Cup was secured by his owner, who up to date has not made any move in this direction beyond asking his price, which was deemed prohibitive. Pampero is going on well in his work, and the same remark applies to several of the lesser lights- in work at the same track. Bar accidents the St. Clair horse should win the Mosgiel Handicap, but from what I hear there is a chance that he -will have a walk over in the race.

The membership roll of the Tahuna Park Trotting Club received an addition of forty-six at the last meeting of the club. It is pleasing to record such an item, and it is to be hoped that each of the new members will work hard to promote the interests of the sport in this part of the world.

Mr J. Loughlin has appealed against the decisions given against him at Timaru last week, and it is expected that in one of the cases some interesting developments will crop up before the cases are finally concluded.

Some peqple advocate doing away with the minimum weight of 6st 71b in handicaps, but. it is well known that it is extremely difficult to get a rider who can go to scale at that weight and do justice to his mount. In fact, an owner recently told the writer that although his horse had several times been handicapped and still when he had 6st 71b opposite his name the horse had on every occasion to put up over-weight owing to the impossibility of procuring a rider who could go to scale at the minimum.

A jockey can frequently undo in less than a couple of minutes a scheme that an owner or trainer has taken a month to hatch. One of the riders at Geraldine was told to “ wait ” and not knock his mount about,” but instead of obeying orders he was painfully prominent (to' the trainer) ds the winning- post was reached. •Judging by King Stork’s form this season he should be alluded to as the brother of Vulcan and half-sister to Lady Babbie, and not as the brother to King' Log. Word has reached me that Mr McVinish, of Invercargill, thet owner of Ruamahunga, has purchased Dexterity, the daughter of Sou’-wester and Eclat.

Dundas is now owned by a Southland sport, and has recently been working at the Winton track.

Marlborough, the son of St. Georg-e and Farewell, was put under the hammer at Timaru last week, but nobody cared to give the £25 res'erve which was placed on Au Devoir s full brother. Marlborough was foaled in 1883, and carries his- agq well.

The handicaps for the D.J.C. SpringMeeting have been issued, and Pampero reads well treated. Lady Lillian lias attractive iorm to recommend her to the handicappers, and she is asked to meet the f- t. glair horse on 291 b worse terms ■han they last met in the Great Easter. Ihe last time Canteen met Lady Lillian over ten furlongs, he gave Lady Lillian 51b and a beating, and now the latter has to meet her victor on 251 b worse terms. Sirius is completely out of form., and the rest should finish Pampero, Canteen and Lady Lillian. Red Gauntlet appears the best of those engaged in the short race.