THE TURF.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 1, 26 September 1907, Page 6

THE TURF.

ANTICIPATIONS. t WANGANUI .TOCICKY CLUB. The Wanganui Jockey Club will commence ils Spring meeting to-day. Giv<-n fine weather, tho meeting promises to be a most miccessful one, as tho acceptances are really good. St. Claimer is top weight in the laying liandicap. Should he win, ho would show that the lirst day's form at liangitikoi was all wrong. Host interest will centre in the Guineas, and iili-iictilloch will certainly he a hot favourite, i am told that Sir Geo. CliH'ord's colt is not as forward a:; might be, and as Bunyan showed himself to be in form only a fortnight aSO I shall pick him to heat OlenculUich and Downfall. Ithe Spring Handicap Aeolus looks well in, but'Uilerton, who '••■•.•as hardly fully extended at liangitikei, may be returned the winner, l'ollowiiig are selections Flying Handicap—Gold Crest and Finery. Maiden Hack Uacc—Aluskcrry and Nordoff. Wanganui- Guineas—Bunyan and wlenc.ulloeh. Okcliu Hurdles—Assayer and Asteroid. Uonville Hurdles —Le Beau and •iauri. l'lttiki Hack Handicap—Wairarapa •d All lied. Spring Handicap—Ellerton and Aeolus. AVONDALE JOCKEY CLUB'S MEETING. This meetiiifj will bo continued to-day. . m following are selections Handicap Hurdles—Catch 'cm and ..it!y Huue. President's Handicap—Waihuku and LVa ri ie. Avondalo Guineas—Cadence and ■Yauchope. i'lnmpton Handicap — I'ui akabau ::;ul Uranium. ICingsland Handicap—Lady Eegol and ■ ieiiry Ifavelock. .Mount Albert Handicap—Golden Eagle .>d Frederick. WANGANUI TIME TABLE. Tho following time table shows in . ; ;!iabetical order every horse s-uaiiig at' . anganui to-day, the figures after Hit jl'Sch names denote the time or times ? which the race or races in which the /rses are engaged are run:— iilnuitage ... l?..sa Huritnoana 5.15 i.!lvjniaro ... 12.45 Idolatress ... 12,0 Vi'lcs ... 4.45 Irish Itilie ... '4.0 ui: lied ... 4.0 King's Uirthday »::)ibciio .... 12.45 11,45 -lycle 4.0 ■ Koran ... l.'il) .'.■...'mono-. ... 4.0 Le Beau . 3.16 i liUaltegia,.., 2.50 jjoiit ... 12.45 A.-.,:o'c:r ... 2.30 benda ... 2.50 A'.i.u'aid ... 2.30 ilaharauui ... 4.45 B.lano ... 4.0 Jlavlyrium 12.0 llilitw ... 12.45 llauri ... 3.15 Biiane D00n... 12.45 Merry Boy 2.50 !>'; nyan ... 1.30 Jlontpclier ... 12.45 •r . ''"T® •" A l3 Musketry 12.45, 1.50 Oatapult ... 4.0 -Kordoll' ... 12.45 *wru Oryx ... 3.15 Cuuulian ... 1.30 l'ort Fire ... 12.45 Cunqucror p.' 12.45 I'rcttv Jane... 12.45 ' .Contour ... 12.45 Kcmlrock ... 4.45 D.iisy I'aul ... 4.0 St. Bill ... 12.0 Docile ... 12.45 St. Claimer ... 12.0 Downfall ... • l.cO St. Joe ... 4.45 JJiiloiiiea. ... 4.0 Sardouyr. ... 2.30 Dusky korn 12.45. Sfenor' 12.45, 1.30 Jsastmere ... 12.45 Starina ... 12.0 ):!!a ... .... 12.15 Supplement 12.45 ik-rtou ... 4.45 Swimming Belt 4.45 tiliiiry ... 1.30 Sylvan l'ark 4.0 * inland g. ... 12.45 To Kanui ... 3.15 j.diermaid 12.0 The Boyne ... 12.45 i;li:,!snap ... 12.0 Tile Lark ... 4.45 * .ingot ' ... 4.0 Uhlamlo ... 4.0 J.ying Wind 12.45 Waipno . ... 4.0 li-iscq ... 12.0 Waiiapu ... 4.45 liav.am ... 12.0 Waitapu ... 4.45 ianaral. Euroki 2.30 Wallascv 130 I'L-nciilloeli 1.30 White Star 4 0 Gold Orcst ... 12.0 Savior ... 4.0 Goldbeater Tasami ... 12.45 12.0, 1;30 -Yeulba - ... 3.15 iielcn Portland V 12.0, 4.45HANDICAPPING? Perhaps nothing during recent yeni ■! •us caused inore comment than' Mr. liviiry's's. allotment uf 7st.. 111b. (or 3lb. .Ivor iv.f.a.) to Mr. Stead's colt Boniii in the l\ow Zealand..Cup. Liwri--ifivs have been expressed by diver; aribes/and "Templar" of the " Scores "'is strongly of opinion that Boni.'osiii should ncveivliave been asked to ioucede Elevation weight. Although.. lioniform has been scratched, p.-i, ou this point, I'must throw down tile gauntlet to " Templar." 336uiform fan only onco'as a two-year-old, in the cI.J.C. Breeders' Plate, "anil won; more jto could not. have done. As to the, •ass ho brat, we,'on this side, haw . oat. the best facilities for judging, but 'i is certain' that they were not' all 'tisS. Therefore, on this form, Bonir.'a must certainly be accounted a j*.wr,colt than his confreres of;the. lisie age, for the reason that he was, vjver beateh. .. - - '

