TADPOLE IN FAVOUR EARLY FOR NORTHERN

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28906, 28 May 1959, Page 4

TADPOLE IN FAVOUR EARLY FOR NORTHERN

'The Press' Special Service

AUCKLAND, May 27. The attention being given the candidates in their training suggests that by the time the field is at the post early on Saturday afternoon interest' in the Great Northern Hurdles will be at an extraordinary high peals Tadpole is an early .favourite, and Nupla, Glengairn, aid Dunray also have their admirfers. As well ds being the principal event on the first day of the Auckland Racing Club’s winter meeting the Great Northern Hurdles will be the first. leg of the T.A.B. double. The course is two miles and a half over 10 flights. It is hardly ever run successfully by a moderate, and the indications are that whatever wins this time will need to put on a performance out of the ordinary. A four-year-old gelding by Columcille from Denray, Tadpole comes from Invercargill where he is owned and trained by Mr W. E. Hazlett. Probably he will be the youngest competitor in the race because . Mahuta, the other four year old acceptor, is expected to start in the Penrose Hurdles instead. Versatile Evidently miles above the class of his opponents. Tadpole has been a remarkably versatile and successful performer in his home district in the last five or six months. In 11 attempts since the beginning of December ,he has finished first nine times and gained a fourth. When he ran unplaced at his last start he slipped and fell. For being wrongfully entered Tadpole was subsequently disqualified for two of his wins and the fourth placing. They were on the flat in the hack class. Four of his other wins were over hurdles the latest on January 3. with 11-10. In the meantime he has been successful over country. Tadpole looks good and thorough fit, and he delighted his supporters with a skilful display over hurdles on the course proper at Ellerslie on Tuesday. Four-Year-Old Winners If Tadpole wins he will be the first South Island visitor to do so since 1941 when Esperance Bay was successful for Mr T. C. N. Ball of Blenheim, and he will join a very select group of four-year-old winners in the big race. In recent time victory has been won by six, seven, and eight-year-olds, and in the last 25 years the only winners of Tadpole’s age have been Paul <19501 and Royalcille <19521. When Paul won he carried 9-6, which is lib less than Tadpole's handicap. Rovalcille was a lightweight with 9-0. A smallish bay gelding by Revela-

tion from Maid of The Air, Nupla is one of five seven-year-olds in the race, and Dunray and Glengairn are six-year-olds of which there are seven in the field.

The seven-year-olds besides Lochgair and Nupla, are Lord Pilate, Macbeth, and Be Fair, and the other six-year-old candidates are Solepic, Beau Teal. Contract, County, and Insignus. Nupla xlid not try the Northern last year, but he won twice the next week over a half-mile shorter course in the Remueia Hurdles and the Campbell Hurdles Since being rested for the summer he has had four starts. The latest was in, the Taupo Jumpers’ Flat, a mile and a quarter .and 180 yards, at Rotorua, on Saturday, and the one before was in the Waikato Hurdles, two miles, on May 2, when he came fourth. He was fourth also at Rotorua.

Nupla improved with the racing at Te Rapa, ana he most likely took further benefit from last weeks run. Being quick tor a jumper, Nupla will probably run the Northern course near the front. So will Glengairn. On the other hand Dunray is likely u> give ground .for the first mile or so if the pace is hard, and if he wins it will be more than likely through his ability to run the last couple of furlongs better than his opponents. Won Over Country

Lately Dunray has been turned to steeplechasing with success, and he scored easily with 10-13 over three miles of the Rotorua country last week-end. The peak of his form over the lighter fences was when he won the Winter Hurdles, about two miles and a qua iter, at Trentham last July. That was with 9-2.

Last year ne ran third in the Great Northern Hurdles with 9-0, and this time he has 9-10. which is also Nupla's, weight. . The fust two in the handicap are Meresun (11-0) and Lochgair (10-8). and the next is In Town (10-2). The first two in the handicap are Meresun (11-0) and Lochgair (10-8). and the next is In Town (10-2). Wigwam is a notable candidate near the middle with 9-9, and Glengairn is a light-weight with 9-0. Lochgair won the Great Northern Hurdles las: year, and he will attempt a double only twice so far achieved in the race, by El Gallo (1915-18) and Solar Mist (1954-5), so his assignment looks pretty big. What makes it more difficult is that he nas not raced much over hurdles lately, and altogether he has had only three starts this year. Last week Lochgair made a determined finish for third behind Glengairn and County in the Taupo Jumpers Flat. Meresun ran unplaced; but he has done well in the meantime, and there seems a very good chance that he will arrive at the post on Saturday quite close to bis best. He won the Great Northern Hurdles in 1957 with 9-0 after outrunning his opponents through the wet ground. A aark brown gelding by Midday Sun from Debonair, Glengairn has met with considerable success over hurdles in the hack class, but he has yet lo try open company over fences

The last time he raced' over hurdles was on May 16 at Te Rapa, when he ran prominently with the steadier of 11-0 until the last furlong or so. In the end he came about seventh. The previous time he was a very close second behind Lord Pilate in the St. Heliers Hack Hurdles, a mile and three-quarters and 60 yards, at Ellerslie on March 30. Glengairn s preparation has been well timed, as well as being a free galloper, he generally jumps safely, so his prospects look bright.