GREAT NORTHERNS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 122, 25 May 1932, Page 12

GREAT NORTHERNS.

! SOUTHERNERS ARRIVE. T. R. GEORGE'S TEAM. MAKE U£ TO START IN BOTH EVJSNTS. ' T. R. George's team, Make Up, Landmark, Miladi and Appledore, who arrived at Elierslie yesterday, were out doing pat'O work on the sand track this morning, and they arc all in first-class condition. Make Up looks an improved horse since he was here last year, and he will strip one of the fittest candidates at the Great Northern meeting. Present intentions are to start him in both the Greait Northern Hurdles and the Groat Northern Steeplechase, and D. O'Connor has been engaged to ride him. Landmark is also engaged in both the events mentioned. and A. Jenkins will pilot him in the Great Northern Steeplechase. He will probably also start in the Great Northern Hurdle Race, hut so far no rider has been engaged for him in that event, Jenkins being engaged to ride Full Mark. Both Make Up and Landmark will probably ho given a. school over hurdles to-morrow morning, and on Saturday Make Up and Master Lu, and possibly one or two others, will bo sent over the steeplechase country. Riding Engagements. Additional riding engagements announced for the Great Northern mecti ing arc:—R. McTavish, Gay Cockade, . Tradesman and Glenrata; C. Simpson, Vandyke; R. Miles, Nukumai; A. Jenkins, Full Mark (Hurdles), Landmark (Steeples); D. O'Connor, Make Uj>. Scratching. Mia Stella was scratched for all engagements at the Great Northern meeting at ; 0 a.m. to-day. ]STABLE AND TRACK NOTES. ENGAGED AT WARWICK FARM. J. T. Jainieson has several horses entered for the Warwick Farm meeting next Saturday. Impudent, Hamviri and Timorous are engaged in the Nursery Handicap, Hard Words in the Prospect Handicap, and King March in the Casula Handicap. J. M. Cameron has nominated Goshawk for the hurdles and Casula Handicap. ENGAGED IN HUNTERS' EVENTS. The Taranaki hunter Royal Reign was schooled over a round of the steeplechase course yesterday and gave a satisfactory display for a first attempt over the Elierslie country. She got a bit high at some of the obstacles, but that was probably due to the fact that she did not have a great deal of pace on. Roj'al Reign is engaged in hunters' events at the Great Northern meeting. SHOULD NOT BE LONG. Princess Bede ran a good race at Te Rapa on Saturday when she finished second to Woodful in the Whitiora Handicap. She was giving Woodful a start as they crossed the top a_nd entering the straight was lying fifth.' She then came through, but had no chance of beating the winner. She is enegaged at Elierslie and should be improved as the result of her race at the Waikato meeting. BRED FOR SPEED. Golden Dart ' (Arrowsmith —Finora) made quite an encouraging debut in the Trial Stakes at Ashburton on Saturday. Ho failed to get a favourable jump out and lost ground, but was in the firingline less than a furlong from the post, only to fade out over the serious stage. There is no doubt that he is gifted with the family ability, and will soon be making his presence felt over sprint courses. SOUTHERNER DOING WELL. The southern hack Gay Court has Bottled down nicely and appears to be thriving well since lie arrived at Elierslie. He worked freely over five furlongs on the No., 2 grass track yesterday morning, handling the soft going in good style. By the time the Great Northern meeting arrives Gay Court should be a very fit galloper, and slight improvement on his southern form will find him hard to dispose of in hack events next month. / VERY UNLUCKY. Abbey Queen was very unlucky at Te Rapa on Saturday. She was drawn on the extreme outside of the big field that lined up for the Whitiora Handicap and was side on when the barrier went up, losing a good deal of ground. Once into her stride she made her way; through and fin- , ished third, three lengths behind the ' winner. With an even breakaway she 'would have been hard to beat and would have returned lier supporters a very long price, for there was only £13 invested on « her chance. ATTRACTED ATTENTION. The three-year-old gelding Gold Cross, who made a promising showing for his second public appearance, in the Trial Stakes at Ashburton on Saturday, can boast of some solid breeding which would suggest that he would be favoured with imore age. He is by the successful sire Catmint, from Verintia, who is a halfsister by Solferino to Rapier. He is owned 'by* liifl ibrecder, ]Vlr. A. S. George, and is trained by G. J. Pine. In addition to his lineage, Gold Cross has attractive looks to recommend him, and a bright future can be forecasted for him. A THESPIAN WINNER. Brown Pearl, winner of the Trial Stakes at Ashburton on Saturday, was bred in the Wanganui district, and is a halfsister to the Absurd gelding Raukura, a useful winner in the North Island. Her dam, Hine Pango, was bred by Mr. E. J. Watt, and was by All Black from Musette, by Cuirassier. She died in 1929 when in foal to Black Ronald. Brown Pearl is the only representative of Thespian racing in the South Island, and should do further good service for her trainer, P. T. Hogan, who has been out of luck with his team for some months past. SISTER TO WATERLINE. Fast Passage was brought to Elierslie at Easter time for the Great Northern Oaks, but during the race went amiss. She made her reappearance at the Ashburton meeting on Saturday and won the Fairfield Handicap, one mile and a quarter. Th is filly is a sister to Waterline, who raced well in New Zealand as a three-year-old and was later sold to Australia, where 6he has performed with much success. Only for unsoundness Fast Passage would have taken high honours this season. She is engaged at the Dunedin winter meeting next month. IN FORM. Red Heckle was a good horse a season or two ago, and it looks as though he is coming back to his best form, judging by liis victory at Ashburton on Saturday. Red Heckle, as a three-year-old, won the Great Northern Derby in 1929 and was beaten in the Thompson Handicap at Trentham the following season by a narrow margin by Paitonu, while he was also third in the Great Easter Handicap at Riccarton. He has not done much racing since then, and his appearance on Saturday was his first for some months. Red Heckle is engaged at the Dunedin winter meeting next month and he is sure to again be hard to heat jthere.