1 will endeavour .to make my point Aout Boniform's weight a little '•'■erer. Supposing that a four-ycar-oi. »iio has never run is entered for a big dicap, whereabouts ill the handicai f:.i;ld you propose placing him? Surely !iv answer must bo either top weight • bottom weight, or on his weight-tor-sso mark. The .second- answer to the must,. 1 contend, be deleted, as ;o liandicapper should take such a risk « to' put an unknown quantity in at ncloin weight. Certain it is, also, that i. cannot be indiscriminately throw;. .o the middle of a handicap, vrith the' ■ '..i..rk, "If you can win there, good iiii: to you," as was suggested to nv V a keen follower of the game las; ,'k. This, I take it, is. in direct cor.j .ention of alt tho. principles ani ;-•-i-.ios of handicapping.

• i will support ,my contention with a S.:.:nple: When the weights for th ; i...;iisli Lincolnshire. Handicap of II;, - .. 1 red, it,was lound that a tour-ve. •j:.i i'illy called iDesmond's Gift was . L lit with !'st., while Vedas, afeo .oii.'-year-ohl, was nest with Sst. la v edas had, the previous sea« :V '- 1 (be Two Thousand Guineas, ri. ■ ' exactly the same distance, while L> ifi'.;n's Gilt had never run, yet tin a;.y was asked _by ilr. Ord to coneeih r. .■ colt alb. This handicap was con:n,a.':l by that famous trio, Mess,.; 1.'... Kins, Keyset, aud Lee, when tin »i ; iisl meats lor the Ciiy and Suburb. 1 for the lilly again had prid. ("'ice.. -•!< maintain that ■ !h:i is Liu. 1 only true way to tnu'.uicap. 1. a; certainly_ ... rough on tin iij.u-v, but im iiao nis remedy, r.liit-h '.s to run his horse once or twice i:.. ami so give tiie handicapper ; f. .j. To show that 1 am not alone ii. ir, eontintioii, i will quote such wni- '■ •»' authorities as "Vigilant," of ;•!. ,l. .uon Sporlsnian," and John CW- ;-. . of tiie Sporting Times," an i. '■.•..:;hc allotted to l)esinonu'.j Gii't in Ij'"Colu Liaiidieaj). "ugihtr.i" s. I,',''' ,v:il cause general surprise to fits:. Wii Desmond's Ciii't is top weight. t'l.' never yel, however, appeared in ~ri.hu, and, in these eireumstaue..-. p-i:'. Ord is undoubtedly- perfectly ii::h; i.i *.'.'iag her tiie post of honour, 'u. it may be taken as almost eerthat she will have no chance lUuiei ;;:i- a a burden, but. nbe may be the b-A animal in training, and ii: is be!U. her completely out of it, ratlin- \ - liy turniiig her loose at. a ii;;!:; rue, the risl; oi' spoiling vtu i ai! the others." John Corlel! are much more terse. lie says: "Mr. i.'ou! not, as a matter of prccau--<lo oUii-iwise tiia,: . ~t-..'n it>iir-\\-ar-ohl Irisii iii 1 v J ;,.. s . id's Gift, lop weight." : to return to iioaiform. Had b: •\ ao i::d;uoini quaotily he woui,' je .ey ojiieioa, liave been entitled or w.f.a. As it was, lie wee ■ r.w against others of the s.mv iy a nei'k, so (hat he may jusliv ■ lieea lucounted .'ilb. beiier th.-i'e y ''lire, hence his bin-den of 7st. !'ib. 1 i:-i unali-ly, we have no means oi' (he relative merits of no: last sen son with (hose i>: ■ !ier : (ait ours w, i-:> aue;;Mi'<;: in anil out lot, and, to hon-n-v i ;, .iian!'s" phrase, liimiinrin iniiv i • ''-wl hfrse ir, _■ riM-iM-v. aa.l. ';>■ ■ • 1 !:■!