THE GREAT NORTHERN MEETING.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1514, 1 May 1919, Page 13

THE GREAT NORTHERN MEETING.

The Great Northern winter meeting of the Auckland Racing Club will soon be with us again. May has come, and on the last day. thereof, or, to be precise, on Saturday, May 31, the meeting will be begun. The nominations taken for the chief jumping and chief flat races are another reminder of the fact, if we really needed reminding of the approach of such an important gathering. The entry is a good one taken all round, and particularly of jumping horses. The list discloses the names of few newcomers to the ranks. We have had more flat races on occasions, and possibly a few of .better class, but altogether, taking into account the lot of racing we have had compressed into the past few months in Auckland and elsewhere, it was hardly to be expected that so many horses would have been available as usual. The summer and autumn months have been dry, and as a consequence courses and training tracks have been hard, and some horses have been feeling the effects more or less seriously. Others have not been risked. The schooling of jumpers has had to be very much neglected. With some it has been a case of waiting for rain, and it can be imagined what may happen if we do not have a change very soon. Some districts may be more favoured than others, but it hardly seems so in the North Island. The weights are due on or about May .5, after the Wellington meeting, and Mr. McManemin will have to deal with some horses that are well-known performers in each department of the racing game. He has to remember that there is

a pretty wide margin between the best and the worst, and if he builds his handicaps keeping that fact m view the results, so far as the owners who find the bulk of the money to make the fields are concerned, will be the more satisfactory. To the investors it makes little difference whether the weights are on a high scale or a low one. The aim now seems to be to try and secure the presence of the best horses and let the tail end take their chance. As there is certainly well over three stone between the best and the worst of the Great Northern-Hurdles candidates on proved form in races up to two miles, it will be interesting to note the scale adopted. There is likewise a good margin between the better class and the moderates of the ’chasers. A perusal of the lists show that in the Great Northern Hurdles proved horses such as Kauri King, Thrace, Sir Fisher, Sleight of Hand. Art, Master Lupin, Paraoa, Ditto, British Arch, Waimai, Cynic. Whiro. Yellow and Black, Municipal, Golden Grafton, Euripos, and others figure. Teka, Seadown, Colonel Soult, and All Talk are amongst the best-known of the flat race performers accorded a nomination. In the steeplechase Master Strowan, Waimai, Sleight of Hand, Coalition,. Yellow and Black, Arlington and Troublesome are

amongst the best performed, but there are others that have won, and such horses as Thrace, Sir Fisher and Marconi are hurdlers that should make good ’chasers—Thrace, who

stays well, especially. The following are the entries: — GREAT NORTHERN HURDLES, two miles and a-half. —Crown Pearl, Golden Grafton, Ditto, Tiniroto, Vacuum, Waipunoa, Whiro, Munster, Paraoa, Kauri King, Totara Jack, Cynic, Multicipal, Te Onga, Garryowen, All Talk, Colonel Soult, Kinkora, Thrace, Sir Fisher, Silver Pine, British Arch, Lochella, Reformation, Sleight of Hand, Waimai, Aurore, Royal Park, Seadown, Gunwale, Keystone, Teka, Papanui, Euripos, Art, Yellow and Black, Master Lupin, Yankee Jack - ■ GREAT NORTHERN STEEPLECHASE, about three miles and a-half. —Speedwell Mac, Master Strowan, Tenacious, Tiniroto, Vacuum, Marconi, Tirau, Te Onga, Troublesome, Yellow and White, Thrace, Sir Fisher, Tarero, Grafton Tot,' Sleight of Hand .Waimai, Aurore, Arlington, The Channel, Bore, Coalition, Yellow and Black, Master Lupin, Yankee Jack. WINTER STEEPLECHASE, about three miles. —Speedwell Mac, Master Strowan, Tenacious, Tiniroto, Vacuum, Marconi, Spalperion, Tirau, Te Onga, Troublesome, Yellow and White, Sir Fisher, Thrace, Tarero, Lochella, Grafton Tot, Sleight of Hand, Waimai, Aurore, Arlington, Ulster, The Channel, Bore, Coalition, Yellow and Black, Master Lupin, Yankee Jack. CORNWALL HANDICAP, one mile and a-quarter.—Lady Energy, Paddington Green, Alteration, Mangamahoe, Tinopai, Mullingar, Sanacre, .Simonides, Killard, White Blaze, Housewife, Rockfield, Taianjai, Slowcoach, Tabasco, All Talk, Hyllus, Bedford, Detroit, Parisian Diamond, Sir Ralph. KING GEORGE HANDICAP, seven furlongs.—Paddington Green, Mangamahoe, Cadet, Tinopai, Mill o’ Gowrie, Kilbeggan, Meltchikoff, White Blaze, Simonides, Housewife, Rockfield, Taiamai, Tabasco, Hyllus, Ohinewairua, Hyginas, Gatherer, Independence, All Talk, Bedford, Fabriquette, Hineamaru, Spanner, Detroit, Escaped, Parisian Diamond, Sir Ralph, Post Haste, Hurry Up. YORK WELTER HANDICAP, one mile. —Lady Energy, Paddington Green, Cadet, Alteration, Hallow, Mangamahoe, Tinopai, Kilbeggan, Sa.nacre, Meltchikoff, Simonides, Killard, Housewife, White Blaze, Rockfield, Taiamai, Tabasco, Hyllus, Hyginas, Gatherer, All Talk, Bedford, Fabriquette, Hineamaru, Spanner, Detroit, Escaped, Parisian Diamond, Sir Ralph, Hurry Up,