SOUTH CANTERBURY HUNT PROSPECTS

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25240, 19 July 1947, Page 4

SOUTH CANTERBURY HUNT PROSPECTS

FRENCH KNIGHT MAY WIN STEEPLECHASE

A good proportion of the steeplechasing talent available in the South Island wiH be seen in action at the South Canterbury Hunt Club’s meeting at Washdyke today, although not all present will be racing over country. With two steeplechases, a hurdle race and«a hunters’ flat race, jumping enthusiasts will be .well catered for. and with good fields in the remaining events the club should have a successful meeting. Yesterday the track was ir splendid order after a spell of fine weather and promised excellent winter going, but to-day it will be governed by the conditions that ruled overnight. TTiis year the Washdyke track has been in improved order with each meeting.

Eight Grand National candidates are likely to parade in the South Canterbury Steeplechase, in which -Mr W. E. Hazlett’s bracket, French Knight and Irish Wit. is likely to be strongly favoured. French Knight is one of the best of the younger steeplechasers in the South Island and has had time to freshen up after rather a strenuous programme earlier in the season. Irish Wit is also engaged in the Hadlow Hack Hurdles. He has not had the best of luck in his recent races over country and the hurdles may be preferred for him. His stablemate. Kassai. is also engaged in the same race. The most likely runners to offer opposition to French Knight are Filibeg and Night Prince. They are superior jumpers to the remainder with the exception of Siglow, although Filibeg has a solid weight to master.

Three more Hazlett candidates in Waihopi, Ballyaggan. and Royal Donald will form a strong bracket in the Teschemaker Hunt Cup. Their strongest opponent may prove to be Court Dress, which was allowed to drift too far in the early running in the Waimate Hunt Cup last week. Court Dress ran French Knight to half a length in his first start as a steeplechaser at Wingatui last month and on that form should prove hard to beat. Air Ace has had only four unplaced starts in 12 appearances this season and may prove difficult to head off in the Claremont Handicap. Good Cast is due to show improvement while Dash o’ Dink is coming into form. Deep Harmony is capable over tne distance when in a galloping mood, with best prospects when the going is firm.

Scratchings yesterdav were Wane in the Hadlow Hurdles, Tranbycroft in the Levels Hack Handicap. Kirkella in the Claremont Handicap. Paul Defiant in the Washdyke Trot, and Flakewood in the Pentlow Hack Handicap. Unlikely starters are Scene and Imasong in the Levels Hack Handicap. Lu.naria in the South Canterbury Steeplechase, and Bali in the Claremont Handicap.