■ of precaution. .Mr. Ilonrv- i • I'.ioubtedlv ri-.r'al. As fo Doeiio-'n:' Aieif Height to soivlv' ■ :i ; e::f. l ;i horse inusl. for (lie periie.-. li.oieappine. rank s!b. letter th e '-■it «'i',o u'a« beaten on no leiver (.!••• : .'■ii. occasions. KKII.DING JOCKEY CLUB, i" this issue we publish the ,i:iof Hie I'Yihling Jockey C'ltil> i, ■ • Sjiriiig m.'i'lieg. to he h-'ii! ,c: .'■'■n-.T.iber ;>!> end nil. All 'h,- r: . aiost liberally endowed, and t"•, -'iiflMe.v sho'.'.'s .in increase of e ■ e. the amount given av.ay at the en: i-. sp-jading meeting las! year. Th: principal races arc the Flying Stakes oi

r 200 soys., six furlongs; the St.' Andrew's Handicap of 101) sovs.. a mile and a half; the Spring Hurdles of 200 sovs, two miles; the Kiv/itea Welter of 201) sovs., Olio mile; the Manchester Handicap of !)(JO. sovs., 0110 and a quarter; the Cheltenham Hurdles of 150 sovs., one mile and thrce-qaarters: and the Kailway Welter of ISO sovs., seven ) nrlongs. In addition to these attractive races, the Second Feilding Suikes of M 0 sovs. will be run 011 the first day. This rreight-for-age event lias attracted a capital acceptance, and should be •worth going a long way to see. i'tnthor, if will be noticed that 110 race 011 the programme is of loss value' than 100 sovs., thus, doubtless, the best class of horse will be got together and tho enterprise of the Club rewarded. Nominations for all races except the Scurry< 1,*,. ivitii tile secretary, Air. ikl.nund GoodMiere. on Wednesday, Uttober 3:), rv B.OU p.m A NICE COW. As the season progresses, so shall v.-: from time to time he impressed with the. newcomers who are to 00 battle. daring Ihe ensuing season on the turf. At liorowhenua a couple of weeks ago a very promising colt, in liunyau, was seen out, and lie won his two races ill most convincing style. On the score ol brecuing he lacks nothing, as he is bv Pilgrim's Progress—New by Stepniak— Whirlpool by St. George—Wateisprite by irauueer—Waterwitch. Neva, it will be remembered, is an own sister to that goorl mare Scy I la, and half-sister to Grand llapids, a N.Z. Clip winner. As a two-year-old Bunyan ran only once at \vaiiganm, finishing behind Gold (.rest, Helen Portland, and Volume, llis next appearance was at liorowhenua, where, as stated, he annexed. a double, lie is a wull-jjroivn, bri-ht chestnut coll. standing about 15.H hands high, will. .JWiutit'ui clean leys and magnified; - , shoulders, and his loins and quarters;]', correspondingly good. It is, of eours; very easy to become too enthusiastic ove a,colt, and especially so early in tie. season, but if Bunyan does not turn on a good one 1 shall be surprised. ) might mention that a yearling ha'i sister to Bunyan by the St. Simon kors St. Ambrose forms one of the batch t< be sold at Christchureh in November, am not absolutely,certain, but I tiiini I am right in saying that Uunyan i: the first of tho Pilgrim's Progress .'.toe; to win a race. However, since IJunyan'l victory his sire has secured a li! through the agency of Golden Way an Koran, at Ashburton and Kuugitikc. respectively.

