The Wellington Weights.

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 6, 9 January 1928, Page 7

The Wellington Weights.

The Wellington handicaps have now made their appearance, and the question exercising the minds o£ students of form, itapier's weight in the cup, has now been satisfied. It will be agreed generally that at 9 8 he is not badly treated, and the placing of Star Stranger on the same mark will not cause many to disagree. Star Stranger gave Kapier 101b in the Auckland Cup and subsequently won the A.R..C. Handicap over the game distance as the Wellington Cup Footfall, *'»«««. and Mask are all nicely placed, and Piuthair in particular should run a great race with 8.5. The Southern mare Set. &ai has been given a great invitation to attend with 8.3, and if far South form is as cood as it was contended one can hardly go past her. Hynanna and Laughing Prince both have good handy weights and Lady Desmond will have friends at 7.1-. Of the lengthy list of lightweights, Bcn"anee, Pap" tv, and Celerity IL my be the best. To narrow the field down at this stage is not easy, but a trio who Khmild show up are Set Sail, Piuthair, and M\ussie is in his place at 0.7 in. the Telegraph Handicap, but good sprinter and all that he is, it is doubtful xi he.is 21b better than Kcremoana-very doubtful.' The Hawk and Set Sail arc passed by, and Cimabuc and Eulalic appear to have their share. Crown Avea has been oft the f-cene since the Stewards' Handicap, and he has plenty of weight. Booster and Money O?dcr are a likely pair of Southerners, while Gascon/ and Joy King, on then recent form, have given every mdicalwn that a bracket is due a* any time, lieshpnpd up they should both go well, lap"; chase is well m at 7.9, and the long straight six will suit her. Lausanne, it at ms very best, will still have friends at /.6 while the all-conquering Good us Gold ■has not been harshly treated at 7.0. Just how some of these horses will be alter their strenuous holiday campaign is the question, but four who appeal on the weights are Gascony, Joy King, Reremoana, and Good as Gold. . The minor races provide plenty of interest until acceptances clone on 1-riday next, at 0 p.m. The Tbree-Year-Olds. Although Martarma won the Grand Northern Derby in irreproachable style from Laughing Prince, with Agrion some distance away third, most people who saw the tacc will haVe to be satisfied yet that Agrion is not infinitely superior to Hie other pair. Although it is granted that Laughing Prince was a better horse at F.llerslie than at Kiccarlon.-he had not improved to the exlcnt that the Derby result at Kllcrelie indicated as regards Agrion. The latter was obviously above liimself, and the long dragging work he had done on the tan at Ellcrshe was nothing in his -favour. One trainer of Ion"- experience as a rider and trainer would have nothing of Agrion after seeing him work. "Agrion will 'climb' all the way in the Derby when he gets on the grass track, and he has not done enough work to run out a mile and a half," was his summing up. This was proved correct, for Agrion certainly did not gallop without effort, and he was beaten two furlongs from home. If R. J. Mason elects to take the responsibility of sending Agrion to the post again for any important event later, those who stick _to Agrion may receive one of the best prices of their racing careers. Limerick* Picture to A.J.C. Mr. IT. A. Knight, the owner of Limerick, has presented a picture of that gelding to the Australian Jockey Club to be added to the club's already big collection of equine notabilities. Pictures of the stallions Magpie and Valais were also received by the A.J.C. last month. Not Yet Finished. ■The Paper Money filly Good as Gold lias won four races on end ami has not yet irachcd the full length of her tether, as •she won more easily on the second day at JiivcrcarKill than she did on the first day, writes "Sentinel." Jack o' Lantern. Jack o' Lantern shed a very bad light on the starting at lnvcrcargill says the '■Ota"O Daily Times." With the assistance of three flying starts the rieetham gelding has won three races on the course. Some of the starter's apologists said that Jack o' Lantern did not get much the best of it on the second day, but if Ellis had not "yanked" up his mount when he got to the others lie would have been V or 20 lengths out in front at the nrst hurdle. Jack o' Lantern determinedly ran off when out in front at Wingatui, and it was no doubt a fear that he would repeat the offence which caused him to be steadied back in order to obtain company over the first couple of hurdles. It was a pity that Jack o' Lantern was on the scene, as his presence supplied the only blot, apart from Pink Note, on the second day on what was otherwise the most successful meeting ever held on'the course. Cause and Effect. Some trainers devote a lot of care and ability in preparing a horse and then completely nullify the work of weeks and months by putting up the worst riders that can be found on a racecourse, says an c::cliangß. They do not seem to be aware of the fact that it is much better to put -iil ( a little overweight to secure the services of a good rider in preference to one ■who can do the weight, and that is about iill he cau do. The same clas3 of trainer also puts up an inexperienced apprentice to obtain the more than doubtful benefit nf an allowance, and so loses where he should win. Under Difficulties. Celerity If. was running under the disndviintagc of a damaged knee when racing at lnvcrcargill. As a result of interference in the Cup she stumbled and struck imp of lior knees, which had to receive a good deal of attention before racing on ihc second day. ! Leading Horsemen. The Southern rider A. E. Kilis maintains his place at the head of (he lift of winning jockey* for I lie present season. At the end ot December he had steered 31

•winners, and on 2nd and 3rd January he added five to his score, which now stands at 36. T. W. Green is second on the list with 30 wins and one dead-heat. Te Kara's Case. Te Kara developed unsoundness after contesting the Auckland Cup on Boxing Day, and it may apparently be regarded as quite certain that the son o£ General Latour will bo off the scene for some time, even if he should be raced again. A perusal of Te Kara's performances shows that he has contested 65 races, and, as several have been over long distances, it can be said he has well earned a rest. Age and Breeding. An English two-year-old expected to play a prominent part in the classic events next seaston is Gang Warily, who won both the races in which he started during the season just closed. He not only won them, but he beat his opponents like a colt of very highest class. He is a son of Diligence

F. Quinlivan, and in future will be trained at Hastings. Martian was twenty-two years of age when he sired Martarma. Royal Feast, the crack two-year-old of a season ago in Australia, dropped dead on the tracks at Williamstown (Victoria) at the end of last week, says* a Press Association cablegram).