CLASS IS GOOD

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 299, 14 September 1937, Page 17

CLASS IS GOOD

Present Season’s Three-year-olds

NOTES AND COMMENTS

Cerne Abbas Rehandicapped

(By

The Watcher.)

Though the spring campaign has only just started, the three-year-olds have already demonstrated that there is some first-class material in those of that age and there will be keen racing tor classic honours later on.

Cerne Abbas. Cerne Abbas will now come strongly into favour for the Avondale Cup. It was the opinion of her trainer that she was still short of a good gallop at A> anganui, but a rather slow run race enables her to get within striking distance early and she finished strongly. Sim will be improved for her racing in Auckland.

Royal Chief. . Royal Chief’s success in the At anganul Guineas was decisive and he now looks well in the sprint race on the first day of the-Avondale meeting, for which he cannot be rehandicapped. The field there is a big one and Royal Chief io a slow beginner so that he cannot be regarded as having an option on the race, but at the same time the long run borne will be to his advantage. Royal Chief came home exceptionally well at the oyd of Satinday’s mile and there is little doubt that he will stay at least the Derby distance. The fact that he is by Chief Ruler may prejudice some people against him over a distance, but he has the build ana conformalion of the stayer and it would be difficult to get better credentials from his dam’s side, Modiste II being by Franklin from Vogue, by Tracery—Charmeuse. by St. Frusquin—Fairy Martin, by Martagon.

Will Improve. Though beaten on Saturday, neither Icing nor Haughty Winner were outclassed and both are likely to make substantial improvement with _ the advance of the season. Haughty Winner cut out a great pace over the first half, and was still fighting it out at the right end, and Irin" would have been harder to beat with a little better luck in the early running. Both these three-year-olds should win plenty of races during the season.

Worth ’Watching. . A colt who impressed with hie finishing run in the Guineas was The Crooner, and ho will be well worth watching for the , future. It was his first run since last season and he is bound to improve. As a two-year-old he stuck ou well in his races and, with longer journeys shortly to be negotiated, he promises to provide solid opposition. He is a half-brother to the sneedv Symconv but his sire,. Nigger Minstrel, ’ appears to have supplied the requisite dash of stamina and his dam is a half-sister to Catalan!, the dam of Paleta, Catalogue and Hunting Cat.

Protector had every chance in the Debutante Stakes at Wayganui, jumping away two lengths clear in the first .<0 yards. He is bound to improve, but it was not the performance of a colt of real class. She is Good.

Seldom has a two-year-old run so •n-cenly as Minga did on Saturday and she also appeared to suffer from extreme nervousness. With experience she will improve and it will not be surprising to find her later on in the first flight of this season’s youngsters. The Desert Gold Blood.

Mr T. IT. Lowry’s maiden winner, White Gold, created a very favourable impression by her form on Saturday. She really won with a great deal in hand and promises to become a worthy member of a distinguished family. She is by Hunting Song from Pure Gold, Hie dam of Gold Trail and Desert Chief. Pure Gold being by Psychology from Desert Gold. There is no need to emphasise the quality of this pedigree. Boomerang for North.

Might and Free Gold have returned home from Wanganui but Boomerang has bben sent up to Auckland to contest the Avondale Cup. A Good Colt.

Surmount, the winner of the first two-year-old race of the season, was purchased by Mr. C. AV. Boyd at the same time as he bought Tidewaiter, so both horses have now returned something toward their outlav. Surmount is a well-grown colt by Surveyor out of Cometary, and, though he appeared to have a good deal on his opponents as regards condition, his showing indicated that he should win plenty of races. It is unlikely that he will be seen out again until the Wellington meeting next month. Surmount comes of n well known family, his dam. Cometary, being by Day Comet from The Boyne, a Alerriwee mare, half-sister to Rewi I’oto and Prince Rufus. Other immediate branches of the family have also been successful. Nereus. An error was made in describing Nereus as a maiden on Saturday. He has won a couple of races in his own district. Both he and Lord Hereford are sound and in racing condition and the reason for their sale is that 11. S. Greene has an over-full stable.

A Veteran Champion. Lough Neagh’s seven-furlong, record at Randwick on Saturday is a fitting climax to a great career. He is now nine years old and has raced consistently for several seasons in his own Sti-tc, Queensland, and also in New South Males and Victoria. Lough Neagh is topweight in the Metropolitan Handicap with 9.5. Lough Neagh in running 1.23 broke Turbines previous record, also at Randwick, by isec. Returned Home. H Cutts has returned home with Haughty Winner and Great Memory.

Cerne Abbas Penalised. As a result of her victory in the Alarangai Handicap at Wanganui on Saturday Cerne Abbass has been rehandicapped Gib. for the Avondale Cup, making her weight 7.8.

Answers to Correspondents. “Pet,” Petone: Approximately 4.08. ‘‘lnterested,’’ Lower Hutt: (1) Two years in Australia. (2) Ellerslie.