CAP AND JACKET

Observer, Volume 4, Issue 86, 6 May 1882, Page 126

CAP AND JACKET

MY NOTE BOOK,

" Tot homines, quot sententice"

Ivemy broke tlio ice with Libeller at Timaru. Mr Gallagher lias nominated Catch' era for the Wanganui Grand National Steeplechase. Two prominent Melbourne bookmakers, (both of the chosen race) arc at present gracing Auckland by their presence. Hermit, who headed the list of winning sires in England last year, has made a grand start this season. His stock ran Ist and 3rd in the 2,000 guineas and Ist 2nd and 3rd in the 1,000 on Saturday last. A railway porter drew the first prize £1000 in one of the sweeps on the Sydney Cup. A paternal government prevents our chaps havivg such a show for luck. We are to be made religious by Act of Parliament. The saddling paddock on Saturday was six inches (at least) deep with soft mud. During one heavy shower it became a miniature lake ; while at the back of the stand and round the totalizator people stood over their ancles in slush. Conquering Hero beat Edwards easily in the six days travel at Geelong. Edwards was confined to walking, while the horse could go-as-he-pleased. The winner trotted, galloped and walked 431J miles, while Edwards walked 423 f miles. At the Australian Jockey Club races, fourth day, an accident occurred in. the A.J.C. Plate (3 miles). Secundus, Royal Maid, and Lord Burleigh fell, the jockeys, Murphy, St. Albans, and Piggott being severely injured. Secundua broke his jawbone. Judges of horseflesh are exceedingly well pleased with the appearance of Sterling worth, the Auckland Stud Co.'s new stallion. He stands 16h. 2in. and sliqws great bone and muscle. The quanity of "Waxy blood in his veins, was the principal reason for his purchase. I believe George Williams, the Victorian jockey, has received an offer to remain here in the employment of a well-known turfite. He is a steady yoimg man and an excellent rider and being able to scale as low as 6st. 71bs., .should be worth something considerable to an owner. The Betting Ring is dispersing for a time. Jimmy. Poole is off to Sydney and we shall not see his cheerful mug until the Summer Races. The redoubtable Jack Harris is also off for a trip, and I wish the pair of them good luck and a speedy return. The Envy filly has made a coup at last, as I predicted some time back she would do. She went right off after the C.J.C. Spring meeting and lias not shown good form since till now, when she lias succeeded in winning the principal event at Ashburton and Timaru : 2 mile and If respectively. George Williams was again to the fore on Saturday last. He rode so clever a finish on My Dream as to nearly upset the Slander filly pot, in the Winter Oats Handicap. Won the Last Spurt Handicap on the same horse, and finished by winning the Consolation on Paramena, carrying Bst 21bs. Young Sledmere has been most particularly taken care of in the Christchurch Grand National Steeplechase, being awarded the tidy impost of list 3lbs to hump over a four mile course. He gets 211bs from Clarence and Sailor Boy. Seeing that he received 2st and a beating from Clarence at New Year in Auckland it's a bit peculiar, isn't it? The weights for the C.J.C. Handicap have been published. The Handicap starts at 9st 91bs (Grip) and goes down to 6st. Natator, Bst 111 b, Lady Emma, Bst 4lb, Tasman, 7st 101 b, Sir George, 7st lOlbs, King Quail, Vst 71bs, Envy filly and Slander filly 7st 51bs each, Poet, 6st 121bs, Iris, 6st 111 b, and Amazon 6st 41bs, looks the best in on paper at present form, but it is so far away that great changes may occur in the time. The reason Catch' em was scratched for the Papakura Hurdles was that, having a swelled knee, the trainer, Donald Taylor, advised Mr Gallagher not to start him, in view of the match on the following week. The matter was not finally decided, till too late to take his name off the list on Friday evening, and Mr Gallagher only came downtown in time to start to Papakura on the. Saturday morning. Ada Mantua's circular on his Easter consultation in Christchurch was the most ingeniously •worked I ever saw. To avoid impertinent interference, it was got up as a handbill for " A Graui Easter Review " under the command of Major Ad-Amantua," and the " Armament " was stated as 33 guns in the " Autumn Battalion " the Ist gun being a 230 pounder, and so on with a total of a 104 guns of 1620 lbs. calibre. Altogether as clever a. " wriggle out "as one could imagine. " Soukar," in the Whang anui Chronicle, goes hot and strong for our steeplechase course. He particularises the jump where the accident occured at Easter, (two horses, Matau and Hard Times, toeing killed and Grey Momus injured, and where Catch'em stopped so determinedly on Saturday) and says it is a fatal trap to horses, as they can't see its nature till in the air. There is little doubt but that many of the remarks are well called for, though the course is milder now than it was, by a long chalk and has considerable less jumps in it. The slowly dying racing year in Auckland, gave its last kick on Saturday at Ellerslie, and it must be recorded as a pretty vigorous kick, at that.; especially when we consider the short time the getters up of the little meeting had, to complete their arrangements. The racing all through was very good and though heavy rain fell at intervals, those present enjoyed themselves very well. The sport commenced with the Hurdles ; for which Harkaway and Whitefoot were scratched. V-Bakau -.and Angler, were made the favourites. Mr i :'s&#got thgm. off to a capital start at the second at- ", front, but he was pulled r ; ;^;|^^a;b.it'inSv{Angier and Ake Ake led past the jlwfifeijSS^ 'r.Bj^cau ran round a hurdle at the back of %:?, thiacbS^s^and before lie could be pulled up had gonefsdf^rias to render it useless to return. " N C orM camie away at tlie cutting' and taking her : jumps in ; the game"Cßt^eifor~whicb. she is noted manev^e^gW^

