Turf Topics.

Free Lance, Volume IV, Issue 209, 2 July 1904, Page 21

Turf Topics.

By the ' Old 'Un."

MR Chachuck lias declared hib handicaps for the Wellington meeting. In the Wellington Steeplechase, Mi. Piosser's horse, The Guaid, has been awarded top weight, 12st 61b. The handicapper has probably been guided by past deeds, but, no doubt, a public peifoimance will satisfy racing men that The Guard is too mfiim to stand a preparation that would fit him to successfully contest a severe race. Haydn (list 31b) is leniently tieated with 31b less than he victoriously cained to the front in the Wanganui Steeplechase. Eclair, whom he defeated there, now meets Haydn on 91b worse terms. Although Eclair subsequently finished in fiont of Haydn in the Winter Steeplechase, I prefer Haydn when meeting him on 111b better terms. Plain Bill, like The Guard, will have to demonstrate that he retains some of his old form eie his chance is worth discussing. Slow Tom (list) i* given the impost he had when he fell at the last fence in the Auckland Winter Steeplechase. As he now meets Haydn on 51b wor^e terms, the Wellington Club's handioapper must have been much impressed by his running. Nevertheless, he is not so well treated as Haydn. Kaitere ran prominently in three ■cross-country events at Auckland, but defeated moderate horses only, and is placed rather close to Haydn. Moccasin has been penalised for his fluky win in the Great Northern Steeplechase, in which race Haydn, Papatu, and Cannongate fell, whilst Slow Tom was ridden an ill-judged race, and then finished second. The first-named pair and Slow Tom should beat Moccasin should they meet over the Wellington course . Aka Aka has a nice impost, and if he negotiates the Hutt course, may prove Haydn's most dangerous opponent. Pipi and Princess of Tfcule could not have been placed nearer the minimum. Comfort, Midia, and Evening have handy imposts, but lequire more experience ere they can be trusted ovei country. Victory is a good fencei , but is slow, *md has only a jumper's chance Those below Victory are only moderate performers, and, on Hawke's Bay form, must be held safe by Mr Brown's old pJ odder. From the above it will be gathered that Haydn, Slow Tom, Papatn, Aka Aka, and Victory are five that I consider should include the winner, and I prefer the first three in the order named, with the proviso that Aka Aka should beat them if he fences cleanly. The Winter Hurdle Handicap is framed on flattering lines. Waiwera (list 101b) is allotted a handy weight, but the veteran has run very badly this season, and few will complain at his being given a chance. Slow Tom, Aka Aka, Catherine Gordon, Creusot, The Guesser. and Pushful should prove Waiwera's most dangerousi opponents. The flat handicaps do not beai evidence of having been framed with much care. Okoari is rightly at the top of the list m the Stewards' Handicap. Exmoor might well have been placed on the mark with Kremlin. Regulation's sprinting performances do not entitle her to concede weight to Kremlin and Cannie Chiel. Narcotic's Otaki performance entitles him to at least 71b more weight He meets Mauku 21b, White Ribbon 31b, and Waitoti 21b better than when he

