MANAWATU RACES

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 153, 25 March 1938, Page 17

MANAWATU RACES

Good Horses To Meet In Gold Cup Event FIELDS FOR TO-DAY form And Prospects Reviewed

(BY

THE WATCHER.)

Good -fields are carded for the opening of the Manawatu Racing Club’s autumn meeting at Awapuni to-day and, With the weather apparently set fair, the club should have a successful fixture. There has been recent rain and the going will be fn first-class order. The second day will be held to-morrow. The main attraction to-day will be the Awapuni Gold Cup, at weight-for-age, in Which there Will be another clash between the leading three-year-olds, Royal Chief and Smoke Screen, with opposition from the Older division such as Stretto, Oratory and Siegmund. This race should provide a really outstanding contest, well up to some of the great ones principal handicaps are the King George and the J. M. Johnston Memorial, both of which have drawn good fields. Trentham form is well represented throughout the card and should provide a fait line on prospects. Betting will be on the single pool (75-25) system. Recent form among the hurdlers suggests good races from Bing Boy, Cletrac, Iddo, Hirangi and Kentucky Song, and it will be interesting to see how Ruaform shapes in his first race of the season. He has not run.since his appearance at Wanganui in June and bis last win was at Egmont 13 months ago. Sunee is a likely customer, and if Cletrac has built up to his best form he will be prominent. There is a large and rather unwieldy field in the Autumn Plate and, although there is a straight run of three furlongs down the back before they come to the turn, post positions will count. Most of the runners have raced and shown form of moderate standard, but there are some unknown quantities. Of those who have been in races recently, Autosweep was not too fortunate at Wellington the first day and may do better. Fafner has run well at Taranaki meetings and Gay Hunting is due. Scarf Dance, Trilitha, Golden Pam and Twilight Song, have also been shaping like early winners. Golden Pam and Scarf Dance were in the places behind Sigutd at Wanganui. "Another big field will parade in the Woodhey Hack Handicap, in which the top four in the handicap will be fancied. Others whose form warrants consideration are Phalanx, a winner of two races in Canterbury during the spring, Conversion, Ambition, Amoroso and Dancing Flame. Wellington form will probably be__the most attractive to backers in the King George Memorial Handicap. Catalogue is entitled to most consideration, but both Arctic King and Brazen King are liable tn improve. Master Cyklon must a good chanee, as he seldom runs it bad race and he beat Lucullus Lad at Pahiatua. Since then Lucullus Lad has Won at Carterton, and h e will be a wellfancied runner to-day. Hunting Cat has not won since early spring, and on form Master Cyklon should finish in front of him. Francis Drake failed to run out a mile at Wellington, and he does not greatly appeal over the longer journey, but if a change of tactics was tried and

he was ridden in behind he might surprise. The difficulty with lightweights is to get suitable jockeys, but the form of Old Surrey, Hunting Queen, Play Ou, and Roaming ifc good enough to give them chances. Catalogue is a certain starter in this event. Wellington form again stands out in the two-year-old race, and all three topweights—lvar, Russian Ballet, and Rakalian’ga—will carry money. Improvers should be Brazil, Rehearsal, and Dunmanway, and Dnchma appeals as likely to do a lot better with experience. Rehearsal impressed in his only race so far, and. ns he will have the services of L. J. Ellis, he may be troublesome to more seasoned opponents. As the weight-for-age scale favours the young horses when they are good, backers are not likely to stray far from the form of Royal Chief and Smoke Screen. So far it would appear that Royal Chief is slightly superior over the distance, but Smoke Screen showed convincing form at Wellington and he may be the actual favourite. Neither is out of the wood with Stretto on their trail. Stretto is first class, and it would be no surprise to see her equal to beating both her younger rivals. , , „ . There is a useful and an even field in the J. M. Johnston Memorial Handicap, with nothing particularly outstanding as regards class. Repetition of Wellington form would see Alunga and Debham very prominent, but on previous racing they have no advantage over such as Race Call, Clessamor, Dancing Lady. Notium, and Aureus. Silvanus atid Great Hope should be two lightweight possibilities. Hacks in the concluding event with form prospects are Conveyor, Nereus, Amatory, Student Prince, Galteemore, and Royal Choice, and one or two of the lightweights might be good enough. The following horses may be supported in tlieir engagements:— Karere Hurdles: Bing Boy and Cletrac. Autumn Plate: Fafner and Trilitha. Woodhey Hack Handicap: Majority and Conversion. King George Handicap: Catalogue and Master Cyklon. Cloverlea Nursery Handicap: Rakahanga and Rehearsal. Awapuni Gold Cup: Stretto and Royal Chief. J. M. Johnston Memorial Handicap: Debham and Notium. Te Matai Hack Handicap: Galteemore and Royal Choice. The card is as follows

Winner Off the Card. Cocksure, who was omitted from the original telegraphed list ? £ acc ®P to f rs the Oamaru meeting, gained his fourth success this season, out of seven starts. A Bad Sign. Nocturnus did not show much dash in his race at Oamaru and as he was lame afterward bis future prospects do not at present appear very bright. The Masquerader. The Masquerader returned to at Oamaru on Wednesday after an absence of nearly three and a half years He won the Great Easter Handicap in 133'1 when in T. Lloyd’s stable. He is now trained by J. C. Tomkinson. and has been entered for the Great Easter this year. Bred in 1930 by Mr. G M. Currie, by Limond from Cowl, .. thcr j fo T® Imlf-brother to Rational Cl k„ Isinglass, Monastic and others, ihe Mas querader was bought as a yearling by • M G. Louisson, Christchurch; for 310 guineas. For Dr. Louisson he won prize-money totalling £91)0/10/-. Changed Positions. Rabble put up a solid ’ fight against Dracula at Oamaru on Wednesday, after Mying the latter an appreciable break turning for home Dracula s < * ar g vantage was mainly due to his alertness in anticipating the ® tart « r a ?£ leaving the barrier from third berth in stead of seventh. A complaint from the owner of another horse in the race was made against the starter change to take place, but the Stowards decided that there was no cause for any action.