style by a couple of lengths. Angler came up very determinedly at the sheds but his rider was all over the saddle at the finish. Ake Ake was second and Angler third. The Winter Oats Handicap was won by the beautiful daughter of Hippo, and Slander : though owing to the fearfully heavy state of the ground she took 3 mins. to do the mile and a half, she was well ridden by T. Taylor who nursed her through the slush very patiently, but was nearly being caught on the post by George Williams, who brought My Dream up with a great rush on the outside. Had the latter not been Blocked in the straight it is my opinion he would have won the event. As it was he was only beaten by a neck. Soukar beat Dewdrop on the post for third place, a barren honor. I would tender a word of advice to the jockey who was yelling out most filthy language passing the stand the first time, addressed to young Thorpe, who rode Paramena and having a clear lead, was hugging the rails. I have not the slightest doubt that had it been an A.R.C. Meeting, this offender would have been brought before the stewards, and at least, fined. It is all very well to try to work a point ; but when it comes to brutal abuse of a boy, and attempts to bully him out of what advantages he may have, it is time the authorities stepped in and put a stopper on such behaviour. I avoid mentioning the offender's name on this occasion, but will not be so lenient in future. The next event on the programme was the Steeplechase match, in which the meeting orignated, between. Te Whetumarama and Catch'em. Betting was 6t040n Te Whetu, and I must say the old fellow looked really prime. Catch'em too seemed pretty pink, tliougli liis knee was a prominent feature, being swelled considerably, Mr Tye (who, by the way, treated us to a splendid start in the big event in spite of the attempts of several of the boys to catch him napping) sent the two off to a level start but Catch'om rushed to the front and led over the first hurdle and up to the double in front of the stand which both cleared splendidly, but Catch'em outside a flag (mistake having flags on the hurdle at all), McCoy had to yank the bay round and go at it again, and by the time he got. over Te Whetu led by a hundred and fifty yards and the first stone wall was between them. The chestnut however baulked at the fence where all the trouble was at Easter, and Catch'em caught him, the two together racing up to the jump. The old 'un cleared it beautifully, but the bay refused, and could not be induced to try an inch. Te Whetu went on his way rejoicing, Edwards easing to a walk in the ploughed land and taking him at his jumps at a nice hand gallop. He came to the awkward jump the second time, and found McCoy waiting for a lead over. He got it, and still the hero of the North Shore would not follow, so Pat wisely brought him home and Edwards finished as he liked ; occupying 13 minutes 15 seconds to complete the course. Joe Gallagher took his beating like a man, the only thing that annoyed him being the refusal to jump on the part of a horse that was never known to stop before. The " Last Spurt" Handicap weights were immediately declared, and Slander filly, Angler, Nigger, N or M, and Paramena were immediately scratched ; leaving a field of 4 to contest the event. My Dream 7st, with George Williams up, was made a hot favourite and won cleverly from Soukar, Bst 41bs, and Kenriilworth 7st 71bs, Larry dying away to nothing at the finish and getting last place. Paramena, Sst 31b, Nigger, 6st lOlbs, and Catch'em 7st, started for the " Consols " and after a slashing gallop along the back of the course, and clear to the turn home, with Cath'em, Paramena came away and won hands down by a length. So ended the last race meeting of the season of 1881-2 as far as Auckland is concerned ; though down South they have steeplechase meetings which carry them much further through to the Spring.