TOPICS of the TURF Notes and news from everywhere

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 305, 26 December 1931, Page 13

TOPICS of the TURF Notes and news from everywhere

TROTTING CUP.

BIG RACE ON MONDAY.

ROYAL SILK THE FAVOURITE.

GOOD FIELD IN ROWE CUP.

HUON VOYAGE FANCIED.

Given favourable weather conditions, the Auckland Trotting Cup meeting, which opens on Monday, promises to be entered up as among the very best light harness carnivals ever presented at Alexandra Park. The Christmas gathering is the one occasion when horses assemble from all parts of the Dominion to compete for the fine stakes offered, and this year is no exception to the rule. The Auckland Trotting Cup is the race which creates most interest, and will be contested by horses all of whom have proved their ability to both go fast arid stay. The Rowe Cup, the best race for straight-out trotters in the North Island, promises to be a great race. Additional interest is added to the event by the presence of the smart Melbourne trotter Huon Voyage in the field.

There will be a five shillings totalisator for outside patrons, while the club has installed facilities for the purchase of ten shillings tickets on the main grandstand. The reduced prices of admission will obtain. Below is a review of the day's card.

Selby Trot.

Good Field in Slow-Class.—A, Hard Race to Pick.—Worthy Queen Likely Favourite.

As usual, the programme -will open with the.dow-class trot, the Selby Handicap, a 3.42 mile and a half. The best of those on the front are Bessie Parrish, Welcome Guy and Moko Girl, and all three should set those handicapped at the back a solid task. If Bessie Parrish goes away right she may be the best, but she is liable to leave the mark pacing, in which case her chapce would be settled. On 12yds is the smart Worthy Queen, and she will no doubt be the favourite, as she is very solid. Still, she is meeting a good lot this time. Caballero can go-a good mile and a half, and so can Windchat, but she is frequently going to a break, otherwise she would be a very hard mare to beat. Zanzibar and Effigy are capable of going twelve furlongs well, and further back in the handicap are two particularly good ones in Carl Mack and Parrish Belle. Both are conceding big starts; but they are a bit above the average. It is not-easy to fine down the field, but the final summing up may favour WORTHY QUEEN BESSIE PARRISH WELCOME GUY. December Handicap. There will be a big field in the 3.34 mile and a. half, and luck in running may play an important part. Of the limit lot Jersey Thorpe, Key de Quest and FlyiDg Cloud may be best, but Realty is a good sort, although he has not raced for a long time. There are some smart pacers, on 12yds. Tempest, Gold Paper, Derby Vale and Oliver Thorpe can all go well, while Donna Gulvallis may be a useful mare. Chenaway, on 48yds, appears to be the best of the others. Perhaps the favourite division will include TEMPEST . GOLD PAPER REY DE QUEST. Auckland Cup. ' The Cup field has been reviewed from time' to time and there is no occasion to go through it at length now. Royal Silk promises to be the favourite, and he should go a fine race. Golden Pedro is another who is entitled to great respect, as he seems to have struck his best form, and in Sydney he was a good horse. Genuine is reported to have done a solid preparation at Gtahuhu, and though his two miles form has not been good to date he may bo an improved horse. Meteor is another who can go any distance, and he should be prominent at .the end. On 12yds are three good ones in Neeoro, Pluto and Auto Machine, and if the lastnamed has not suffered by the accident he met with on Sunday last he will be a very hard horse to dispose of. In any case, if the interrupt tiori in his preparation has affected his Cup chance, he should go well on one of the other days. Mountain Dell (36yds) seems to be the best of those further back than' 24yds, and the marc is bound to go a good race. It looks like being a great betting race, with big support accorded ROYAL SILK PLUTQ. AUTO MACHINE. Christmas Handicap. There will not be a big field in the Christmas Handicap and the class is not good. Some Dillon should be able to beat the others on the limit, although Lady Yvonne is a possibility. Carnui (Uyclsj has been working well and will see a short price. Gaza (24yds) is a great beginner, but the last quarter may find him out, while Goldman has not shown any torm for a long time. Glandore (36yds) may go well, or he may not. He is too uttreu> 'able.- It seems certain the public will go for CARNUI SOME DILLON LADY YVONNE. Rowe Cup. The Rowe Cup promises to be one of the best races at the meeting. The lour on the limit-Stand By, Valloden, Rm Grande and Etta Cole-can all trot and go two miles. Paradigm (24yds) plugs along, ana Pifa has useful form to recommend nei. Jock Bingen and Huon Voyage are a fine Pair on 48yds, and Tomkinson's pair—Sir Voyage (72yds) and Surprise Journey (06yds)—will be in demand. Perhaps the favourites will include HUON VOYAGE STAND BY fltTt ,> TQf SIR VOYAGE - SURPRISE JOURNEY BRACKET. Grandstand Handicap. Another small field will luie up for the fStfandstand Handicap, a 4.38 two miles. Vbey are not a very select lot, and it Benefice starts she should be in demand, hut she is also in the St. Helier"s Handicap, in which the distance will suit her. Peter Pirate, Kewpie's Guy, Nimble l>irect, and whichever Tonikinson starts— {Surprise Journey or Sir Voyage—should have admirers, but when the tote closes the money may be found on Benefice, it •he starts, and in her absence KEWPIE'S GUY PETER PIRATE v * NIMBLE DIRECT.

