REFLECTIONS

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 117, 13 November 1929, Page 8

REFLECTIONS

IMPROVERS AND OTHERWISE

IS CHIDE EQUAL TO WEIGHT-FOE-AGE ?

• (By Telegraph—From "Vedette.") The Cup Winner.

Chides admirers—and they arc almost without Dumber in the South—proclaim him unhesitatingly now as a weight-for-age horse. He lias even ousted Xightmarch from the spotlight. There is no doubt he is a fine galloper, and the Canterbury Cup looks nothing but a walk-over tor .him, for the opposition should be very weak. Vie-, tory in that will not prova him a weight-for-age horse, but if he is equal to beating Honour and the otliei- older horses and three-year-olds in the Stead Gold Cup, he will quite prove himself. It looks fairly certain also that it was as well Nightmarcn stayed in Melbourne for the Cup there, for it is doubtful if he could have given 241b and a beating to Chide. Chide was weighted at 8.12 in the Metropolitan Handicap on Monday, but was not accepted for. He was estimated by Air. J. E. Henrys as within 151b of Rapier, 111b of Historic, and lib of Vertigern. Chide is in the Auckland Cup, arid if lie scores further victories at Riccarton, he will have, a prohibitive weight in that event. His career now is brimful of interest, and even though he may not prove quite up to the extravagant ideas of his supporters, at least he is right in the top class of handir cap horses. • Rabbi a Top-Liner. . -. . Kabbi has come well to the fore now as a handicap performer, and no do.ubt those Australian handicappers who assessed him so highly will feel themselves justified. His Metropolitan victory was ■without effort, and was almost as impressive as that of Chide in the New Zealand Cup. When he was allowed to drop out of the big twomile event, his trainer, R. Alexander, explained that it was due to the four-year-old not having had a searching enough preparation. He aimed on having him fresh ior the Metropolitan and succeeded admirably in his placing. Rabbi, unfortunately, is not in the Auckland Cup, thanks to the lieht-hearted forgetfiilness of p. certain office boy, who carried the telegram cqntaininc Rabbi's entry around with him for some hours and then dispatched it, too lute. Rabbi is the best winner for Mr. J. J. Corry for several years, and it is certain that he is not finished with yet by a long vray.s Still Another Sire. Fashions in stallions will receive still another change after the racing at Riceartoii- . Chide, Rabbi, and Count Palatine, who'played prominent parts at the meeting, are nil sons of Paladin. As Nightjnarch and Pharlap have kept Nightraid to theifore in Australia, so have Paladin's sons done for him at Riccarton. Chide and Count Palatine have a good (leal in common in appearance and type, and it is not too much to say that Count Palatine, bar accidents, will make Turf history. By the time, the Auckland-Derby conies up for decision he will be a much- fitter and more seasoned horse, and set Honour a much harder task. His -ace in the Derby was only the 3ixth occasion on whicli he had carried silk. Count Palatine. Chide, and Rabbi are all liver chestnuts and attractive individuals. Like Cavalry. ■The' Stewards' Handicap iield raced in lme : like a squadron of cavalry for nearly the first.three furlongs of the race, states an onlooker well up the course. Naturally when the sweep into the straight had to be negotiated those on the extreme outside were left an impossible task in covering the wide are of the circle. As Great Star was No. 19, Royal Saxon 11, Aspiring 13, Consent 15, and Arrow Lad 22, the varying degrees of improvement they showed on the second day could hardly have been unexpected. White Fang, the winner, drew No. i, but was one of the first to drop out of the line. This probably gave him his chance to get.balanced before'coming again with the powerful rush which took him to victory; Fillies Predominate. So far the fillies have. scored a hoUow victory over the colts and geldings yi the two-year-old races at Riccarton. Praise, Princess Betty, and Spoon -beat the solitary gelding (Red Royal) in the Welcome Stakes, and Tea Party aud Tray Bond were too good for Sleipner and' Merry Peel in the Irwell Handicap. Tea Party is a very fine filly, and no doubt her owner regretted she was not in the Welcome Stakes. By the way she -. won her handicap event in 47 4-ssec on Monday, she would have made things interesting for the Welcome winner Praise. She is a smart-looking youngster by Tea Tray-from that good mare Eager Eyes, who produced a first-class handicapper in Listening Post. A good deal more will be hard of both Tea Party and Praise.

