MANAWATU CLUB’S MEETING

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27307, 25 March 1954, Page 4

MANAWATU CLUB’S MEETING

SOUTHERN ACCEPTORS SHAPE WELL FULGENT FIT FOR MAIN RACE Travesty and Fulgent, South Island horses with engagements on the first day of the Manawatu. Racing Club’s meeting on Saturday, shaped well in a mile gallop at Trentham on Tuesday before being taken on to Awapuni. They ran a- mile in Imin 47sec, and the last half in 52 4-ssec pn the trial grass. Fulgent did not make much impression as a miler in the Thompson Handicap last Saturday week, but his form over a mile and a quarter gives him a light-weight’s chance in the King George Handicap on Saturday. Also in this field is Field Chief, which must be a better horse for his race in the Hutt Handicap last Saturday. This was Field Chief’s first race since January, so he did well to finish fourth.

He brilliantly won the Wyndham Cup, one mile and a quarter, in January. Travesty was taken north by his Waimate owner, Mr E. R. Curtis, last week. He is an acceptor for the Adderstone Handicap, one mile, on Saturday. The Defaulter gelding has had a mixed programme this season, but he may be prominent in this company if he is at his peak. He has not raced since the summer meeting at Riccarton, but it is npt difficult to get him ready for his races. There will also be South Island representation in the two-year-old handicap, the Cloverlea Nursery, in which Ma Reine and Captain Hawk are acceptors. Ma Reine needed the race she had at Trentham last Saturday. Her speed carried her into one of the leading positions for the first half mile, but she then dropped right out. Her main bar to success at Awapuni will probably be tfie No. 20 barrier position. Riccarton Prospect The Guy, an Invercargill-trained Lo Zingaro gelding which was an unlucky second in the high-weight at the Birchwood Hunt meeting, may race at Riccarton at Easter. The Guy came from a long way back for his placing on Saturday. He ran the winner to a neck. Auckland Trip Planned A trip to Ellerslie in June is being planned for the Gore-trained Cogitation, whose main mission will be the Great Northern Hurdles. Cogitation is in steady work, and may run in the Riverton Cup, a race he has won previously. Mandeville has Setback Mandeville was withdrawn from his engagement in the Gardner Memorial -Steeplechase at the Birchwood Hunt meeting on Saturday because of an injury suffered in a schooling bout earlier in the week. The Siegfried gelding had Erogressed particularly well since he had een recommissioned, and he looked well forward for early winter steeplechase events. T. E. Pankhurst said on Saturday that he had had to ease Mandeville in his work because of his injury, but he would be entered for the Riverton meeting. His immediate programme, however, depended on the progress he made. Smart Youngster

There will be southern interest in the performance l of Silence’s half-brother, Jungle, in the Cloverlea Nursery Handicap on Saturday, because he will probably do his Easter racing at Riccarton.

This Hastings-trained Faux Tirage colt made a big impression when he ran the brilliant Hot Drop to half a length in the two-year-old race at Hastings on February 27. Jungle is trained by G. ‘W. B. Greene for his breeder, Mr T. C. Lowry.