CUP MEETING AT RICCARTON

Press, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 25662, 26 November 1948, Page 4

CUP MEETING AT RICCARTON

RACING

Coral Arc Favoured In Handicap

WEAK FIELD IN OAKS

The fields for the second day of the Canterbury Jockey Club’s meeting at Riccarton bear a very open appearance, and if the track is firm, form shown on the first day may not be very helpful. Sir Garnish, Bruce, Welcome Guest, and Cowper, which filled the first four places in the New Zealand Cup, are missing from the Metropolitan Handicap, one of the feature events on the programme, and there is a lack of real class about the 15 acceptors. Only three will carry more than 8-0, with 10 of them within 71b of the minimum.

The Jockey Club Handicap, of one mile, should provide one of the keenest races of the day. Full Play, winner of the Stewards’ Handicap in runaway style, will probably be favourite, but he will meet smart mile horses in Demonic, Aggravation, Desert Girl, Frances, and Winter Sweet.

Other feature events in an interesting programme are the Churchill Stakes, which has attracted nine runners, and the New Zealand Oaks. Signal Officer is a ready-made favourite for the Churchill Stakes, but both Flying Sovereign and Golden Amber will have strong support in the Oaks.

A dry track to-morrow will advance Coral Arc and Liebestraum >n public favour, and they, together with Ascot Lad. Royal Tan, Kartikeya, and The Grate, will carry most support in the Metropolitan Handicap. Ascot Lad, which heads the handicaps with 8-8, been a consistent performer over middle distances this season, and there is little doubt that he will see out the mile and a half journey. He has had only one success this season, that being over a mile and a quarter on the second day of the Auckland October meeting, but before that, and since, he has raced with marked consistency, if only to be rewarded with minor placings. He will carry 51b more than he did in the New Zealand Cup, but the others which ran in the cup and are to appear in this event have also been advanced.

Kartikeya, which is in receipt of one pound from Ascot Lad, has been a hard horse to follow. His variations in form have at times been most marked and altogether unexplainable. His stocks rose for the New Zealand Cup when it rained and the traoX softened, but he dropped out of the running three furlongs from home for no apparent reason, except that he had had enough. Kartikeya must be taken on trust. If he gives of his best he will probably be placed, but other runners which have shown more consistent form will probably get public preference. Royal Tan is right back to the good form which he held a year ago. This he indicated last Saturday by running fifth in the cup after meeting with interference when Ascot Lad went down. The Royal Chief gelding did well to stay on his feet, and then to finish as close to the place getters as he did. His chances will be enhanced if a stron g pace is set from barrier rise, as stamina is his strong point. Coral Arc’s Chances Hopes for Coral Arc’s success in the Cup diminished to some extent when the track conditions altered. He not only had to contend with going with which he was unfamiliar, but also with interference during the race. For a mile and ..a the Coronach gelding’ raced in about sixth place, just in behind Ascot Lad, and when the latter fell the Riccarton horse was lucky to escape a fall. Coral Arc showed his class at Washdyke and Trentham. and, giver? conditions more favourable than those ruling last Saturday, he should be capable of a great showing. Liebestraurn’s ability to run out the distance need not be questioned. He is bred to stay, being by Beau Vite from the 1940 Cup winner, Serenata, and the records show that he has lived up to his breeding. .He won the 1947 Derby, and returned to the winning list this season when he scored decisively at the Hawke’s Bay meeting. With better fortune he would have won the Masterton Cup, one mile and three furlongs, last month, instead of filling second place a head from the winner, Welcome Guest. Liebestraum’s finishing run came a little too late to be successful, but his effort gained for him many admirers when he came south for the New Zealand Cup and other important races at the meeting. Taking Welcome Guest’s form as a guide—he earned some of the honours of the cup with his bold, finishing run from what appeared to be a hopeless position—Liebestraum may add another good performance to his promising record to-morrow.

Sal’s Pal and Renowned should be able to see out the distance, but their prospects do not seem to be as brieht as those of The Grate, a recent graduate from the hack ranks, which won impressively in her first appearance in open company at the Southland meeting on November 13. The Salmagu n di —Trivet m are, Ota go’s sole r epre - sentative. will carry strong southern support, and she may be equal to the occasion. Full Play Again? Full Play beat the rest of the Stewards’ Handicap field easily and" his rise of 131 b to 8-1 for his engagement in the Jockey Club Handicap will be no deterrent. He will be well supported. The Salmagundi —Full Fling gelding, like other members of his family, has found middle distance races well within his compass. At the Riverton meeting last Easter there was no more impressive winning performance than that registered by Full Play in the Fiord Handicap, of one mile, on the third day. He won by five lengths in a goodclass field which included this year’s cup winner, Sir Garnish.

