TRUE TOPICS.

Free Lance, Volume III, Issue 122, 1 November 1902, Page 23

TRUE TOPICS.

By 'Krect-Card.

The further payment for the New Zealand Cup, due on Friday last, Was the means of weeding out a large number of the candidates engaged in. that event, no less than twenty-nine declining to pay up. A considerable reduction was anticipated, as there were several entered for the race who had not the slightest possible chance of success, and there is a strong probability that there will be further scratchmgs before the bell rings for the tussle. The two favourites! — Siege Gun and Nonette — are still in, and, unless something unfortunate happens between this and the day of the race, may be exoected to fulfil their engagements. Rumour was busy during the past week to the effect that the former was amiss, but this hapoJy has been pubLcly contradicted by his owner, who states that, although not over sanguine of the colt s success, yet he will run a good race Nonette made his first appearance this season at the Ashburton meetinr, when he carried 9st 131b — 4lb more than bis New Zealand Cup impost — into second place in the Cup, on the first day, and was conceding the winner 341b. The race was run in clinking good time. On the second day, with lOst 21b in the saddle he dead-heated with Welbeck, over a mile and a-quarter, m 2mm 10 4-othsec. Those two races prove that the son of Seaton Delaval is in capital trim for his engagement in the Cup and, as he has already shown has ability to get the distance, his chance of succeeding on Saturday week looks a good one. St. Michael's defection was anticipated, as it was an open secret that all was not well with him. This is to be regretted, as St. Michael was generally considered to have been given an excellent chance of annexing the stake, and his absence robs the event of much interest. A meeting between him and Nonette to fight their Auckland Cup battle over again, seems now a thing of the past, but it is to be hoped that the breakdown of St. Leger's son us not of a permanent nature, and that in the near future he will be found in the racing arena measuring strides with the best of them. Tortulla has been Daid up for and, with her recent success at Wanganui to reocmmend her, the black daughter of Torpedo will assuredly give a good account of herself. Pampero's many admirers were elated, when his owner decided to pay up for St. Clair's son, and mans °f them are certain that the Cup is all over bar shouting, so enamoured are they of this horse's chance. His victory at Dunedm points to his being in form, but whether he will see th© end of a strongly run two miles is a moot question. I have my doubts, and think he would be more suited to a shorter course. The absence of Dundas and Beddington was anticipated, the former being amiss and the latter not m form. Caainie Chiel has been paid up for, and, with his stable companion, Glenaladale has been resiponsible for some excellent work on the track. The former has never raced over ai longer distance than a mile and a-half, and, if my memory serves me, his successes have been achieved over shorter courses even than that. His sire, Clanranald, was not renowned as a stayer, but there are more unlikely things to happen than Cannie Chiel's success in the event under notice. I have more respect for his stable companion, who has been specially trained for this race and who, I think, will prove one of the hardest to beat. Halberdier has been left m, so his trainer evidently thinks his dicky legs will see him through, but there is a strone; possibility that the winding-up gallons will reveal his weakness. Ostiak has declined the contest, and maybe the reported attack of strangles is responsible for this. Siege Gun. the actual favourite for the race, has done nothing in public to warrant the respect in which he is held, but a representative from Yaldhurst always commands a small army of supporters. The colt is well, and that ls something to go on, and when it is considered that they have such good trying material ait Yaldhurst, one does not wonder at people backing the colt months before the race Canteen shaped well at Dunedin, and his form was sufficiently crood to tem.pt Ins owner to pay up for him His

chances last year were highly assessed, but he failed miserably in. the race, but, perhaps, he may make some amends tins year. Melwood was given a run at Ashburton, but the best St. Leger's son could do was to get a second on the first day. This was not very encouraging, but there are reasonable grounds to suppose the little fellow can be considerably improved in the meantime. Were he in the same form as last year, when he ran second, Melwood would take all the beating they could give him, and I look to him to run a great, race on this occasion. Porirua has been backed during the week, and there is a possibility that the Porirua stable will elect to stand by him. The Seaton Delaval colt ran two good races at Hawke's Bay, and, althouugh unsuccessful, was not disgraced. The defection of Motor did not surprise me, as the stable preferred the chance of Melwood. Vladimir's absence is due to his being out of form to take on a two-mile journey, and the same may bet said of Grey Seaton, Kelburn. Lavalette, Calibre, Terrapin, Bowman, Kahuwaa, Gladisla, Sensation, and Kiwa, who have all declined their engagement. Welbeck has winning form to recommend him, his two recent successes at Ashburton pointing to his beinpr in splendid buckle. He has only a feather weight to can-y, and, as h© won the Ashburton Cup with 81b more om his back than he is asked to carry in the New Zealand Cup, and that, too. in the excellent time of 2mm 35 3-sthsec, his chances of succeeding on Saturday week look very rosy. Fakir has been paid up for and he has several successes to his credit since the weights appeared. He has put up some excellent times, but there is strong reason, to suppose that the distance will be a trifle too far. He would, in my opinion, be more at home over a shorter course. Sirius has shown no form this season to warrant his owner m paying up for him, but probably the son of Dreadnought has shown him something in private to justify his action. Last year Sirius would nrobably have been returned the winner had be had a more vigorous rider on his back, for he was falloping over everything oi the finish. There is nothing improbable in his earning winning distinction in this year's contest. Kelpy's absence was not anticipated, but his form at Hawke's Bay evidently did not satisfy his connections. His defection leaves the Hon. J. D. Ormond without a representative in the race. Magnificent, Sparkbrook, Clanburn, Ontario, Sarchedcwi Waipawa, Rmgman, La Vahere Stepdancer aid Secret Socie< v had no hope whatever of triumphing, and thear owners have wisely declined to continue them in their en garment. Bombardo was successful in a Maiden Race at Hawke's Bay, but his win was not sufficiently brilliant to cause one to hopefully view his prospects of achieving success in the race in question, but, evidently, his connections are satisfied, far they have backed the colt to win. Romany Queen has not been paid up for, the stable evidently relying on Siege Gun. The former is engaged in the Oaks, and probably she is reserved for that event. Punamu has not shown any form in (public to warrant his being paid up for, but Sovthern scribes always speak well of his work on the track and, doubtless, this has tempted his owner to make his engagement good. As I shall have one more opportunity of discussing the horses engaged, I shall leave my final selection until next week. Roller, by Dreadnought — Roll Call, a cast-off of the Hon. J. D. Ormond's stable, ca/ptured both of the Hurdle Races at the recent Ashburton meeting. His wins were accomplished very easily, and there is no doubt that he is improving with age. The victory of Scylla in the Spring Handicap, at Ashburton, run over seven furlongs, has brought her into demand for the Stewards Handicap at the C.J.C. fixture. The daughter of Stepmak carved out the distance in the good time of lmin 28 3-sthsec, and she beat some speedy ones, too, amongst others Melwood and St. Denis. Mr. Alf. Rores gelding, Hmekoa, xs in capital trim just now. At the recent Blenheim meeting, he appropriated the Riverlands Handicap m fine style on the second day, under the impost of 9st 71b, and he got over the mile and a distance in lmin 58 3-sthsec. He was also successful in the Blenheim Handicap, on the opening day. He was followed home by Cure on both occasions. The Golds-borough mare Neredd, dam of Achilles, has produced a full-sister to that celebrity. The ex-New Zealander, Record Reign, with lOst 71b, was a runner for the September Stakes, seven furlongs, at Poona (India), on September 6th, but failed to show up, the places being fiDed bv Planet Bst 41b, Swiftsure Bst 101 band Veneda Bst 121b, in the order named.