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Manawatu Times, Volume X, Issue 1378, 20 December 1884, Page 2

(By Observe*.) Jfriday next brings us round once more to the long-looked forward to Sammer Meeting of the M.E.C., m fact, I may say, ever, since the Win* ter meeting, it has been the talk of the various sporting men who abound m Palmerston, and who have discussed the probable numbers of entries and the size of the .fields. There is no doubt t&at the liboral action pursued by the Club m pro** viding a training % course for the horses round about has brought a number of local nags to the front, as witness the District Maiden, which has eight entries, all of them meaning business and the stakes. The outside entries are fairly good considering tlie meet^pg at Hastings and Auckland fall on ihe same day. Theae meetings -without a doubt, draw entries away both from the Baugitikel Club and our own* Ha wkes Bay owners preferring to stay at home and contest for the really good fare set before them at Hastings. Last year there were four Napier nominations, two for the Handicap Hurdles, Heretaunga and Doubtful, and The Laird, Heretaunga, and Leonata for the big money. The owners of these horse* did not accept, as will be remembered, owing to better treatment at Mr Evett's hands. Only one of the-^ above mentioned lot came through this way at all, viz., Leonata, who. got m 61bs light c" at Rangitikei And succeeded m pulling off the double (Rangitikei Handicap and Railway Plate), thus proving that if Napier owners, think they are not very well treated for Palmerston they like to stop at home. It will greatly bene* fit the Saeing Clubs on the CQast, more especially the Manawatu R,C ( . when the railway conies even as far as Woodville, Ha wkes' Bay owner* having told me often (when I have asked them to nominate! their horse's for onr meeting) that the <f btastly stoney road " and their own meeting on Boxing Day wera the only drawbacks. There are 8 . ior the Handicap hurdles which is first on the card. Scrutineer heads the list with list 101 b; it is almost needless for me to speak of his performances, as he is so well known. I fancy he holdg tl) em all safe, barring .Skylark and The Druid, who will give • him trouble. He beat Totara easily, at Wilding, the last cime they met, the old horse carrying list 91b and Totara lOst 101 b, so with lib more he has nothing to fear from Totara. I hear the last Darned horse is to have a celebrated gentlemen rider well known m Raogitikei, I wish him luck, but at the same time, don't fancy his chance. The Druid comes next; here we have a very tough customer and ,• a dangerous one. With lOst 101 bup he is a certain starter. I hear he is very fit and his straightforward owner means him to go f cr it, We come to an old|favorite m Skylark,9st 71bs. Frank Palmer tells me he is much better now than when he met Scrutineer at the Winter meeting, th.afc race beiug won by sheer good riding and Scrutineer's mistake at the last hurdle, the two together putting [. Frank ana the old horse right. SkyV lark is by far the best of the lightweight division, the others of which 1 1 don't fancy, at any price, Notice of I Motion being a notorious tumbler . and ChtTtlier is not to be depended on. So I shall sum up as follows. I shall not take Scrutineer to win as I hear he has a bad '.eg, moreover hia owner may prefer to a, tart Itiim for the flat race. These coasidera* tions taken together oiake him ft. doubtful starter, but if he does start sound, he will be clob* up. I shall take Skylark or the Druid to win. The Druid for choice, : with Totara for best »lace inveetinent.

The Maiden Plaie has four entries and we may expect all of them to start. A local mare figures m this event, but I am afraid the company ii too good for her. I shall go straight for Stilletto, 7Bt 91b,t0 win, Aoteroa and Maid of Eccleston as runners up. The District Maiden comes next and it is a great pity it. should come next to the open maidec, as Rome of the district horses might have entered for the event. This race would have suited Lady Leah better than giving weight to Stilletto m the open Maiden. They -will not see the finish. Mocking Bird has never shown up to any great advantage aoywhere. After Dark is a far more likely .customer. He rau second m the official's lace on the 24th May last, carrying 12st, so he has a rare show here. Voltaire is not known sufficiently to fame, Volunteer is ; a big upstanding chests nut by Southern Chief and belongs to Feilding, lam not sweet on his qbance. Reform is a Wairarapa Horse ;he is by Barbarian, and I think he will be \ scratched for the jumping event to start for this race. He is rather a mjste?ious horse and should not be passed over, although not Tory well. Gwendoline is the pick of the bunch. She ran third at -'the Official's Race at the Winter Meeting yiith her very sportiDg owner qp ; he and the saddle must have weighed over 13 stone. She was only 10 days off grass also, thus E roving what a great show she must aye for the money. Victoria is not good ~ enough, and I will pick Gwendoline to win with After Dark and Reform to bustfe her up home with Volunteer band v. The chief event of the meeting is j after the District Maiden and four hive 1 accepted ; it is likely they will, all start: Tbe top weight and poet of honor is earned deservedly by that game bit ef horseflesh, Specu* lation (late Hippbdamia). She ran At Wellington last November and wor the Island Bay Handicap, carrying Bsb 41b, beating Consul Bst, 41b arid Armourer 7st 6lb, also ran second m the St Andrew's Handicap, at tbe Hutt next day to Ads minislrator 6st 101 b, carrying herself 7st 61b, beating "Armourer 7st. Injbhe M.R,O. Handicap she wi!l meet Armourer 61b difference again, she carries Bst 101 b and he Bst 4lb, I think she holds him safe. Bin^s leader can't beat Armourer at the weight, Last Chance even with 6st 121 b, it will be too hot for, besides which I can't think she will slay the distance. I will tip then — Speculation to win, with Armourer and Ringleader well up. In the Plying we have three out of four fresh hones. Laurel with 9st is top weight. I will look no farther for the winner, as &ha is meant. I will put them — Laurel 1, Parvenu 2, Martha 8. For Palmeiston Plate there are gix acceptors: but probably no more than four will start. Bay aid > and Speculation, with 9st each, come fir«t, Armourer Bst. 71b vea^s well as lie is a boomer over a mite and a quarter com se. Trickster, the Greraldine Maiden Plate winner of 1883, with 6st 101 b, and his leg sound, will- be worth backing. Kim;kai ii not class enough. I don't fancy Scrutineer, even with 6st 71b on him, and I think Bayard will win With Armourer and Tricksi er handy.