RACING AT ELLERSLIE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 253, 26 October 1933, Page 18

RACING AT ELLERSLIE.

THE SPRING MEETING

CtTP ANT> SHORTS HANDICAP. THE WEIGHTS REVIEWED. The handicaps for the first day of- the Auckland Racing Club's spring meeting, which opens at Ellerslie next- Saturdayweek, have been declared by Mr. F. J. McManemin, and most interest will centrc in the Mitchelson Cup and the Shorts Handicap, the 'weights for which have been drawn on such a scale that they should ensure good fields. The Chief Event. King's Knave, after his success in the Avondale Cup, is now top weight in tlie Mitchelson Cup with 0.0. He won the tormer event with 8.8, and though it looks as though he has only gone up 01b for his win, those he beat have had their weights lowered, and he is meeting them 011 ..uch worse terms, with a quarter of a mile further to go. All Humbug, for instance, who was only half a length away from him, has been awarded 8.8, or lib less than he carried at Avondale, so that the lattei has 71b in his favour now. Desert Star, who filled third position in the Avondale Cup, has now 7.1U, as against 8.0. King's Knave was giving him 810 in that race, and now has to concede him twice as much, but since then Desert Star failed in the Plumpton Handicap at the same meeting with 8.4 and also in the Members' Memorial Handicap at Cambridge with 9.0. L'Allegro was handicapped at 8.10 in the Avondale Cup, in which he finished fourth, and has uow 8.6. He has therefore been dropped 41b, and All Humbug and Desert Star have been lowered lib and 21b respectively, and that should bring this .trio closer together. Speedmint was top-weight in the Avondale Cup with 9.0,- arid ; has now 8.9. She finished out of a. place, and though she had shown good form over a mile and a quarter with three on- end previous to running in the event she will require the track to be yielding to show her best. Red Sun had 8.7 in the Avondale Cup and finished out of a place, while in the Plumpton Handicap on the second day he was third with a similar impost. He was in receipt of lib in the Avondale Cup from King's Knave, 21b from All Humbug, while he was giving Desert Star 71b, .Carfex lib, and Prince Val 71b. On the second day" in the Plumpton Handicap he did not meet All Humbug and King's Knave, and he was still giving Carfex lib, Prince Val 71b and Desert Star, wEo finished in third position in the Cup, 31b. Prince Val won, Carfex was second and he was third, necks separating the three. Now lie has 8.5 and Carfex is on the same mark, while Prince Val is within 21b of him. Red Sun was a good performer up to a mile and a half last season, his victories including the Auckland Racing Club Handicap, of that distance, and the Wellington,. Racing Club Handicap, one mile and three furlongs, and as he is an improving horse his chances with his present weight cannot be overlooked. Carfex (8.6) has yet to prove himself over a mile and a half, but has performed well up to a mile and a quarter and is handily placed. Prince Val (8.3) was finishing on at the end of the Avondale pup with 8.0 and won the Plumpton Handicap with a similar impost. In 1931, with 7.9, he dead-heated in the Mitchelson Cup ■with Historic, so that there is no doubt about him staying out the distance, and his recent form shows that he is right back to his best. He should run another great race. View Halloo and Havering, who have each been assessed at 8.13, were not raced at Avondale. The former had 9.6 in the Wellington Handicap, one mile and three furlongs, last week, but failed to gain a place, but in the Harcourt Cup, one mile and a quarter, w.f.a., on Monday, with 9.4, finished third to Red Manfred and Golden Wings, half lengths dividing the trio. He came fast over the final stages, and if it had been a mile and a half looks as though he would have been considerably harder to beat. With 51b off his back he should be in the picture. . Havering has nothing to commend him recently. King March (8.0) has 91b off his back compared with the weights he carried in the Avondale Cup and Plumpton Handicap. He made an effort in the straight in the latter event which took him to the front about half a furlong from home, but he as quickly subsided and wras beaten out of a place. However, he may stay on better in the event under review. Kiltowyn (7.4) was handicapped at 7.13 in the Plumpton Handicap, one mile and a quarter, at Avondale after his previous successes, which have extended up to a mile, but he did not accept. He has not been tried beyond eight furlongs, but by the way he has finished on in his races he is a distinct possibility, especially at the weight. Of the others Lord Val, Baroscope ..aitd Royal Artist may be the best. Those that may be most fancied just now are: Red Sun, Prince 'Val, Kirig 8 Knave,• Carfex, view Halloo, L'Allegro. " The Shorts Handicap. Golden Wings has been put at the head of the Shorts Handicap with 10.7, but_with 9.9 in the Stewards' Handicap at Riccarton, which is run on the same day, it seems very unlikely that he will-be brought here, so it is not worth while discussing his prospects just now. Greek Gold (8.13) ran third in the Flying„Stakes at Avondale with 9.5 and was fourth in the President's Handicap on the second day with a similar impost. He should again be hard to beat. Tradesman (8.9) was in receipt of 171b from Greek Gold when he won the Dunedin Handicap at the" Pakuranga meeting and now is within 4lb of him, and he will have to be at his best to beat the former. L'Allegro (8.4) is a very useful sort, who, if reserved for this race, should go well. Porotiti (8.2) won the Nainai Handicap, six furlongs, at Trentham on Monday with 7.9 in 1.13, beating Lack, Pomp, Cadland. and others, after finishing right up in third position in the Collingwood Handicap, six furlongs, in 1.12%, on the previous day. He will have a show if brought north. Puss .Moth (8.1) was narrowly beaten by Chief Cook in the Flying Stakes at Avondale with 8.0, and he will again be in request after that showing. Refresher (8.1) and Orapai (7.13) are useful when at their best, but they have not much to commend them recently, Refresher being third at Waverley, which was his first race for some time. Pomp (7.6) . won a sprint race at the last Wanganui meeting, and was third in the Nainai Handicap at Trentham with 7.8. Lack (7:5) was second in the latter event with lib more. He is very speedy. Exaggeration P 7.2) won the President's . Handicap, six furlongs, at Avondale, with 21b less, and she should again go well, British Columbia (7.5), being less than half a length away, third, with 7.10,. Hampton Park may prove the best of the others. Just now those that may make most appeal are: Greek Gold, Puss Moth, Lack, Porotiti, Tradesman, Exaggeration.- >- AN IMPROVED JUVENILE. i Few two-year-olds have been required to do as much travelling as Whenuakura since he first began racing. However, it has not affected him in any way; in fact, he is thriving on it, and now looks an improved youngster in every respect. He is a very . keen worker on the track, and consequently does not require a great amount i of galloping to keep him in racing condi- ; tion, though his trainer, J. Brown, will ! Boon be speeding him up a bit faster. : Whenuakura's next appearance will be in the Welcome Stakes, to be decided over ' five furlongs at Ellerslie next Saturday ; week; and-.oiirr past, form it will he- difficult : to select one t<> beat him,