THE AUCKLAND RACING CLUB’S SUMMER MEETING.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XVI, Issue 931, 9 January 1908, Page 5

THE AUCKLAND RACING CLUB’S SUMMER MEETING.

THIRD DAY. BONIFORM WINS THE DERBY. The great Summer Carnival of the Auckland Racing Club was continued on Wednesday (New Year’s Day) and once again there was a great crowd of spectators. The weather which had been threatening all the morning cleared up after midday, and it was a very pleasant afternoon. Once again the Governor and party were present, while the Native Minister (Hon. Jas. Carroll) had come up to attend the fixture. The Hon. E. Mitchelson, the president, was also out for the first time since his accident. Betting went on merrily all day, the totalisator handling £22,582, a drop of only £282; and this must be considered a remarkable result with twenty-nine bookmakers operating. The meeting ran very smoothly and the racing was good. The Ferguson Handicap, six furlongs, was the opening event, a nice field of eleven going to the post, of which Loongana was in most demand. This proved a very correct forecast, for the Soult gelding hopped out very smartly and never giving anything else a chance ran home two lengths ahead of Cadence, who beat Kirsty by a length. Octoroon was fourth. There were six starters in the New Year’s Hurdles, 2 miles, and of these Inniskillen was in strong demand, with Le Beau next best. Hautapu as usual jumped away with the lead and he led round the back, followed by Inniskillen and Claremont, with Creusot last. At the stand Claremont and Le Beau, were following Hautapu, but a little further on the leader was done with. Claremont was just leading Le Beau at the six furlong post, when he fell, and Le Beau coming on won without an effort by three lengths from Swagsman, who beat Inniskillen by five lengths, Creusot was fourth and Hautapu fifth. When the numbers went up it could be seen that Pohutu, Carmania, and Lady Ferris were absentees from the Great Northern Derby, miles. Boniform was a screaming hot favourite, Downfall being the only other in any demand. The race was virtually a dual between these, for nothing else ever got near them. With the possibility that the favourite might be short of work, Davis took Downfall to the front, and made the pace a cracker all the way. At the stand the first time round the San Francisco colt was leading Boniform by two lengths with Dunborve, Red Rain and First Gun following in that order. At the back Mr Lowry’s chestnut was still sailing along two lengths in front of the favourite, -while the others in a bunch were tailed off six lengths further away. At the four furlongs post Boniform went up to the lerder, and he led into the straight by a length. From this out the race was over, for, although Downfall responded gamely to his riders call, he could never bring

the Yaldhurst colt to the whip, Bonilorm winning by three lengths, with Red Rain ten lengths off third. First Gun was a length further off fourth, with Dunborve ten lengths behind him. The time, 2min. 36 2-ssecs., is a record for the race.

Seven weighed out for the County Handicap, 6 furlongs, Cambrian being made a very warm favourite. The start was a good one, but no sooner had they settled down to it than Finery dashed away with a great lead. At the half-mile Finery was quite four lengths ahead of Guidwife, who was closely attended by a bunch. Finery held a good lead at the home turn, but at the distance she began to tire, and Guidwife coming with a well sustained run got up in time to beat Mr. Lowry’s filly by a head. Maheno put in a good run at the finish and was within a neck of Finery when the judge’s box was reached, while very close up were Cambrian, Lochbuie, and Moriarty, with Cyrene a bad last. Armlet was generally considered as the best of good things in the Midsummer Handicap, 5 furlongs, in which she was opposed by eight two-year-olds. She jumped off in front, led all the way, and romped home a length ahead of Artillerie, with Aborigine three lengths further off th.'rd. The Maiden Handicap, 1% miles, proved an interesting race. There were seven runners, of whom Advocate was the most fancied. The favourite and Lady Regel were the first to begin, and at the six furlong post Advocate was sailing along in front. Cachuca was in close attendance as they turned into the straight, while Port Light was handy at the head of a bunch. At the distance it was anybody’s race, but Ryan riding a determined finish on Advocate got him home by ovei- a length from Port Light, with Cachuca, and Lady Regal and Clochette close up. King Billy was a strong order for the Glasgow Handicap, 7 furlongs, in which only three opposed him. He got away smartly, and was soon three lengths to the good of Lucrece. All too late Conquest brought Veronica with a fast run, but she could not reach the son of Merriwee, who won by half-a-length, with Lucrece twice as far off third.

