SPOUTING NOTES.

Evening Star, Issue 3747, 25 February 1875, Page 2

SPOUTING NOTES.

By Peoasus.

THE DUNEDIN CUP.-No. 11,

Mr S. Nosworthy’s Traitor, 4 years, Bst 71b, next claims attention. Be comes of stock famed for possessing staying powers, being by Traducer out of Deception, but has not done much towards keeping up the family reputation, his first win being scored at the recent Tuapeka meeting. This must not, however, be ascribed to want of quality, but to a strange fatality in the shape of a slight ailment which seems to have pursued and fastened on Traitor so far. just before every.meeting for which he was entered; and also to his having unfortunately in the past season’s racing been pitted against Tambourini when the latter was in better form than he ever showed before. At Christchurch Traitor proved himself, though amiss, the four-year-old of his year, finishing second to Tambourini in the J. C. Handicap and the Gup, beating Templeton in each at level weights, and running Ngdwo to a head for the Christchurch Plate. He was not sent to Wellington or Auckland, and we find him next at Tuapeka, where he won the Maiden Plate and Flying Handicap—but meeting nothing better in the first race than Both well, and in the second than Earl of Lynne, Border Lad, and t'nvy. Tapanui races, the week following, saw Traitor (Sat 101b) beaten by Right Bower (7st 101b) for the Tapanui Handicap ; and in the Consolation Stakes he finished behind Stackpole and Envy, giving them 161b and 221b respectively. He was, however, very bad with a cold at this time, so that too much importance must not be attached to this indifferent form. In speaking of Castaway 1 said that I consider him perfectly able to give Traitor the 31b between them in the Cup, if both are equally fit; but Mr Nosworthy’s colt can give Templeton the go-by at the weights. Plying Dutchman and Pertobe I can only compare with him by stating that Traitor, according to weight for age, gives them 91bs and 151 bs respectively. Yatterina and Traitor did not meet at Christchurch, but we bavo a good line to go by in the mare’s running with Templeton. 1 have already stated that it is just possible for the last named to pass the post in front of Yatterina, though he gives her lOlbs, and, therefore, as Traitor meets her on 51bs better terms than Templeton does, the possibility resolves itself in his case into a certainty. To get at Traitor’s chance against Atlas we must look at the running of each against Tambourini. At last March races Tambourini gave Atlas lllbs in the Jockey lub Handicap, and beat him for second place; but ibe positions were reversed nevt day in the Forbury Handicap, when Atlas received 171bs. These, and the runniug'Of the two in the Cup, where Tambourini was not pushed for third place, show that there is about a stone difference between them. At ( hristchurch ■ ambourini gives Traitor 23ibs and a beating in the Jockey Club Handicap, and 13lha and another beating for the Cup, aud from the former race it would appear that Atlas is 91bs a better horse than Traitor, or rather that the two are exactly on an equivalent, 91bs representing the diffmence in their age*-. Yet Traitor has to give the Otago, horse 7ibs, being apparently 1 Gibs off the right thing and what can 1 find to make up for this unfairness? Only these circumstances : that Tambourini was not in as goad form when be met Atlas as when he beat Traitor ; that Traitor was out of sorts at Christchurch; and that the younger horse is, from his age, more likely to have improved than Atlas. But the old horse was not in tip-top condition, and from what t hear there will be