A CAUSE OF INSANITY. Many reasons arc ascribed in sta littles as to the cause of madness, but 1 •have never yet seen " tin hook" given as a reason. I am eretlibi; informed, however, that a small Soul.' Island bookmaker so much overlaid hi, book 011 the recent Gram! National tha. he has since been put'under restraint. This calls to my mind the case of .Hoi. Noon, who used to make a book i. Oxford Circus, and the story will bcai re-telling. Bob very rarely visited ; racecourse, making an S.i>. hook ii Loudon. Never very financially strong he was so badly hit over the last day of the Epsom Summer Sleeting in '£;■ that it turned his brain and lie went absolutely " oil his head." He was the; confined in the Surrey Asvlum, and after a lapse of some inonthi express a desire to see some of his t'ormei friends. Hereupon two of the lecsei lights of TattersallV volunteered to g« down and see him, and made the journe; down to Epsom. _ On being brought face to face with their brother metalliciau they immediately started to express their sympathy with him in his present circumstances, hut Bob Nco; at once shut them up, saying, "You ain't got no call to l'cel sorry for me, old pals; they're all backers of 'orses in J ere. , Tney punts in grub, ai. cigarettes, an' fruit, an J all sorts o' tilings, and" I'm overpound 011 Uio'bool every race. Which "ejnuiils mn! Th old bloke ill the end cubiclc over there is a dead plunger, and to-day no's jji, me in a "lit of a tangle. He had ; ■met dumpling,' On. the first winner at 11 to 8 oil, and I'm jiggered if I ea .'figure out just what I've got to pay him." Contented, people are alwayrery effusive in their greetings and co'i, gratulations; but for rugged wannt; and sincerity nothing could have exceeded the heartiness with which tlu two good men from Tattersall's grippei their old chum's fists, for it was abundantly clear to them tliat he was becoming himself again. • • BITS. OP TOEF. . Adora (Gallintile — Admiration), :. three-year-old own sister to Pretty Polly made. her debut in the week the las; English mail left, but could only ru •into second place. The Fordoll' stable, presided over b\ F. Tilley, has already this season ai, nexed four races, through the mcdiir, of Frisco, St. Joe, and Bunyan (2). Kciidrock is a pretty good sort win the going is heavy, and should be ki»; in mind for a wet day.Flotilla ran twice at Horowhenu:. but is nothing like ready, and will wi. later on.

Ou the second day at norowhenu; The Voucher ran close '-up third : Playmate and St. Amelia in the Hati rlurdles. As she was on the outsit and ran wide at each turn it may pa;. £0 follow her in the future.

I'ilotj a .black gelding by GunboatMermaid, v.-ho won the Steeplechase a iJulls on Wednesday, and ran seco;i< on Thursday, was sold to an Englisl ioortsman after the .first-day's raciuj j'iio price did not transpire, but it i: understood that it was in the neigh Uourhood of i! 200, and that the blac jeldir.g will be shipped to England am muted.

Lass o' Gowrie, who ran second f. ■inkless on the second day at Bulls is only just gone into training again

■ year she had a foal to Advanc 'iiit her owner decided to give he; .mother chance, and judging by'he jiT.i at Bulls she should soon account or a stake.

To the select few who knew Ilia! loniform had been fired on his rcturi. •'. roni Australia last year, his breakdow., •.t Sydney would not come as a great -surprise.