FOURTH DAY. The weather was again overcast for the concluding day of the big meeting, while a high wind was also in evidence. The attendance was decidedly good, but the racing was not too interesting, so many of the paper certainties getting home. The twentythree bookmakers did a good business, but it can hardly have been a profitable one. There were no accidents worth recording, and protests were conspicuous by the.’r absence. Indeed, the whole meeting was run through without a hitch of any kind, so that Mr. Hartland and his large staff deserve nothing but praise. Mr. Hill had the course and enclosure in faultless order, and was freely complimented on the fact. As was only to be expected, the totalisator figures showed a drop, £lB 962 going through as against £20,378 last-year. The total investments for the meeting on the machine ran out to £82,982, a decrease of £ 5,739 on the previous total, but as the bookmakers fees amounted to some £2OOO, it will be seen the club did exceedingly well out cf the new order of things. The Goodwood Handicap, one mile, gave rise to a surprising reverse of form. There were nine runners, of whom Tui Cakabau was first to begin. At the cutting Clanchattan had supplanted him, and at the home bend he was three lengths ahead of Certainty, with Advocate and Rauparaha next. Nothing was in it but the leader, however, who drew away and won in a canter by four lengths in very fast time. Certainty was second three lengths ahead of Tui Cakobau, with Advocate, Rauparaha, and Lord Seaton together last. The winner, who had run wretchedly in his previous races, came in for a hostile reception on returning to the enclosure.

Only a quartette went to the post for the Sylvia Handicap, six furlongs. St. Aidan being made favourite.

From a good start St. Aidan set out to make the pace with Waimangu as his nearest attendant. As the four furlong post Separator was alongside Waimangu, with St. Aidan two lengths in front, and no change could be recorded as they turned into the straight. Fifty yards frpm home Artillerie, who had. been-Tidden with bad judgment, came like a shot, but failed to reach St. Aidan, who won by a length. Mr. Lusk could not separate Waimangu aand Separator. The Grandstand Handicap, miles, provided an interesting race. There were eight runners, Downfall and King Billy being picked out as likeliest to do the trick. After some delay at the post, caused by the fractiousness of Uranium and King Bily, Mr O’Connor let them go to a capital start. King Billy immediately singled out in front and he led past the stand from Downfall, Mahuta and Te Aroha with Uhlander last. At the top Bend Mahuta was rushed to the front and at the five furlong post he was showing the way to King Billy and Sir Tristram, while Uhlander commenced to make a forward move. At the turn for home the leader was done with and King Billy led the field home. Te Archa came through with a wet sail at the distance but could not reach the leader suffering defeat by a length and a-half, while Uhlander, who had none the best of the luck, was a similar distance further off. Carl Rosa was fourth, Downfall fifth, Sir Tristram sixth and Mahuta last. The scratching pen was freely used in the Thirteenth Royal Stakes, six furlongs, for out of twelve coloured on the card but four were found willing to face the barrier. Fleetfoot and Armlet being the only two backed. At the very first try they jumped away on level terms. Armlet immediately going to the front, while Fleetfoot was slowest to begin. At the four furlongs post Armlet was making the pace very merry a length and a-half in front of Aborigine, who was a length in front of Chanteuse, with Fleetfoot a length away. Nearing the straight Aborigine went up to the leader, while Fleetfoot rapidly improved her position. She ran rather wide at the turn, but once straightened fairly ran over the others, romping in three lengths ahead of Armlet, who was a length and a-half in front of Aborigine, with Chanteuse two lengths off. Claremont was a prominent fancy with Omati next in demand for the Auckland Hurdles, two miles, for which seven essayed to try conclusions. As usual Hautapu at once set out to make the running, with Inniskillen and Le Beau as his nearest attendants. Passing the stand Hautapu was showing the way to Omati with Inniskillen and Claremont next, while Lady Hune whipped in the field. At the back Cachuca went up to the leader while Omati toppled over. From this out the race was over, for Cachuca gradually drawing away won with ease by ten lengths from Claremont. Lady Hune, finishing fast, just beat Le Beau for third place, with Inniskillen almost alongside Mr McMiken’s gelding, Hautapu being the last to pass the post.

Bobrikoff was picked out as the best in the Newmarket Handicap, 6 furlongs, but did not run up to expectations. There were eleven runners, the quickest off the mark being Guidwife Noteorini, and Bobrikoff. The Clanranald filly was just showing in font as they turned into the straight with Noteorini and Cambrian almost alongside, while Dawn was coming fast. At the distance Dawn came through and finishing in the most determined f as hion, won by a length and a-half from Cambrian, who beat Noteorini in the last little bit by half-a-length, Lucrece was fourth, Guidwife fifth, and the favourite last. Zimmerman was only opposed by Pohutu and Paritutu in the Auckland Plate, V/ 2 miles. Very heavy odds were laid on the son of Birkenhead who, however, looked as though his two big races had not improved him. 1 he three dashed away in a line Zimmerman being a neck to the good of Pohutu as they passed the stand At the six furlong post Paritutu went up

and the three were in a bunch, but the old fellow soon fell back again. The favourite was a 'bare half-length to the good as they turned into the straight, and at the distance drew up to his doughty rival. Jones got the whip out on the Cup winner, and he shook off his antagonist, winning all out by three-quarters of a length, with Paritutu five lengths off third. The curtain was rung down with the Gray Handicap, five furlongs, for which eleven carried silk. Wauchope, Cadence, and Carmania were in the van until near the straight, when Lucio ran up to the leaders. At the distance Kirsty came through and won easily by two lengths from Lucio, who beat Dogger Bank by a length, with Carmania fourth, and Red Rain fifth. This concluded a very successful and enjoyable meeting.