Frances heads the handicap with 9-0, but if she were at peak form that weight would not prove a great burden to her. A mile is, perhaps, her best distance. She has run some moderately good races this season, but the best has not been seen of her.

Desert Girl put up a great performance to finish into third place in the Stewards. She appeared to be in a hopeless position with only three furlongs to run, but put in some telling work in the straight. However, even with the weights in her favour she is unlikely to turn the tables on Full Play. Demonic struck trouble in the Stewards and did well to finish as close up as he did. His good form over a mile this season—he was an impressive winner at Trentham—will bring him strongly into favour. He will be ridden by W. J. Broughton. Winter Sweet dominates the position further down in the handicap and, given a better run than she secured in the Riccarton Handicap last Saturday, she will make a bold showing. She was slow away on the first day, and after being forced to cover extra ground on the turn, got up for third, half a head and a head separating her from the winner, Distinction.

The following horses will be bracketed: Competitive and Infatuate (Seymour Handicap); Hush and Jaconet (New Zealand Oaks): and Lexia and Ned Kelly (Jockey Club Handicap). The following may show good form:— Middleton Hurdles.—Grand Coulee, Glad Fox, Vanity King. Churchill Stakes.—Signal Officer, Beau le Havre, Tauloch. Pioneer Handicap.—Lord Cranleigh, Limpid, Western Winner. Seymour Handicap.—Omega, Pierre, Competitive. New Zealand Oaks.—Golden Amber, Flying Sovereign, Idle Jest. Metropolitan Handicap.—Coral Arc, Royal Tan, Liebestraum. Otaio Plate.—Arctotis, Fluorescent Light, Wandering Minstrel. Jockey Club Handicap.—Full Play, Winter Sweet, Demonic.

The programme is as follows: 10.32 a.m.— MIDDLETON HURDLE RACE HANDICAP, Of £6OO. One mile and three-quarters and 60 yards.

Sphere won the Spring Hurdle Handicap with 10-13 on the first day of the Dunedin Jockey Club’s spring meeting narrowly but well from Glad Fox, which was conceding the winner lib. Others which finished, behind Sphere and which are candidates for this event to-morrow were Grand Coulee and Vanity King. Grand Coulee, with 9-8, led all the way on a heavy track in the Rona Hurdle Handicap on the final day at Trentham and on the first day Glad Fox finished fourth in the Glen Hurdles to Sunshine Bay, Mesalliance, Vassilikos. Kiloney was a winner over hurdles at the recent Southland meeting, an event in which Vanity King finished strongly for third. Benbecula scored in the hurdle race at Wairio last Saturday, although it was his pace more than his jumping ability that Made that possible. Of the others, Turf Topic may be the most prominent. 11.2 a.m.—

CHURCHILL STAKES, Of £l5OO. One mile and a quarter,

Signal Officer took little harm from his race with a big weight up in the New Zealand Cup, as he indicated when he ran over a mile pleasingly at Riccarton' yesterday morning. His winning effort in the Harcourt Stakes at Trentham, a race which he won decisively from King’s Ransom and Royal Tan, is his best recommendation for to-morrow’s weight-for-age event, and a repetition of that form should enable him to account for the opposition. Beau le Havre, like Signal Officer, was anchored under his big weight in the cup, but his earlier form this season has not been as good as that of the Southland champion. Excellency has yet to prove her ability over a mile and a quarter, an<t the Auckland representative, Tauloch, is in the same position. Tauloch showed speed in the Derby last Saturday, and although the distance was beyond him, he held on for a moderate third. If he can be prevented from pulling in fhe early stages Tauloch may make a good showing. Jameli has shown ability in his trials, but this company may be a little strong for him. 11.57 a.m.—

Western Winner handled the conditions without any difficulty in the Welcome Stakes last Saturday, and he won by a wide margin. His rise of 91b may not stop him from making another bold showing. Golden Spa, second in the Welcome Stakes, should Tun prominently again, but Lord Cranleigh, which had to change course to find an opening last Saturday, may prove the better prospect. Limpid won the Spring Nursery Handicap without being extended, and she may be the strongest of the South Island representatives. Plausible will appreciate a firmer track, and Dexter, Trinidad, Bosun, and Swayup have been showing pleasing form in their training gallops. 12.47 p.m.—

SEYMOUR HANDICAP, Of £6OO. One mile.