Akarana Handicap. The smallest field of the day will contest the Akarana Handicap, and if Carnui should win the Christmas Handicap earlier in the afternoon it would mean him being penalised. However, he would still have to be considered. In the small field the favourites will probably be CARNUI BINGEN CREST SURPRISE JOURNEI; St. Helier's Handicap. As the majority of those in the St. Helier's Handicap, a 2.48 mile and a quarter, have prior engagements, the torm earlier in the day may have some bearing upon the sprint. Dan Directum view of his recent form, will carry big money, although he is now meeting a better class, and the Melbourne sprinter, Princess Mauritius, has all the appearance of being a smart niare. Hal Chimes must have .a rhlnce on 12yds, but Benefice, f there is anything in track work, should be the SSSriS. Golden Pedro, Impromptu, Meteor and Pluto are all good sprinters. In the betting should be ■RFVFFICE PRTNCESS MAURITIUS DAN DIRECT., * THE ACCEPTANCES. 10 a SHLBY HANDICAP (Trotters) of 12.0 125 SOYS. One mile and a half. Limit 3.42. Bessie Parrish Lt. Windchat . . . ~4 • & Thorpe Lt. Zanzibar . . -J Welcpme Guy Lt. **£•&£' S4 Worthy Queen 12 Mr. Penalty. 96 Sballero •. . If Wimmera King 103 Black Magic . 24 -in Ar DECEMBER' HANDICAP of 12.45 ,3 25sovs. One mile and a half. Limit 3.34. Tersey Thorpe Lt. u - J as - u \% Key de Quest Lt. Page • J2 Modem Light Lt. gj™, _ SSSim' Worthy Lt Roi ;J« »* 1J Marg Wallace L « st Gulva]li s 38 Myrtlene ... Lt. Kewpie g( . •Horizon Lt. Cbenaway ... 48 Bracketed : Bey de Quest and Derby Vale. -i or AUCKLAND TROTTING CUP of 1.35 750SOVS. Two miles. Limit 4.30. Stanmoor.. . Lt. Neeoro . . - • ™ Muriel de Oro Lt. • • , 4 Genu ne . . ■ Lt. "«""* ... 24 Gold 'Treasure Lt. ore °^ b bey" ey - .36 Royal Silk . . Lt. Th» AJW • gG Torpedo Huon Lt. Mounta 6Q Nelson Tasker Lt. r Meteor . . . • Lt. jeww g4 Golden Pedro, Lt 34 Auto Maelfine 12. Peter Bingen 96 Bracketed: Stanmoor, Genuine and The m -f S r S nSt N^ P a° £ hS Limit 3.29. . T t yds. bhcl. Ladylvonne. Lt. . * ,j 2 Some Dillon . Lt. Carnui . 24 Concertina . . Lt. g*» * ... . . 24 Denver Hinds Lt. tt re . . . 3C ,-. -onwir TROTTING CUP (Trot--3.10 K of* fiSsovs. Two miles. Limit 4.40. t + Rettv Moko • • ■>« JffllS.-:-.: i ler f d f: Si .Stand By.. . Lt. tcr * M i Kill ncy 43 Koi Grande Lt. Pete Mountain VjirVoS 8 ?: & oIm HL; * " ' "4 Surprise J 'mey 96 "ESS.-'io.'w.. - ««: Journey.

