FIRST DAY AT ELLERSLIE

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27368, 5 June 1954, Page 4

FIRST DAY AT ELLERSLIE

SOLAR MIST CHOSEN FOR HURDLES

TE AWA FAVOURED IN SECOND LEG “The Press” Special Service

AUCKLAND, June 4. Most of the best jumpers in the Dominion will contest the £3500 Great Northern Hurdles at the opening of the Auckland Racing Club’s winter meeting at Ellerslie tomorrow. The course today is in excellent order for this time of the year, and if the weather remains fine, the race should be run at a fast pace. The record is 4min 37sec for this race over two miles and a half and 10 flights. It was set by Esperance Bay in 1941. The best time in the last 10 years was Bramble Song’s 4m in 39 3-ssec in 1946.

Last year’s winner, Coppice, came from Awapuni, and the chances are that the first prize will again go to a visitor. There are seven from outside the Auckland province. The best may be Solar Mist. He is also from Awapuni, and will be ridden by J. P Carter, who was on Coppice last year. The last jockey to win two successive Great Northern Hurdles paces was W Rennie, on Prince Lu and Landmark in 1931 and 1932.

Solar Mist completed his training very satisfactorily for J. J. Waller at Ellerslie on Thursday, though he did nothißg brilliant. He is a plain five-year-old gelding by Lambourn from Solar Metal, raced by Mrs J. Howell and Mr R. E. Johnson. Coppice was fiye last year. Cornishman was a five-year-old when he won the race in 1951.

Cabana, Irish Saint, and Shangola may be Solar Mist’s strongest opponents, and there will probably be good support for Silver Archer. He impressed in a gallop at Ellerslie on Thursday. He will be ridden by a very successful Te Rapa jockey, J. Hely. The double will be on the Great Northern Hurdles and the Cornwall Handicap, run over a mile and a quarter for £2OOO.

There are not many races harder to win than the Cornwall Handicap, because a great deal depends on luck in the early rush for position. If fortune favours them over the early stages, Te Awa and Bretton are likely to dispute the finish. Argument and Fair Town are other good competitors. Big fields will be the order of the day, and they will be of excellent standard. Provision has been made for two divisions in the First Jervois Handicap and the Second Jervois Handicap Brackets are:— First Jervois Handicap: Great Acre and Hutt Valley. Millock and Roberty Bob, Camaree and Contact Victory, Correctly and Eagle Gold, Great Performer and Lord Simon, Northland’s Prince and Pyrometer, Te Kanawa and Terence, Triomphateur and Wrexham. Second Jervois Handicap: Stanlen and Piper Tom, Auld Lang Syne and Steel Grey, Kevin’s Pride and First Loch, Parity and Master Penury, Segwun and Royal Festival, Wigwam and Trench Maid. Great Northern Hurdles l Cotswold and Commission. Cornwall Handicap: Command Performer snd Santiago, Refreshing and Silverdine, Brcnze Sailor and Merrywa. Selections are:— 11 a.m.—First Jervois Handicap: First Division—Lucky Admiral, Pontoon, Narvik. Second Division—Rebound, Armed, Roberty Bob. $1.45 a.m.—Green Lane Steeplechase: Great Power, Oklahoma, Golden Brown. 12.20 p.m.—Second Jervois Handicap: First Division—Belle Serein, Mohana, Trismar. Second Division—Keneu, Nikiatu. Piper Tom. 1.25 p.m.—Great Northern Hurdles: Solar Mist, Cabana, Irish Saint. 2.10 pan.—Penrose Hurdles: Jutland, Bhikoo, Snowflash. 3 p.m.—Cornwall Handicap: Te Awa, Bretton, Argument. 3.45 p.m.—Hunt Hurdles: Mildara, Snowflash, Tudor King. 4.30 pan.—Members’ Handicap: Crusoe Bay, Emphatic, Highland Sandy.