CHANCE ON SATURDAY

Evening Post, Volume CXXI, Issue 68, 20 March 1936, Page 13

CHANCE ON SATURDAY

SPEEDY GALLANT KNIGHT

(Special from "Early Bird.")

AUCKLAND, March 19.

Alter a good showing at Pukekohe, where he was unlucky in the straight, | there was some support for Professional in the near-maiden event at Paeroa the second day, but he failed to do belter than fourth, and as the class was by no means outstanding las 1 effort was very disappointing. . Professional may have his next outing in the hack sprint classes at Tauranga, and as the opposition is not actually strong he must ue given another chance or two of making amends. Making his reappearance on a New Zealand course after having clone, a lot of racing in Australia, Gallant Knight displayed a lot of pace at le Aroha, and from that showing it was hoped that he would soon return-to the winning list. He may. have his chance at Tauranga this weekend. Eighteen months ago, when this nack won a maiden at Marton, big things were predicted for him, but he has yet to repeat his Marton success. MODERN MAID'S FORM. On her showings at Te Kapa last month Modern Maid was considered to be a very promising hurdler, and naturally was expected, to take a part in the events over the sticks at Paeroa. She scarcely acted up to expectations, however, and her second to Master Musk on Tuesday was a moderate one. However, in this event the horse that beat her is a good one who has only to go on the right way to make a name for himself, and is already being regarded as a potential Northern winner. Modern Maid may be too good for the opposition at Tauranga, where Emancipation is booked to make his reappearance. Day Wind ran two good races at Paeroa without having any of the luck of the running, being fifth the first day and third the second day. He claims two engagements at Tauranga on Saturday, being in the Cup and the hack seven furlongs, and if reserved for the latter race he would be particularly hard to beat. However, as a potential stayer, he will probably go for the Cup, in which he will carry a light weight, an apprentice allowance bringing it down to zero. Enlightenment, who claims two engagements at Tauranga on Saturday, the mile and seven furlongs hack events, recently ran a good race at Pukekohe, being beaten only by Gay Defence, who was adding to a series of successes, so that^the form was quite good. He should be all the better^for that outing, and he looks a certain winner this weekend with two days racing to be covered. Enlightenment has scarcely fulfilled expectations, but he may yet act up to his early promise, when he was regarded as a coming handicap horse. OPPORTUNITY MISSED. A rare opportunity of winning a flat race appears to have been missed by the connections of Little Ruse. This maiden showed a lot of pace in his division of the Maiden at Paeroa, and was beaten only by Matoru, who had filled the role of runner-up to Sweet Rose at Te Rapa a month earlier. Little Ruse was not entered'for the nonwinners' event at the Bay of Plenty Meeting, but instead was put in me hurdle race. If he can jump, then with his pace he would appear to be a place proposition. The surprise winner the first day at Paeroa, the Opotiki trained Blue Needle (her win price was close to a quarter of a century), again went a fine race the second day, beating all except Sweet Rose, whose form was exceptional, and served only to emphasise the merit in Blue Needle s efforts. The latter is engaged atTauranga on Saturday, and as she is well placed in the handicap as a result of her weight being unaltered m consequence of her second placing, she is likely to run another fine race. This mare is a four-year-old half-sister to the one-time speedy Blue Jay (dam of Jayson and Hunting Jay). Ringshot failed to get m the money at Paeroa, and his efforts were rather disappointing in view of one good run in a Plate contest at the last Takapuna Meeting. Improvement was apparently expected in his second-day effort, foi he carried nearly twice as much support, in a slightly larger pool, in the Hack Cup, but there was no. imP£ovement in his position at the finish. Ringshot will not be faced with such formidable opposition at Tauranga, but he will have to do better to win. ' Con Fuoco, winner of the Hack Cup at Te Aroha and the. Nethelr on Hack Handicap on the first day at Paeroa was the favourite for the Hack Cup event on Tuesday, and failed to do better than fourth. He was handiei in this event than on the opening; day, when he was a long way back in the middle stages, yet he failed todoso well. He was running out his hacK entries at Paeroa, and from now on he will have to take on open company. He will contest the handicap events at Ellerslie at Easter, and it will be interesting to see how he fares then.