FIELD FOR N.Z. CUP

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 106, 1 November 1930, Page 23

FIELD FOR N.Z. CUP

TEST OF STAYING ABILITY

XIGHTMARCH'S CREDENTIALS ARE THE BEST

Tv"rin this. week's racing over attention will now be focused on the Canterbury Jockey Club's Metropolitan Meeting, which opens next Saturday, and will be continued on the Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday, of the following week. The maiu item on the opening day will be the New Zealand Cup, which carries a stake of £2000 in specie and a gold cup valued at £100. Fifteen horses remained in the race at second acceptance, and, although there isanother payment of £10 to be made on Monday, it is unlikely that the field will be much further reduced. Last year's Melbourne Cup winner, Nightmarch, heads the list with 9.6, and he is at present the ruling favourite. The history of the race is not in favour of the top-weights, for the heaviest burden that has yet been carried successfully is 5.13, by. Count Cavour in 192 C. However, the choice is logical, for the reason that his Flemington victory was achieved with 9.2, and there is the evidence of his recent Australian form to indicate that he still retains much of his old ability. Next Saturday's race will be a teat whether he still retains that extra touch of brilliance that carried him to such a high plane last season. It is just possible that the great drain on his physical strength in last year's Metropolitan and Melbourne Cup may somehow have left its effect on his mental framework, and that as a result his form has definit deteriorated, in spite of the fact that outwardly he looks perfection. Such a possibility is one to inspire hope in those who are picking some other candidate to beat him. Concentrate's Chance. Next to the top-weight come Star Stranger 9.land Concentrate 8.10, two of the soundest stayers in the field. At a difference of 161b Concentrate just beat Star Stranger over two miles in the last Auckland Cup, and in receipt of 111b he again defeated Star Stranger over a mile and a. half in the Wellington Cup. But in the Trentham Gold Cup, in the autumn, at 41b difference, Star Stranger gained the honours by a neck. With 51b between them in the New Zealand Cup there would appear little to choose between them/ but preference is for Concentrate on the score of age. The next to be considered are Prodice 8.4, Merry Damon 8.2, Iv the Shade 8.2, and Gay Crest 7.13. As a result of failures in the New Zealand Cup and the Auckland Cup with 7.8 and 7.3 respectively, Prodice has been discounted as a stayer. She is undoubtedly a good mare, but' on past form she is not relatively as good at two mile 3as over shorter distances, and may be held safely by In the Shade and other proved stayers. Last year In the Shade ran second with 7.11% to phide, who established a race record of 3mm 23 3-ssec. In the meantime he has registered some good performances, notably a second with 8.8 in the Metropolitan Handicap at Randwick, where Concentrate, fourth, and Gay Crest were among those behind him. Now he meets Concentrate at lib worse and Gay Crest at 91b better terms. On the figures he should beat them. t ' .Merry Damon has yet to tackle two miles, but he has shovrn ability to manage one mile and a half, and there appears little reason to anticipate "why the extra distance should trouble him. He is in great form, having lost two races recently through sheer bad luck. No horse in the race will be produced,in better condition than he, and he is entitled to most consideration among those who have still to go through the gruelling test. Likeliest Lightweight. Of the division below Gay Crest, the likeliest appears to be Count Palatine. Nothing like the best has yet been seen of this improving four-year-old, who is bred to stay, and he may be a very difficult horse to beat with 7.6. Pahu, whose rehandicap has brought him to the same weight as Count Palatine, beat him at a difference of 81b over a mile and three furlongs at Trentham last Saturday, but under the altered terms and over the longer distance Count Palatine will probably prove his master. None of the other lightweights makes any particular appeal, and Courageous may turn oul the best. of them, for he has shown some ability to finish on after strenuous exertion. Summing up the prospects;at this stage, it is impossible to go past horses who have given proof of staying prowess, and for the present those entitled to most consideration must be Nightmarch, In the Shade, Concentrate, and Star Stranger. Two others who should stay are Merry Damon and Count Palatine, and these appear the most dangerous rivals for the_ tried horses..