A MUCH-DEBATED TOPIC.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 396, 24 August 1889, Page 3

A MUCH -DEBATED TOPIC.

Turfites have a stiff problem set them just now to find out. the intentions of New ' ' "Zealand owners with regard to the big Mel-bourne--e,vents in the spring. I see the sporting ( scribe of the " Canterbury Times '-'. 'has been sounding Mr Stead as to his intentions with Maxim, and this is what he writes :: — "'* Mr Stead informs us that he has " not yefe made up his mind about the trip,i but thinks it improbable Maxim will be found among the competitors for the Melbourne Cup. The horse is going on well, but Mr Stead is not tempted by his weight, and would be reluctant to spare Mason and Clifford during what promises to be a very busy season here. ' At the same time the • idea has not been abandoned, and in this , case we may be quite sure that while the „ horse is left in -the race jthere is some chance of the ' engagement being fulfilled." Reading between the lines, I J stiould ' say thafi Maxim will bt» sent over. With regard to other big ChristchuTch stables, theauthority above says : — '* There is albo some doubt about the future movements o£ Mr O'Brien's representatives. Vandal, it seems, was -withdrawn from the Cup, and the appearance of his name in the list of acceptances is unexplained. ' Dunkeld continues to please his owner, and we gather from what has fallen from the latter that if the owners of Merrie England and Coriinna elect to confine their attention to New Zealand he will have a cut in at .the V.R.C. Derby. The ability shown by the Lonsdale fcwo-year-olds during the next week or two may also have something to do informing Mr O'Brien's final determination. The Hon. W. Robinson's intentions are inscrutable. A Melbourne Cup victory is an especial ambition of the owner of Chain Shot and Meriie England, and probably there has never been a better opportunity for its realisation than at present ; but Mr Robinson is not at all likely to take the public into his confidence, and we can only hazard the opinion that he has not yet made up his mind on the subject, but will finally determine to go."