PROSPECTS FOR HOLIDAY RACES

Evening Post, Volume XCVI, Issue 152, 24 December 1918, Page 3

PROSPECTS FOR HOLIDAY RACES

(Bt "SIR LiKCELOT.") MA NAW ATU FIXTURE

There have been no race meetings in cither island for some weeks—since the .New Zealand Cup fixture—and the- holiday* meetings are sure to be well patronised. Wellington racegoers will muster in force »l Awdjiuni on Thursday and Friday Those who prefer travelling by rail to road will note the train arrangements, which are as follow :—On December (Boxing Bay) the mail trains leaving Wellington at 7.10 and 8.20 a.m. will stop at Awapuni to set down passengers. The 6.35 a.m. PaekakarikiPalmerston North train will run via Awapuni racecourse, arriving racecourse 10.35 a.m. Return trains leave Palmerston North for Wellington at 5.25 and 5.55 p.m., racecourse depart 5.45 and 6.16 p.m., Wellington arrive 10.0 and 11.15 p.m. The 5.25 p.m. train will not stop for passengers at stations between racecourse and Paekakariki, but will stop at all stations as required south of ■Paekakariki. Passengers fcr Long'burn, Paraparaumu. and intermediate stations must travel by the train leaving racecourse at 6.16 p.m

A big programme of eight events has to be decided, and in consequence an early start will be made, at 11.30 a.m. More than halt of those engaged in the Trial Plate, seven furlongs, are three-year-olds, from which division the winner should come, Moutoa, Ivanova (full-sister to Sasanof),, Rsperance (who is galloping well at Trentham), Sunburst, and Courtfield are among those engaged. Among the older division is Sacramento, who was galloping well at Trentham in the spring wheu he came down in the Rimutaka Handicap.

There are no less than twenty acceptors for the Tokomaru Hurdles— a remarkably good field for the summer. Zola won on his first appearance <tt Egmont, and, although he lias gone up a, stone, he may trouble all the top weights. Good reports oome from Opaki concerning Otara, who is not the best of fencers. The stables of A. Atwood and A. M. Wright generally shelter something wortli following in a jumping race The Gillies Hack Handicap has attracted an acceptance of twenty-five. The high-priced Kipling heads the list with 9.3—a fair weight for a three-year-old. He is conceding weight to several other winners, including Penury Rose, who is well in with 7.7. Red Signal runner-up to Tauuaha at Trentharn, is among those at the. tail end of the handicap. Although the Gup has attracted the ,smallest Held (ten), it should provide a good contest. Client and Nobleman, have a- number of Cups to their credit, and they represent the best form. Battle Song won tho Master-ton Cup and ran a. good race in the New Zealand Cup. The Gisborne representative, Multive, won the only two races he started in this season. Ducky Evo arid Master Moutoa are light > weights that have shown some form at a mile and a half. Client is likely to go out favourite. Orutress, top weight in the Juvenile j Handicap, ran second to Kipling at j Masterton. Mnrihiku, a. place-gotter in. the Trial Plate at Trentham, may be the best of the two-year-olds engaged, i First Salute, a winner at Riccarton, I heads the list in the Ta-rarua Hack Welter Handicap. Moutoa Camp and Rienzi showed up well at Awapuni in the autumn in events. over long distances. and they may again rim prominently. The Fitzlierbert Handicap has brought together a field of first-class sprinters. The . top weights will have to be produced in their best form to concede the weight asked to some of their opponents. Inab. is well in with 8.0, and the writer expects Torfreda to beat 80-Peep at the weights. Among the light weights, nothing reads better than Chimera, who appears very well in with 7.1. The concluding event is the Grandstand Handicap, one mile and SS yards. The I Pearce Handicap winner Bagdad heads! the list, and lower down is Hydrus, who won at Masterton and Waverlay. All Over and Multaine ate others engaged that have shown winning form this season. ■ AUCKLAND MEETING. The Auckland Racing Club's Summer Carnival aliio opens on Boxing Day. Surveyor, War Plane, Crem'des, Ermine, and ' most of the best two-year-olds in commission will meet in the Great Northern Foal' Slakes. The liberal stoke attached to the Cup lias attracted a representative field, including the three placegetlers in the New Zealand Cup, two placegetters in the Derby, and three placegetters in the Canterbury Cup. The two local representatives Bonny Maid and Rose Pink have fair prospecLs of success, as also have half a dozen others engaged. In fact, the raoe presents a difficult problem for investors. The Railway Handicap, the principal sprint event, is another solid proposition. Onslaught will probably go out favourite. There is no doubt his form in the Jockey Club Handicap was good. The King Lupiw stable has a useful second string in King Abbey. He bolted • in the October Handicap at Trentbam, in which Onslaught had 51b advantage and was beaten. At ElleTslie Onslaught is conceding 201b. Gazique has been doing groat track work, iind will have many supporters. The big field engaged in the Robinson Handicap (hack conditions) includes Lionskin. Most of those down to run in the Nursery Handicap, five furlongs, are unknown quantities. Cherry Mart (6.10) has a light imooet in the Christmas Handicap, one mile; and the gallop ■will be a guide for the Great Northern Guineas. The nominations of Mr. E. Short's horses Sinnouo, Olympthus, Pararangi, Bitholia, ;,nd Demos for tho Wellington Summer Meeting came to hand late and ; could not ba received. The Hawkes Bayowned Hetanu bad to be left out of the i two-year-old handicaps and .Kelburn Plats for a similar reason. Imported Rebus, winner of the Villers Stakes at Randwick on Saturday last, has been a good and consistent performer since he came to Australia. Last season he was successful in the Sydney Cup, worth 3429 soys. Rebus was practically a nonperformer when he left England, and, like Harriet Graham (winner of the Australian Cup) and several other imported horses, has made good in Australia. In Saturday's race he carried the big impost of 9.10 and equalled Desert Gold's time record for the race. Bairnsdale and Jingleform, who are engaged at Ashhurst, will be railed to Palmerston on Friday. Imported Marble Arch sired Mullingar (his- best stake-earner) and a few other performers in the Dominion, but lie could not be considered a stud success. Arch Marella, one of his progeny, won several stakes at Randwick prior to being sold for 1500 guineas, but has not done much since. British Arch (the half-brother to Kauri Kiu«) is making good at the hurdle business, and sjoved in the jumping event at Randwick on Saturday. As conditions so • far as influenza is concerned have greatly improved at Denniston. it is the intention ol tho Westport Trotting Club, provided the sanction of the Chief Health Officer is obtained, to hold Us r&co meeting ou Saturday, i26th December.