STABLE AND TRACK NOTES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 135, 9 June 1936, Page 18

STABLE AND TRACK NOTES.

FINISHED ON WELL. The race Armncourt had on the first day of the Great Northern meeting improved her a great deal, and her effort in finishing second to Mustang in the second division of the Eitzroy Handicap 011 the final day was a good one. She had none the best of thy early running, and was in sixth position as the field turned for home. From then on she finished very solidly, but was unable to overhaul Mustang, who had a good run throughout. Armncourt is due to make her next appearance at the Opotiki meeting, to be held at Tauranga 011 King's Birthday. OPPOSITION WAS TOO GOOD. As the result of his good effort last Saturday week, when Onewlietu just beat him narrowly in the Cornwall Handicap, I'akanui was sent out favourite for the York Handicap at Ellerslie last Saturday. He jumped away smartly and was in the van till the last half furlong, where Royal Appellant drew alongside him, with Onewlietu handy. Jll a great finish i'akanui I I just failed to hold on and was narrowly beaten into fourth place. This was his second visit to Ellerslie, and although lie looked an improved horse since he last appeared here he was unlucky to meet such stiff opposition, for in most cases his efforts would have returned him a winner. ON THE IMPROVE. Yalpeen was oniy produced on one occasion during the Great Northern meeting, and that was 111 the Winter Steeplechase 011 Saturday. He appeared to have 11 nod down a lot since he raced at the Waikato meeting, and it should not take liiucil to get liim back to liis true form. With a couple of exceptions he jumped as well as ever, though these mistakes were not bad ones, and 110 did not lose a great ueal ot ground as the result of t'heni. Y'alpecn, ic. taken south lor the Wellington and Grand .National meetings, should again give a good account of himself, for he knows both the courses well, having won the Grand National during the last two successive seasons and the Wellington Steeplechase last July. AN EXCELLENT PERFORMANCE. By winning the Visitors' Handicap at Ellerslie oil oaturday with the steadier 01 10.3, Namakia was responsible lor an attractive periormanee. one was in flout beiore the field had gone a lurking, and although challenged strongly over the final stages she held on ganiciy to will by less than a length. Namakia has put up some good periornianees in the past, but her victory 011 Saturday was the best she has yet registered, both irom a wefghtI carrying and time point of view. As a j three-year-old this filly ran a great race in I the Great Northern Guineas, being in I iront practically all the way 011 that occasion, Gay Blonde being the only one to I beat her, and the latter just got up in I time to do so. The mile 011 that occasion J was run in 1.37 3-5. I PERFORMED WELL. ] Dark Shadow was the best performed 1 hack seen out at the Great Northern nieet- | ing. in the Hist division of the Jervois 1 Handicap he was always in the picture and | finished right up behind the placed noises. I His next start was, in the Kanfinly Handicap, and he won going away. On that showing he was installed favourite for the first divkion.of the X'itzroy Handicap 011 Saturday, and after waiting on the leaders j for about half the distance ran to the front j and nothing had a chance with him once i heads were turned for home. Hark j Shadow is by Acre or Leighton from I Madam Lobelia, who is descended from the same family as Wiltshire and El I Gallo. Dark Shadow has bceonie very I solid with racing, and if taken to some of I the southern meetings during the winter ; should pay his way.

