Turf Topics.

Free Lance, Volume V, Issue 239, 28 January 1905, Page 21

Turf Topics.

By the "Old 'Un."

THE Wellington public die keen follower ot racing, and many during their spare moments make a study of looking up the most lecent form of horse, eaigaged' in roithcoming events. The adjustments foi the hr»t day at the Wellington Raojig Club s summer meeting had appaiently been well digested, a» in neaily every instance the horse most fancied by the public secured the judge '.s verdict. Achilla,, the Porirua champion, is a strong favouiite with the local public, and, notwithstanding repeated warnings, a large majority ignored the fact that Achilles was, allotted a heavy buiden, and that he had displayed no iecent form whiich would w arrant them considering their favourite a likely winner Achilles, has the leputatimi of being a top-notcher, consequently his admirers argued "Achilles must win, the Cup " Better handicapped and fitter horses were neglected) for the time being by even some usually shrewd racing men. A win for the pations of the Pornua stable' is, long overdue, a.nd no one would have been more pleased had Prosser led in the winner of the Wellington Cup than the writer, but long expeuenoe compelled me to indicate' to readers of the Lance that they must look for the Cup w-nner elsewhere than amongst the occupants of the Ponrua stable. Red Gauntlet, Quainyman, and Convoy ran prominently each day of the meeting, and gave their backers a better run for their money than that accorded them by heavily-backed Ponnua representatives. In, the eyes of the ordinary racegoer, no doubt Achilles appeared fit to run, for a kingdom, his beaiutniful golden caaifc shone like silk, and he was much admired as he paraded the saddling paddock with his usual jaunty action To keen judges of condition he appeared, however, to la,ok that muiscular development necessary for such a contract as winning a vmle and a-ha.lf race with 9st 121b on his back. The Yaldhurst filly, Nightfall, was also keenly cnticised. Good judges voted her not quite at heir best. Her fall in the A.R.C. Derby had, to some extent, interfered with her preparation, but her trainer (Mason) expected her to run a good race, and 1 followers, of the yellow jacket argued that, with Hewitt's assistance, she would prevail, and they planked their money on her with great confidence. That the backera of Nightfall weie luoky theie can be no question, as had Melodeon not met with an accident, whereby his uder had his foot badly crushed early in the race, he most assuredly would hawe gained the judge's verdict. Meilodeon, with a tiemendous run gained at least ten lengths on Nightfall in the la.st three furlongs, and had Mi . Watt's horse been m a good position entering the straight his run would have landed him an easy winner Jockey Hewitt handled Nightfall with gieat judgment, getting smartly away, and taking up a position on the rails, and except when he momentarily diew out to pass the tiring Red Gauntlet, just before turning into the straight, he, during the race, did not cover a foot of unnecessaiy ground. To his excellent handling of Nightfall undoubtedly was due her victory. Jeamne d ; Aic justined the opinion of those who saw her race at recent meetings, and is evidently a useful mare. She was 1 eceivuig a concession, aocoirdmg to weight-foi -age, of 181b from Mr. Stead's filly, consequently her p&iformance is only a moderate one by comparison. On the second day, when she defeated Convoy, he was conceding her 131b actual weight, and also the same poundage according to weight-foi-age Oiiarrvman was one of the best-pro-portioned hoi ses, stnpped at' the meeting. He had, in his work prior to the Cup displayed signs of te/n die mess m front and a letss solid track would have suited him better He, however, ran two good race>, and when hiis. soremess wears off he should turn the tables on some of those that were in front of him durina; the meeting The non-succoss of "Mr J Monk's" colour^ is monotonous. Ghooi ka was well enough handicapped on the second

