RACING Main Ohinemuri Races Will Point To Auckland Cup Form Horses

Press, Volume XCIV, Issue 28150, 13 December 1956, Page 4

RACING Main Ohinemuri Races Will Point To Auckland Cup Form Horses

The main races at the Ohinemuri Jockey Club’s meeting at Paeroa on Saturday hold special interest because some of the horses in them are the early favourites for the Auckland Cup on December 26. Llanisfair, top weight in the Freyberg Cup, will firm in favour for the Auckland Cup if he runs well; and a sound run can be expected if he has held his form since winning the Auckland Cup Trial under 8-2 on December 1.

Llanisfair beat all but Tesla in the Auckland Cup last year. He carried 8- and has one pound more this year. Fox Myth and Cardigan, two early favourites for the Auckland Cup, will meet at weight-for-age in the Queen Elizabeth Plate at the Ohinemuri meeting. The distance is one mile and a quarter, over which Somerset Fair may shade both of them. Last season. Fox Myth carried 9-6 into third place in the Auckland Cup. then won the Wellington Cup under 9- about three weeks later. Fox Myth has raced six times, four times this season, since the Wellington Cup. without improving his winning record. Two starts back he was third of four runners in the Foxbridge Plate, but a week later he lost any chance he might have held as a sprinter in the Franklin Plate by refusing to jump away with the others. Fox Myth has had a very good Cup preparation, but his race-form between now and December 26 will determine his place in public favour at Ellerslie. Cardigan made an encouraging start over two miles in the New Zealand Cup this year, finishing third behind Jimmy Flash and Column. He could not muster race-winning speed towards the end and finished nearly three lengths behind the winner, but the race was soundly run. and it was considered that Sir Willoughby Norrie's Ruthless gelding would have been all the better for another race in his cup preparation. A week later, Cardigan earned a handsome consolation prize by winning the Metropolitan Handicap, run over one mile and a half. A good run through from behind the leaders enabled him to establish a lead Jimmy Flash could not bridge. The consistent Column was third.

Cardigan is four, and one of the youngest horses in the Auckland Cup field. He should still be at the improving stage, and if he can meet the peculiar demands set by the Ellerslie two-miler, few should beat him if the track is firm.

Marsden’s Cup Chances Marsden, another Queen Elizabeth Plate candidate, is another young stayer certain to be strongly-supported for the Auckland Cup if she completes her preparation satisfactorily. She had to miss the New Zealand Cup because of a seasonal complaint, but had a well-earned win in the Canterbury Cup. That performance brought her info high favour for the Metropolitan Handicap, but misfortune at the start, where she straddled a stall, and during the race, cost her what appeared to be a bright chance. Marsden stays well, and with better luck her record for the season would read better, good though it is. She is in the Auckland Cud with 8-3, and strengthens the possibility of the winner coming from the middle of the handicap, where Cardigan is also to be found.

The Orari-trained Column will have only one race in the North Island before the Auckland Cup—against the sprinters at Avondale next week. But he is well seasoned, and his very consistent form since his entry into open company is justification for high hopes in the Auckland Cup. Eleven other acceptors for the Auckland Cup have engagements on Saturday. Nine of them, including Coleridge and Big Blow, will run at the Ohinemuri meeting, and Clinker and Zohov have engagements at Levin.

Early in the season it was announced that Coleridge would be specially prepared for the Auckland Cup. He lost many intending supporters by failing disappointingly in the Te Awamutu Cup. He has 71b less at Ellerslie, but his distance limitations have been fairly well established by now, and two miles, run in earnest from the start, will probably set a task too formidable for J L. McDonald’s brilliant galloper. Plans for Silver King For personal reasons the Wingatui owner-trainer, D. J. McDonald, cancelled his arrangements for Silver King to race in the Auckland Cup. The Royal Chief eight-year-old has been nominated for the Dunedin Cup meeting and the North Otago circuit. The new arrangement will facilitate the handling of McDonald’s team during the holidays, as Count Aven. Lucky Dewar, and Royal Pal will also be racing at southern meetings.

Northern Campaign The Riccarton-trained hack Believe Me may do his holiday racing at the Wairarapa meeting. He is booked to travel north next Monday, and if he makes the trip he will be ridden in his engagements by W. Hanlin. R. E. Humphries will transfer other members of his team to Washdyke for holiday race meetings. Water Boy, Equipage. Hunt the Slipper, and Divorcee will probably race at the South Canterbury meeting. FalstafT, Gay Romeo, and Midray

will also be quartered at Washdyke. FalstafT is a four-year-old Defaulter gelding from Falsgrave, and is a halfbrother to Direct Passage, a winner for Falstaff’s owner. Mr A. Burke. The four-year-old Cassock gelding Gay Romeo is a half-brother to Lord Rowallan and the W.R.C. Thompson Handicap winner, Saga King. He showed no form in five starts last season.