TO RACE IN OPEN COMPANY. Shy . got galloped 011 at the Waikato meeting and was eased up in his wovli, and. consequently he was not started in the Jervois Handicap 011 the opening day of the Great Northern meeting. His Brut appearance at the meeting was in the Carbine Plate, and after being in fifth place three furlongs from home, he gradually improved his position, and was just, up behind the leaders a furlong from the post. He then challenged Hunting Mars and beat him home by a head. His perform- ■ ance in running the mile in 1.40 with 11.4 on his back, was a good one. He was saddled up again in the first division of the Fitzroy Handicap on Saturday and was lying third when half the (licitance had been covered, but he then weakened, and was fifth at the finish. Shy is now out of hacks, but all the same he should still pay his -way in open company. HAS GOOD PROSPECTS. •Jdlly Beggar was only started twice <nt the Auckland winter meeting. In the Great Northern Hurdle Race he got interfered with when Scotch Nation, Benighted and King Musk came down, but half a mile from home he was lying second to Clarion Call, though the latter had a big break on him. He was going exceptionally well, but misjudged the jump at the threefurlong post and came down. If he and Clarion Call had both stood up the finish would have been a great deal more interesting than it was. On Saturday Jolly Beggar was made favourite for the Campbell Hurdle Race, and he and The Smuggler led over the last fence. Jolly Beggar screwed badly and seemed to check The Smuggler, but once over he went 011 to win easily. On his form since coming north, Jolly Reggar should bo hard to beat in big hurdle events in the south during the winter. AN EASY WIN. One of the best performers at the Great Northern meeting was Onewhetu, who won the Cornwall Handicap from a very strong "field 011 the opening day, and was only beaten by Royal Appellant in the York Handicap on Saturday. In the former event lie was never very far away from the leaders and had the race won half a mile from home, for Ellis had never asked him a question up to that stage. Once in line he. came through on the rails arid soon put the issue beyond doubt. On Saturday he was burdened with 9.6 in the Yolk Handicap, and, after being handy early, lie appeared to drop back several lengths. In consequence he had to come on the'outside in the straight, and though lie put in a great run he just failed to reach Royal Appellant. Onewhetu is in great fettle at present and he will have to be seriously considered in big flat events at the big southern meetings during the next few weeks. 4

WIN WAS DESERVED. Forest Glow broke a lo'ng series of second placirigs when he accounted for the Winter Steeplechase at Ellerslie- on Saturday. Earlier in the season, after winning at the Ohiilemuri meeting, Golden England beat him on the second day. He was later runner-up in both steeplechases at the Auckland , autumn meeting and, going to HaWera, was only beaten by Rasduli ;in the Egmont Steeplechase. His next effort was in the Waikato Steeplechase, in which Billy Boy was the only one to finish in front of liim. In the Great Northern Steeplechase he and Billy Boy had a great battle over the last part, and Billy Boy again prevailed. Forest Glow's victory on Saturday was well deserved. He is a six-year-old gelding by an ArcliiestOwn, colt from Lady Winsome, and is therefore a half-brother to Desert Glow, who was a good performer on the Hat when trained by the late F. E. Loomb. His sire, the Arcliiestown colt, is from Mereina, by Westmere from Antenna, and was bred by Mr. T. Hinton, of the Waikato.- It is interesting to know how Forest Glow came to be bred. Lady Winsome, his dam, was owned by Mr. A. Pretty, and he was looking round for a sire to put her to. Discussing the matter with Mr. Hinton, of Eureka, the latter stated that he had an Archiestown colt at home, and if Mr. Pretty liked to go, and get him he would make him a present of the colt. The offer was accepted, and tlie 'result was forest Glow. Subsequently Mr. Pretty gave the colt to some Maoris, and later on Mr. Hinton bought him back again for £2. and subsequently soid him to Mr. S. Henry, of Te Akau, for use on his .station at Waimai. Town Beauty is also by the same colt.

BEST TO DATE. Con Fuoco ran his best racc to date wheal he finished third in the Cornwall Handicap at the Great Northern meeting. He was well back early and still had a good bit of ground to make up':at the home turn. From then 011 he commenced a'solid run which landed him in third position at the post, less than half a length behind the winner. On Saturday he was saddled up for the York Handicap, in which he got a fair share of support. He was a long way back early, but between the live and the three-furlong post his rider sent hi 111 along on the outside, and at the turn there were only four horses in front of him. This effort was not conducive to a good finishing run, and he did well to be fifth at the end; . SOUTHERN HURDLER'S FORM. Tlie Smuggler had a good reputation as a hurdler prior to coming to Auckland for the Great Northern meeting, and although he failed to win a race he ran up to it. He was rather lucky in the' Great Northern Hurdles to be second, for with a couple of hurdles to go he did not look as though he would be in the money. However, Jolly Beggar and Clarion Call went out, and Prince of Orange was the only one to beat thini. 011 Wednesday in the Remuera Hurdles Clarion Call beat him by a couple of lengths, and on Saturday Jolly Beggar proved too good for him in the Campbell Hurdle Race. Ho jumped well in all his outings, and considering it was his first experience 011 a right-handed course lie did exceptionally well.