3KK GRANDSTAND HANDICAP ot »**o 175 sots. Two miles. Limit 4.38. Stoney .... Lt. Kewpie's Guy 3G yds. bbd. Sir Voyage . . 36 Master Huia . 12 Benefice . . . 4S Warspite ... Ximble Direct 4S Peter Pirate . 30 Surprise J'rney 60 Bracketed: Sir Voyage and Surprise Journey. A ATI AKAKANA HANDICAP o£ 150 sovs. One mile and a quarter. Limit 2.53. Denver Hinds Lt. Dad's Hope . . 24 yds. Mid. Bingen Crest . '24 Hohoro .... VZ Surprise J'rney' 48 Carnui . . . . \l2 5 0A ST. HELIEK'S HANDICAP of tO\J 200sovs. One mile and a quarter. Limit 2.48. Purser .... Lt. Torpedo Huon 12 Nella Dillon . Lt. Gold Dial . . 12 Dan Direct . . Lt. Golden Pedro 12 l'rin. Mauritius Lt. Impronintu . . 12 yds. bhci. Pluto .... 24 Te Wahia , . 12 Great Ballin . 24 uenetice .... 12 Suusliower ... 36 SIX CHANCES. .Those who purchase a ticket on No. 8 in the Trotting Cup will have six chances of getting a dividend as there will be a bracket of three, and each horse has a chance of finishing first or second. The horses are Stanmoor, Genuine and The Abbey, all trained by S. August. He will drive The Abbey, J. T. Paul will drive Genuine, while A. Newdick will hold the reins behind Stanmoor. Newdick visited Otahuhu yesterday to drive Stanmoor in a trial, but the horse had been worked before Newdick and the owner arrived. THE DAY'S BEST. While most of those who will attend the trotting cup meeting on Monday will have a bet on every race, others will be content to limit their investments to what they consider the best bets of the day. There are several races in which the prices will be short about the favourite, but any price is a good one if the horse wins. Going through the card carefully three horses who stand out' as possessing particularly good prospects are: Christmas Handicap.—Carnui. Howe Cup.—Huon Voyage. Grandstand Handicap.—Kewpie's Guy. ALL FOR ROYAL SILK. If a majority vote is worth anything then lloyal Silk should be the winner of the Trotting Cup. Trainers, almost without exception, w r hen questioned cast their vote in favour of J. Shaw's pacer, but the choice of the "next best" took a wide range. Pluto, Golden Pedro, Meteor and Auto Machine were all mentioned, but all agreed that the race promised to be a great contest.

WORKED YESTERDAY. The only workout yesterday at Epsom with any pace on was done by Auto Machine. This was the first time A. Brown had worked him fast since Saturday last, his preparation having been interrupted through him running a nail into his foot. Yesterday, with Satinbird as a galloping companion, and on the clay track, Auto Machine jumped off at the mile and a half. He took 1.15 for his first half-mile and 2.13 for the last mile, making 3.28 for the mile and a half. He finished up his task well, but the time was very slow for a Cup horse. However, it was his first good run for a week and should do him good.