TRIP OFF

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 75, 21 December 1935, Page 18

TRIP OFF

Kindheart and Ellerslie NOTES AND COMMENTS Railway Handicap Prospects (By The Watcher.) Kindheart’s trip to Ellerslie has been cancelled and R. Reed is now free to accept the mount on Wagner in the Great Northern Foal Stakes. Coining Into Favour. Mr. J. S. McLeod’s three-year-old colt Il Duce has galloped e-o well at Hastings lately that he has come, well into favour for his engagement in the Railway Handicap. He will be ridden by H. N. Wiggins. Railway Ride. R. Reed has been engaged for Sinking Fund in the Railway Handicap. Fancied. Rereatu and Prince Acre are not friendless in discussions on the Railway Handicap. Auckland’s Chances. Ellerslie trainers this year hold a more hopeful hand in the cup contest than for several seasons past. Kiltowyn, Kelly, Tybalt and Gay Broney are the local aspirants expected to go to the post and all are getting through their work in excellent style. Corinnx, owned and trained by the late J. Williamson, was the last Auckland Cup winner trained at Ellerslie. He won in 1928. Prior to that one has to go back to the years 1910 and 1911 to find the names of Ellerslie-trained cup winners. In the years mentioned Waimangu and Santa Rosa gave the former Ellerslie trainer G. Absolum the uncommon experience of turning out consecutive winners. All the Placed Horses Again. With Cuddle, Vanestep, Argentic and Fersen all going to Ellerslie the first four horses past the post in the New Zealand Cup will thus be seen in the Auckland Cup. Homo Again. Maine has returned to J. A. Cameron's stable at Hastings after a period in Auckland. She will race at Waipukurau. Staying at Home. F. D. Jones has cancelled arrangements to go to the Manawatu and Wairarapa meetings with Dollar Prince and Bereft. The latter has suffered from slight lameness since racing at Hororata and, as she did not pull up too well after her smart sprint on Tuesday, it was decided not to undertake the trip north. As there was no mate left for Dollar Prince, it was decided to also leave him at home. Jones will thus spend his first Christmas at home for several years. Beneficial. The general rain that has been experienced will be a godsend to racing clubs for the holiday meetings. Tracks do not take long to get hard and the easing of the going that has taken place has corni just at the psychological moment. Uncertain. Though Davietock, Aussie Ra, Glenvane and Courtega figure among the acceptances for the Manawatu meeting, there is as yet no certainty that they will make the trip (reports the ‘‘Taranaki Daily News”). They are also engaged at the Taranaki gathering and no definite plans have been made about their holiday engagements. Courtega has been an unlucky mare lately, as she has filled second place in her last three starts. Fersen. Fersen has worked well at Hawera, and this, combined with the fact that he meets Cuddle 211 b. better than in the New Zealand Cup, has decided his connections to take on the Auckland Cup. Fersen is a useful gelding, and the weight may bring Cuddle baek to him, but it is no certainty. No riding engagement has been made. Improved. The racing allotted Pasha at spring meetings has had a beneficial effect on the Rampion gelding’s condition and be has muscled up nicely during recent weeks (says the “Herald”). In more than one of his races he has shown excellent speed, and with better condition may prove equal to running on further at the . Auckland meeting. A Gentle Opening. . When Marabou.. the Melbourne Cup winner, was led into the sale ring recently. and the auctioneer called for bids, the first came from a woman, who offered 50 guineas. There was a laugh from the crowd as the auctioneer passed over the bargain bid to begin at 2000 guineas. Leading Riders. With one further win at Otaki on Saturday, B. 11. Morris still holds his place as tlie season’s leading horsemau, but L. J. Ellis, who scored two further wins at Hororata, is only one point behind. The three leaders at the moment are: Morris (21), Ellis (20), and’S. Wilson (18). Hti'alier Destroyed. The novice hurdler Olive Smith ended her career at Ri’ccarton on Wednesday. .She was to have accompanied Arctic Star on a round of the schooling hurdles, but in running off at the first jump she collided with a wing post and shattered one of her front logs, necessitating her immediate destruction. Kelly’s Cup Chance. There is no great reason to extol the prospects of'Kelly in the zkuckland Cup after his form this season. As. a three-year-old last season he proved quite a good handicap performer up to a mile and a quarter, and on his form in the classics gave the impression that he was a potential stayer. He was second to Gay Blonde in the Great Northern Derby, beating Sporting Blood and Synagogue, and won the Great Northern St. Leger, again defeating Sporting Blood.' This season Kelly has performed some excellent track gallops, but bis public form has not been up to expectations. In-his last start in the iVlison Cup he fell too early for a line on his form to be ascertained, but he now looks brighter than earlier in the season, and it is possible that he is now on the verge of, a return to his best. If he can reproduce his true form, his cup chance should be by no means remote. Answers to Correspondents, “Chester,” Napier.— (1) £3/1/-. (2) 14/6. (3) £2/5/-. “Nosy,” Wellington.—£B/12/-; £2 13/-. , “Wag,” Palmerston North, and t'Whiskers,” Levin.—State Bank was scratched for the Otaki Hack and the Pukekaraka Hack at 12.25 p.m. on race day. FURTHER ACCEPTORS Oaniaru and Waikouaiti By Telegraph—Press Association. Dunedin, December 20. Country Child (scr.) was omitted in the acceptances from both trots at Waikouaiti and the Waikaura Trot at Oaniaru. Colleen Chenault (36yds.) was omitted from the Waikaura Trot and , Ponty (8.8) from the Trial Stakes at