In Steady Work Mighty Dollar, which was threatened with a breakdown in September, has been getting through useful tasks at Wingatui. though it is doubtful whether he will be far enough forward to contest the Publicans’ Handicap on the first day of the Dunedin Cup meeting. Mighty Dollar has been given a light stud season, but his connexions are hopeful of another racing campaign for this brilliant sprinter. Last season Mighty Dollar won the James Hazlett Gold Cup on his home track and the Thompson Handicap at Trentham. He was taken to Ellerslie for the Auckland Easter meeting, but did not gallop freely on the righthanded track and injured a front joint. The trouble recurred during a gallop several weeks later, and it was thought then that to prepare him for racing would be to risk a complete breakdown.

NOMINATIONS

OAMARU CLUB Nominations for the Oamaru Jockey Club’s meeting on December 31 are:— TRIAL STAKES, of £200: two and three-year-olds: six furlongs.—Egotist, Mercenary Beau, Kaikuri, Jesse Owens, Sir Edwin, Golden Miller, The Mint. Waua. Ulipses, Brown Treasure, Red Cirque, Madam Christine, Tonker, Heath, Red Lance, Drifting By, Ton Trip, Golden Denomic, Pink Rose, Gay Kinena, Gay Tommie, Terra Cotta, Conine Maris, Abou Ben Adhem, Darenal, Come On Boy, Compensate, Keith’s Luck, You Beauty, Sands of Time, Frasco, Matu-

ALTA VADY HACK HANDICAP, of £225; six furlongs.—Egotist, Mercenary Beau. Rendova, Bottine, Sir Edwin, Regal Arch, Looking Forward, Barbara’s Treasure, Gay King, Rio Maree, Water Boy, FalstafT, Tonker, Red Lance, Red Peak, Patriona, Field Dress, Pink Rose, Arosa, Lady Verona, Larboard Watch, Our Lorraine, Kansas, Teal, Appreciate, Kotiti, Sands of Time, Renway, The Wanderer, Whistling Thru, Lucky Dewar.

PUKEURI HIGH-WEIGHT HANDICAP, of £225; one mile and a quarter.—King Robin, Artful King, Relinquish, Hunt the Slipper, Tour de Force, Merrimayes, Ngahuia, Gold Ray, Incredible, Gallant Peter, Royal Glen. Rex Robe.

PRESIDENT'S! HANDICAP, of £565; one mile and a quarter.—Bon Soir, King Robin, Royal Warrant, Princess Neptune, Russleigh, Humber Hawk, Relinquish, Rio Negro, Fulgent, Merrimayes, Desert Cloud, Pack Drill, Tess, County Fermanagh, Canasta, Motueka, Curtain Raiser, Royal Voyage, Whipsnade, Gallant Peter, Loyal Chief, Mundus, Silver King. WESTON HANDICAP, of £200; seven furlongs.—Bonny Pippin. Willie Wolseley,

Rendova, Bottine, Rathlin, Red Cirque, Vestment, Pelota, Divorcee, Astore, Drifting By, King Lyn, Beau Revere. Armadale Boy, Tribal Maid, Royal Gothic, Picture Card.

WAITAKI HACK HANDICAP, of £250; one mile.—Kaikuri, Strada, King’s Song, Lammas, Sky Rider, Mark Seven, Willie Wolseley, Cuban, De Bracey, Gay King, Rathlin, Breecia, Rio Maree, Equipage, Tour de Force, Franchea, Santee, Ngahuia, Patriona, Beau Chat. Tamarisk. Gold Ray, Aleppo. Old Professor, CillDara, Abou Ben Adhem, Teaka, Red Elf. Hay Time, Appreciate, Gallant Peter Rhythmonic, Prince Ermine, Treasure Pond. Royal Vai. FLYING HANDICAP, of £300; six furlongs.—Princess Neptune, Copperfield, Dellar, Rio Negro, Fulgent, Teko, Pack Drill, Leprechaun, Tess, Red Admiral, i Motueka, Prince Filou, Whipsnade, Tam- | rin, Algiers.

FAREWELL HACK HANDICAP, of £230; seven furlongs.—Tarbillon, Willie Wolseley, Rendova, Barbara’s Treasure, De Bracey, Cuban, Dellar, Water Boy, Divorcee, Fanchea, Heath, Lord Fane, Acquarius, Duel, Sir Chat, Gay Tommy, Appreciate, Red Elf, Hay Time, Grey Light. Whistlin’ Thru. Count Aven.