FORM AT ELLERSLIE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 238, 8 October 1930, Page 14

FORM AT ELLERSLIE.

THE SPRING FIXTURE.

NOTES ON THE RACING,

A GOOD MARE

By finishing third in the Liverpool Handicap, Mervette showed that she is not far from her best, and it should not be long before she again rewards her owner with a decent stake. Mervette lias I shown ability in sprint races, while she can also stay out a mile and a quarter. She is by Lucullus from Brayton, and therefore a half-sister to that good horse Historic, besides other good equines who have made their name both here and in Australia. PREFERS TWO MILES. Make Up evidently prefers a two-mile event to a shorter distance, judging by his displays since being brought to Auckland for the spring meeting. On the first day at Avondale he made a poor showing in the Kingsland Hurdles, one mile and three-quarters, but won the Grey Lynn Hurdles, two miles, on the second day. At Ellerslie he was well beaten iq the Trial Hurdle Race, one mile and threequarters, but on Monday he ran second in the Manukau Hurdles, two miles. His form was hard to follow. BROTHER AND SISTER. Korokio was brought up for the Musket Stakes, but the best she could do was to finish second. She, however, did not get too good a run and had to cover a lot of extra ground, so that in the circumstances she did well. On a firmer track Korokio will be. seen to better advantage. She is a full-sister to Fernden. The latter was also started in the Epsom Handicap on the sccoiul day, and after being prominent till the straight failed to go on. Ho has not had much racing recently, but with a few more gallops should be at his best. FROM A GOOD FAMILY. Royal Artist showed encouraging form when he finished third in the Avondale Stakes. H& was produced in the Welcome Stakes .on the first day of the Auckland spring meeting, but finished in the ruck. On Monday he was always one of the leading division and finished 011 impressively to score by nearly two lengths. This juvenile is a well-bred one, being by Leighton from Oddity, by All Black from Conceit, by Boniform from Lady Wayward JI., -an imported mare by Ladas from Vane, the grandam of Weathervane, whose progeny are showing promise just now\ WON EASILY. With the going much improved, Great Charter was better suited by the conditions that prevailed 011 Monday, and the public sent him out a good favourite for tho Liverpool Handicap, one mile. He was always handy, and when the field opened out as they turned for home he came through, to win in 1 very easy fashion. Now that the Great Easter Handicap winner has struck form he should. win some good races, and if started at Trentham, where he usually races well, he should take no end of beating. BETTING FIGURES. There was rather, a peculiar feature about the betting at Ellerslie, for 011 three occasions two horses, though not coupled, had the same amount invested dn their chances and were conjointly second favourites. Rose * and Awaken each carried £783 in the Shorts Handicap, Chromadync being the only one better backed than that pair. In the Onehunga Steeplechase, Copey (£355J) and Freyja (£355-1) were equal second- favourites, whiles in-the Hobspn Handicap Royal Finance (£4044) and Vandyke (£494J) were also second favourites. LOOKS A GOOD INVESTMENT, /j Commandant, who won the Normanby Handicap, one mile, at Ellerslie 011 Monday, is a very fine type of threc-year-ohl, and, judging by his performance, he will win in much better company before long, as lie is still capable of much improvement. He has only, had three races and has won two of them, his other, effort being, an unplaced one'in the Great Northern Guinea's. The race in the latter event improved him considerably, and, with the .going much firmer than it Was on the first day, it was more in his favour. He was always handy and won well, and if lie trains on satisfactorily there is little doubt that he will have to bo reckoned Avith -in the Derbies.As a yearling in Sydney Commandant cost Mr. T._ H. Lowry 725g5, and he looks like being a good investment. KARAPOTI SURPRISES. Karapoti croatcd-a surprise when he beat Cylinder in the Great Northern Guineas. Last season, as a two-year-old, he was only started on a couple of occasions, winning at his last effort, a fiVefiirlong event at Te Rapa. He finished third in the Mount Albert Handicap, six furlongs, at the Avondale meeting, but on that showing he. could. not be seriously taken as a: worthy opponent to .Cylinder, who had succeeded 'on tho same course in heavy ground. Karapoti was ; in frojit Jbeforc half the distance had been.covered, and though - Cylinder ' appeared "to - have Mm beaten^a hundred yards 'fronii t)ie post, he came again and won well. Karapoti iSfWell bred, for\ he is by General Latour (by Soult) from Kilbeggan,. by Hilbroney. (the -best distance "horse 'in .fengland-wheii--Mr. J. B. Reid purchased him) from ROuge, : by- Charlemagne frcim Madder, the dam of a" lot of good winners, and also stayers, including All Red,,; who won' tlio, 'Auckland Cup twice in- succession.- Madder-., was.- also- the -"dam .of Ukraine, who ,ttirew'Sasanof, the-; winner of the Melbourne Cup and New Zealand Cup, to Martian. Therefore there is fao reason why Karapoti should not see out a very'nmch longer distance". • „> • KNOCKED BACK IN MJTCHELSON: cup. ; Standfast was in the picture for;, quite a good way in the MitelielsonCCurp r but he liad a very rough passage and ..was knocked back till, inearly last; when the last' haifrmilo was '.upon.,- However, heiCame again, jarid%as sixth at tjie finish. " On Monday, despite the difficulties' lie encountered, lie looked to be an improved horse.as the result of his race. He was one of tho loaders all the way and. won very comfortably at the finish, easily registering the best performance of liis career. Standfast is a half-brother by Valkyrian. to Te Monamii, who lias registered sgme good performances at Ellerslie, including a dual win in the Mitchelson Cup, and it looks as though Standfast, who has been a long tirtLe becoming solid, will also develop into'a good handicap horse. Standfast'was ridden by the diminutive apprentice -J. Chandler, who handled him well, and the j victory was a most popular one, not only, 011 account of his small rider, but. his owner also, Dr. A. McGregor Grant, who, i# a go"d sportsman, '