Bracketed horses on the totalisator will be:—Hadlow Hurdles: Irish Wit and Kassai. Levels Hack: Robot and White Face. Teschemaker Steeplechase: Ballyaggan, Waihopi and Royal Donald. South Canterbury Steeplechase: French Knight and Irish Wit. Claremont Handicap: Temuka and Bali. Pentlow Hack: Test Pilot and Troytown. Bobbv Dazzler and White Face. Washdyke Trot: Gold Gift and Arion Thorpe. Sir Peterson and All Ashore. Gay Knight and Henry of Navarre. Regent Queen and Aloysius. Blue Match and Margaret, Logan. Spellbound and Mickey Rooney. Paul Defiant and Crimson Trail, Deep Thoughts and Ikaroa. Kimono Girl and Loriot, Gallant Sylvia and Dillon View. Melton and Arawa Lad, Lady Beverley and High Command. Riding Engagements Riding engagements are as follows:—H. W. Hibberd: Battle Chief. Solver. P. Jones: Beechwood. All Quality, Dress Rehearsal. J. S. Lundy: Firechase, Cougar. A. J. Williams: Vulnerable. M. Jones: Troytown, Fading Light. R. G. Brunel!: Desert Victory, Belle Leonne. G. G. Hampton: Boolamskee, Victory Star. Deficiency. A. M. Ellis: Dash o’ Dink. J. Murray: ’Turf Topic, Tamerlane. D. J. Thistoll: Scotty McCabe. Jolyon. J. L. Stove: Handle, Matador, Dark Arrow. R. g. Bradshaw: Periwig, Temuka. Homestead. O. Ferrall: Test Pilot. A. J. Stokes: Bright News. Deep Harmony, Stabilisation. W. Leader: Hughsotis. W. Barr: Big Top. A. McKerrow: Night Prince. The following horses may be favoured: Hadlow Hurdles: Lord Broiefort, Periwig, Night Fighter. Levels Hack Handicap: Our Maureen, Soft Light, Connaught. Teschemaker Hunt Cup Steeples: Waihopi, Court Dress, Cloister. Washdyke Trot Handicap: Henry of Navarre, Kimono Girl. Crimson Trail. South Canterbury Steeplechase: French Knight, Filibeg, Night Prince. Claremont Handicap: Air Ace, Good Cast, Dash o’ Dink Pareora Plate: Aldis Lamp, The Raker, Court Dress. Pentlow Hack Handicap: Sandy’s Pride, Wee Mac, Beechwood. The fields are as follows: 11 a.m.— HADLOW HURDLES, of £200: one mile and three-quarters.—lrish Wit 10-7; Lord Broiefort 10-4; Big Top 10-3; Kassai 10-2; Periwig 9-1 C; Kosciusko, Turf Topic 9-4; Night Fighter, Minority 9-2; Bridgehead, Knight Crusader, Lord Roland, Rubble, Cougar, Hot Foot, Handle 9-0. 11.45 a.m.— LEVELS HACK HANDICAP, of £175; six furlongs.—Scene 9-2; Connaught 8-12; Lady Melrose 8-10; Our Maureen 8-9; Altruist 8-7; Robot 8-5; Soft Light 8-3; Deficiency, Bright News 8-2; Dress Rehearsal, Fading Light 8-1; Vanity King, Scotty McCabe, Paper Raid, Imasong, Prang, White Face 8-0. 12.25 p.m.— TESCHEMAKER HUNT CUP STEEPLECHASE, of £250; two miles and a half.— The Raker 11-6; Courtdress 10-12; Ballyaggan 10-5; Waihopi 9-10; Cloister, Topple 9-5; Tissue Paper, Royal Donald, Golden Glow, Grey Duck, Hughsotis 9-0. 1.10 p.m.— WASHDYKE TROT HANDICAP, of £205; 3min 37sec class; one mile and a half.—Aloysius. Arawa Lad, Aristocrat. Blue Match, Crimson Trail, Deep Thought, Dillon View, Gallant Sylvia, Gallant Thorpe, Gay Knight, Gold Gift, High Command, Ikaroa, Kimono Girl, Lady Beverley, Loriot, Margaret Logan, Melton, Mickey Rooney, Regent Queen, Sandy Logan, Scottish Girl, Sir Petersen, Special Match, Spellbound, Tekau, Van Lass scr; Templar (P.) 12; Air Spray, Desmond’s Pride (T.), Henry of Navarre, All Ashore 24; Arion Thorpe, Rasponi. Sure Catch 48. 1.50 p.m.— SOUTK CANTERBURY STEEPLECHASE, of £350; two miles and a half.— J r ®? ch Knight 10-10; Irish Wit IQ-o; Night Prince 10-4; Siglow, Lunaria 10-3; Tamerlane 9-11; Appeasement, Firechase 9-0. 2.35 p.m.— CLAREMONT HANDICAP, of £300; one mile and 35 yards.—Air Ace, Hakim 9-0; Good Cast 8-8; Lady Fane 8-7; Matador 8-5; Belle Leonne, Deep Harmony 8-4; Boolamskee, Lord Dundonald 7-13: Sphere 7-!2 : Dash o’ Dink, All Quality, Temuka, Bali, Sedgemere 7-7. 3.15 p.m.— PAREORA PLATE, of £120; dne mile and a quarter.—The Raker 12-7; Minority 11-11; Solver 11-5: Courtdress 11-2; Aldis Lamp 10-11: Page's Raid 10-1; Tissue Paper, Sunstorm 10-0. 4 p.m.— PENTLOW HACK HANDICAP, of £2OO- - mile and 35 yards.—Foreign Ways 9-7-Sandy’s Pride 9-2: Battle Chief 8-11; Wee Mac 8-10; Stabilisation, Desert Victory, Juriste 8-9; Beechwood 8-7; Test Pilot 8-6; Dark Arrow 8-5; Bobby Dazzler 8-2; Dowlair. Vanity King. Victory Star. Renege. Paper • Pattern, White Face, Troytown, Quick Lunch, Jolyon, Homestead 8-0.

MANAWATU HUNT CLUB

“ The Press ” Special Service WELLINGTON, July 18. The Manawatu Hunt Club , will hold jts annual meeting at Awapuni to-mor-row. The going is likely to be soft. Betting will be win and place, and the following horses will be well supported: 11 a.m.—Kennels Steeplechase: Phalaria. Master Peter. Battfemarch. 11.40 a.m—Kiwitea Ladies’ Bracelet: Adrigoole, Lightfair. Bettermusk. 12.25 p.m.—Pukehou Hurdles: Flying Ace. Moutoa Lord, Glen Urquhart. 1-8 p.m.—Kimbolton Maiden: first division: Bronze Pay, Foxtonian. Second division: Coronara, Shenandoah.

1-53 p.m.—Hunt Cup Steeplechase: Lanoma, Ellerton Hall, Royal Melton. 2.37 p.m.—Tararua Handicap; The Denbigh, Gaystock, Arctic Circle. 3.25 p.m.—President’s Handicap: Po Marama. Gay Corrie. Gay Youth. 4.15 p.m.—Hautere Handicap: Playboy, Salient, Indian Song.

AVONDALE CLUB

" The Press ’ Special Service AUCKLAND, July 18. A good deal of rain fell last night and early this morning, and although the weather has been mainly fine to-day, the course is sure to be heavy for the opening of the Avondale Jockey Club’s winter meeting to-morrow. Horses likely to be in demand include:— 10.40 a.m.—First Winter Handicap: Gay Ranee, Ostentatious, Our Dave. 11.25 a.m.—Mount Albert Steeplechase: Spirillum, Kanui Tekoa, Esmonde. 12.10 p.m.—Second Winter Handicap: Happy Fox, Aylesbuiy, Horonui. 1 p.m.—Plumpton Handicap: Landflre, Ruling Master, Coogee. 1.45 p.m.—Grey Lynn Hurdles: Sir Fox, Hunting Mac. British Mint. 2.30 p.m.—Kia Ora Hack Handicap: Greek Port, Corondal, Chief Robin. 3.15 p.m.—Windsor Hurdles: Duncan, Killcommon, Superb. 4 p.m.—President’s Handicap: Black Ace, Beryl Fox, Our Bridge.