Good Field For Easter Handicap At Ellerslie

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28553, 5 April 1958, Page 6

Good Field For Easter Handicap At Ellerslie

’’The Press” Special Service .

AUCKLAND, April 4. A thrilling race is in prospect at Ellerslie tomorrow when a fine field of milers will compete in the £4500 Easter Handicap: It seems likely that they will number 25, six less than they were at acceptance time last Friday. The popular fancies are Salaam and Cardinal King. Both have big crowds of admirers and the reports of their training work during the week have kept them to the forefront of discussions on the race.

Salaam is a three-year-old geld- • ing with 7-10, which is 121 b less ; than he would .be asked to carry : at weight-for-age. Cardinal King, i a flve-year-old with fl-5, has 41b more than the standard scale for ■ a mile at this time of the year. ; He is the joint topweight with ; the Te Rapa mare. Royal Cres- i cent . 1 Cardinal King comes from Oamaru, where he is trained by his part-owner, G. Paterson. He . has made by far the longest trip for the race. His tom this 1 season has been consistent, and with the large amount .of offcourse betting which is likely to , be made on his chance, he will very likely be the favourite. : If Cardinal King wins he will be in select company, for except ' Reremoana, in 1926, no five-year- , old has been successful in the ; race with more than 9-5. Sleepy : Fox carried 9-5 when he won in . 1945. Reremoana carried 9-11. ' Many good three-year-olds have i won with more Weight than i Salaam will carry. The most not- ' able were Coleridge (8112), Wan- , dering Ways, a filly (9-0), Kind- ' ergarten (9-11), and Beaupatir i (8-8). Salaam will be riden by the Te Rapa lightweight, W. A. Slnith, and Cardinal King by the Dominion’s leading jockey, W. D. Skelton. who comes from Oamarp. The Easter Handicap will be the first leg of the off-course double. According to his trainer, T. C. Alcock, Supertax will take his place in the field. There was a doubt about Supertax after he worked disappointingly at Pukekohe on Tuesday. Meanwhile, according to his trainer, he has worked well, indicating that he is quite himself again. He wUI be ridden by G. R. Edge who rode him in a trial over five furlongs in Imin 2sec, 40 feet qut from , the rails, at Pukekohe yesterday, i W. J. Mudford.will ride Sup- i reme Court in preference to Khis* ' dar •and J. H.> Hely was engaged ; today for Melanion. If the track remains firm, which seems likely, both of J. L. ! McDonald’s runners, Taboo and , Attila, will run in the Easter i Handicap. Taboo will be scratched only if the ground becomes 1 very soft. His rider will be the stable apprentice H. N. Rauhlhl. ' According to his trainer, G. W. ' B. Greene, Ole, which was a doubtful starter for the President’s Handicap early in the week: will take his place in the field. The Second Leg The President’s Handicap will be the second leg of the offcourse double. Hard Aport, Quid, Robert Kay and Straight Lead are popular candidates for the mile and a quarter race. Hard Aport is a lightweight with 7-9, and he will bfe bracketed with Black Raven (9-9), each being one of a big team prepared at Takaninl for Sir Ernest Davis. Quid and Robert Kay are also light-weight runners, having 7-7, and Straight Lead is near the top with 9-0.

Other important events are the Greet Northern Champagne Stakes, a six-furlong race for two-year-olds, and the Great Northern Oaks. Up and Coming and Marie Brizard are likely .to be the respective favourites. There were a few heavy showers this morning, but 'he weather in the meanwhile has been sunny, with a brisk drying wind. If the present favourable conditions continue, which seems likely, the ground will be near perfect for galloping. Additional riding engagements are:— K. D. Campbell: El Morocco. R. D. Samson: Miss Ngatea. J. W. Harris: Several. P. T. Ryan: Valiant Rose. Indian Mars. P. K. Cathro: Khisdar, Delloch. W. C. Cotter: Red Robe. Selections : 11.15 a.m.—Onslow Stakes: First Division—Stylish Son, Secret Talk. Palos Verdes. Second DivisionTorrid Time. Nimbula, Taiporutu Noon—Mangere Steeples: tmpennatus, Ben Vola. Our Star. 12.50 p.m. Easter Handicap: Salaam. Cardinal King, Atilla. 1.35 p.m.—Brighton Hurdles: Kauri Heart, Nobly Born, High Chancellor. 2.20 p.m.—President's Handicap: Hard Aport, Quid. Robert Kay. 3.5 p.m.—Great Northern Oaks: Marie Brizard. Solar, Froth. 3.45 p.m.—Great Northern Champagne Stakes: Up and Coming. Fountainhead. Carolyn Anne. 4.30 p.m.—Eaen Handicap: Tarry Town. Calibrae. The Chief. The fields, with form, for the off-course double races are:— EASTER HANDICAP, • Of £4500.. One mile.

Brackets: Copernicus and Tawhiao; Attila and Taboo: Sir Valley and Esparto; Indian Man and Able Susan; Fatehpur Sikri and Sagarie. Scratched: Sununersetie. Sambula, Royal Zorra. Spiborough. Sir Valley. PRESIDENT’S HANDICAP, Of £1250. One mile and a .quarter.

Bracket: Black Raven and Hard Aport. Scratched: White Heath, Royal Heritage.

st. lb 4101 Cardinal King (1) . 9 5 4001 Royal Crescent (16) . 9 5 0110 Khisdar (11) . 8 10 2000 Melanioh (10) . 8 10 4200 Supreme Court (27) . 8 10 3030 Big Blow (23) .. . 8 8 1200 Copernicus (20) .. . 8 8 3111 True Bridge (6) .. . 8 *7 2441 Attiltf (16) . 8 6 1003 Bunyarra (2) . 8 3 1414 Taboo (8) , 8 3 1030 Tawhiao (7) .. • • 3

3420 Great Rose (21) . 8 2 2203 Supertax (4) • 8 1 2203 Japonica (5) . 8 0 3100 Royal Jester (30) . 8 0 0030 Solepic (31) . 8 0 1220 Summer Glow (28) . 7 12 2120 Salaam (22) . 7 10 3312 Arran Chief (12) . 7 9 2320 Esparto (1?) .. . 7 4 3301 Windermere (25) •. 7 3 0012 Indian Mars (9) ... * 7 1 0020 Able Susan (13) .70 200 Fatehpur Slkri (24)' . 7 0 1400 Sagarie (19) . 7 0 T’a-

st. lb 3120' Black Haven (18) ..9 9 002 Straight Lead (12) .. 9 0 0311 Ole (6) ’ .. .. 8 10 0002 Daysun (19) ..8 9 4302 Alonsun (4) .. 8 6 2000 Sigur (14) .. 8 S 1030 Revenue (3) . .. .. 8 1 0 Lochgair (10) .. 7 13 3020 Hard Aport (9) .. ..7 9 2020 Whitlora (13) ..7 9 0000 Flying Meteor (7) ..7 7 0000 John Moor (11)' .. ..7 7 0211 Quid (5) - 7 7 1000 Red Robe (17) .. .. 7 7 0024 Robert Kay (1) .. 0003 Royal Ghazlpur (8) 7 7 0000 Starflre (IS) ..7 7