Australian Events. Owners and trainers are reminded that scratchings for the Australian Jockey Club’s Doncaster Handicap, Sydney Cup, St Leger Stakes, Sires Produce Stakes, Champagne Stakes, Easter Plate and C. W.. Cropper Plate, to be decided at the club’s Easter meeting, are due at the office of the Wellington Racing Club by 4 p.m. next Tuesday. Answers to Correspondents.

“Disgusted Punter,” Napier: Your previous letter must have gone astray. There could be no cancellation of the wager afte the- race was-run and you should be paid on Mon Acre. ro ,o/ “Spuds,” Petonej £2/3/-. ■ . “Bill,” Wanganui: (1) £5/8/-. (2) £7 4/- (3) £B/10/-. (4) £l/10/6. ’’Stockade,” Otaki: (1) H 13/-. (2) £2/19/0; £l/18/-. (3) £2/19/6. (4-) £2/8/6. "Gloaming,” Wellington: (1) £2/5/-. (2) £2/10/-. (3) £l/12/6.

12.15— KARERE HURDLE HANDICAP, bf-,£200. One mile and three-quarters. Ruaform .... 10 7 Count Sunee 10 2 Willonyx 9 0 Bing Boy ... 9 13 Hlrangl .... 9 0 Cletrac .... 9 13 Kentucky Royal Liinond 9 11 ?ong 9 0 Iddo ........ 9 8 12.55— AUTUMN PLATE. 0 £150. Maiden conditions. Seven futlongs. Autosweep 8 7 Night Hero . 8 7 Baldric 8 7 Ngaitahu ... 8 7 Cool Smoke . 8 7, Oriwal 8 7 Clavereourt . 8 7 Puroto 8 7 Dame Flora . 8 7 Royal Tinge 87. Fafner 8 7 Royal Golden Pam . 8 7 Highness 8 7 Golden Sporting Luck 8 7 Memory 8 7 Scarf Dance . 8 7 Gay Hunting 8 7 Skyfull 8 7 Hunting Mint 8 7 Trllltha ..... Twilight Song 8 7 Halle Selassie 8 7 8 7 Lacan ...... Merry 8 7 Whistle Pinkie 8 7 ■ Thought 8 7 1.40— WOODHET HACK HANDICAP, of £17u. Six furloftgs. Mea Mea • • Relative * .... 8 11 Amoroso ... 7 9 8 8 Dancing Sigurd ...... 8 7 Flame 7 9 Phalanx ... 8 7 Gay Molly .. 7’ 9 Majority ... Vadahoe .... 8 5 8 4 Ramleh .... Short Circuit 7 7 8 8 Conversion . • S 0 Merryman .. 7 C Son and Heir 8 0 Noisy Night . 7 G Ambition 713 Prince Mulla 7 G Malibu 7 13 Lindy 7 5 , ■ ;. - z. • • Jx,* - f • 8 ’kING GEORGE HANDICAP, of £350, One mile and a quarter. Catalogue .. 8 10 Passion Fruit 7 o Arctic King . 8 fl Good Sun .. 7 0 Brazen King 8 8 Old Surrey .. 7’ 0 Master Cyklon 8 4 Hunting Hunting Cat . 7 10 Queen 7 0 Lucullus Dad Francis Drake 7 8 5 Play On .... Roaming ... 7 7 0

CLOVERLEA NURSERY HANDICAP, £200. About five furlongs and a half Ivar '8 12 Richeleu Pearl 7 of 2 Russian Ballet Hakahanga . Brazil Rehearsal ... Dunmanway Lady Melfort 8 8 7 7 7 7 0 7 5 3 Drachma ... Floral Robe . Renascor ... Segra Wynardo 7 7 7 7 7 0 0 0 0 0 AWAPUNI GOLD CUP, of £420, ino'uding gold cup valued at £7o; weight-tor age. One mile and a quarter. Catalogue .. 9 2 Royal Chief . S 4 Siegmund ..9 0 Smoke Screen 8 4 uruiury .... Stretto 8 11 JOHNSTON MEMORIAL HANDL ' ' CAP, of £250. Six furlongs. Race Call .. 7 10 Notlum .... 7 7 Clessamor ... 7 10 Debham .... 7 5 Wildflower .. 7 10 Aureus 7 - Alunga ...... 7 8 SilvanuB ... 7 V uia surrey .. Dancing Lady 7 8 Great Hope . 1 0 te"matai hack handicap, of One mile and one furlong. Quadroon ... 8 13 Royal Choice Conveyor ..8 8 Earl Colossus N°? eu | 8 4 Warehl .... Windscreen 8 3 Copy Cat ... Amatory ••• ® Thala ..•••• Student Prince 8 1 kamrd ... Galteeinore .80 Lo^elilt .... £200. 7 12 7 9 7 7 7 7 7 5 7 5 7 5