WHATAWHATA AND CAMBRIDGE RACES.

Waikato Times, Volume XII, Issue 10, 24 December 1878, Page 2

WHATAWHATA AND CAMBRIDGE RACES.

3U most of our Waikato settlers are of rather sporting proclivities, I will try and furnish the winners of the different handicaps and other races, with a small comment on the weights allotted to each horse. The Whatawhata races take place on the 26 th of this mouth, with a very good programme for so small a placg. The first on the list is the Maiden Plate, with seven entries, and the winner ought to 1 c s found m« Sultan or Ploughboy. The second en the list is ttie Hurdles, weight for age, has eight engaged .m it, and, if batten hurdles are used, Count will take a lot of beating ; if strong timber hurdles, I prefer Lady Harriet, with Gladstone close on. None of the others have proved themselves able to jump or race, so must be passed. The TVhatawhata Handicap has seven nominated for it. Flirt heads the list, with Bst lllbs, a nice weight, and will be close on winning. Derby comes next, with only lib less, but, considering the way he romped home with 12st olb.-s m the Cavalry Plate, he could expect no less. The Master; with Bst 71b.s on, if iv condition and ridden by a boy able to manage him, will make it hot. Wananga, Sultan, and Tandem could do better with half a stone less a-pieco. Orakau is the worsotrcatcd horse of the lot, and should not have had more than 7st on him, but Bst seems the Whatawhata haudioappers' weakness. For my final selection, I will take Derby or Flirt to win. For the Cambridge Rice-, which take place on Naw Year's Day, ihi ball opens with the Maiden Plate, of which Ma'.vern or M>jir Walmsle/s fi !y ou;ht to turn out the winner. The Handicap Hurdlo Race has five nominations, of which B-jtc'aer Biy and Loafer mve 12 Bane apiece : Count, 1036 12 ba ; Karey, lOafc 7lba; Theßjlle, lOst. The weights on the whole are framed too high for second* class horaeß. and half astone L>aa each for all engaged would have made a better j race. Couufc, if ha go3s straight, will win, with Loafer up to the front. For the Flat Handicap five also are nominated, and itNs one of the worsb handicaps I have ever seen framed. The Auokiand Oiub went S >ah\x for a haudicipper, and out of tweaby-ssvea nominations no 1 : more than seven will stilt. ■Cambridge must hwa an Aucklaud man, and if two start they mugt tbiuk themselves lucky Fiirb heads the lisS with 'Jib 7ibs. Wby this should be put on 1 have m idtvi, as she ha 3 only won one ' ace, and than m p ar company. Clipper come 3 next with (Jitr 21b3, and, like the F-irfc, may as well go oa!; to grass and save accept mc 3 f j c?. Derl.y, with 8.3 1 131b3 may star', but why he should get eight pounds from Flirt is a mystery to me, as ha be a 1 ", tha Svms horaaa at Ohaupo that F.irfc bsal;, bir Miss Ariel. Ag Bond is training both Fiiri and Derby he is bound to sfcirt the host. Tui, with Bst 7l'»s, is thrown m, hsviag proved hiamlf a gooi hora- 1 , winning more raoaa than any o.har horsa m the distyiot, if j as .ice we^e rfoan ho Bbou : d Lave had five pouivls more than any other horse. Orak-ui is nob fast; eucgh at; aay weight, leb a'one to go two mile/3 with 7sb 12!bs ; therefore, T«i, if m any condition at all, should win m a cs.nt3r, with Derby B'coad. Si'OUTSMAK,