SPORTING.

Oamaru Mail, Volume II, Issue 561, 18 February 1878, Page 2

SPORTING.

THE HANDICAPS. By Tim Whiitlku. I must certainly congratulate Mr. M. iherwin on his very excellent handicapping for the several events to bo run at the forthcoming race meeting of the North Qtago Turf Club. Glancing down the list of horses engaged in the Turf Club .Handicap, there does not appear to boa single case of "throw in." If any horse can be said to have the best of the handicap, Titania would seem to be the best in ; but even in her case there does not seem much to cavil at. Titania's recent performance in the Wellington Jockey Club Handicap shows that she has plenty > of foot, at any rate over a moderate dis- | ranee. In that race, which was one of a I mile and a half, she carried ?st. lilih. t<»i the front, but there, it umst be borne in ! mind, the c-oi;yp«»ny was not nearly so good ;>,s that she will have to run in here, Songster and Danebury being the only horses of any note amongst the defeated ones. The handicapper appears to have taken Titania's Wellington performance into account, as he has given her an impost of 81b. more than she was handicapped for in the Dunedin Cup. Three horses have the pride of place in regard ; to top weight -Ariel, Templeton, and j Fishhook each having been accorded Ost. ! Sib. .\rieVi; win of the Christchurch Cup j recently entitles him to the premier p*>si- ] tion, while Templeton j s a t all times a dangerous horse, and can give almost every horse in the country a considerable number of pounds and a beating at the same time. For downright pluck and •lameness little Templeton has not a rival in the Colony. Still I fancy Ariel should have conceded Templeton two or three pounds. There is a very great amount of mystery in regard to Fishhuukj people not knowing for certain whether or not he is in anything like racing form—whether he is likely or not to prove such a clipper as he did last year. Mr. Sherwin seems to have been determined to "Sianl against a surprise by giving him a tolerable weight to oarry, but not more than his past performances entitle him to if lie is at all in proper trim. Hippocampus, having won the Auckland Cup with tolerable ease, has proved himself a good horse, and the fact that 5 to 2 is the greatest odds obtainable about him for the Dunedin Cup, shows that he possesses the contidence of the public. His owner has little t-o .'"'inplain of, the impost of at all tiilt i(f thfs Yv;sy ; Bribery has also received' tfst. iUlb., but J can scarcely see why she should be called upon to meet Hippocampus, who, 1 believe, is a better horse on level terms, punyawei-owere (Bst. Wo.) has not been treated so leniently as is usually the ease with this extremely erratic animal. Still the weight is not more than she is entitled to. I do not think that Jangler (7st. 121b.) will be found amongst the acceptors ; indeed, I fancy he has been rather too heavily handicapped. Longlands has received the same weight, a fact which is no doubt attributable to the belief that he is a bit. of a flyer, which belief has also v au-ed him to bo 'trade ii rather warm favourite for the Jjunedin Cup. "Unknown (7st. Sib.) I do not consider at all in the race, for though the weight is not very great, the company is too good for Mr. Hill's horse. I have already expressed my opinions with regard to Titania, who stands next in the list. Cloth of Gold should have some show with only 7st. Gib., though I do not fancy him much ; and Bide-a-Wee's chalice with the same impost is a very remote one indeed. Chancellor's double victory at Palnierutrmhas obtained for him 7st. ;Jlb., which is more than he can successfully carry in such company. Mireille and Oberon have never done anvthin." wonderful, and are not likely to do" so here with 7st. 31b. each to carry. Undine (7st.) I do not know, and I cannot in consequence say anything about his chance. Blue Peter is the last on the list with 6st. 81b—just 3st. below the top weights ; but he is too slow for the company at any weights. Altogether the handicap is a very satisfactory one ; it is a long way better than that made by the same' gentleman last year. 1 expect to see fully a dozen out of the nineteen accept, and an excellent race should be the result. It would, of course, be diffieult and unprofitable to attempt at present to give anything like a reliable opinion as to the probabilities of the race. A great deal will depend upon the running at the Dunedin meeting to take place in a few days. At present I must say that I moat fancy the chances of Titania, Ariel, and Hippocampus, while Longlands, should he prove the flyer he is supposed to be, should have a very good look in for the race. But should either of the horses 1 have named win the Dunedin Cup or any other big race the penalty iu-

curred would render that horse's chance of winning the North Otago Tnrf Club Handicap very remote indeed. Backers of horses should bear this fact in mind when making their wagers. Of the other handicaps which have been declared I need not speak, save to express the opinion that they will prove highly satisfactory to owners. The relative positions of the horses in the Tradesmen's Handicap in regard to weights are very much the same as in the big race. In connection with this race there is one matter tltat I should like to point out: No provision whatever is made in the programme for the imposition of any penalty on the winner of the Dunediu Cup or any other of the big events in Dunedin should they be desirous of going for the Tradesmen's Handicap here. Surely this must be an oversight. T must certainly compliment the Committee of the North Otago Turf Club on the large number of entries which they have received. lam convinced that even the most sanguine of their number never anticipated such a result. 1 think, too, the Committee have acted very wisely in fixing the date for the receiving of acceptances prior to the Dunedin races taking place. Jsy so doing they will obtain a. far larger number of acceptors.