THE GREYMOUTH JOCKEY CLUB HANDICAP.

Grey River Argus, Volume XII, Issue 1420, 18 February 1873, Page 2

THE GREYMOUTH JOCKEY CLUB HANDICAP.

[to the editor.]

Sir — As "Bannathlath" has asked to be put right if he made any srrors in his remarks on this handicap, and as no other person has attempted to do so, will you allow me sufficient space to try and point out where his knowledge and his judgment are at variance with tried conclusions, for it is only by these that we can j udge. Firstly, let us commence with Burgundy at 9at 51b, a weight that he, from his last season's performances, is fairly entitled to. " Bannathlath's " memory must be bad, or his information defective, if he does not know or cannot remember this horse's last year's performances. He met Yatterina at several meetings, and beat her every time, and, as is well known, even gave her an allowance at Cromwell and licked her. More than that, as I can well remember, he actually ran Slander at even weights at Timaru, when, by all knowledge of handicapping, he ought to have received weight, and yet he gave her a beating. Burgundy is one of the best horses in New Zealand, is dangerous in any company, and is in fact bad to beat: he himself does not know when he h beaten. As far as he is concerned with Yatterina at93t, I don't think he is badly placed. Of the two, I believe the mare to be the worst weighted. I cannot make out what this mare has done to have such crushing weights put on her in every handicap for which she is entered. There appears to me a very general misconception of her powers, as no record of the turf bear out such wonderful estimates of. her speed and endurance as always to demand that she should be placed at top weight. "Bannathlath" should have known this, as she has been the most- prominent public performer in, New Zealand for the last two years, and where she has met fields and won, she has always met indifferent company. I don't believe in more than three races during all that time did she score a win, when she carried over Bst 101 b, and now with the company she is expected to meet, and with 41b additional, I cannot view her chance as too rosy a one. Some of the other horses will have to be in queer street to make it a certainty for her. Malice, the third highest on the list, comes next, with Bst 121 b. Now, considering that Malice meets Yatterina this year at 261 b better terms than she meet her last year, Malice must be badly ridden if she does not show to the front should she start. True it is that Malice only came in third when they then met, but as Malice was carrying 9st, and Yatterina 7st 41b, this is not to be wondered at. With B,st 121 bon her back, I consider Malice fairly handicapped, and, if not first, she will be in the ruck^should she run. I now come to the fourth on the list, Misfortune, the winner of this same race last year. Had my old and esteemed fellow-sporting correspondent " Bannathlath," said that this mare was most favorably let in, he would have been right. She is well in, very much better than lightly in. Her penalty is almost nothing, and she is a year older. As compared with " Bannathlath's" bugbear Yatterina, let us look at her last year's performance when they both met. I can only remember two occasions. In the first, a mile race, Misfortune gave Yatterina 37ib, and was beaten by half a length, and on the next day, in a mile and a half race, she gave her 2 Lib and beat her easily. Misfortune's forte is a distance, and she is known to be a stayer. If she comes fit to the post, I spot her .1 , 2, or 3. I spotted her last year, and I like her still, but as she has not yet arrived, and as I don't know her condition, I shall not gush too much upon her. Envy is well placed, as well placed as any horse in the handicap, and should, from her previous performances, carry back a good account to Mr Nosworthy. Her achievements at Christchurch, where she won four races out of five show that she can travel in the best company, and is not to be despised As the preacher says, sixthly, Defamation now comes forward, but as his majesty's mare has come to grief, we will not say anything, but simply express a hope that this is the last perisher he has to experience. Joseph has had as many trials as his namesake in Egypt had. Hatred, at 7st 121 b, is favorably handicapped, and if sent across, will prove formidable. Her late performances have been good, vide the Mount Jda, Cromwell, and L>unstan meetings ; and if she, with her halfsister Envy, put in an appearance, both will make the pace too hot for some of the others ; she is a most improving mare, as this year's performances show. I scarcely look upon Harlequin as intended for this race, as I believe he will run for the Hurdle Handicap, and therefore is not likely to be brought out for the Jockey Club Handicap so soon after the other. There is, however, one horse, or rather mare, that people seem to think little of, and that mare is Lacenfeed. Why they should do so, and "Bannatbh lath " amongst the rest seems to despise the chance, is -a mystery to me. Her previous performances have been very good, some of them first class, and if her sporting owner can bring her to the scratch in such fettle as I have seen her brought, the chestnut mare may not be far o& winning the coveted Handicap. I dont know how far I have got, but I suppose I am about ninthly, or Dick Turpin, who, if he can gallop, ought to go a docker ; but, as the name signifies, he is, in my opinion, a highway robber, and I cannot advise anyone to place faith in him. He has, however, a sporting owner and a true turfite, and I believe can make his way well over the timber, for which he is also entered. Gossip i? by some accounted the most dangerous mare in the race, and would, I dare say, be so provided the distance were less, but as she is young and frisky, I cannot at present pin my faith upon her for this distance and in this company.' Mr Webb's other youngster may be good, but she has as yet done nothing to prove herself so, and until we in this out-of-the way part of the world see public performances, we cannot judge. More anon. Old Sport.