ANTICIPATIONS.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XV, Issue 863, 20 September 1906, Page 7

ANTICIPATIONS.

THE AVONDALE JOCKEY CLUB’S SPRING MEETING. (By “The Judge.”) Next Saturday the Avondale Jockey Club will commence the season’s racing with the spring meeting, and this will be continued on the following Wednesday and Saturday. The meeting at Avondale has often been spoilt to a certain degree by the weather, for the fixture comes at the time of the vernal equinox, when boisterous atmospheric conditions often prevail. There are few more pleasant places than Avondale on a really fine day, and it is geatly to be hoped the club will be favoured in this respect. To enable patrons to get out to the ground the Railway Department will run special trains, leaving Auckland at 11.15 a.m., 11.35 a.m., and 12.20 p.m., returning from Avondale at 5.40 p.m., 6.0 p.m., and 6.13 p.m. These trains will only stop at Newmarket and Mount Eden. A train also leaves Auckland for Avondale at 1.20 p.m. Once on the ground, which, by the way, is looking exceedingly well just now, it will be found that Mr. H. H. Hayr, the secretary, and his staff have made very complete arrangements for the comfort of visitors, and everything will be in “ apple-pie’’ order for a good afternoon’s sport. The opening event, which commences at 12.30 p.m., is the Maiden Plate, six furlongs, for which seventeen have accepted, so there seems a prospect of a big field. The recent running at Cambridge seems to give Cachuca a great chance, while the disappointing Pearl Necklet has been galloping well on the tracks. Perhaps places may go to CACHUCA PEARL NECKLET KEEP STEP There are seven left in the First Handicap Hurdles, two miles. Sol has top weight with list 71b, and if at his best will take some beating. Aqua Regia is shaping very well in the morning gallops, and if she can jump may run well. Perhaps the safest to trust to are DEFENDER SOL SWAGSMAN Much interest will centre in the Avondale Stakes of four furlongs, this being the first classic race of the season in which the juveniles will make their debut. They will be eagerly scanned and criticised with a view to future engagements. Seventeen are engaged, and as all will be perfectly green at the game, it is next to impossible to forecast the result. Perhaps the most advanced ade Quadroon (Menschikoff — The Slave), Bluefire (Bluejacket — Radiant), Carmania (San Francisco — Campania), and Hierarch (Phoebus Apollo—Eve). To take a pure shot in the dark I will go for CARMANIA QUADROON BLUEFIRE Next follows the Avondale Cup, one

mile and a-quarter.. .In this eight still remain. Gladstone is in pride of place with Bst 71b, and the chestnut his beau hitting out in good style at Ellerslie, so must have a cfiance. If he is slipped for this Ironmould ought to. beat Gladsome’s brother; that is, if there is anything in his Cup pretensions. Geordie is very well, and he should be well suited by the easy going. Apologue has not been showing to advantage in his training work. Akarana is well treated, and this is a favourite course of the Messrs. Duder’s horse. Hautapu is a wonderfully good hurdler, and his present impost will seem a feather to him. He should hold his own on the flat. Kola Nip and Franklin appear hardly good enough to win. The judge may place them as follows:— GEORDIE IRONMOULD AKARANA The Plunket Handicap, seven furlongs, has the nice field of fourteen engaged, and the winner seems well concealed. The N.Z.' Cup favourite, Paritutu, is in the list, and has the big impost of list lib. The three I like best are MILLIE > . WAIKATO BONOMIANA Then follows the Steeplechase, three miles, for which there are but four acceptors. If old Cannongate does not break down he should nearly win, and they may come home like this — CANNONGATE > HAKARIA—LOCH FYNE Five are engaged in 1 the First Pony Handicap, six furlongs. Although Herculean won on Saturday at Alexandra Park, it was only in a re-run race, and forms no line to go upon. The numbers may go up for GIRTON GIRL STORYTELLER HERCULEAN The last event is the Flying Stakes, six furlongs, for which eleven have been left in. Some of these are engaged in other races, so that it is difficult to say for which they will start. It should be a fine race, and places may fall to BEN JOHNSON MISS WINNIE LUCRECE.