less fault to find with him this time. Taking everything into consideration, I think Atlas has the best ef it, and if called upon to choose now, when Traitor is not recovered from his cold caught at Tuapeka, I should certainly prefer the former. Traitor gave Right rower a stone at Tapanui and got beaten, but he was dead amiss then, ami I don’t think this Australian will he near him in the viip, where there is only lllbs difference Between Spritsail and Traitor there as 121bs, or 911 »s more than the mare should receive. according to age ; but the colt’s racing qualities may perhaps be the better of the two, though Spritsail is very well bred. 1 am inclined to chink Sprits ail’s chance a shade the best, if she has got over her shaking. Tripolis and Traitor did not come together at either Tuapeka or Tapanui, but I cannot speak of the two in the same breath, with only a stone between them. JSTgaro is made ef better stuff, and is more worth talking about. This filly, with 6st 81b up, beat 1 raitor (Bst 21b) by a head for the ChristchurchPlate after a most determined strugglenow there is only Ifiiba between them, and Ngaro carries within 11b of her weight for age. This should turn the scales in Traitor’s favor. Sonnambula is in Traitor’s stable, so I shall say nothing about her till I come to her turn. The Earl of Lynne and Bothwell now only remain of the Cup horses that have met Traitor, and all I can say of them is that at Tuapeka I raitor won the Maiden easily, with Bothwell second ; and he won the Flying Handicap by half a length from the Earl, giving him 18lbs, This latter race has been described to me by some eye-witnesses as a soft thing for Traitor • but others aver that it took him all his time to get his head in front. The Earl now receives slbs more, but he is such a mysterious animal that I shall .not say much about his “shy-in” for the Cup till I come to his place in the list. I sum Traitor up by saying that Castaway, Atlas, and Spritsail have respectively a better show than him. Mr G. Coombes’s Flying Dutchman, aged, Bst 7lb, by Peter Wilkins out of Merry Maid, was imported last year from Australia. He came in first in the Ballarat Cup in 1870, but was distanced for running inside a post; made himself ever memorable by losing the Australian Cup in 1872 by only a head, after running two dead heats with Saladin; in 1873 : at the Tasmanian Champion meeting, ran third m the Maiden Plate to Vision and Sylph; the next day won the Flying Handicap with 7st 61b, beating Bishopsbourne, Vision, Phantom, Sir William Don, and Eclipse; on the third day, with 7at 81bs, ran third in the big Handicap to Strop (B,t 91bs), and Paddy’s Land (Bst 41bs). This two miles took Stnin. 53sec., and was won with ridiculous ease by a dozen lengths ; the times of Flying Dutchman’s three struggles with Saladin were also not fast, Now the old scythebearer alone can give us an idea as to what the Dutchman can do against New Zealand horses, and as we have plenty that can do two miles under 35® I should not have much fear of the distinguished stranger, but for the fact that he is in 16lbs below weight for age. He had a walk over at Tapanui for the Jockey Club Handicap, and won the Flying Handicap with ease, beating Envy and Somnambula, givi lg the latter 201bs. and going like a perfect raci hors*. Good looks and style, however, will not win the Dunedin Cup, without speed, and unless I find that Flying Dutchman possesses a la.r modicum of that desirable quality I shall leave him out of the first three.

Mr W. Waters’s Yatterina, aged, Bst 21bs, next appears, or rather will most probably not appear. She accepted for the Gup but has not entered for any other races at the meeting, so that it looks as it she would be ient to the West Coast, where she is engaged in some good events to come off at about the same time as our meeting However, in case she should turn up here I must say something about her. She has run well for years, but I shall only notice her present season’s performances. At Christchurch, she was beaten for the Free Handicap by Remnant and Alice Grey ; won the Lottery Plate, beating Waverley, The belle, Remnant, and others; ran third to Templeton and Tadmor for the Grand Stand Handicap; and was not placed in the Metropolitan, won by Templeton, At Auckland, she ran third to Templeton and Toi for the Cup ; third to i empleton and Parawhenua for the Grand Stand Handicap ; second to Parawheuua for the Free Handicap ; and won the Consolation Handicap with a walk-over, I have already stated that Templeton, Castaway, and Traitor hold her safe, and by the same reasoning Atlas and Spritaail are also to be preferred to the old mare. She can give Pripolis 91bs easily, but Ngaro will push her very bard, despite the immense discrepancy in the terms on which they meet from their proper racing weights. Sonnambula has done nothing to justify her carrying within 31bs of weight for age, so I do not expect to see her anywhere near Yatterina; but the five I have mentioued will be too hard nuts for the latter t > crack.