CUP ELIGIBLES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 281, 27 November 1930, Page 15

CUP ELIGIBLES.

AUCKLAND'S QUOTA

WILL MOUNTAIN DELL QUALIFY?

The next important item on the trotting calendar locally is the summer meeting of the Auckland Club, and, with substantial stake-money attached to all races during the three days, it goes without saying that owners will be Iceen to have their horse's at the top of their form. The Auckland Cup, of loOOsovs, is the best stake offered in the North Island, and ranks second in value in the Dominion's light-harness sport. It is really only in the last 20 years that the Southern owners have given serious attention to the Auckland Cup, and during that period visitors have taken the prize on 11 occasions, while local owners have won niiie times.

Whatever the reason, it is a fact that Auckland has never been very strong in the best-class of pacer or trotter, and in recent years the local representation in the Cup has numerically been weak, and therefore the odds have been in favour of the rich prize going South. The position is not going to be very much better in the approaching Cup on the day after Boxing Day, because a glance through the list of local eligibles to line up does not suggest they are a very convincing lot.

Gold Jacket, who won the last two. Auckland Cups, is in regular work and will be on hand to attempt the hat trick. Caught at his best, and providing he paces right, there are few horses in the land.who can go two miles as well as he. But he is just a bit unreliable and there is no guarantee that the next Cup will find him doing his job as a good horse should. He was given one run at last week's gathering and ho failed to show up, although lie was displaying all his speed till he hit himself. Next to Gold Jacket there is Jewel Pointer, as honest and reliable a pacer as ever looked through a bridle. He appears to be as good now as ever, and though he 1b not likely to be greatly fancied by early speculators, the son of Logan Pointer must be entitled to consideration. His form at the recent New Zealand Cup meeting was good. He was third in his division and third in the final and won a mile and a quarter in 2.42, which is a tick better than a 2.10 gait. S. August has only to keep him right to have at least a chance of driving the Cup winner. Machine Gun will be R. A. McMillan's representative. The bay gelding was raced once at the Auckland meeting last week, but did not show up. That form can be passed over and McMillan will have him a totally different horse on Cup day. Last year Machine Gun went a slashing race, only failing over the last half-furlong, to finally dead-heat for third place with Padlock. Two good stayers in Gold Jacket and Peter Bingen /beat him. On the second day Machine Gun won the Summer Handicap in good style. In the New Zealand Cup he was handicapped on a 4.25 mark, and if he is set to give 30yds away his prospects will not appeal. Sunshower raced off a 4.28 mark at the last jneetingJahd will be on the limit in the Cup. Her form at two miles would not suggest her having a good chance. Keremai is a genuine stayer and will .be handicapped on the limit or 12yds. Her last placed performance was in'Octobcr, when she finished second off a 4.28 mark. The track was heavy and the time slow. She has a record of 4.26 2-5, recorded in Febuarv last, when she won the Richmond Handicap at the Otahuhu meeting. Florent is another eligible. His best time is 4.27, but he won in October last off a 4.29 mark and will be on the limit or 12yds in the approaching Cup. . He, like Reremai, is a good stayer. The Abbey will no doubt be a starter, or, rather, lie will go to the post, but whether he leaves it or not remains to be seen. He is too unreliable to be considered. Koliara, who won the first division of the New Zealand Cup, going 4.21, but who could only finish fourth in the final, has never been better than S. Groat has him at present. His effort in the New Zealand Cup filial was hardly up to what was expected of him after the first division victory, but maybe the race was not run fast enough to suit him in the early stages. He is a great stayer, good in any going, and may turn out to be the best of the' local contingent. If " Mountain Dell is entered for the New Brighton meeting (nominations closed to-day) it is just possible she will qualify for the Cup. She won on Saturday last at the Auckland meeting off a 4.30 mark, and it depends upon how Mr. Thomas handicaps her next Tuesday whether she is to be in the Cup or not. i If she does get in she will be-on the limit and will have, plenty of friends.'

ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS, i SUBSCRIBER (Wliangarei).—Great Peter was scratched for the Alexandra Handicap at 11.45 a.m. on Saturday. DRIVING WELL. A. Bryce was in good form with the reins at the Auckland meeting last week, where he drove the winners of four of the important races. Logan's Pride gave him three easy drives, while he also had a comfortable ride in the sulky behind Mignonne on the second day. Bryce seems to do better in Auckland than at other meetings, although he has scored an occasional win outside Alexandra Park. His best win was with Kohara in the New Zealand Trotting Cup of 1927, while in Auckland he held the reins over Gold Jacket when the black gelding won the Auckland Cup in 1928 and again last year.

The Waikato trainer, A. Broughton, allowed last week's meeting at Alexandra Park to slip by without taking any active part in it. Broughton, without getting very much in the limelight, is consistent in getting his share of winners with the team he has, and frequently brings home a winner at a good price. The approaching Cup meeting should see him with one or two useful horses on hand.

: The Epsom trainer, G. Phipps, a couple of seasons ago, had a small team, hut the horses he had paid their way. For some time Phipps has not been at all a busy man, and he lias only been pottering about with the trotters Tom Pepper and Billy Carbine. The first named is a novice, and will probably be raced at the country meetings later, but Billy Carbine will bo entered for the slowclass trots at the Cup fixture.