THE FINAL WORD

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

THE FINAL WORD

(By Telegraph.) (Special to "The Evening Post.") AUCKLAND, This Day. The weather has cleared, and there now seems to be reasonably good prospects of getting a fine day for the opening of the Auckland Racing Club's Winter Meeting. The track will be heavy in any circumstances, and the horses that have proved themselves under such conditions will be in demand. It was. unfortunate that Comical should slip and fall after' landing over a fence in his latest schooling effort over the country at. Ellerslie, more especially as he was jumping with-considerably more confidence and giving a greatly-improved display. , It is unlikely that he will jump again before he races, and it will be particularly interesting to watch how he shapes with the colours up. Unless the mishap shakes his confidence there is now reason to believe that he will get round Ellerslie all right, although he may not jump as well as some of the more experienced horses. The Cornwall Handicap candidates, Degage and Bennanee, have been responsible for attractive track efforts since arriving here, and have given their admirera good cause to view their prospects with favour. It certainly appears that they will be among the hardest to beat, and the indications point to them being the popular selections on the day. A number of keen judges among, the Southern visitors are very confident about Degage winning. Nothing has been sprinting better than oun Up, and each time he has galloped here he has pleased the track-watchers immensely. The heavy-going does not appear to bother him in the slightest, and his track form suggests that he has excellent prospects of getting a stake at the meeting, bun- Up should be a good one to follow. By his dashing display over four hurdles, Black Cruiser attracted attention, and when he is stepped out in a hurdle race he will not be neglected. A run on the Hat on the opening day should sharpen 'mm up. Black Cruiser was conspicuous m hurdle events on the later days of the Winter Meeting last year, and it might be the same again this year, for he has had no recent racing. The racing he.has had lately has been beneficial to Peter Maxwell, who looks a better horse now than when he won the Grandstand Steeplechase at Wanganui. * -nil r -Arch- gelding has never shone at Jillershe in the winter time, but he seems likely to dp better this ynar, for he is m great heart. His fine exhibition over the country 'yesterday'gained him some iriends, and he is now in more favour for the Great Northern Steeplechase than previously. l Few horses can handle heavy going better than Hoariri, and backers would only require to know that he was fit to make ™m favourite in the second division of the Members' Handicap. The attractive manner in which he reeled off his latest gallop and recorded the best four furlongs of the morning demonstrated that he is in good trim. It is probable that he may be improved with a race, but the indications point to his making an early return to form. Hoariri has won the Visitors' Handicap on the third day of the Auckland Winter Meeting two years in succession. Will he do the same again this year?. Despite the fact that he has been unplaced in his last few starts, it is doubtful whether Tuki has ever been better than at present, his recent racing having made him a very fit horse. Everything lie has been asked to do since he has been here has been accomplished attractively, and this has gained him many friends. Tuki can be expected to make a bold bid for honours in the Great Northern Steeplechase. The Gisborne representative, Waioeka Jack, did not give an altogether faultless display in his initial attempt over the country at Ellerslie, but he demonstrated that ho is a clever fencer and" one that should go better when he comes to race over it. Waioeka Jack is a solid customer, and should have prospects in the minor steeplechase events. Since, running second in a steeplechase event at Paeroa in March, Prince Kufus v ij on Beveral occasions, but he should have favourable prospects of making amends in the minor steeplechase events at the coming meeting. Outside of Comical, the horses ho will have to meet are not of very good class, nnd with a repetition of his Paeroa form he should be very hard to beat. Prince Rufus is in nice condition, and he knows the country here better than most of his opponents. In his initial attempt over the steeplechase fences at Ellerslie Rayo jumped all the fences after one refusal, but he did not impress. Evidently he was a bit strange, for he was fencing very boldly in his second attempt until he unseated his rider at the hurdle near the five-furlong poßt. Rayo is an improving gelding, and if he puts the same dash into his fencing as he did when he finished third in* the Grandstand Steeplechase at Wanganui he should have prospects in minor company here. A hack that has been working usefully without recording anything special is Luxurious, who seems to be on the improve. The Lucullus horse has been a big disappointment up to the present, but he ran a respectable race in his last start, and has progressed in the meantime, so that there may still be hope for him. The following horses are among those likely to be in demand for events on the opening day:—Comical, Prince Kufus, Omokoa, Manly, Anchor, Kamehameha, Kawim, Zircon, Degage, Bennanee, Just John, Pendavies, Sun Up, Delightment, King Lv, Hoariri, and York Abbey