Slfipner, who finished third to Tea Party and Tray Bond, attracted everyone's attention at Riccarton by his appearance and likeness to Laughing Prince. He is in no way related, being by Valkyrian from Keep Watch. He is quite a smart galloper, and was not disgraced by his third to two fillies who had had the. benefit of racing experience.

Some of the juveniles ran very green in the handicap event on Monday, notably Tarquinius, who settled the chances of some of the other youngsters by running about in the early stages. Tarquinius is a rather aptly' named juvenile by Night Raid from Week End, but his owner has rather spoiled the story relating to his name by adding him to the list of geldings.

Rosy Morn and Merry Peel, two racylooking youngsters by Hunting Song, will see a better day, and Coroner, a big gelding by .Shambles from Coronata, looks like taking time. ■ Opening His Account. Toxeuma, who opened his winning account as a four-year-old in the Criterion Handicap at Riccarton on Monday, was not .troubled a great deal at any part of the race. In reality he returned a remarkable price, for at 8.11 he appeared to be particularly well treated. Those who remembered his second to Paganelli over six furlongs at Trentham rallied well to his side, for over seven furlongs he appealed much more than at six. There is not much doubt that last yearfs three-year-olds were above the average, and Toxeuma was well in the top row. Now that he has struck his real form, he will have to be considered in any race he contests. An Impressive Performance. Glare's rattle into third place on Cup •Day, when Lucky Light ran the mile in Imin 38 l-ssec, drew everybody's attention, and ou Monday iv a field of twenty lie was fastened on as the best of good things. „■ As the race was run, he had •to.put up a great performance to score, and with anybody with less ability than B. H. Morris on board he would have been beaten. He was crowded back by horse after horse; until, with six furlongs to go, he was last of a strung-out- field. Morris had him fairly handy at the turn, 4 but the field remained closed up in the and it was only with difficulty. 'that he got clear. Once he had his opening the rest was easy. However, it was a high-grade performance, and one that attracted more than one would-be buyer. Glare should develop into a good handicap performer, • and stay well. He is not a boy's horse, for he requires plenty -■ of - riding; Like In'the Shade, ho is by Australian Sun, and was purchased in Australia by his owner-trainer, J. Lowe, of .Trentliam. Odds and Ends. Historic is ;>raetic.iiiy rijrht iiyain, and ■tV: injury- In: received i:, tin? Xcw ZcaJ.ir.u Ci!V''is not so liad us it mis ;it first thought fe be. Probably he will be pro-j

duceil again on the concluding day at Riccarton.

Concentrate raced in a boot in the Metropolitan Handicap, and gave a really good display. On-Saturday if started he should be a hard horse to beat.

The doubts expressed by some of the Northern critics dbout Prodice's ability to stay were well vindicated at Riccarton. At a mile and a quarter there maybe a tliil'erent tale to tell.

B. Burgess, has registered a remarkably consistent record at the Cup Meeting to date, with a first and second with Atholspear, a second and third with Spearmiss, and'a second with Austerity in as many starts.

The apprentice F. Baker, who rode Imateagirl in the Apprentices Handicap at Riccarton, is apprenticed to H. B. Lorigan at Treutham. He handled his mount particularly well, and rode a finish which compared very favourably with that of the more experienced K. Voitre on Duellona.

The connections of White Fang threw in for a good win over the Stewards' Handicap result. The one most concerned had a four-figure sum to lift from the totalisator. He decided to leave it there until Monday in the charge of the Jockey Club's totalisator staff.

Since the turnstile checking at Riccarton has been introduced, the attendance has never been better, or as good, as that of Saturday. The figures were 1400 over the previous best.

From midnight on Sunday until G a.m. on Monday, 60,000 gallons of water were on to the racing track at Rie-c-arton. Pipes aud hydrants round the course facilitated the work, and made the track rather easier.

Limond was kept well before the Riccarton public by his stock's successes in the two classic events decided at Riccarton to date, Praise winning the Welcome Stakes and Honour the Derby.

Tn the Shade was withdrawn from the Metropolitan Handicap owing to injury ' received in the race for the New Zealand Cup. This was decided on early on Monday morning, and he was scratched. .

H. Goldfinch rode a double of sorts in spconds on'ln--the Shade and Paganelli in the Cup and Stewards'. He improved by bringing home Rabbi a winner in the Metropolitan Handicap.