HOWE FIT FOR WINTER CUP

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25250, 31 July 1947, Page 4

HOWE FIT FOR WINTER CUP

RACING

CLASS PERFORMER OVER A MILE

Howe was given a round at half pace on the plough at Riccarton yesterday morning and appeared keen to increase the pace. He looks in splendid order for his Winter Cup engagement, and will have his final gallop this morning. He looks none the worse for his fall in the Whyte Handicap on the first day at Trentham.

Howe has furnished considerably since he was let up after racing at Trentham last January. Howe has never taken much fast work to bring him to his best, and there is no reason why he should not produce his best on Saturday. If he were racing at Trentham on Saturday it would be reasonable to/have doubts whether he would display some lack of confidence-in a race, but as he is making his reappearance at Riccarton, and has always shown himself a courageous colt, there are not the same grounds for such doubts.

As a three-year-old Howe proved his ability to carry weight, his best effort being when he won the mile Anniversary Handicap at Trentham last January with 9-8 in the fast time of Imin 38Jsec. He had had a strenuous time racing and travelling for four months before that race, and is now a good deal better fitted physically to carry only the 31b more he has in the Winter Cup. Before the Whyte Handicap, in 15 starts in the season just concluding, Howe has not finished further back than fourth. In all he won seven races, including three over a mile and one over nine furlongs, and £5752 in stakes. On Saturday he receives 211 b from Soneri, and if he is anything like himself he looks one of the most likely horses in the Winter Cup field to end the champion mare’s unbeaten record at Riccarton. Riders for Grand National

Riding engagements in the Grand National Steeplechase are:—R. Heasley, Pages Raid; K. E. Wilson, Filibeg- M. E. Ritchie, Surpeen; J. Winder, Town Survey: J. Williamson, Spirillum; D. McKinnon, Roman Ned; R. Hawes, Spanish Main; and B. J. Langford, Appeasement. No definite engagement has been made for Abbey Lu, while Tamerlane will probably be ridden by L. C. Brown, though he is not a certain starter.

Fit Candidate for Riccarton When Zealander was narrowly beaten by Lvn Vaals in the Onslow Handicap on the third day of the Wellington winter meeting, he was making only his second appearance after being off the scene for more than six months. Zealander won at his last two starts as a two-year-old, and looked as if he would go on to good class form as a three-year-old, but his best effort in his four starts earlier in the season was a third to Howe and •Privilege in the Wellington Guineas. Zealander is a well-bred three-year-old gelding by Foxbridge from the good race mare Gay Blonde, and should be a fit candidate for the Paparua Handicap on Saturday.

Weight May Tell Special .Flight outclassed the field when carrying 9-4 in the Seatoun Hack Handicap run over seven furlongs on the second day of the Wellington winter meeting, but was never near the leaders with 10-1 in the CroAon Hack Handicap, run over the same distance on a heavy track on the third day Special Flight has 21b less to carry in the Avonhead Hack Handicap on Saturday, but may find the weight, plus an additional furlong, a bit troublesome. Her sister, Royal Flight, won the Winter Cup with 10-1, but Special Flight has not yet proved that she is in that class. On the whole, the Salmagundi fillies have not proved great weight carriers, as is to be expected from their size, and Royal Flight was an exception. Beechwood Consistent

In his five starts since he resumed racing at Ashburton last month, Beechwood has shown marked consistency, having registered a first, two seconds, and two third placings. Like most of Lang Bian’s stock he has shown improvement with age and handles soft going well. He was a little unlucky to lose a few lengths at the start in the Kennels Hack Handicap last Saturday, and but for that might have made matters more difficult for Copper Coin, even though he might not have beaten her. Beechwood should be a strong candidate in the mile Avonhead Hack Handicap' on Saturday, in which he will be ridden by W. J. Broughton, an<£ carry 8-8, the same weight as he nad last Saturday. Weakened in Run Home

