THE RACING WORLD

Dominion, Volume 25, Issue 91, 12 January 1932, Page 11

THE RACING WORLD

FIELDS AT FOXTON Trentham Tracks First-class NOTES AND COMMENTS (By “The Watcher.”) Acceptances for the annual meeting of the Ashhurst-Pohangina Racing Club, to be held on January 22, will close tonight at nine o’clock. The telegraph office at Ashhurst closes at 8 p.m. Acceptances for the summer meeting of the Wellington Racing Club, to be held on January 20, 22, and 23, will close to-morrow at 0 p.m. The Hawke’s Bay apprentice V. Weston, who is riding successfully at . the present time, will be in the saddle at the Foxton meeting. A parade of the yearlings to be sold at the national sales next week will be held on Sunday afternoon at Trentham. Considering, that Foxton nominations were not up to expectations, the acceptances received for the opening day of the annual meeting to-morrow are .very good. One or two of the fields may be small on the day, as there are several dual engagements, but on the whole the day’s sport promises to be well up to the average. The heavy rain on Sunday night greatly benefited the Trentham tracks. They are much easier than usual for this period of the year, and even if no more rain falls prior to next week’s meeting the going will not have the “bone” in it that is generally experienced at the summer fixture. This state of affairs will be “welcomed By .trainers, Mr. W. McA. Duncan will be attempting to win his second Foxton Cup tomorrow with Ruanui. Back in 1912 Mr. “Wiri Tokena’s” Midian won by three lengths. Racegoers will remember a few years back a couple' of smart sprinters in Deroulede and Bonideer racing I around the district meetings.- A half-brother to them, Acrelict, by Acre, will make his appearance in tfie Novice Stakes at Foxton to-morrow. He is owned by Mr. W. Keay and trained at Porirua by D. Prosser. Overdue. The win of Rational II at Greymouth on Saturday was long overdue.

It was his first success since the Douro‘ Cup two years ago. He has often shown form since, but he has taken a long time to come right. Rational II was sold by Mr. C. Boyle last August to Mr. P.' Thorpy, of Greymouth, and is now trained at Ricearton by W. McDonald. A. Fine Record. . ' ■ • Mr. W. 'Kirklan’s useful gelding Tenacre, who will race at Foxton this week, has a great record on the course.' He won a double in 1929, * won twice in i the one day in 19.10, and was third the second day, and last year he won on the flat the first day and took the hurdle race ou the second day. Foxton Race Times. Race times at Foxton to-morrow are .as follow: — Hurdles Noon ■ Novice Stakes 12.40 Himitangi Handicap .. 1,20 Cup .2.5 Anniversary Handicap . 2.50 Carnarvon Handicap .. 3.30 Herrington Handicap .. 4.15 Foxton Novice Stakes. Weights for the Novice Stakes at Foxton to-morrow are:—Three-year-olds and upwards. 8.5; two-year-olds, 7.7; no allowances. There are no two-year-olds in, so the field, with weights carried, is as follows:—

WELLINGTON CUP ; Analysis of the Handicap STAR STRANGER’S RECORD (By “The Watcher.”) Four years ago Star Stranger established a Trentham weight-carrying record in winning the Wellington Cup under 9.8, and with Achilles, who won with 9.4, they are the only horses that have carried 9st. or over to success since the race was run on the present course. Next to them comes Concentrate’s 8.10, and on the.average the records show that the medium weighted horses and the lightweights have been too good for the top of the handicap. It is a fair indication that Gay Crest, for all his good and consistent form, will have his work cut out to .win with 9.6. Admiral Drake, 7.8, beat him in the Auckland Cup, and in the Racing Club Handicap, run over the same distance as the Wellington Cup, he carried 9.5 and was beaten by Compris 8.8, Great Star 7.7 being third, and Admiral Drake 8.13, unplaced. His win over Bronze Eagle at weigh t-for-age on the third day at ten furlongs, should not be over-emphasised, despite the race record time. He had only two opponents, so the bustle and scramble of a big handicap was absent. Of more importance in dealing with his prospects in a race like the Wellington Cup would seem to bo the fact that he failed to win in handicap company- at Auckland. As so much of the Auckland form is contained in the Wellington Cup, it might be as well to set out the respective weights there during the course of the meeting, and compare them with Wellington. They are as . follow: —

Gay Crest was second in both handicaps; Compris was third in the Cup, unplaced in the Summer Cup, for which he was favouritewon the R.C. Handicap, and fourth in the Grandstand Handicap. Lady Pam was unplaced in her only start. , . Admiral Drake won the Cup, was second in the Summer Cup, and unplaced in the Racing Club Handicap. Great Star was unplaced in the Cup, unplaced in the sprint the second day. third in the. Racing Club Handicap, and •won the .Grandstand Handicap. Jaloux was unplaced in the Cup. won the Summer Cup. and was second in the Grandstand Handicap, which he was generally considered unlucky to lose. Peter Jackson was fourth in the Cup. second in the Derby on R.C. Handicap

Day, and third in the Grandstaud Handicap. Consistent Form. It will be seen that all the form was wonderfully consistent, with Admiral Drake's decline as the meeting advanced, just as at the New Zealand Cup meeting. ; Summed up, they started and finished

