ARABIAN NIGHT

Press, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 25577, 19 August 1948, Page 7

ARABIAN NIGHT

PROSPECTS IN LINCOLN STEEPLECHASE ar ,a Li sheen, the minor in A thJ cSnH ra S d . efEort to finish second I whlS." Brider* L*°c al B^ P l eC J ase^ in him withnii* • C ‘ Brown « had ridden ' miles and ahS ir A On l over the last two recOTireme NiEht deserves ite ? "y ll be a stro ng favouri nTi’pH . firn \, tra ck conditions that have Kther d smt n a “1? las J, week wiu no ‘ al ‘°- suit Arabian Night, and any easing I his 1 chance? g m' iU consid erably enhance K?od and A recent form has been haa onh/m » ® lt looks “ « he i hazards m ,i a .2! d th ? usual steeplechase vdl? ccrfl? dispose of his opponents. He than moi £ Umm Ut 016 distance better I ian IS Nb?I, ha s ! he same wel Sht as Arabi CranH but , on bis display in tne b- N ?F on f l • Steeplechase still does he wa? win fl ’“ sl ’ in S in front. Although ; *2 eI A beaten When he finished quite *a G £ ?n< ? Nat i° nal - Lisheen gave Siit ir display. He made mistakes, ■ aWhJ fintb d T Or l hIS f€et and battled on i th/rif Jt lshe , ei L was an acceptor in started Th^T U ° nal Hu J d i es ’ but was not fit acn T s at was P roba bly to his beneWPP? t 4 work ? d freel y during the bv firrrHS? is a jumper that is suited a " d hs ma y 'again finish in the money on Saturday. * orm , of Eleanor Star since he finlpnn«HStr i Ongly - to beat Brookby Song for It ?? e Homeb y Steeplechase £ bub s m€eU »g has been disHe i was a fifth in the National and his display in the h 5o Uior 3.i^ teep^es I® B * Saturday was little is a sluggish jumper best of times, and may only do his ° n SOft J rac £. s - He would need to considerable improvement to Saturd^ any danger to the top weight*! on High Morale’s Chances High Morale’s chances depend on the oOing. on a track that was cutting out he gave a good display to win the Homeby Steeplechase, and he was going well when he made a mistake at the sod wall near the nine furlongs on the final round in the Grand National. He was definitely troubled by the firm going in the Beaufort Steeplechase, and did not jump Uie last two fences. With going to suit him Song to try and keep pace with, High Morale is one that could give Arabian Night quite a Jot of trouble. Bravura returned to form in no uncertain manner when he won the Beaufort Steeplechase last Saturday. He certainly raced more solidly than he has previously, but his stamina has always been open to question and it remains to be seen how he will fare over an additional half mile with the pressure on. He raced more kindly last Saturday, and under his light weight he has a reasonable ot doln S SO- * s in bis favour that he has been freshened up since he raced earlier in the season, and last week’s race should improve him. Although he has had plenty of experience over the country and is a reasonably safe jumper. Roman Son has never fared too well at Riccarton, and he is at an age where no improvement can be expected. Lunaria is also engaged in the Hunt Cup and the distance of that race may suit him better. He had no chance of beating Bravura in the Beaufort Steeplechase last Saturday, but he ran a good race all the same. One of the veteran jumpers. Abbey Lu, plodded on into fourth place in the Grand National, and must again be given a jumper’s chance. His ability to get round courses safely and keep going has earned him £650 this winter.

Bronze Night, Debater, and Forage do not appeal. Debater is another plodder and he battled on into second place in the Enfield Steeplechase on the first day, but he fell heavily in the Beaufort last Saturday, and looked a bit groggy afterwards Spanish Main made his first appearance for the winter in the Beaufort Steeples last Saturday, and is likely to be improved with the race. He is no stranger to Riccarton, and has twice filled second place in the Grand National, but he is getting no younger and his best recommendation is his usual safe jumping. Whiphand accepted in the Beaufort last week, but did not run. A few years ago he paid a visit to Riccarton and showed, no liking for the country. Before he was sold to the North Island Whiphand used to make a habit of taking the easy way out, but this winter he has proved something of a reformed character and has two wins, including the Grandstand Steeples, at Wanganui, to his credit. However, he failed at Trentham and still does not appeal as a prospect at Riccarton. Fast Schooling Effort

