RACING AT ELLERSLIE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 3, 5 January 1937, Page 12

RACING AT ELLERSLIE.

THE FORM REVIEWED. Vc f ' j# IMPROVED GALLOPER. One of the most improved horses seen out this season is Essex, owned by the president of the New .Zealand Racing Conference, Mr. J. S. McLeod. On the first day at Ellerslie he raced among the kacka in the Queen's Plate and after being one of the last round the home turn stayed on in' good' style to win in :f4j|t,:timer -He waa produced again in the Great Northern Derby and was always in a good position. Once the home turn was reached he came through on the- rail* and challenged Trench Fight, who had made the pace throughout, and beat him home by three-quarters of a length. Essex i* a solidly-built colt by Seigfried (sire of Wo tan) frpm Gay Virginia, by Lord Qucx from. Queen. Lizzie, who produced .Gesto and Tiega. t Thjs. was Mr. McLeod'a first success, irithe Derby, and Essex should-win him-many more good rages. , .. h . „ A SPEEDY FILLY. Greenwich, one of A. E. Neale's team at ';SuUi, was -started on only a couple of-occasions ■ at the Auckland meeting, the? Foal - she looked like being furjong from home, finiiihed close up. In y»-<ffierion; Handlast Tuesday, she at- the' barrier' and, beginning I quickly, was soon in front. Bhe had opened up a good break as they rounded the home turn and though Bachelor King made an effort to catch her she beat him comfortably, Greenwich is by Chief Ruler from Summer Time,, by Grandcourt from Very - Hot, an imported mare by Grosvenor, the sire of ;Rosenor, who raced in New 'Zealand a season or two ago and lie the sire of Ponty. *'" SUCCESSFUL SECOND START. '•> Francis Drake was started twice at the Auckland summer- meeting and on the opening day he was made a very staunch favourite for the Great Northern Fpa! Stakes.' He 'was ridden in behind in this cyent and turni/ig for home he ran out vejy. Widely, abd-.thfe cost him the race. On Saturday in the Royal he was soon in front and stayed there, though -he-hung; out very badly half-way . down the running. However, when straightened up he finished on very gamely to beat Royal Chief by half a length. ] Francis Drake looked all the better for -his race on the first day and it should take an exceptionally good two-year-old to lower his colours again this .season if he is produced fit and well. WELL-BRED COLT. Royal, Chief raced well at the New Zealand Cup meeting and in consequence he was given more than a passing show of beating?- Francis Drake in the Great Northern Foal Stakes. He was last round the >hjome tarn aiid then came through in . good style. to» win by half a length from Francis Drake. In the Royal Stakes oii Saturday Royal Chief began better -than. -i}» the Foal Stakes, but Admiral Drake was seve«tf.;lengths in front of him at the home turn, and although the former finished very solidly he was unable to quite bridge the gap. Royal Chief is a well-bred colt by Chief Ruler from Modistee 11., an English-bred mare who comes from the Martagon family, and he should do further jjood servce for hi« owner during the present term, while he should aLso make his presence felt next season in three-year-old event#

RAN SOLID RACES. Scotland, as the result of his solid finishing effort in the Mitchelson Cup, looked to be a possibility in the Auckland Cup, and he fulfilled more than that expectation, for he ran a very solid race, eventually finishing third. He was always well up and was only a couple of lengths away from the winner at the end. On that performance he was sent out favourite for the A.R.C. Handicap and went another good race, Flood Tide being the only one to finish in front of him. Scotland failed to get into the money on the last day, but probably the two previous races left their effects. If this horse retains his form he should get some money on the country circuit. A HARDY VETERAN. Greek Gold waa one of the hardest worked horses at the Auckland meeting, being saddled up on five occasions, but he failed to get into the money till the last day, when he finished second to legatee in the Goodwood Handicap, one mile, and came out later to win the Bovyen Handicap, six furlongs, the open sprint. He had the going to suit him in both the events mentioned and in the Bowen Handicap, after being placed well all the way, held on in great style to win by half a length from Impasto. Greek Gold is now getting on in years, for he is rising eight. FROM A SPEEDY FAMILY. The Crooner was started on only two occasions at the Auckland meeting, winning the Nursery Handicap, while ne was third in the Criterion Handicap on the following day. In the former event he waited on the leaders till rounding the home turn and then put in his claim, going on to score comfortably. In the i Criterion Handicap Greenwich rushed off in the lead and set a very solid pace and The Crooner had no chance of overhauling her, while Bachelor King, who began more smartly than The Crooner, divided the pair. The Crooner is by Nigger Minstrel from Symballo, and comes from a very speedy family. He has not done mush racing and he should be seen 'to further advantage before the two-year-old season k through. WON AT THE RIGHT END. Though beaten in the Auckland Cup, King Key was by no means disgraced and I his subsequent form at the meeting was particularly good. He accounted tor a I first-class field in the Summer Cup and I also in the Grandstand Handicap on the final day. He won both these raceß at the right end and, summed up on his latest form, he will be hard to beat the next time he is produced, though he will . have a bit of weight to carry. King Rey I was one of the fittest horses raced at the | meeting, and at present it will take a J good horse to beat him over his favouritu i distance, a mile and a quarter. i I BACK TO HER BEST. Cuddle repeated her performance of last season by winning the Cup, the King's Plate and the Clifford Plate at the Auckland summer meeting. In the cup 'she was always near the leaders, and running past the half mile she was given her head and was the first to round the home turn. Argentic made a great effort to catch her over the concluding stage, but she went on to score decisively. In the King's Plate she was opposed by Oratory and Custos. She was in front after a furlong had been covered and won easily, while on Saturday in the Clifford Plate she allowed Oratory to make the pace until . well in the straight, when she took charge, •and though Argentic made an effort he had no clrance of catching her. Cuddle has stamped herself as one of the best I mares that have raced in New Zealand, and the end of her winninf vein is not reached yet. 1 HIS TURN WILL COME. Argentic pat up two good efforts in his i only two starts at the Auckland summer [ meeting. In the Cup he was well back I for the greater part of the distance and ! still had five horses in frbnt of him at : the home turn. From then on he put in great work atid. Cuddle was the only one ] to finish in front of him.. His next effort ■ was in the Clifford Plate against Cuddle ' and Oratory, and, kept for a final run |in the straight, he finished well to get 1 within half a length of Caddie, but it was only under sufferance. Argentic had been I galloping well the meeting and I a« he is in first-class order he should again i make a good showing at the Wellington fixture if he is taken there.. HIGH QUALITY SHOWS PROMISE. • The hurdlers seen out at the Auckland . summer meeting were not a high class lot, but considering his limited experience 1 High Quality's form was promising. On the first day he ran second in the Grafton Hurdles, in which he made a faulty jump when in' the lead'two fences from home, and only for this he may have won. At his next start he accounted for the Ponsonby Hurdles, running out the two miles lin good style. On New gear's Day he was beaten by the ground and never looked like a winner. All going well, this hurdler should win more hurdle events when he gets the conditions to suit him. I Modern Maid fell at the first hurdle on the opening day, but completed the course on the second. This race evidently improved her a good deal, . for she was always a winner in her next start, which was the New Year's Hurdles. On Saturday she again went well in the Auckland Hurdles, in which Roxy was the only one to finish in front of her, and only by a head. Modern Maid looks as though she is returning to her beet form again.