Omega won impressively over seven furlongs at the Wellington spring meeting, and that effort will bring him into favour. Pierre is capable of running out a solid mile, and if he can avoid trouble in this big field he may take a part in the finish. He received anything but a favourable run in the Derby. Waicoe finished solidly for second in the Apprentices’ Handicap last Saturday, but he may again find it difficult to turn the tables on Beaugard. Tuatea, at his last start, won the maiden race at Levin, and may add to his record. Competitive has not raced since winning the trial handicap at the Banks Peninsula meeting. The Wild Chase gelding scored impressively on that occasion, and may be capable of a good showing to-morrow. Corofin and Robin Redbreast raced fairly prominently last Saturday, and they may add interest to the finish of an event that bears a very open appearance. 1.32 p.m’.— NEW ZEALAND OAKS STAKES, Of £l5OO. One mile and a half.

Flying Sovereign and Golden Amber have easily the best recommendations for the New Zealand Oaks. Flying Sovereign beat Golden Amber rather easily in the Desert Gold Stakes at Trentham, but in the Derby last week the latter showed that she is quite capable of running over a mile and a half. Curtana failed to run on in the nine furlongs Riccarton Handicap last Saturday, and she would need to show considerable improvement on that effort to beat either Flying Sovereign or Golden Amber. Hush and Jaconet, which will be bracketed, may provide the strangest North Island opposition, but they will have to be taken on trust over the distance. Balkis finished a moderate third in the Dunedin Guineas to St. Bruno and Golden Amber but she does not greatly appeal. , . . . t t .

st. lb. ’ st. lb. Sphere (2) 11 2 Vanity King Glad Fox (8) 10 11 (10) 9 9 Grand Coulee Big Top (3) 9 5 (6) 10 7 Benbecula (1) 9 5 Kiloney (7) 9 13 Laindon (4) 9 0 Turf Topic Precipitate (9) 9 11 (5) 9 0

st. lb. st. lb. Beau le Havre Excellency (7) 8 9 (1) 9 3 Lady Vite (8) 8 9 Riverview (2) 9 3 Jamell (6) 7 12 Signal Rumba .«) 7 12 Officer General (9) 9 3 Tauloch (5) 7 12 Argosy (3) 9 0

PIONEER HANDICAP, Of £1000. Five furlongs. st. lb. st. lb. Western Plausible (11) 7 13 Winner (2) 9 0 Blue Sky (8) 7 12 Golden Spa Dexter (12) 7 10 (10) 8 10 Prince Lord CrahDefaulter (9) 7 10 leigh (15) 8 6 Boatswain Trinidad (6) 8 5 (14) 7 8 Limpid (16) 8 5 Sway up (1) 7 6 His Nibs (4) 8 3 Agnes Pearl Abbotsford (7) 7 6 • (13) 8 2 Lady Moyra Robinfaye (3) 8 0 (5) 7 1

st. ib. st. lb. Pierre (17) 9 5 Sorry (16) 7 9 Romantic (19) 8 11 Competitive Money (14) 7 9 Lender (20) 8 7 Primitive (4) 7 8 Bay fort (13) 8 7 Robin RedBeaugard (15) 8 7 breast (7) 7 8 Responsive Peridot (11) 7 7 (2) 8 5 Beau Soir (6) 7 7 Front Page Elofa (21) 7 7 (9) 8 2 Infatuate (5) 7 7 Corofin (1) 8 1 Lodestar (18) 7 7 Omega (25) 8 1 Morning Waicoe (23) 8 1 Watch (12) 7 7 Solimbine (24) 8 0 Milly Mandy Resolute (22) 7 13 (8) 7 7 Tuatea (10) 7 11 Sequoia (3) 7 7

st. lb. st. lb. Assault (4) 8 10 Goldsmith (6) 8 10 Auchenlee (2) 8 10 Hush (7) 8 10 Balkis (11) 8 10 Idle Jest (12) 8 10 Curtana (10) 8 10 Jaconet (1) 8 10 Flying Sea Shanty (8) 8 10 Sovereign (5) 8 10 Trident (9) 8 10 Golden Amber (3) 8 10