HOLIDAY RACING

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 127, 2 June 1927, Page 7

HOLIDAY RACING

THE NORTHERN FIXTURE » To many the Auckland Winter-Meeting is the most enjoyable on the calendar. The steeplechase course, although not a severe one, is picturesque, and the horses having to climb the hill adds both to the severity of the race and to the interest from a spectator's point o£ view. Ellerslie and mud in June is a standard combination, and this year will be no exception to tlia rule. This may upset tlie form a little in the flat races, but it should not affect adversely the jumping events. Providing the weather is fine overhead those at El-lerslie'to-morrow should be provided with some really good racing. The star event to-morrow is'of course the Great Northern Hurdle Race. At this stage it looks as if Mr. J. Patterson's bracket, Zircon and Royal Form, will be the totalisator favourites. Both are very well, recent winners . over hurdles, and seasoned by plenty of racing. Ziicou, with W. Bowden up, now makes a decided appeal. - Archibald may stay on better than he did when narrowly' beaten by Royal l''orm in the Brighton Hurdles on Easter Saturday, for it has been learned since that he was not quite right at the last Auckland Meeting. Kawiui's two thirds at Ellerslie last June speak volumes for him, and according to his connections he is fit to do himself justice to-morrow. Wedding March is a horse with great possibilities, and were the two big ' jumping races run with an interval between them he might have had his name enrolled with El Gallo and Lochella. He has plenty of pace and stays v/ell. Royal Abbey, on the contrary, has not shown too much sticking power in the past. Maunga would ba in great demand if a regular crosscountry jockey rode him, and, even as it is, he cannot be left out, for. he is good. The pace may be too solid for Passin' Through, Dick, and Gleuotus. Rangitahi and Mount Marta would be preferred over a shorter journey, and of the Ost division Day Bell sticks out. He is being set a stiff task for a young horse, but he is good. Much can happen in a race over hurdles, and a journey of two miles and a half, but a trio who should show up are Wedding March, Archibald, and Day Bell. In 1923 Te Kara drew attention to himself by winning a Cornwall Handicap; Since then he has done better things, but ha will have to be right at his best to give Degage 41b and a beating to-morrow. The Trentham mare should start a good favourite. Transformer is one of the best handicap horses racing in and around Auckland, but he does not appear to.be in the class" of Degage. Yoma is well, but both he and Ngata appear to. hold only outside chances. Black Mint and Bennanee are two sons of Catmint who should have planty of friends. Income has never looked better, and the soft track will give him every chance if he is good enough now. Lord Star, King Smock, and Master Doon are three very useful Northerners, but they may not be quite good enough. Of ,tVio Bst division Lomint and Royal Mint should not be friendless. Royal Mint has been showing improving form lately. Everything points to Degage, and she may be troubled most by another Trenthamtrained one in Black Mint, and the lightweight Royal Mint. Of the half dozen in the Greenlane Steeplechase, Prince Rufus, if in anything like his real form, looks the only danger to Comical. A; good jump out will be essential in the Jervois Handicap, with its 29 ucceptors. Unless any of the Auckland hacks have improved considerably during the past six weeks, outside of Town Guard and Tinakoa at the top of the handicap, they are of poor class. The two visitors, Manly and Sir Kay, should receive plenty of support. . Both are very promising gallopers. As their weights suggest, Enare and Anchor are superior in the Penrose Hurdles, but a surprise may be forthcoming. Anchor with 141b less to carry may outstay Enare. Of the Northerners Tall Timber and Kamehameha may be the best. Tall Timber is a comparative novice, but he should do well at the game, and he may trouble Anchor at the end. The two Taranaki jumpers, Just John and Lupineel, may be worth a passing thought in the Hunt Club Hurdles. On paper the first division of the Members' Handicap looks the easier to win. Kingfield is not out of it with 9.12, for lie is an improved horse. He has to give Nadarino 181b this year, whereas last year Nadarino won with 8.9 and Kingfield was third with 8.2. In the interim Kingfield has raced particularly well and Nadarino only.'indifferently.. The latter is now back to his best and on the figures he should beat Kingfield. Delightment may be the'best of the others. The second division is a more difficult proposition. Oration, York Abbey, Hoariri, King Lv, Archenq, Archeen, and Welkne are all being discussed. If Archeen Has gone on the right way since racing in Hawkes Bay he will be troublesome, and Hoariri has always to be considered in the mud at Ellerslie. THE OTAKI MEETING. Wellington racegoers have the Otaki Meeting to-morrow and on Saturday, a fixture that is little more than a suburban affair as regards time and distance. The Railway Department has arranged a special train service which should make the day a short and pleasant one. Otaki has not escaped the rain, and the course will be on the heavy side. Quite a useful field of. horses will contest the Raukawa Cup. Diogenes and Tresham promise to be the favourites, and both should run well. Merry Damon at his best would have to be considered, but reassuring reports are not current concerning'him. Moody Merry Day will have the track right to her liking. Rouex and Shining Armour have both shown a flash or two of form lately, but they may not be good enough for those higher up. Of the lightweights, Lady Anstruther, Road Hog, and Captain Gazeley are not by any means remote chances. One cannot get away from the class of Tresham and Diogenes, however,, with Lady Anstruther, a good mudlark, the third choice. Bonogne no doubt will be favourite for the Huia Handicap, and on his recent form Ec should play a prominent part. Outside of him the others appear very even. If Bevis jumps out with the rest he should be the hardest for Bonogne to beat. Lady Passenger probably will be favourite in" the Tararua Hurdles. Kalakaua should show up better in this company, which is a good deal weaker than his most recent opposition. He finished fourth to Rangitahi, Sottana, and Koauau in the May Hurdles at Wanganui. Royal Picture and Avro may dispute favouritism in the Maiden Race, but if the two-year-olds Vigilance and Lady Limond start they may carry a fair amount of money. Royal Picture has only to race up to his best public and private form to ■ be very hard to beat. Romantic is one to be kept in mind in this event. Two consistent hacks in Toapaiti and Lady Cynthia appear nicely placed in the Waitohu Handicap, and both go well in bad ground. Polonaise is speedy but just might fail over the last pinch at six furlongs. Rowley is in the Otaki Hack Handicap, but protably backers will fight shy of }iim, and that is just the time he is likely to come home. He has been an exasperating animal. Merle and Henna may be running on at the end! Some of those engaged in the Te Horo Hack Handicap are also in races to be run earlier in the day. Calluna looks the part for winter racing, and Romantic and f!olarina may have good chances with their, light geights, - -