On performances the horses that come in nicely here are Gay Crest and Jaloux, and the latter will be preferred at the weights they now have to carry. Of Compris, Great Star, and Peter Jackson, Great Star has been kept more on the safe’side. Other Runners. Returning to other runners, Arrow Lad won the Manawatu Cup with 8.0, Lady Pam 9.0 second, and Spearful 8.1 third. Spearful won with 8.3 the second day over a mile and a quarter, with Arrow Lad, 9.2, unplaced. Arrow Lad, 8.13, won the Wairarapa Cup from, Spearful, 8.10. Their weights in the Wellington Cup are 8.2 and 7.9 respectively. Spearful has a pull of 41b. compared with their last meeting. All things considered, Arrow Lad is not badly in at 8.2, though on Manawatu form neither is Lady Pam, who now meets him 71b. better. Lady Pam’s progress has been checked by her poisoned leg, but, produced at her best, she is likely to be dangerous. It will all depend upon how she gets on in the interval. Esteem had 7.0 in the Manawatu Cup, but he never entered into calculations as he got badly left. However, he finished ninth, and on the second day was third in the Stakes to Cimabue and Cricket Bat. This was a good performance, as he carried 8.5 J and was less than two lengths from the winner, finishing on strongly. He won the Marton Cup under 7.2). He would appear to be a good prospect at Wellington with 7.0. In estimating the chances of Esteem and Peter Jackson, however, it is as well to remember that they are three-year-olds, and Rapine, who carried 7.12, is the only winner of that age since the race was run at Trentham.

Shrewd was unplaced in the Manawatu Cup with 7.2, unplaced the second day with 7.4, and won the third day with 7.2, the opposition being considerably weaker. He failed in the Wairarapa Cup with 7.7, and was third on the second day with 7.3. He does not read as a good prospect.

Monalof raced very consistently on the Taranaki circuit. He was second in the Christmas Handicap with 7.7, and won the next day with 7.10. At Stratford he was third in the Cup with 7.3 and second the next day with 7,"5. It is hardly Wellington Cup standard. Nea Lap created a big surprise by defeating Fiji on the opening day at Auckland, and she was third the next day, also over a’ mile, with 9.5. On the last day she was unplaced with 8.3, also at eight furlongs. It was all in hack company, but still she has 7.2 as against Esteem on the minimum, so her defeat of Fiji apparently impressed Mr. Coyle. Her form is not consistent, but at her best she might run well. Cluny cleaned up the handicaps at Waipukurau and Hastings, but the value of the form was not great, and he has been let in at the minimum. This leaves the' other southerners. Black Duke, Royal Saxon and Royal Love. Royal Duke. 9.0, was unplaced in the Otago Handicap, ten furlongs, won by Royal Saxon, 8.8, and on the second day Royal Saxon was unplaced in the six furlongs under 9.2. Royal Saxon, 9.o,"and Black Duke, 8.12, were both unplaced in the Invercargill Cup, and on the second day over the same journey, one mile and a quarter, Black Duke, 8.11, was second, and Royal Saxon, 8.12, was fourth. Black Duke, 7.9, at Wellington, concedes Royal Saxon 61b. They both have excellent prospects so far as weight goes. Black Duke is a winner at a mile and a half, while Royal Saxon's limit so far is ten furlongs. We have probably seen ths best of both these horses, as they are in the aged class, but as already mentioned they have been given their chance so far as handicaps are concerned. Royal Love’s performances do not make him a good prospect. He was a winner at Geraldine early in the spring, when he beat Compris, being in receipt of 241 b. Jaloux beat him at Akaroa when in receipt of 11b, and the New Zealand Cup meeting saw Compris leave him far behind in the matter of improvement. He appeared again at Waikouaiti on New Year’s Day, running third to the dead-heaters Martian Chief and Full Feather. Consistent Compris. Taken all through the season the vote must go to Compris as the most consistent handicap performer. A fine race in both the New Zealand and Auckland Cups saw him win a double at Riccarton on the succeeding days, and also ■the most important handicap at Ellerslie. His form is one reason why Lady Pam must have a chance if she recovers her form. Revert to the Metropolitan Handicap at Riccarton. Lady Pam. 9.2, ran Compris. 8.6, to a neck three lengths clear of all the others. She was second to another good form horse. Arrow Lad. ’ in the Manawatu Cup, and her failure at Auckland was primarily due to her leg trouble. There is an acceptance to-night which may clarify the issue somewhat, but at the present moment one feels inclined toward Lady Pam and'Jaloux.

Headland ... S 5 Aerelict .... 8 S Chief Clerk .. 8 o Sir Butler .. 8 5 Bright Song 8 5 Arastar .... 8 5 Kalrnuk .... 8 5 Monladdo 8 f) Paioneone .. 8 5 Star Acre .. 8 5 Master Lady Vcstalls 8 5 Arausio 8 5 Pahlko 8 u

ft •U ft o ft Q w *5 a « g O S . S st o •CQ O 2m. 11m. IJm. lim. 11m. Gay ■ Crest .... 11.0 — <j.;> — 0.0 Co m pr is 8.8 8.11 8.8 9.4 9.0 Lady Pam .... 0.1 8.9 Admiral Drake . '7.8 8.7 8.13 __ »8 Great Star ... 7.1) • —— 7 7 7.13 7.8 Jaloux ■ ** T M __ 8.0 7.8 Peter Jackson . 7.0 — — 7.10 7.5

the meeting as follows: — Wins Seconds thirds Wgton. rise Gay Crest .... 1 — Gib. Compels .... Admiral Drake 1 — 1 fllb. 1 1 — 141b. Great Star .... 1 —— 1 81b. Jalonx 1 1 —— Gib. I J eter Jackson 1 1 51b.