AT RICCARTON TO-DAY

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25246, 26 July 1947, Page 4

AT RICCARTON TO-DAY

RACING

Trial For National Candidates PROSPECTS OF PAGE’S RAID

Eight Grand National candidates will have an opportunity of having a preliminary run over Riccarton country in the Homeby Steeplechase, the principal event to be decided at the Christchurch Hunt Club’s meeting at Riccarton to-day. Although the fields for the other two steeplechases and the hurdle race did not come up to expectations, the flat races are particularly well filled. and the club should have a successful day. The traqk is in splendid order and will provide excellent going f<>r a winter meeting.

With most of the favoured Grand National horses engaged in the Homeby Steeplechase, their displays will be followed with interest.

In appearance, the top-weight. Royal Writ, hardly conforms to accepted standards for a National horse. Lean and spare and light of bone, he demonstrated at Trentham that he is a remarkably efficient jumper, and he should have no difficulty, in mastering the stiffer Riccarton country. Bred on classic winning lines, he has the edge on most steeplechasers racing to-day for pace on the flat. The pace at which these races are run usually allow’s horses of his type to run along well within themselves, and for that reason steeplechase journeys are usually well within their compass. A placid type of horse. Royal Writ does nor knock himself about in his races, and more difficult for him than the bigger Riccarton fences will be the task of giving weight to an experienced jumper like Page’s Raid. With his sound ref-ord of three wins in four starts at Riccarton, Page’s Raid appeals as being the hardest to beat in this field. Although a small horse, he is a solid type and a sound stayer, which as a rule is not much in evidence until the business end of a race. If he pursues his usual tactics, Filibeg is likely to be the pacemaker, but in this field, the final stages of the race may find him out. Surpeen is a sound jumper and may do better on the firmer Riccarton going than he did at Trentham. He was always near the front in the Wellington Steeplechase and over two miles and a half must be a possibility in spite of the likelihood of a stronger pace. Test Pilot has fined down since he last raced and is in solid condition for nis first test over Riccarton country. In his schooling efforts he has shown himself to be a clever jumper and promises to do just as well over country as he did as a hurdler. Master Play, the youngest runner in the field, is a big, upstanding type of steeplechaser which should nave a bright future. He was having only his second start this winter when he won the Matai Steeplechase at Trentham last Saturday, and is capable of further improvement. He and Test Pilot are the J"® 51 impressive-looking runners in the field.

TTie remaining three runners. Night Prince, Spanish Main, and Abbey Lu, may find the pace of some of the others troublesome and their biggest asset is their experience. The chief interest in the Brabazon Handicap will be whether the champion mare, Sonen, can master her tremendous burden of 10-13 and repeat her success of last year. Although she had won at her last start prior to coming to Riccarton last year, it was at Riccarton that Soneri started to climb the. pinnacle of ~ ame with three brilliant performances that will always be remembered by those who saw them in spite of still more brilliant deeds later in the year. Should Sonen be successful to-day no winner will be more loudly acclaimed. The strength of the higher weighted division in the race draws attention to the magnitude of Soneri’s task, and she faces an additional hazard in the size of the field. At the distance, the strongest opposition may come from the Riccartontrained mares Bridge Acre and Lexia. both of which will be receiving 211 b £ro ! n ,.? o P e! j. Both are brilliant gallopers and likely to be hard to head off: Pensacola at his best, would be difficult at the weights, and Detain will only have to get away well to be prominent. Whitlev has not a good record at Riccarton, but he has run out his races more solid# recent# In a big field some of the lightweights * might fare well in the running. ° bas shown improvement wi. n each race m his recent starts. Cipher, Nightblush, and Sahib are speedy three-year-olds capable of providing a major surprise.