A whisper comes from AVaikato t the effect that the Wanehojie may win early distinction. Eight New Zelaand Cup horses aro engaged in ' the Spring Handicap, se\ out) for decision at the llawke's Ik;;, meeting. C. Jenkins has been summoned to i ijj.e'.i.i- before the metropolitan body al '.Yauganui to answer one or two ti-en-■j'vjnt questions. The s'a-Acv; Zealand mare Glads-or, 's to be mated with the St. Simon horn "nsitano. The da ashler of. Sea ton Dv '.r.'.il goes to the stud this .season. j.'iie Westralian Gambling and He! :ing Bill is a- very drastic measure, i:or only being illegal to publish thi.U'.s obtainable on future events, br.. ;!j;o an offence to cillier publish ai>\ ;<lvertisement, notice, or placard, <:■: :v:'ii. to send a telegram in connection ■villi a sweep, at the ri :k of a Hue o. or three mouths' imprisonment. ,

Two serious mistake:! appear in th. '.■lit Turf Kegistev. Thcv are on panes ;(!3 and 2(il rcspectivelv. In the St. ''■'curse's Handicap Aco'.us is sliov.. us carrying Sst. 121b.. whereas hi: wight was 3si. 51b., and in the Autimi landicap Paritnlu is shown as cany v; list. lllb., : whereas ho carrioi. '5t..61'0. . The well-known cross-country horsi ■aim, P. Johnson,'who has "hitler!, boon' acting as private trainer to Jlr' t>. Donnelly, lias started training ou '■!'<) own account. It is rumoured, says the " (Jingo V.'il-:e-s," that Seal Rock is not o.s henlili' is might be. It is said that a disc-liar;; • vns issuing from Iho ,colt's nostrils he worked at liicca'.'ton recoutly. I'ilgrim's Progress has started (he well with three winners of for," ■scv.'s in Ciolden Wav, Koran, and liun;2). " The new owner of Sn'itei'rae.can (1:M, valmiaiino) Is Mr. K. Manuoh!, a nun:nf ti;o V.I-M.'. t "ir.n;l'The horse ntaieil t.i be'in f;'it' .1.-mawi ini- the i.'ni.'i!!eld (.'i'.p. II h- iincieMmni thai 'he I'-rie.; ai which he chiin;;e-l hands I!'CO '.-;u'la \" 1! 11*-.v, I .> .t !v;o-7C.':i*-o!(! OW;> brat he' ■ ' I'ivii". i 'u>;. won Ihe JVimv of . l .\ . Mi':! I'.eS ■■ s.n:;l i it.. '.'eieive: ,1 Media;;. '1 hi"- Ihe ea:i':. Il.st i:vi'T sill., Al a nnr.v' nc.vling, Dora (Jrey. an own i ;.i Aeliiiles. ran sceoim in i!>e ; ■ M'.eia.tl I,;' I'lif (iav. The I'aet o!' P. Malir ;ii--:::uuats o" ;' : ali!ea Measure Wv'el. :1-111 ill Ihi :r i' l '' I'M i' .'l;i.';i; . 1. >, ; ' 'I:.," 1 ;•>!■'!<!. ' I: 1 -,:; '] - i.> , '.i I '';,' : 'at 'he ■ '..i ■! • ■■" '• ' !•••> iievilt ivJu-ii it as pa:s, hie ,■ sr. cure .ilaheF

Ballarat has been- taken up again, and iG doing nice easy work. I am informed that the slight lameness which afflicted her shoulder has now disappeared. Ukraine (Stepniak-.Madder), in ; the same stable, has not been' asked any. questions, .but. is satisfying; Iter mentor. "Johnny Armstrong!' was . much in evidence among our jockeys at Marlon and llangitikei, hut particularly so at the latter place. Maranui has once more electrified the touts at itandwick, this time by galloping a mile in lmir.. <t2scc. It would not seem unlikely that Mr. O'Brien's colt'may leave a race or two 011 tlio track.

jlaniapoto is reported as doing real good work at Wangamii, which is inducing punters to make enquiries and nibble at liiin.

fit. Claimer's form'at Raugitikei need :;ut be taken into aceounc, all things considered, it was marvellous that ho «iil not win, even under the circumstances.

