True Topics.

Free Lance, Volume IV, Issue 174, 31 October 1903, Page 14

True Topics.

By St. Simon.

THE Wellington Racing Club's spring meeting was ushered in with delightful weather, which continued over both days. The attendances were large, and the totalise tor receipts, amounting to £10,029, showed an increase over last years ot £2872. The racui" which was of an interesting mature throughout, was got through without protest or dispute of any kind, the smooth working of the internal machinery being greatly due to the methodical action of the secretary, Mr. J . F. Clark, who, by the way, was filling the position for the last tame, bemg about to retire. * * * The performances of the various New Zealand Cup candidates at the W.R.C. meeting dad not disclose a Carbine, although their respective wallops were of an impressive nature. Kelburn, to my mind, m his second to Pallas in tihe Wellington Handicap, over a mile and a-quarter, in the fast time of 2min 7 2-sthsec, gave a better line for future guidance than any of the other New Zealand Cup aspirants. Shrapnel's performances were not brilliant by any means, nor do I tihink he is well enough forw ard for the long journey. Melwood's wm, m the nine furlongs on the second day, was decisive, and, as he appears thoroughly sound, he should be hard to beat on the day if he continues so. He has brilliancy of speed, and is a proved stayer beyond doubt. I expect him to do better than his last New Zealand Cup performance when he pot mto third position. Prior to his win at Wellington, Melwood was at 33 to 1, but immediately shortened to 12 to 1. By has win, he incurred a penalty of olb, which now brings his weight up to 7st 101b, which is 21b more 1 than he so conveniently carried to victory at Wellington. The Ponrua crack, Achilles, still continues in the New Zealand Cup, many having thought that last Friday's payments would ha,ve seen him drop out. A little bird whispers 1 that it is not true that Hewitt will ride Marsi, but that he will be up on the orack, and win. The only thing that causes me to doubt the whisper is that too much lead would ha.ye to be carried, but the fact remains that he will be the representative of a dangerous stable. Ringman, the Wellington-owned Cup horse, made an inglorious display in his efforts at the Wellington meeting, and his many supporters in doubles and straight-out bets have no reason to shake hands with, themselves. His stable companion, Matuku, also ran disappointingly, and on that form can have no chance in the settlement of the Stewards' Handicap. Dan O'Brien's Grafton colt, Heroism, will have to improve a lot prior to the day if he is to have a chance at all. He hag all alone: had consistent followers, who declared he would have to be consulted a,bout the winning post, but I don't like ham now. The favourite, Wairiki, was given a couple of races at the North Otago meeting, which should have a good effect on has condition. He accounted for the six furlong race in limn 19sec, and on the second occasion the Dunedin sprinter downed him at a difference of a stone and a-half m the latter's favour. Wairiki finished the six furlongs rather feebly, and keen observers greatly discount his chance. Roseal, the ex-hack, is galloping in great heart, and putting m track work of a most useful sort Track watchers aver that he will take a power of beating in the Cup. General Symons, stable companion to Kelburn, will I think, be> i ©served for the shorter events of the meeting. His Wellington performances were veiy moderate, nor did he bear the appealance of having done sufficient work. Pampero and Canteen, the repie«entatives of Dunedin are doing splendid work, and, in course of conversation with the latter's owner (Mr. Abe Moss), I leatrnt that the grey is doung particularly well, and may be expected to run a great race. I will have another opportunity of discussing the candidates for the New Zealand Cun in next issue, but at the present time I must say I ha.ye a sneaking regard for Achilles, Can* en,

Pampero, and Roseal, in. the order named. The other leg of the popular double, the Stewards' Handicap, will be contested by the best of our sprinters from. aJI parts of the colony, some of whom have of late been showing winning form. The piesent favourite for the event, is Machine Gun, with Petrovna, Pallas, and St. Dems in big demand. Achilles is in this lace also, with 10st 71b, but, even with such a steadier, if he does not incur a, penalty, would give the race a bag shake up. Until I learn that he is not after the Cup, I will not count ham among the likely ones, which I consider are Machine Gun, Madrigal, and Petaovna, with Idea as a splendid outsider. * * * On Tuesday next the most important sporting event of the Commonwealth takes place. The Melbourne Cup, with its long history of heavy wagering, successes of favourites, and surprises 1 of outsiders, will draw its thousands to the pretty course at Flemingtom, rich in floral growth, pretty dresses, and pretty women. They all come in for the Cup from the baokblocks — sun-tan-ned and healthy — and throw themselves into the vortex of pleasure with abandon. The gold-thirsty miner, who can't get down because hei hasn't struck it "yailler," consoles himself with the> fact that he has three Tattersall's; tickets stowed away in a jam-tin, and dreams of wealth to oome , the man on the wallaby track hag similar documents stowed a/way in his swag, which appears all the lighter for the fact. The field is a strong one, and I expect to see the finish fought out between Sweet Nell and Abundamce. * # * Although I have tipped Sweet Nell to win the Melbourne Cup, I find nothing that fits in so nicely with a oake'-walk as "A — bun — dance." How's that for a tip? * * * Bert Hewitt, to get Starshoot to oome up to the tapes, in the last race at Wellington, gave Wilson, on Madrigal, the inside running which Hewitt had drawn. "That lost me the race," said Bert , "he snuffed me out by a head." * # * When Waikakaho's party give that horse a chance, they plank the dollars down with such persistency as to almost make the "bookies" shudder. It was so m the concluding event of the first day at Wellington. Commissions were worked away from the course, a good deal of it boms re-invested on the maohnie, however, as Waikakaho is. a dangerous customer over five furlongs. He started first favourite, but met his Waterloo when the Hon. J. D. Ormomd's threio-yoar-old filly Chant beat him, by a couple of lengths. The favourite's backers only lost 3s 6d in the pound, and backers of Chant were rewarded to tho extent of £3 3s 6d.