AUCKLAND RACING CLUB. [ Owners and trainers are reminded [that nominations for the Auckland Cup, Railway Handicap, Summer Cup-, Auckland Lacing Club Handicap, Grandstand Handicap, Ring's Plate and . Clifford Plate close with the secretary of the Auckland Racing Club, Mr. W. S. Spence, at 5 p.m. next Friday. ' ENTERED FOR NEW ZEALAND CUP. Count Palatine ran very disappointingly in the Mitcliclson Cup, being one of tlie last four furlongs from home, but this is accounted for by the heavy going. Oil Monday, in the King Edward Handicap, he was staying on at the finish andaccounted for all but Standfast. Count Palatine is in the New Zealand Cup, but he will have to iihprove very considerably in the meantime to have a chance, even on a firm track. WILL DO BETTER. In' the autumn of last year Operatic showed more than average ability when, he ran second to Sir Mond in two sevenfurlong events at Avondale. He lias not raced much since, due to the fact that the heavy going against him. He was not started on the first day at' Ellerslie, but was saddled up for the Hobson Handicap, seven furlongs, on Monday, and despite the fact that the ground was not in his favour, he led till tlie straight. This horse is likely to do much better before the season is through. OFF HOME. ' Mr. T. H. Lowry's horses, Commaudaht, Chrysology, Great Charter, <fnd Courtesy return to Napier by train to-night. They came •up by motor van, and had quite a lengthy trip. As a result they were unable to show their b'est form at the Avondale meeting. However, they made their presence felt at the Auckland spring meeting, Chrysology winning two events and Commandant and Great Charter one each, so that the trip was worth while. They will probably have their next outing at the Wellington spring meeting. Commandant was sore after his race on Satin-day. A GOOD HURDLER. Claremore, who first won over hurdles at 'the Poverty Bay Hunt Club meeting, was responsible for winning the two events over the battens oh the Auckland Racing Club's programme. On the first day he was always in the picture, and, taking charge in the straight, had no difficulty in winning comfortably. On Monday he was again allowed to go out at a good price, and, although it was his first attempt in open company, lie won more easily than on the first day. Claremore showed at the Avondale meeting that he was a good horse on the flat, for he finished third to Catoma and Principal in the Swanson Handicap, one mile, and it only required him to jump to have a good chance on that performance. Claremore is' a good hurdler,, for he jumps very straight, and does not dwell at his, fences, and there should' be some; good races in store in this department. #y- T