Riding engagements are: L. J. EllisMaka Maka ' Boyal Robe. D J. Thistoll: Miss Medlev, M )s--tiza. Lodestar. C. T. Wilson: Findon, Meer, Desert Victory. H. W. Hibberd: Lexia, Peculate, Queen's GenEnboe?’ 5 w ’ Pensa «>la. Stand To. Killfast, Strathconan. A. Stokes: Deep 1 Harmony, Broie. Stabilisation. I. Walther: Test Pilot. L. C. Brown: Troytown. Olga’s Choice. M. Jones: Wandering Minstrel, Fading Light. G. G. Hampton: Kirkella, Ballochbuie, Deficiency. A. M. Ellis: Paper Pattern. Imapolka ’ 153511 o’ Dink. J- S. Lundy: ™ nge - ‘ McDonald: Whitley. Count Minerva, Repudiate. Robingav. R J. Hawes: Spanish Main. Pedantic. Rovai J? asb - E? ying Orders- J. L. Stove: Gav Quest, Te-Muka, Handle. K. Wilson: Filibeg. P. Jones: Beechwocd, Cipher. Blue Hussar. Ned Kelly. A. Lord: Abbev Lu, Matapan. H. Ford: Dark Arrow. Matador. N. Davidson: Fort Silver. Lambro, Magnaform. B. J. Langford: Altruist. Appeasement, Sumra. Connaught. A C Messervy: Faultrosa, Lovemorn. Vulnerable. B H. Brodie: Front Page, Royal Saleve. R. G. Bradshaw: Periwig. A. N. Did ham: Night Blush. Gold Medallion. A. McKerrow: Night Prince. N. Crombie: Beaugard. Aldis Lamo, Quadrille. L. Hare: Bobby Dazzler. Paramour. D. R. Mackie: Detract. R. J. Cochrane: Sandy’s FTide. M. G. Bedford: Khadim. W. Barr: Master Play. Bravura. K. Thomson: Copper Coin. W J. Eroughton: Soneri. E. A Winsloe: Good Cast. P. Corbov: The Raker. W. J. Hillis: Kassai. T. J. Boyle: Ballyaggan. R. Heasley: Royal Writ. J. Winder: Page’s Raid. A. I. Powell. Our Maureen. Eudora. Mr R. M. Burgess: Real Night. Mr R. D. Westenra: Edward. Mr J. D. Roberts: Fairyhouse. Bracketed horses on the totalisator will b e:—Lawford Hack and Hunters’ Steeples: Ballyaggan and Waihopi. Haldon Stakes: Cerisette and Jacouee; Lodestar and Magnaform; Maka Maka and Ned Kelly; Paramour and Rovai Saleve: Strathconan and Weldrest. Brabazon Handicap: Whitley and Clyde Bridge: Dash o’ Dink and Night Blush; All Quality and Lovemorn; Te-Muka and Sahib. Kennels Hack Handicap: Stabilisation and Vulnerable. The following horses may be favoured: Christchurch Hunt Cup—Waihopi, Edward, Fairyhouse. Lawford Hack Steeplechase—Appeasement, Troytown. Haldon Stakes—Wide Range, Gold Medallion. Detract. Homeby Steeplechase—Page’s Raid, Royal Writ, Master Play. Camla Hack Handicap—Front Page. Our Maureen, Peculate. Longbeach Hurdles Handicap—Matapan, Forage, Khadim. f Brabazon Handicap—Soneri, Lexia, Eridge Acre. Kennels Hack Handicap—Beechwood Bobby Dazzler, Copper Coin. The fields are as follows: 10.47 a.m.— CHRISTCHURCH HUNT CUP. of £160; two miles.—Waihopi 11-13; Fairy house 11-7; Edward 11-6; Golden Glow. Mittens 11-1; Hughsotis, The Pie, Real Night, Tissue Paper 11-0.

11.22 a.m.— LAWFORD HACK AND HUNTERS’ STEEPLECHASE, of '£4oo; about two miles and a half-.—Appeasement 10-7; Ballyaggan 10-6; Bravura 10-0; Troytown 9-12; Waihopi 9-11; Hughsotis, Tissue Paper 9-0. 12.2 p.m.— HALDON STAKES, of £250; six furlongs.—First division: Dark Arrow, Imasong, Miss Mahatma. Wide Range 8-11; Ballochbuie, Broie. Cerisette, Confidence Trick. Detract. Golden Hope, Helio, Magnaform, Ned Kelly, Royal Saleve, Weldrest 8-0. Second division: Gay Quest, Lakhnau, Renege 8-11; Agenda. Beaugard, Carry On, Jacquee, Count Minerva, Faultrosa. Gold Medallion, Lodestar, Maka Maka, Paramour, Strathconan 8-0. 12.52 p.m.— HOMEBY STEEPLECHASE, of' £600; about two miles and a half.—Royal Writ 11-2; Page’s Raid 10-13; Filibeg 10-12; Surpeen 10-9; Test Pilot 10-5; Master Play 9-12; Night Prince 9-8; Spanish Main 9-2; Abbey Lu 9-0. 1.37 p.m.— CAMLA HACK HANDICAP, of £300; seven furlongs.—Our Maureen 9-4; Peculate 9-2; Sandy’s Pride, Scene 9-1; Ganjah, Mestiza 8-12; Royal Flash, Front Page. Connaught 8-11; Royal Robe, Juriste 8-8; Desert Victory 8-7; Quadrille, Fort Silver 8-5; Deficiency 8-2; Fading Light, Repudiate. Blue Hussar, Valiant Prince, Stand To, Polka 8-0. 2.17 p.m.— LONGBEACH HURDLES HANDICAP, of £500; one mile and three-quarters and 50 yards.—Matapan 11-1; Forage 10-i* The Raker 10-0; Khadim 9-11; Olga’s Choice 9-9; Sphere 9-5; Pedantic, Kassai, Periwig 9-0. 3.2 p.m.— BRABAZON HANDICAP, of £500; seven furlongs.—Soneri 10-13; Findon 9-7; Bridge Acre, Lexia 9-6; Lord Elgin 9-2; Pensacola 9-1; Detain, Flying Orders 9-0; Whitley 8-9; Sumra 8-3; Lord Dundonald 8-2: Matador 8-0; Miss Medley, Good Cast 7-13; Deep Harmony 7-10: Cipher 7-9; Euoora 7-8; Martial Note, Riverview, Kirkella, Lambro, Dash o’ Dink, Night Blush, All Quality, Lovemorn, Te-Muka, Clyde Bridge, Sahib 7-7.

3.47 p.m.— KENNELS HACK HANDICAP, of £3oo* nine furlongs.—Copper Coin 9-10; Foreign ways 9-3; Queen’s General 8-13; Aldis KiUfast Royal Flash 8-9; Lalla Meer, Beechwood 8-8; Stabilization 8-6; Altruist 8-5; Robingay 8-4; Penetrate 8-3; Kosciusko 8-2; Bobby Dazz4Vllin«rable. Flakewood, Wandering MinstreL Paper Pattern 8-0.