Ine owner of Janclla was decidedly uulortu'uate at liangiiikci, as his mare nad liangitoto well beaten when she crossed him, and although it was on tins point that the objection was lodged, yet it was.on the technicality of weighing in without the brenst-plare that ilie race was awarded to Kaiigi'.oto. The rule relating to crossing r;ads very plain, and had the stewards iuterpreted it according to the letter, tliey would undoubtedly have had to disqualify theniare 011 this point also.

While the Southern papers were eon-: doling with the popular cross-country horseman,' W. Higgii-.s, on being 011 board the .Uonowai, tho latter was having a very comfortable-winning rido on Pilot at itangitikei.

Armistice. Sst. 31b., is a proved stayer, but has 12ib. more to carry tliis year than she. Jailed under in the last..Cup. J.* urther, she is not likely to iiave improved'with ago, and I do not'lite her chance.

Zimmerman, 6st. 31b., won two Oarbys last season, but is, I think, a •. r.v laint-heaittd horse. .Ho has not raced since last January, and as unlit time he had been very hard .. orketi tho spell may have doiio tiiiu „ood and heartened liiin up. ; Even if .ins was tho case, on his running last ..ear 111 the Canterbury Cup, when -lie ■Vas receiving 22lb.and 231b. respectively -rum Muituid .and Armistice, and .wished third to tlieni, tho mare should ■■old him safe. - , .

Sir Tristram, Bst. lib., dropped out at .ae first acceptance, but on this account i do not think it would be wise to assume that Zimmerman had been tried a better horse at the weights. Tiie prooJjility is that they were never tried, .uid.it does not seem unlikelv that if possible ii r. Ormond would lite to win ,110 Cup with a colt of ins own. breeding anu got by l - a sire of his own importation, ana so snow tne critics that Birkenhead's progeny do stay. Bowj»'er, I do not like Zimmerman's chance. Of Urand Slain, beat Kocl;, and jlaliuu., on the St. Leger form the .u'st-named must hold Seal liock safe, out I do not faiicy their chances, .iahuta is a much-talked-of colt, but has done nothing to justify the thought ;liut he would get the two miles, and ne gives me the impression that he' is a oriliiaut miler and nothing more. For .lie present, therefore, 1 must pass him »y. ■'.! . Harvest, 7st. ,101b., has ijiever shown chat ho can get over a mile and a quarter, although on tiie. contrary he -;haß aever attempted the l'eat.'' (Jut 'of': 18 starts last season• ho- notched' eight winning brackets, among his win?, being the i'imaru Cup (1$ miles) and Christchurch liacing Club Handicap (1J miles), but on neither occasion' did ho oeat any very good class horses,-and in . iew of the fact that Clanronald horses are reputed nori-staycrs I must pass him by. .

Aeolus, Ist. 91b., on some fornUwould seem to be badly treated, for it is hard to understand why Buceleugh, 7st. 41b,, should receive 51b. from him, the 'only jxplauation beiug. that .Bucclough is uandicapped as a sprinter pure and simple. Some day 1 supposo something .viil be treated in tiie same.way, and ■;io result .wilt be a, toco; In tne present case the. point.is rather a curious .me. The only victory scored by Aeolus over any distanco over a mile was ia .iio Marlborough Cup iu very poor com.jW, but at tho samo .tiuio.he-ran a very good race, carrying Bst. 51b., in .lie St. Ueorge's Handicap'tit Auckland, -id., it is undoubtedly .on 'this .form, ..:hen lie was only, receiving 111b. from .duster Delaval, that- Aeolus is hahdijapped. With- Biitcleugh Mr. 'Henrys j.is taken a liberty, wliiek in this -case, i think, will turn out trumps i'or-him, -s, tiie liorso is so heavy topped that I uucfr doubt if ho will see tile post fit to .an out tho two miles. Crichton, Tst. Sib., has no form to ..•commend his chance. Apa, 7st. Mb., as' been a most unlucky horse, and u his two seconds to Achilles at Wol.ngton last January must bo given a ..uuce, particularly it' ho is the evenual representative of tlib stable,, and . believe that on this point there, is not much doubt ' ■ > . i

