NOTES AND COMMENTS

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 67, 20 March 1931, Page 4

NOTES AND COMMENTS

BY "RANGATIRA.'<

MANAWATU MEETING TO-MORROW'S OUTLOOK SOME HORSES IN. FORM Fields of customary strength have accepted for the first day of the Manawatu Racing Club's Autumn Meeting to-mor-row, and some exhilarating racing is almost certain to be witnessed. The Awapuni'Cup is the only field o£ ■actually small dimensions, but what it . lacks in quantity is more than compensated in quality,'for do not Xightmarch, Historic, Laughing Prince, .Limerick, " and Verti- > gem (last year's winner) comprise -• one of the choicest arrays of talent that have yet been matched at weight-for-age -tins season? Promise is for fine weather and a fast track. The card and prospects are:— KARERB HURDLES HANDICAP, of 175 soys; ono mile and three-cuiartcrs. st lb - st Id Royal Aero .. 10 13 Goblin Market ■ Full Mark .. 10 13 (Incl. rehden.) .9 5 JEllclt 10 13 Tunbrldge ..9 2 Fine Aero ...10 9 Kopjo 9 0 Disrank .... 9 9 Hymgrcat ■ -.9 0

The issue in the Knrcre Hurdles Handicap is extremely open, for the majority o£ those loft in at the acceptance have recent form to recommend them. Among •the three who share the honour of position on the list it is difficult enough alone to discriminate, but preference over a mile'and three-quarters is for Elicit, who 15 likely to- stay" en better than Royal Acre, and Full Mark, Elicits main rivals j may be Disrnnk and Tunbridgc, who will; be assisted by a pull in weights.- An outside prospect in Kopje, who would have been a winner on at least one occasion in the last month had he been better ridden. Perhaps the best will prove to be Elicit and Disrank'. AUTUMN PLATE, of 130 sots; seven furlongs; for maiden two-year-olds and upwards. st lb st 1b Coroner 8 5 Sailor's love 8 5 Eminent .... 8 5 Swlftray .... 8 5 King Hal .... 8 5 Tafeahue ~"."... 8 5 Pat's Boy .. 8 5 Wallaruh .... 8 5 Park Aero .. .8 5 Cypress .... 7 6 Prime Moutoa 8 5 Gay Court ..7 6 Eamsley ... '. 8 5 Several improvers are listed in the Autumn Plate, for maiden performers, and sorrie have been unlucky not to have lost their- novice status previously. In this category are Coroner, Eminent, 'and Wal3aruh, and they appear to hold bright prospects here.; The finish may not be confined to.them, however, for Pat's Boy, Park Acre, and Sailor's Love. have recently shown themselves possessed of plenty of pace, and Gay Court, who will Lave nearly a stone the better of the weights as compared with them, must also lie taken into full consideration, for he was responsible for quite a fair performance in the Challenge Stakes last ,■ Saturday. A couple whose turn is overdue are Eminent and Coroner. OF WALES HANDICAP, of 300 soys; one mile and one furlong. ~. -. ■-. .st lb - ' st lb Toxetima ... 9 11 Pahu 7 12 Otalrl ...... 93 Paitonu .... 710 Full Feather . S 11 Moutoa Royal Parade 8 G Treasury 710 High i'alutin' 8 5 Shrewd .... 7 7 Chopin S 2 Ball Dress ..7 7 My Own .... 8 2 Rory Mor ... 7 5 Kabikatoa .. 712 Mount Shannon 7 2