McCARTEN RECOVERING. M. McCarten is making a good recovery from a recent operation, though he may not be seen in the saddle for several weeks. His present intention is to have a brief respite from race riding, and he may visit New Zealand for a holiday. HAS WON AT ELLERSLIE. Day Lark is among those entered for the Hunt Club Hurdles and the Hunt Club Steeplechase at the Great Northern meeting. He is an aged gelding by The Lark from a Daystar mare, and at the Tauina ruuui meeting field at Elierslie last July he won the Waituhi Steeplechase, about three miles, lie has had a couple of starts this season, falling on top of the hill the last time round in the Hunters' Steeplechase at Elierslie in October, but he completed the course in the Waikato Hunt Cup at Cambridge, though he finished out of a place. SHOULD BE WORTH FOLLOWING. The gallop registered by Manawhenua over six furlongs yesterday morning clearly indicates that the Acre gelding is on the improve, and by the time the June meeting arrives he should be at the top of his form. Manawhenua has not won a race for some time, and consequently is now well cldwu in the weights, but once he strikes his true form an early return to the winning list can be expected. A proved galloper in heavy ground, Manawhenua will be in his element during the next few months, and should be worth following in his coming engagements. BILLY BOY'S PROGRESS. The local steeplechase candidate Billy Boy has not done a great amount of schooling of late, but he lis doing a lot of strong work over long distances oil the Hat. This horse is one of the best junipers over the big fences racing at tlie present time, and if he gets in a couple more runs over the steeplechase course before the meeting it should be quite sufficient for him. ■ W. J. Bowden has been engaged to ride Billy Boy in the Great Northern Steeples, and that will ensure him being capably handled. However, lie has a still' task in front of liini to win with 10.13, but if he fails it will not be for lack of condition, for he is a particularly lit horse and has done a great preparation. A NORTHERN CANDIDATE. Paris, who claims an engagement in both Great Northern events, looks in first-rate condition and has evidently done a lot of work, judged by his solid appearance. He worked nicely over six furlongs yesterday morning, and track watchers are now awaiting to see him in action over the steeplechase country. When Paris first began racing in steeplechase events in the North Island twelve months ago he failed to complete the course on several occasions, but eventually won the Tainaki Steeplechase at Elierslie. He later added the Wellington Steeplechase to his credit, and, taken all round, his form last season was good. Paris is a proved stayer, who handles heavy ground to perfection, and he will not lack support in his engagements next month. MARTIAN BLOOD IN EVIDENCE. The two-year-old gelding Natural, the first of Martarma's progeny to race, made a good showing in lii» Ashburton engagement on Saturday, although never in a likely position (says "The Press.' ) He looks one of the type requiring time and education, and it may be that lie will not mako good until well into next season. It is interesting to note that a blood relative of Natural made her first_ appearance at Moorefield on May 7. This was the Comedv King—To Arms filly War, owned by Mr. L. Iv. S. Mackinnon, chairman of the Victoria Racing Club. She was not conspicuous at any stage, but according to one writer, may more than pay her way next season. Jo Aims is by Martian from Per Arma, and is thus a sister to Martarma. She was bred at Kinloch in 1920, and in 1925 became the property of Mr. K. T. Austin, who bred War in 1929, and sold the mare to Mr. Mackinnon in 1930.