RACING Fair Chance May Win At Auckland

Press, Volume XCV, Issue 28257, 20 April 1957, Page 8

RACING Fair Chance May Win At Auckland

-The Press" Special Service AUCKLAND, April 19. There is a field of great talent, and every prospect of a memorable race in the Easter Handicap, first leg of the double on the opening day of the Auckland Racing Club’s autumn meeting, at Ellerslie tomorrow. Fair Chance is a popular fancy, and the chances of Anyhow, Royal Crescent, India, and Moon Crest are also rated highly. Fair Chance is a six-year-old gelding which two years ago won the Easter Handicap with 9-0. This time he has 9-10. Only Sleepy Fox has won with more weight, and that was as a six-year-old. There were 25 candidates for the £4500 prize, but Belle Time, Great Rose, and Pinnacle Ridge have been scratched, and it seems likely that about 20 horses will survive the final payment of £l5, which is due at the post. Last year, there were 16, and the average number under favourable conditions is about 20. Fair Chance will be ridden by A. Morton, who was on him in 1955, when he won. Morton has also been successful on Fair Chance at Riccarton and Trentham, and he has been closely associated with Fair Chance’s ownertrainer, Mr G. C. Tucker, in the training of the gelding during the last two or three seasons.

If Anyhow is successful it will be because of his finishing run. He may find it hard to match some of the others for early pace in a fastrun mile, but will be running on at the finish.

Supreme Court and Moon Crest are speedsters likely to be prominent right from the start. A careful preparation for the race, has Supreme Court at a high peak of fitness, and Moon Crest gave a glimpse of her readiness when she sprinted brilliantly at Ellerslie on Thursday.

The Second Leg Black Raven and Drowsing may dispute the finish in the second leg, the President’s Handicap, which will be run over a mile and a quarter for £1250.' There is a short run before the first turn,. and Drowsing is one of those drawn near the outside, which may count against him. Black Raven is not much better placed with No. 14 at the start, but if he can take up a reasonable position in the early running he will take beating.

A big attraction, besides the Easter Handicap and the President’s Handicap. will be the Great Northern Champagne Stakes, which is expected to solve the question of two-year-old supremacy this season. Eleven of the 16 acceptors for the race come from Takanini, and three—Count Oman, Young Idealist, and Tawhaio, may be the best.

Yesterday, the weather was brilliantly fine for most of the day, and the course, after rain for a day or two early in the week, rolled out in near-perfect condition for autumn racing. If the fine spell continues fast times should be recorded. pie trainer, J. L. McDonald, said today that Coleridge pleased him Wlth ,a SaH°p yesterday, and he would definitely take his place in the field for the Easter Handicap. He will be ridden by the hurdles jockey, R. J. Turnwald. According to his trainer, C. E. Davis, Peter Willonyx is unlikely to start, and there is also a doubt about Bunyarra. Riding engagements include:— „ R - A - Ba rron: Tups, Love and Kisses. Dorothy Fair, Miss Able. W J. Broughton: Zariba, Coaltown, Young Idealist, Yoga, Smitten. D. F. Cameron: Lady Debra, Lord Abel, Atlas. L. G. Coles: Solepic, High!?r n i S? nd y« Flying Meteor, Alibhai. W. C. Cotter: Pretty Chance, Thomastown, Claim. A. G. Colven: In Town B. E. Craig: Benton. W. Day: Natalie, Columbine.

R. G. Forbes: India, Robert Kav, BeHe Lyn. J. Grylls: Nonda, Marco Fox, Ter Haar, Turkman, Colleen f.® 8 ®- \ Gibbs: Tango Star, J. W. Harris: Moon Crest, Spiborough. Baron Bossier, Runada. B. L. Hillis: Royal Sheik, Shiralee. N. B. Holland: Royal Crescent, Royetta. W. R. Hooton: Marksman, Count Oman. G. E. Hughes: Anyhow, Sir Goodwin, Black Raven, Attila, Lady Avon, Alluring. R. Jury: Biltong, Honest John, O. M. Keenan: Loch Lomond. A. K. Lawrence: Nupla. N. Manning: High Star. I. Medcalfe: Bunyarra, Akenehi, Royal Jester. P. Mohi: Contact Victory. A. Morton: Fair Chance. W. J. Mudford: Passive, Supreme Court, Drowsing, Tarqi, Chutney. K. Nuttall: Kolo, Foxmara. D. J. O’Sullivan: Somain, Supertax. K. A. Old: Pride of York. T. Reynolds: Golden Fox, Jewel Denby. R. D. Samson: Malar. B. Smith: Verve. W. A. Smith: Daysun, Tawhiao, San Diego, Copernicus. R. J. Turnwald: Coleridge, Privateer. A. G. Walsh: Young Isaac, Glenkeith. J. Williamson: Tudo King, Greek Legend. J. F. Grylls: Turkman. Selections:— 11.15 a.m.—Onslow Stakes—First Division: Lady Avon, Yoga, Braemar. Second Division: Royal Jester, Daysun, Nonda. 11.55 a.m.—Great Northern Oaks: Passive, Alluring. 12.40 p.m.—Brighton Hurdles: The McDonough, Arawana, Contact Victory.

1.30 p.m.—Easter Handicap: Fair Chance, Anyhow, Royal Crescent. 2.15 p.m.—Great Northern Champagne Stakes: Count Oman, Young Idealist, Tawhiao. 2.55 p.m.—Mangere Steeplechase: Conkeda, Maioro Bay, Regal Treasure. 3.45 p.m.—President’s Handicap: Black Raven, Drowsing, New York. 4.30 p.m.—Eden Handicap: Robert Kay, Ter Haar, Flying Meteor. Mistake In Handicaps (New Zealand Press Association) AUCKLAND, April 19. The Auckland Racing Club advises that, because of a mistake in handicapping, the President’s Handicap at Ellerslie tomorrow has an incorrect minimum weight. All horses in this race will carry 71b above the weight shown in the racecard. The correct minimum weight for the race is 7-7.