Lisheen and Colonel Smart gave one of the fastest displays seen at Riccarton this winter, when they were schooled over eight of the trial steeplechase fences at Riccarton yesterday morning. Except that Lisheen ran down the first of the brush double slightly, both < gave sound exhibitions of jumping and pulled up well. Colonel Smart was ridden by Mr R. N. Burgess, who will ride him in the Hunt Cup on Saturday. Colonel .Smart won the Christchurch Hunt Cup at the Hunt Club’s meeting in good style, and he was going well when he fell in the Enfield Steeplechase on the first day of the Grand National meeting. Dark Game followed along behind Colonel Smart and Lisheen and also jumped well, his only mistake being when he screwed at the sixth fence. Dark Game may be taken to Wingatui next month for the Hunters’ Steeplechase at the Otago Hunt Club’s meeting. Fresh Hurdlers The presence of two fresh horses in Young Bob and Bay Robe will give an added interest to the Sydenham Hurdles on Saturday. Young Bob has not raced over hurdles since he won a double at Wingatui in June. He was taken to Trentham last month, hut was unable to start at the meeting because of a bruised foot. He made his reappearance at the Hunt Club’s meeting when he surprised by being prominent among the leaders to the straight in the second division of the Brabazon Handicap. He next contested the Jumpers’ Flat Handicap on the first day of the National meeting and finished right up in line behind the placed horses. When schooled for the first time since June, last week he did not make too good a showing, but he showed plenty of dash when he went over six hurdles on Tuesday morning, and as a fresh horse may give his opponents a lot of bother on Saturday. Bay Robe’s form this winter has not been anything out of the ordinary. He beat a moderate field in the Central Hurdles * Awapuni last June, and his best effort at Trentham last month was to finish a poor second to Foxchase in the Lambton Hurdles on the second day. He generally runs his races out in front, but he does not repeal as being likely to repeat Tremello s performance last Saturday. Depends on the , , . . Leeston is a doubtful starter in the Longbeach Hack Handicap on Saturday unless rain eases the going b efo , rehal l d i High Morale, in the Lincoln Steeples, and Graeme, in the Heathcote Handicap, are in the same category. Morafe was troubled by the going in the Beaufort Steeplechase last Saturday and was Pulled up half a mile from home. Graeme was ' never hitting out freely at any stage of the running in the Islington Handicap. Off His Feed e . ... Resolute, the winner of the second cnvislon of the Aylesbury Handicap last Saturdav, has been off his feed, and it aepends on his progress in the next two days whether he will start in the Long beach Hack Handicap. Resolute won his race in convincing style last Saturday, and gave the impression that longer journeys will suit him better. He has* a good style of galloping and may develop into a good class Performer this season. Resolute is a three-year-old gelding by Robin Goodfellow from the Kckhfm mare Realise which unfortunatelv for tier owner, Mrs L. J. Coulter, has proved a shy breeder since producing Resolute.

Change of Stables When M. E. Ritchie left Riccarton on his return to Ellerslie he took only tatious, the steeplechaser Bronze Night having been left in charge of the Wash dyke trainer, E. J. Ellis.

D «sta£e re 2f the John Grieg Stakes io be run at the Ashburton _ c }H b ® spring meeting on September 18. has been d^°^ e e n is £^°? h g r s t y°ea S r iX on £ l U y r A The a commlttee of the Aucktand facing prure-money e Tl^Uetal taTSsJs En Tfce Auckland Cup will again carry a stake of £lO,OOO and gold cup valued at £lOO. with a special award of £250 to the trainer of the winning hp rs®. A special condition <?* a will be made for the Clifford Plate, the committee reserving the right to reduce the stake if the race is not run witnm four seconds of the time for the Nathans Memorial Handicap, which is run the same day. Both races are run over one mile.and a quarter. Longbeach Handicap Divisions Provision has been made for divisions in the Longbeach Handicap at Riccarton “"uongbeXch hack : liandicap of £500; seven furlongs.—First Money Lender (10) 9-7; Night Owl (4) 9-0: Great Victory (20), Repudiate (2) 8-11; Ned Kelly (15) 8-10: Leeston 8-8- Finigin (11). Super (13) 8-7; Extra Flight (3) 8-6; Clive Bay (12), The Rip (5 8-4: Glen Cona (18) 8-2; Advent (17), Conclusion (9), Chord (19), Flying (1), King Karri (14), Our Style (6), Shuttle (7), Solimbine (16) 8-0. Second Division: Deficiency (10) 9-2; Detract (i 6 8-12; Autoshine H 4), Rival Chase (6), 0.,,. Resolute (13) 8-8; Beau Ideal (2). Pier’re (7) 8-7: Idle Jest (S). Disturbance (191 8-6; Show Boy Xl7) 8-5; Evening Star (8) 8-4; Beaugency (18) 8-2; Mr Buzz (D 8-1’ AU Alone (15). Finn McCool (12), Indian Mom (3) Morning Watch (9) Pink Socks (11). Sequoia (4) 8-0.