AUCKLAND RACING CLUB.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1299, 18 March 1915, Page 7

AUCKLAND RACING CLUB.

AUTUMN MEETING. The scratching pens of a number of owners were fairly busy last week in connection with the Easter Handicap. Shortly after the weights appeared Tinopai was withdrawn, and Colonel Soult, Toreador and Bluestone had the pen put through their names. Colonel Soult and Tinopai were both supported by early double bettors in a small waj- before the weights appeared In Colonel Soult’s case it was thought by many pre-post bettors that he was being reserved for that event, and recent form impressed many in favour of Tinopai before the weight appeared. It is needless to say fTTat there are some disappointed people now. Bluestone, because he is more or less unsound, was not taken seriously into consideration for the race. Backers would like to see the ground with a lot of the sting taken out of it before they would fancy the grey. As for Toreador he has not raced over a long distance, and though he may get further than he has been asked to go, his owner was not tempted by the weight he received to try him. A bit of weight on Toreador over a short course would perhaps not come against him like a bit of extra distance. There is no doubt respecting the other three, as they have each shown themselves to be capable over middle distances. There were a few horses better treated than Colonel Soult, but a good many not so well. That gelding has run some really good races though he has only won once. Tinopai was treated to less than she was entitled to through some of the horses she had beaten lately, but through others got what seemed too much. Trying to get the field into line within a too limited range is a mistake. In handicapping the three-year-olds it struck us that there was a want of discrimination, but with the exception of Balboa, who was handicapped below others he had beaten each time they met, they have all been paid up for, and the first acceptance, taken on Friday night, indicates that there were a fairly large number of owners prepared to pay a few more sovs. That the majority are in earnest too and prepared to go on with the game seems reasonable to deduct from a perusal of the reduced list. Some owners have more than one representative engaged in the A.R.C. Easter still, but the final payment will show a further’ Reduction. Twenty-nine is a very satisfactory showing. Thirteen of the number are trained at headquarters. Four are trained by one man. In addition to

Mr. E. J. Watt’s pair, Ventura and Downham, T. Quinlivan has Mr. W. G. Stead’s pair, Bon Reve and Red Book. F. Stenning is training Jack Delaval, his own horse, Mullingar and Soultane, the horses of clients, J. H. Prosser has Pavlova and Belasco, the property of respective owners racing under assumed names. F. Davis has Mr. T. H. Lowry’s pair Beldame and Tete-a-te, E. J. Rae has Mr. F. Hall’s Merry Roe and Castalia, half sisters, D. Moraghan has Prince Soult and Tact, the property of different clients, and J. Williamson has his own gelding Royal Irish and Mr. H. R. Mackenzie’s Lady Penury. This leaves a dozen divided between as many trainers.

From the way in which most of the horses are nominated for other events we should imagine that the majority of those engaged in the Easter Handicap and which have also been nominated in Canterbury, will come north. The four horses that were scratched and some others that have dropped out of the Easter Handicap have been nominated for other events, and so have some that have been paid up for in the Easter. King Lupin has more friends locally than anything engaged tnough he has yet to prove successful over a longer distance than six furlongs. Until owners declare definitely to which meeting, if any, they are sending their horses there will not be a great deal done unless by those who are in the know and by others prepared to take a risk, though a fair amount of business has been transacted. Downham would be in greater demand perhaps than anything engaged and is in better request than Ventura, and so are Bon Reve and Red Book in the same stable, and this pair, Merry Roe, Chortle, Beldame and Tete-a-tete are all at one price, Allegation, Prince Soult, Hyettus and five at the bottom of the list being at the longest quotations. Spalperion counts more friends for the Brighton Hurdle Race than Black Northern, Gloy and Admiral Soult, Tragedy King, possibly because he has not been racing for some time, being less fancied than any of these. There is nothing doing over the Autumn Steeplechase, and until some schooling work is witnessed little interest will attach to that race.

Desert Gold will only have to reproduce her earlier form to beat Arran and Housewife and the other local two-year-olds in the Great Northern Champagne Stakes. Lady Penury, Tete-a-tete, Castalia, Hoy, Boldstroke, Delenda and Marble Star are previous winners left in the Great Northern Oaks, and the first-named may count most friends on the day, recent form, though there may not have been a very great deal in it, having called attention to her prospects. Castalia Is likely to race better than she has done this season, and perhaps Tete-a-tete may race more in keeping with her good look's. There is no reason why this well grown filly should not have developed staying form as well as any other in the race. Hoy can go fast, Boldstroke is somewhat unreliable, but Marble Star is a genuine little lady who will one day secure a good race in all probability. Altogether the nominations taken by Mr. Hartland on Friday night are good in point of number and in the matter of class, and it is to be hoped that Mr. Morse has been following the country form so that a fair number of horses may be brought to the meeting from Auckland provincial districts as well as from outside. It this he is somewhat at a disadvantage,