defeated them eabily in the Rangiuru Handicap. Good Intent's 1 mining at Otaki has apparently been ignoied. Matuku, with only 21b less than Good Intent, won the Railway Handicap, the latter m,ue running unplaced. l^or hei defea.t, she now meets Matuku on 31b worse teims. Narcotic and Matuku hold all those hoises they met at Otaki quite safe. The Parliamentary Handicap is framed much on the same lines as the Otak) R.C. Huui Handicap. Regulation, the winnei of that race has had her weight laised 341b, Kxmoor 321b, Kiernhn 301b, Shrapnel Shell 321b, Pladdie 301b, Good Intent 331b, and Muissell 331b. Capulet, who ian second to Regulation, has only been raised 281b, and thus meets Good Intent and Mus^ell on olb bettei tei-ms. Plaidie is also set to meet Capulet on 21b woise terms than when he beat her. The hack handicaps are also susceptible of improvement. Svchem and Bandmastei , on foim, need not have been placed below Gawain and Ma.uawaru. Sir Galahad, Haanua, and Ard Chattau have done nothing to warrant their conceding weight to Ice, a lecent winner. Rungaiawa. is asked to meet Ice on lib worse ternis than when she easily defeated 1 him in the June Handicap, at Hawke's Bay last week. Ehbank is set to give Scrapiron Jack and Athol Maid 81b m the Muramai Handicap. The latter pair had 161b and 181b lespectively in the Ghau Welter at Otakf from Ehbank , the latter i an second, with the otiieis unplaced. Valkyrie and Seaweed, with 9st 101b, each ran first and second in the Second Hack Hurdle Race at Otaki, and are now allotted 9st 51b. Clovelly, Position, and other novices over hurdles a.ie harshly treated in being asked to concede weight to a wmnei When the acceptances appear will be time enough to select probable winners. Having witnessed the Hawke's Bay winter steeplechase meeting, a few notes thereon may interest leaders of this column. The principal event — the Hawke's Bay Steeplechase — was contested by a very moderate field of seven runneis. Papatu stood ofut as a class by himself, and should have won. His rider apparently took matters too easily, and the ancient Victory, with Towhatu as his companion, established a lead of quite one hundred yards. Papatu's rider commenced to reduce the gap about three furlongs from the finish, but lost some ground through a faulty jump at the bend, and, although he came fast, was beaten by a neck Undoubtedly he would have won had his rider not held Victory so cheap. Victory is owned by the veteran Asihburtonite, S. Brown, who purchased him for forty guineas at a sale of the Hon. J. D. Ormond's cast^offs. He seems sound enough, but lacks pace to enable him to compete with good-class 'chasers. Eclair jumped fairly well, and finished third some distance behind Papatu. Evening jumped none too well, and came to grief, whilst Mourner ran round a jump. Towhatu and Rapanui were outclassed even by the poor lot opposed to them. The hurdle-racers were also a moderate lot, Midia. being allotted top weight. The Hawke's Bay Hurdles wasi a fluky win for Aroha. F. Lind, who had the mount on, Creusot, made no attempt to make use of his mount's light impost (9st), but lay some fifteen lengths behind the leaders till nearing the straight. D Watt rode a nice race on Aroha, and nt the last hurdle had a commanding lead. Creusot was then seat along, but failed to reach Aroha, who won by half-a-length. Next day, when this pair met again over the same distance at nearly the same weights, Creusot won very comfortably from Aroha, thus demonstrating that the first day's running was not a good criterion. Midia was never prominent on the first day, and blundered two hurdles from the finish on the second day, shooting W. Price (who was riding "Tod Sloan fashion") over her head. The mare, however, kept on, and passed the judge's box a neck in front of Creusot, much to the amusement of the onlookers. Defoe, a nice gelding by Robinson Crusoe — Denbigh (Moifaa's dam) ran third on both days, and may

show bettei form later on. His owner, Alf. ELhngham, backed him, for both races, and expected him to run bettei . The Guesser was much talked of, but failed to iun up to expectations. Ostiak, Warwick, and la, thiee wellknown flat racers, started in the Hack Hurdle Race, and great interest was centred in their maiden effort over hurdles. Ostiak was made favourite, and, jumping olerverly, had a long lead at the end of a mile. He then tired, and finished' fifteen lengths behind la, who caane ( strongly the last half-mile. Ontano wat> a good second, and Warwick, who jumped nicely, was third. These three novices will make camtal hut dlers with more experience. A well-known, New Zealand sportsman, who saw Moifaa win the Liverpool Grand National Steeplechase, returned to the coil on y in time to attend tihe Hawke's Bay meeting. The TnaJ Steeplechase, the first event on the card included Rhyl, a half-brother to Moifaa The much-travelled one stuck to the Denbigh family, and thus backed two winnei« 16,000 miles apart inside of thiee months, and both horses claim the same dam who herself won the Hawke's Bay Steeplechase. The C.J.C. have received capital nominations for the Grand National meeting. Twenty-nine entries for the Steeplechase, and forty-four for the Hurdles, should give ample emiD'lovment to backers of doubles. Already the short price of 100 to 4 has been taken about favourite picks. Messrs. Barnett and Grant have laid 1500 to 12£ Haydn and Waiwera, and 1000 to 10 Slow Tom and Waiwera. Evidently, Waiwei'a's admirers are not disheartened' by his poor form at the Auckland meeting. Backers should bear in mind that several good l flat-racers are competitors in this year's Grand National Hurdles. Regulation, Kremlin, and Maonificent are a trio that will take a lot of beating if they can jump. o Oeusot. Rosieshoot, Aka Aka, la, Spalpeen, and Slow Tom are half-a-dozen that can both iump well and gallop fast enough to win a Grand National Huidle Race. The Grand National Steeplechase is usually won by a seasonied fencer. Haydn, Plain Bill, Princess of Thule, Sultana, Victory, and Pipi are half-a-dozen that have had plenty of experience over fences. Papatu, Eclair, Comfort, Kaitere, Nadador, Mocassin, and Slow Tom have shown proficiency at Auckland and Hawke's Bay and are boldi jumpers, endowed with a fair amount of pace, and, under a moderate weighty milght get to the end of the Grand National Steeplechase.

The miser sat amongst his gold. "I would not part," he said, "With half-a-guinea, tho' my life Were to be forfeited." But influenza got him down, His breaths grew short and fewer, "Take all I've got," he cried, "but give Me Woods' Great Peppkrmint Cure."