When he was still in third place turning into the straight, Sphere looked as if he might take part in the finish of the Longbeach Hurdlds, but he weakened into fourth place in the run home. It was his first race over hurdles since he fell over Kosciusko in the Hindis Hurdles at Ashburton on June 21, and the race should improve him. Two years ago Sphere won the Islington Handicap at the' Grand National meeting; but subsequently failed to reproduce that form on the flat. Sphere is now trained at Washdyke by F. Trilford, and is engaged in the Jumpers’ Flat Handicap on Saturday Brackets on Saturday Bracketed horses on the first day of the Grand National meeting at Riccarton on Saturday are:—Enfield Steeplechase, Ballyaggan and Waihopi; Cashmere Plate, Cerisette and Jacquee; Paparua Handicap, Kashmiri and Rival Chase, Bath Slipper and All Quality. Legal Rose and Mr Buzz; Trial Hurdles, Kassai and Aldis Lamp; Winter Cup. Longsword and Matador. Blanket and Hakim, Juriste and Sahib; Avonhead Hack Handicap, Fine Night and Blue Hussar, Valiant Prince and Vanity King, Mr Buzz and Polka, Wandering Minstrel and Kinrara. Imasong and Quick Lunch.

Resumes Riding M. J. McClintock will resume riding at Riccarton on Saturday, and his first ride will be on Troytown in the Enfield Steeplechase. He has ridden Troytown in his schooling efforts at Riccarton. Solid Young Hurdler

Kassai finished solidly into second place in the Longbeach Hurdles last Saturday and drew attention to his prospects among the hack hurdlers at the Grand National meeting. Only a four-year-old, Kassai has had 22 starts for the season, which concludes to-day, and has successfully mixed hurdle and flat racing. His reward for the season is four wins, four seconds, six thirds, three fourths, and five times unplaced. Kassai is engaged in both the Jumpers’ Flat Handicap and the Trial Hurdles on Saturday, and must have good prospects in either race. Earlier in the season he won two high-weight events, while last Easter he finished third to Tweedside and Detain over a mile and a quarter at Riccarton, being beaten a head and a neck. In spite of his hard season. Kassai is in solid order at present. Limited Experience All’s Fair, a sister to Brigg Fair, is the only runner in the Cashmere Plate on Saturday that has not previously started in a race. Of the remainder. Broie, Confidence Trick. Detract, and Jacquee had their first race experience in the Haldon Stakes at Riccarton last Saturday, while Beau Bijou made his oqly appearance to date in the first division of the Trial Stakes at Hastings on June 28. Another runner which has had only one start to date is Post Graduate. She raced in the McLean Stakes at Wingatui last spring but in October she was badly injured when she struck a rail at Riccarton. She made a good recovery and is now being trained by W. J. McKendry at Omoto. Has the Ability Graeme, an acceptor in the Paparua Handicap on Saturday, has proved a disappointing three-year-old for his trainer, V. A. Lee, but there is still time for him to show the form of which he was thought capable. He has been working particularly well recently and will have a chance to redeem himself at the early spring meetings. He has sfyown his ability to run out a solid mile and a quarter, and the Paparua Handicap may be a little short for him.Reinstated as Hacks

Among the horses racing at the Grand National meting which become reinstated as hacks under the amended hack limits are Riverview and Sedgemere. As a two-year-old Riverview secured his only win when successful in the Hopeful Stakes at Trentham, worth £350 to the winner. He earned only £5O in place money as a three-year-old, but this season as a four-year-old has earned £995. His placings included seconds in the Riccarton and Fendalton Handicaps and the Challenge Stakes, all at Riccarton. Sedgemere won a maiden race as a three-year-old. worth £lO5 to the winner, and last winter as a five-year-old won the Aidworth Hack Handicap at Wingatui, worth £320. Kashmiri is another that will be eligible for hack races. She won the Belmont Hack Handicap at Trentham in October, 1945, and a race as a three-year-old. The reappearance of some of the horses which have been racing in open company among the hacks will create some problems for the handicappers. Horses such as Riverview. which have been placed in open events, are unlikely to take on the hack fields again.

Official Birthday The 1946-47 racing season ends to-day, and all horses will have an official birthday to-morrow’. August 1. Beau le Havre Staying in N.Z. .Beau le Havre will not make his projected trip to Australia for spring engagements. His future plans are indefinite, but his interests are of the opinion that there are sufficient weight-for-age races in New Zealand. Beau le Havre may run in some of the important handicaps. —(P.A.)