St. Joe, 7st. 31b., has earned a penay, and will now carry 7st. 81b. Qlen:iiin and Seaman aro both on the 7st ,o. mark, and for the former I hava o liking, Seaman is a horse' of an-

.her. colour, and his recent'.effort in ,ne Winter Cup on top of nis two suc.esses at Wellington as a :orse of great courage and a desperate misher. Certainly he has never shown .jut he can stay, but his recent- efforts .il point in that directiqii, and with :ie nice weight of 7st. lilb. I like .his nance immensely. 'j

atystificatioii, 7st. 51b., has, I think, jt a little cunning, and is not to bo .rusted in a raco of th'is severity. Elevation, 7st. -lib., at present ranks is ono of the favourites for the Cup, iut beyond tho fact that lie finishes his .aces as though ho was anxious to run

..-a there, is no indication that he will itay.tho two.iiiilei I bslievo that lis j. \ try forward, and that the programme ..apped out for.him is both Cups and •;!ie Derby. Ho is a littlo horse, however, and if the field is largo may be' ..umped .into''a bad position. Altogether, I do ]iot like Elevation's chance, i!id can, sec no justification for his' .josition as favourite. . A'risco, 7st. -lb., is well enough bred, .ml if he iuns, which is doubtful, I .iiould like his chance. ' It is" almost •swtaiii that Apa, in tbo Eame stable, .vill bo preferred to him. Starina, 7st. 21b., did not run at all last season. In IDO.i-OG lie won four an important races, and as hu is now an aged horse cannot have improved, and 1 will find himself outclassed in this company. For Probable and Fandango, both on ,iio 7st. mark, 1 have no fancy, but Jazcloy,- with tho same weight, would i his breeding alone have a fair chance .? lie were sound. i am given to understand that this is not tho case, and Lhe absence of any certain information will pass him-for tho moment. lionny Glee., 7st., has wintered well _;:id grown into a great slashing colt. ;!is performances last season were, not .•?ry talcing, his best .effort being his [jfeat of Gleneulloeh (gave Ulb.) at i'.inedin, but on the contrary he only ;n three times, and looks to "mo ono , tho sort that will improve with ago. i lie stripped lit and well on the day i would not surprise me to see this colt . ,iu very close up. J-auland, Astrakhan, . ad Downfall are 'all handicapped at .Ist. 131b. Lapland broke a series of

. i-conds and thirds by ginning the uaniaru Cup, and is sure to 1 stay the '.li.-tiince. Astrakhan is owned in.Dune--Jin, and from : what 1 can leani ia iiiiiutly fancied by .connections who nfe wonderfully shrewd and make few mislakes. Downfall has been backed by his owner, but I have no fancy for this p.-ettily-markcd son of Pan I'rancisco.

On tlio Gst. 121b. mark The Rand has yet to mnl;o his debut, and Grafton l.'icli lias no form (o -recommend. him.

V.'.iitapn, Gst. iltb., has some .creditable .' ma to recommend him, notably, his ■■ec.ihil to 'Marguerite in ' the Connolly' iie;;'ii(\'t», an:l on (he appcaranco of tha I bad .-.cinie liking for his ehae.ee; however, .1 hila run ■•.l Kan;;itiV,ei la ; .t week, asd 1 should .iiaiu" liiia to he a very unlikely win- : Such as Sana, Oulhinder, and the i O::-|U,M'0r gelding caii surely have 110 1 ebaaee. I'i-i ie will be several opportunities in lb: lcutre of going. moie closely into. , ihf pro-peels for this race, and there ar" Mire to be many defections beforo' the 11:.y comes round. I shall rescrvo 11-:; to alter my opinion, but at niv-vnt 1 like (lie chances of Paritutu •win is, 1 eonsidcr, tile best handi- . . I'pei! liorse in tlie race), Apr., teaman, .; !''-.;'.ay Cilea. wh'iio, .-.a tho .. : e;iii.iple that , the top weight is • ;?itl,v well treatal, I shall also I l.i ep Maaiapolo 011 my side.