SPRING RACING.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 250, 22 October 1935, Page 16

SPRING RACING.

TRENTHAM MEETING.

THE CHIEF EVENTS. FORM OF ACCEPTORS. The spring meeting of the Wellington Racing Club will open at Trentham next Saturday and much interest will be taken in the fixture, as numerous horses wiio will subsequently be seen at Riccarton are engaged. After acceptances were declared fourj i en:a in ' n the Wellington Handicap and the large majority are engaged in the ■New Zealand Cup. Cuddle was a very .useful marc last season, for in 19 starts she ~ scored nine times and was placed on four other occasions. She won, among other raccs, the Windsor Handicap, or.e mile, at the Royal meeting at Trentham with 9.5 and later annexed the Marton Cup, one mile and a quarter, with 8.3. Returning to Wellington, she ran second to Vintage in the Wellington Cup, one mile aud a half, with 7.10, and at the same meeting accounted for the Summer Handicap, one mile and a quarter, with 8.7. Her next outing was at Riccarton, where with 9.2 she took the Midsummer Handicap, one mile and a quarter. Cuddie won the Riddiford Cup, ot' similar distance, at Masterton last week, so that she is right at her best again, and despite the fact that she has now 9.3 as the result of that success she should be in the picture. Spiral ran third to Vintage and Cuddle in the Wellington Cup last season and was giving Cuddle 21b. Now Cuddle has to give him 71b. Spiral won the event under review at this meeting last year with 8.1, beating a fine field, and this season he seems to be a much improved horse. He fcored over asspri t I distance at Wanganui, which was his (second start this term, and, coming on to Auckland, was just beaten in the Flying Handicap, seven furlongs, at Ellerslie, Plato getting the verdict by half a head. On the second day, with 8.12, he finished a good fourth in the King Edward Memorial Handicap, one mile and a quarter. Spiral will have plenty of friends. Argentic has little to his credit for a. Jong time, while West Tor, after winning the Empire Handicap, one mile and a distance, at Wanganui last May, accounted for the Connolly Handicap, one mile and a quarter, at that fixture' and followed this up by winning the Dannevirke Handicap, of similar distance, with 8.9. He was also second in the Parliamentary Handicap, one mile and a quarter, with 8.9, Mercian Prince beating him by a head. This season he was placed at Wanganui over seven furlongs and a quarter, while he was unplaced at Masterton last week. Walton Park was a good performer up to a mile and a quarter last season, his successes including the Masterton Handicap, the Raukawa Cup at Otaki and the Easter Handicap at Riverton, all being run over that distance, while he was placed on several other occasions. At Masterton last week he won the Vallance Handicap, so that he is again approaching his best. Caliente (7.12). won the Mitch.elson Cup, one mile aiid a half, at Ellerslie recently' and that performance alone will entitle her to great respect. She has previously run second over a mile and three furlongs at Trentham. Big Dook was expected to run well at Masterton '"last week, but the best, lie could ido wa6 to finish fourth. He will'have to improve a great deal on that performance to ■ have a chance. Silver Sight's best effort this season was m- winning the Ashburton Handicap, one mile and a quarter, a few weeks ago. Senior failed at Wanganui, Avondale and Ellerslie, as did also Arctic King, but the latter raced well on the Trentham course during the winter, winning two races there, the last being over a mile. Fersen may be the best of the others. Recent form points to the favourites just now being Caliente, Spiral, Cuddle and Walton Park.

The Open Sprint. Vintage heads the Shorts Handicap with i??* k}' ' le raced for a considerable time and, further, the distance is too short for him. Silver fitrealc was a fine sprinter a couple of seasons ago, winning the Stewards' Handicap at Riccarton and the Railway Handicap at Ellerslie. He has shown excellent form recently, winning the Electric Handicap, six furlongs, with 8.10, and dead-heating with Trivet for first in the Telegraph Handicap, seven furlongs. He carried 9.8 and the distance was run in 1.27. He should go well. Star Artist was -just beaten at Avondale and won the Shorts Handicap, six furlongs, with 7.3 at Ellerslie last Saturday week, while on the following Monday she was beaten by only a head by Astarth in the Epsom Handicap, in which she had 8.1. She will be in request. Sweet Agnes is speedy and was second to Slippery at Masterton >n Saturday. That race will improve her. Heritage won the Avondale Guineas and has not raced since. He has done weli in the meantime and should be in the picture. Fair weather is a. good sprinter and won a double at the last Grand National meeting at Riccarton. while Guarantee beat Prince Acre at Wellington last July over six furlongs and won over a mile and a quarter at Washdyke on Saturday. He is also engaged in the Wainui Handicap earlier iu the day. Midian won a double at the Wanganui fixture in September—sc ven furlongs and a quarter, and a mile and a distance respectively. Haut Monde disappointed on his trip North to Avondale and Ellerslie. Bon Tray beat Cranford and Silver Streak over six furlongs ill 1.13 3-5 at Geraldine recently and is not without good prospects. Variant and Bodyline appeal most of the others. The 'best fancied just now may be Heritage, Silver Streak, Star Artist, Midian and Bon Tray.