So many of the horses engaged in the .Priuce of Wales Handicap are in form that'it is not easy to indicate who .will be", the' public choice, but good followings are."assured for Qtairi, Chopin, My: Own, Kahikatoa, '" Shrewd,"". arid .. Ball' Dress (with - whom Full-. Feather will be bracketed):' Otairi has his'" ftill share ,o iV weight,; ..and, although -he-may succeed.' in .;.spite of: it,-'it would seem that the wiser' preference would be for some of those who have not yet climbed to the top marks. Chopin has done almost everything that has -been required of him lately, audit is ..doubtful if the best has yet been seen of him. He is at a distance that suits him perfectly, and he is going: to be very - hard to settle; Those who may give him . chief concern are' the obvious improvers, Shrewd and .Ball."Dress, who have not yet paid the penalty for their recent showings.. -In a iinal .reduction one is tempted to .suggest Chopin and the Full Feather-Ball Dress bracket. AVOODHEY HACK HANDICAP, of 150 soys; six furlongs. st lb st lb Paratoo ... 9 0 Winsome Hind•'■ 7 S Simba (mcl. . King Acre ...1 1 rehdep.) 3 0. Golden Shadow 7 7 Courtesy ... Sl3 Purirl. Park . 1 1 Pythia (mcl. Orby's Choice - rehdep.) SlO (inc. rehdcpO 7 5 Ben Hur 8 8 Queen's Salute ■ 7 S Glen-.Rossio .7 13 Nightmare ..7 0 Kozan (mcl. Blacksmith ..7 0 rehdep.) 7 10 Mmble 7 0 A fair array of useful hack's is carded for the Woodhey Hack Handicap, and fancy will be well spread. Paratoo, and the two recent Trentham winners, Simba and Pythia, are certain to go good races, and any of them may return the winner, but they are likely to meet their match in others more handily placed in the handicap,, particularly in another Trentham winner, Kozan, and in Glen Rossie, Winsome Hind, and Puriri Park. Kozan is fast coming into excellent form, and he will be one of the hardest to beat. Winsome Hind, who .is definitely improving, and Puriri Park, who ran two promising seconds under bigger weights at Paeroa a few days back, may prove his most dangerous, opponents. Good efforts should come from Kozan and Winsome Hind. BfANAWATTT SIRES' PRODUCE STAKES, of 600 sots; for two-year-olds; seven furlongs. ... st lb •■ st lb la Poupee ..8 7 High Comedy 8 0 Chief Cook .. 8 0 Teller 8 0 ChJef Jewel ..8 0 Cape Gold ... 7 11 Kichborough .. 8 0 Cricket Bat ..7 9 Esteem 8 0 Trader Horn ..7 9 Golden Wings 8 0 Oratorian ... 7 9 Curie 8 0 Whito Squall 1 6 Aspian ....;. SO ' TEe main point at issue in the Manaj»raiu Sires' Produce Stakes is which.horse ,will see out the seven furlongs best, for ef the field only Aspian and Esteem.have fet ventured over the distance. Aspian was easily.the better in that test. Others yrho have given indication of being able to manage an extra furlong above what *as the limit until the beginning of this Snonth are La Poupee, Eichborongh, Golden Wings, Teller, and Cricket Bat, «md, with Aspian, they read as likely as %ny to be showing out over the final •rtages of the race. Oratorian's Trent>j.am showing over six furlongs would appear to rule him out, and so would High comedy's. Two with definite ehanees are and Cricket Bat. AWAPUNI CUP, of 500 soys; one mile and a quarter. st ]b .st lb Historic .... 9 2 Limerick .... 9 2 Laughing Mghtmarcli .. 9 2 Prince 9 2 Vertigern .... 9 2 The star item of the day is the Awapuni Cup, a weight-for-age event without, penalties of allowances, and, although there ere only five candidates listed, they provide almost the.cream of our older horses now in active commission. Nightmarch, in view of. his Trentham Gold Cup success, is practically assured of the post-of favourite, and he has only to race as he did on Tuesday to_be nearly unbeatable. Some, however, will remember that he was beaten at the distance of the race last November at Riccarton, and will accordingly give a measure of support to Laughing Prince and Historic. The form horse is Nightmarch. ' J. M. JOHNSTON MEMORIAL HANDICAP, of 225 soys; sis furlongs. st lb st lb Consent .... 9 0 Whito Fang . 81 Autopay .... 8 8 Refresher .. 7.13 Chrysology .. 8 8 Just an Idea 7 8 True Shaft (Incl. Blue Paper ..78 rehdep.) '8 4 Pakitcre ... 7 7 Blchfleld ... 8 1 An even lot of fair-class sprinters are engaged in the J. M. Johnston Memorial Handicap, and a good betting race should be provided. Consent is not unduly weighted at 9.0, the same impost at which he won at New Plymouth'recently at his last start, and L, G-. Morris is reported to have him fit and well. Form points to his principal opposition corning from Autopay and True Shaft; but Kichlield and

Just an Idea cannot be Ict't out of flic count, for the former has innde much improvement during the past week, and the latter was narrowly beaten by Bavnore at Wnnganui at his last start, Richfield may well be the upsetting clement. Public preference will probably be for irue Shaft and Consent. Tl3 MATAI HACK HANDICAP, of 150 soys; ono. mile and one furlong. st lb st lb1 King March .90 Little Doubt • I'cn-n s ft (iucl. relulci).) 712 Spcarful ... S '< Arrowhead .. 7 4 I,'raml Jury .. S 5 Laconic 7 A. Crunnn Town . S 2 Rapalio .... 7 3 Lonlltko ... S 2' Jenny Diver • i J Hramblctorn . S 0 Cessation •• ' ? Shatter (mcl. . ' Jnysou ...... 7 0 rehdep.) 7 13 Conjurer 11. .. 7 0 Araican 7 12 ' Warzono 7 0 J Spear Lad .. 7 0 The distance of the Te Matai Hack Handicap will suit the topweight, King March, and, after his excellent showing in running Lady Pam to a nose .in the St. Leger last Saturday, he is the . natural selection. Pewa, however, with a pull ot 51b in the weights, will give him plenty to do, for this horse .followed up his St. Leger. third with a third to Historic and Vertigern in the principal handicap on the second day, and must therefore be in capital'>order; This pair, have the best form, but there are other prospects in the field,' notably. Grand Jury, Brambletorn, Shatter, Arajean, and Little Doubt, among whom the most likely to surprise the topweights is the unlucky. Grand Jury. Firm favourites will probably be made of King March and Pewa.