day, but made a most uiglonout, display, -tie wto never m the leading cl.vi^on, and finished at the tail end ot the race. I have always leterred to the i>on of Lochiel a& ovea -rated. Probably weight-adjusteis will now realise tJie fact, and ato&ess him at his tiue woith. ±ii jiaiguerite, Mr. Piosser has a inoie than userui any. 'lo coucecie ioio to Uiejiowietj and iuh hex to a neck was a meritonoui> pe.uormaince Auuguerite awd ±viunjeet may be biaoketed as tlie best two-yeai-olds &een out ait the meeting. The former can claim to be the most consistent of the paox. ihe victories of the locally-ow neci hlly, noiution, was ino&t enthusiastically ieceived by all olasses of lace-goeis. That Solution was leniently treated in the Mefci opoiita.ii Handicap must be admitted, but Petrovna has such good deeds to her crdit that shrewd racing men voted hei something akin to a moral. Weaght, howevei, told its tale, and Petrovna was unequal to the task of ooncedang Solution the 361b that wa^ between them. The result 01 the Metiopohtan Handicap wa& a suipiise, but even Solution's performance in that race did not piepaie backers for her victory ovei Munjeet, Golden Lily, King Billy, StioinghoJd, Ailsa, and Sir Tnt^tam m the Wellington Stakes Hampeied with a 51b penalty foi her previous win, which made her weight 141b more than Munjeet's impost, hei followers supported her purely on the assumption that she would secure ;secoind place. A pleasang featuie in SoJution'b success wat> the fact that with the filly were associated a pan of veterans through whosei hands the best hoirs>eb ot the colony have passed. H. Goodman, Solution's, trainei , and R. Derrett, who rode the nMy, were warmly oongiatu-lat-ed'. The farmer had has charge in superb condition, and, even after hei second race, she showed no signs of distress. Derrett handled the filly m quite his best style, and lils determined effort at the finish was a tieat to witness., and even those who lost their coin on the favourite w ere found 1 oheermg the veteran on his retairn to the scales. Mr. Pater^on, the hlly's owner, was also warmly congratulated He has not had the befet ot luck tins season, and onJy quite recently determined to lelmqui&h racing, a.nd it is understood that after the Wellington meeting his team would be dispeised After Solution's successes, it would slivoui of rashness to remove her from the charge of her present mentoi , andi possublv present arrangements will lemain undisturbed 1 . During Cup day I came across the owner ot Mahutonga, and a»cei foamed thait the bci atohing of his horse for the Wellington Cup was due chiefly to the trainer's advice. The latter urged that, after the horse's engagements at Auckland, the hoise should have a well-earned rest Though tlie horwe was accepted foi by his ow ner, and every preparation made for his trip to Wellington, the fact that he had lightened up a bit as the leisult of his Northern racuig, and that his -jockey had met with an accident, and was unable to ride him, turned the scale m favour of the trainei's recommemdation, and a decision was promptly arrived at to withdraw Mahutonga from hk Welhnecton engagemeTite Mabutonga's owner further explains that he was unaware that his horse was considered the pick of the Wellington Cup handicap. After seeing the race, he is inclined to think that Mahutonga would not. have won had he started. The larere field, and 1 the sharp turns of the Hutt course would, he consiideis hive militated) aerainst the success of ;i horse of his leuorth of stride. The Wellington Racing Club's summer meeting was held in splendid weather, the attendance on both days being the best for years. The totalizator turnover for the two days amounted to £32,602, and constituted a record for the club. Until the present meeting, the previous best was £29,743, m the year 1900 (Djm Djm's Cup yeai). The meeting was capably engineeied bv the club's secretary (Mr A. E Whyte), who wa,s ably assisted bv his subordinates and may be considered the most successful the club has vet held. Mr. James Ames and staff handled the large sum which passed through the total isator most expeditiouslv. and there was an entue absence of complaint on the part of investors. The Hub's honorary officials oould not have found their duties of an onerous nature, as dunng the meetino- they were not once called together The stipendiary officials of the club, Messis. Hartgell, Chadwick, and Piper, carried out then duties m a manner that was satisfactory to the club't, patrons Handicappeis and starters aie at all times the most onticised of racing officials, and no one expects them to be infallible vet their slightest slip is noted by race-goeis. HaTV-"lv such incidents are quickly forgotten.