ROYAL MEETING AT TRENTHAM

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27246, 13 January 1954, Page 4

ROYAL MEETING AT TRENTHAM

PRIVY COUNCIL MAY WIN STAKES

CHANCE FOR MA REINE IN FITZHERBERT

Privy Council has the opportunity to establish himself as the best two-year-old of the season in the Wellington Stakes to be run on the first day of the Royal meeting at Trentham tomorrow. He lost an earlier chance to do so at Ellerslie because of a cold, but if he is back to his best his class should help him to improve a good record tomorrow.

The last time Privy Council raced at Trentham he narrowly won the Roseneath Handicap. Racing there improved him to a marked extent, with the result that he mastered the brilliant Hush Money with ease when he came south for the Welcome Stakes al the New Zealand Cup meeting. These two brilliant gallopers met again in the Pioneer Handicap later at the meeting and Privy Council left no doubt about his superiority. He beat the Riccarton filly, to which he was conceding 131 b. by two and a half lengths and he could have widened that gap. Privy Council then had his setback, which prevented him from meeting the best of the northern youngsters at Ellerslie. Apparently he has made a good recovery, and his connexions are confident he will be at his best for this test

Hopes for a South Island victory will rest with Hush Money. She is expected to be a more formidable opponent for Privy Council this time because she has improved and developed since the cup meeting at Riccarton. bne has raced once since then, winning the Dunedin Jockey Club’s Champagne Stakes on December 26 with little difficulty. Hush Money will probably attempt to lead all the way. Allowed her own rules out in front she will not be easy to beat.'

Wln dy Range and Royal Applause strengthen the possibility for a success for the two-year-olds against their five older rivals. Devastator. Nonpareil, Seven Ampulla, and Karessa. Windy Range is a precocious type for a son of Contact, a sire noted for the stamina he transmits to his sons and daughters. u. Wmdy Range was unlucky not to win nis first three races, losing a good chance ln Roseneath Handicap at Trentham m October when he ran wide after pacemaking. Even then. Privy Council had to. work hard to master him. Royal Applause did not make much impression at the Wellington spring meeting, but she won before then and has done so again since—in the Great Northern Foal Stakes at Ellerslie on Auckland «? he 525 s good spegd- but at the weights she will not find Privy Council and Windy Range easy to beat. Nonpareil and Seven Bells are both Guineas winners from the Auckland district the latter winning the Wellington Guineas on his last trip to Trentham. ♦ _J^Y en d . ld not show the same ability at Ellerslie over the holidays, but it is possible that he is a better horse under TrenthAm conditions. His best performance at the Auckland Cup meeting was a fourth in the Royal Stakes, in which he finished ahead of Royal Applause. Southern Victory Likely Two-year-old fillies will meet under handicap conditions in the Fitzherbert Handicap. The improvers in the field are Ma Reine, Merriment, and Kataban, all last-start winners, and they are expected to dominate the finish, with Valiant Queen also in the picture. Ma Reiae, a daughter of the brilliant Excellency, opened her winning record at wingatui on December 28. She ran the race out very strongly, leaving the impression that six furlongs would be to her liking. Merriment strengthens the chance of a South Island success. She was successtul over six furlongs at Washdyke tne day Ma Reine won at Wingatui. Of the two. Ma Reine may be a shade better, but Merriment holds a good chance of filling one of the places. Kataban. a Trentham-trained Sabaean filly, won over five and a half furlongs at Awapuni during the holidays, this being the second race of her career. She may be still at the improving stage, and on her home course she should run one of her best races. Vacant Queen, top weight with 8-9. will probably have an army of place supporters. Her record of one win, five seconds. and one fourth from eight starts, warrants it.

The strength of the field fdr the Anniversary Handicap appears to be a shade below Trentham s best. As a result that good galloper Tesla occupies a place in the weights from which he would havfe found it hard to win. He was given top weight of 10-0, but will not run. Golden Coronach, with 9-8. will have to be reckoned with if the track is soft or easy. The form horses near the middle of the handicap are Ruletta and Freeland, both winners over middle distances during the holidays, and Lingual and Crusoe Bay win probably be the best of the lightweights. Lingual was one of the outstanding hacks at the Royal Auckland Cup meeting, winning twice and finishing second at his other appearance. Crusoe Bay, a winner in hack class at Trentham in October, ran fourth in the Great Northern Derby at his last start. Smart Riccarton Hacks Chances of a South Island success on the programme do not look any brighter than in the Pencarrow Hack Handicap. Tamrin and Zingabo are two very good Riccarton-trained sprinters in the field, and they should be well supported by Bahrein, Tiles, Millrace, Strato, Locherbie. Mighty Dollar, and Hermes, several of them recent winners. Tamrin has raced twice for as many wins. He is a lovely galloper, one at nis best on firm tracks. He showed signs of inexperience when he won at Wmgatm last month, and that may be his biggest handicap in this field. Zingabo made a big impression when he won at Hororata last month. He is a bold galloper and has his chance from the No. 9 barrier position. Bahrein, Millrace, and Hermes are laststart winners and in their present form they should fare well with their North Island rivals. Millrace was the runner-up to a good galloper in Wally French in this race last year. The top weight. Speizona, is highly rated in the North Island on the strength of his win at Tauherenikau on January 2. Another North Island hack whose record gives him a first-class chance is Battle Fort, winner of his last two races. The Hack Milers Sombrero, a good third in the Pahiatua Cup on Saturday, is the logical favourite for the Camp Hack Handicap, a race for apprentice jockeys. Sombrero, a smart three-year-old Someo colt, wen two races in succession earlier in the season, and he is top weight with 9-4 in this field.

The Hastings-trained Style, an unlucky third at Ellerslie at his last start, may do best of the other North Island gallopers. Hopes for a South Island success will rest mainly with Sawdust, Copenhagen, and Surprise Ending. Sawdust won brilliantly over nine furlongs and was a creditable second over a mile and a half at the New Zealnad Cup meeting. He is a puller but should run a mile without weakening. Copenhagen may be a better horse for this race, but Surprise Ending, a minor place-getter at Washdyke last month, is fit for her test. She was runner-up to Sweet Wren in the Desert Gold Stakes on her last trip to Trentham. Fourteen Carat is a doubtful starter for the Pencarrow Hack Handicap, and Gold Pal may not run in the Telegraph Handicap. The double will be on the Royal Wellington Cup and the Teleg’aph Handicap. Selections:— 11 a.m.—Te' Marua High-weight Handicap : -Driftwood, Mainlander, Braze. 11.55 a.m.—Wellington Stakes: Privy Council, Hush Money, Windy Range. 12.45 p.m.—Pencarrow Hack Handicap: Tamrin, Zingabo, Millrace. 1.30 p.m.—Wellington Cup: Gold Scheme. Golden Tan, Mt. Denby. 2.20 p.m.—Fitzherbert Handicap: Ma Reine. Kataban, Merriment. 3.5 p.m.—Camp Hack Handicap: Sombrero. Sawdust, Style. 4 p.m.—Telegraph Handicap: Lord Fort, Impress, 4 55 p.m.—Anniversary Handicap: Freeland, Ruletta, Crusoe Bay.