HOT TIME IN DRY TOWN

NZ Truth, Issue 1293, 18 September 1930, Page 11

HOT TIME IN DRY TOWN

Ashburton Will Show If The Punters Are Rusty (Prom "N.Z. Truth's". Special Christchurch Representative!); The Ashburton Club is m the fortunate position of being close to Riccarton, and it also has four Saturdays to race on throughout the season.

DESPITE the stringent times prevailing at present! the opening of the Canterbury season on Saturday will be eagerly awaited. In the Hurdles, Pangolin, by his forward running at the National, is entitled to most respect. After Ten is a promising hurdler and will keep everything else busy. Haze, although showing great ability on the tracks,' will have to prove himself m a race, and he can be expected to do better later on. The Longbeach Hack will have punters' thinking hard. Sleipner looks, and has been sprinting, well lately, and an improvement on his second to Noteworthy last month is quite on the cards. On Top has not suffered any illeffects from his knock, and he will be a hard one to beat if started m this race m preference to "the open sprint. Painkiller can boast a winning bracket already this season, and will again give them some hurry up. The big handicap of the day, the, Ashburton, has drawn the smallest field, of the meeting. Te Awhina has won at her two last starts, but solid and game little mare that she is, it is asking a lot of her to win with nine stone, and the fact that she has hot had a race since last Easter will probably find her out. The Ballinger bracket, Black Mint and Royal Game, have shown good recent form, and are likely to be the prime public choice. , Frank Claridge also has a good pair m. Rascal and Starshooter to represent him. The latter has the best credentials over a mile and a-quarter,

and he should have a call over his stablemate m the betting' market. Malmsey has had a good deal of' long strong work, and although she does well on this preparation she can hardly be forward enough to win yet.

The bracket and Starshooter have most appeal. There are a few promising maidens m the Trial Plate, and should Tray Bond start she will be made favorite. Shatter's third to Painkiller at the Christchurch Hunt was a good effort, arid he might improve enough for this. The fastest sprints for a maiden, at Riccarton, are going down to Royal Love. Should he reproduce his track form he will be hard to beat.