NOTES AND COMMENTS

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 106, 7 May 1931, Page 8

NOTES AND COMMENTS

BY "KANaATIRA."

RACES AT BLENHEIM

MARLBOROUGH MEETING

SOME HORSES IN FORM

Marlbo.rough Racing . Club's Autumn Meeting on the \\Vaterlea course to-mor-row a.ro practically a replica .of those that, competed at Nelson, and therefore form as revealed at Nelson should prove a fairly reliable guide. There' are, however, about half, a dozen, newcomers in the fields,, and some of them may play a part in tlie decisions of certain events. The programme and prospects are::— HIILIjERSDEN TROTTING HANDICAP (in -harness), of 00 sots; 3.39 class; one milo and a half. . . Waipukt ser ■ yds bhcl I'olntal . ., ... scr Mr. , Guy .... 24 Tori Klnsl scr Van Newton ( ... SC Murchlmes scr Lifebuoy 3G Blngen Wilkes ~ scr Dan Roco .... 48 One of the favourites for the Hilleraden Trotting Handicap is likely to be the dual Nelson winner Van Newton, for there can be no gainsaying that this four-year-old is in excellent form. His most dangerous rival reads to be tlie Nelson Trotting Club' Handicap winner. Lifebuoy, who had only the one start over the three days at Nelson and scored neatly. On the limit are three with prospects in the Nelson winners, Teri Kingi • and Murchimes, and the newcomer Pointal, among whom preference is for Pointal, a winner at Kaikoura in February. A likely pair are Van Newton and Lifebuoy. NOVICE STAKES, of 60 soys; fire furlongs. st lb ." . " st lb Black Kibbon . 8 7 Taura Liui .... S 7 Lady J.uckliam S 7 Vulpine X 7 Jilttle Thrush . 8 7 luvlto ' T l3 Ridiculous ... S 7 ISoundary Hit . 713 Shootist S 7 Croupier , 7 ]3 Speciality .. X 7 Miludi 713 Soviet Si 7 Earthquake . 7 13 In the Novice Stakes a firm favourite is likely to be made of the Nelson winner Croupier, who is eligible for the race because his Nelson success.was worth under £50 to him. With Croupier will be bracketed Frenzied Finance's daughter, Miladi. The only one with form' to compare with Croupier is the consistent but rather unlucky Little Thrush, but she will probably find the Cony Speedster a further obstacle in the way of breaking her maiden status. Others with some form are Lady Lackham, Shootist, Valpine,- and Earthquake, bat the class of the pair iirst named reads to be much above them. It is not easy to see past the Cronpier-Miladi bracket and Little Thrush. MEMBERS' HACK HANDICAP, of 70 sots; six furlongs. ■ : st lb ' ' st lb Lasklcr .... !) 5 Whlto Doe ■... T 10 Full Crop ..... S 13 Projection . : .... 7 o Rollieii S 9 Attar ..;.... 7 7 Dorraod .... 7 13 .Fallow.: ..... 7 7 Lady Itonald . 7 13 Little Thrush . 7 .H Dawn o' Day .. 7 11 Lady Lackham 7 0 Several of those listed in the Members' Hack Handicap showed fair form at Nelson, and fancy will probably be well distributed. Baskicr is a prospect-in spite of his reliandieap, but Ik'nll Crop, Lady Kon.ald. Dawn o' Day. and thc-i'ru.icction-Attar bracket road better at the.difference: in weight.'-. A newcomer":who may surprise "is Kofhen, who, ■.•as: in fair order when he left Trehthani. a month ago, and has been working steadily since, his,trainer (•J. Olson)- took up t|iiaitovs at Wateriest. !l?orm points to Lady Konald and Full Crop. ■ • ■ ■ TVATERLEA CUr HANDICAP, of 130 soys; one mile and a quarter. ' st lb st lb Atholspear "... 3-5' Spearmiss ... 711 Black Mint .. 8 4 Royal Game .. 7 1 I'irat Baid .. 8 3 Courtllke ... 7 0 Cessation 8 1 Thursby 7 0 The" Dove .... 7 11 Winloch 7 0 Imateaglrl .. 711 ..."-. :. ' Choice in the Waterlea Cup Handicap promises to ■be confined chiefly , among those near the top of the acceptance. With Athblspear back to form there .will be many willing to stick to him,'and he will be one of the best fancied if this race is chosen for him. A pair, who may give him most concern sire Cessation and Black Mint. Cessation is a filly who is making good, and the S.I she has to carry will not trouble her. At the difference in weight she has a first-rate Chance of heating Atholspear, Black Mint will have improved with recent : racing, and the big Waterlea course should suit him. Koyal Game will be bracketed with Black "Mint, Spearmiss with Atholspeat1. and '[mateagirl with Cessation. Favourites are likely to be the -Cessation-Ima.tcagirl bracket and the Atholspear-Spearmias bracket. . : . ~ WITHBK TROTTING HANDICAP (in harness), of 60 sors; 3.0 class; one mile and a quarter. , . ' "- yds bhd . yds bhd Waipuki ...... scr Lifebuoy ...... 32 Arthur Chimes ~ scr Lively Pronto ; . 24 Bessie Dillon ...scr Dan Roco .... 24 Blngen Wilkes i., scr Allsa Blngen. ... 36 llghtwood ....' 12 Radiola 48 Hakarl ~ 12 Although there 5s some duplication in the Wither Trotting Handicap, many of those engaged are not listed to contest the earlier race for the pacers, and among them the winner is probably concealed. Bessie Dillon and Lightwood were both winners at the recent Nelson Trotting Meetiug, and Hakari, besides winning at the galloping fixture, showed very consistent form through the three-days' ra,cing last week. The best of those who may be having a second- start is Lifebuoy, who may well take a hand in the finish if he has incurred no penalty. Two who should go well are .Lightwood and Bessie Dillon. '• . .'■ . ■.. ■ OPAWA HACK ; HANDICAP, of 70 sots; one mile. ■ " st 11) ■• - st lb Lady Tiene .. 911 Landmark :•..„-. S 1 Ben Hur !l 5 Gourmet ""..'. 7 11 Winloch 8 5 Peep 7 11 Dawn o' Day . 8 2 Black Ribbon' .. 7 11 Tallow 8 1•. ." . • • The class is not good 'in- the., Opawa Hack Handicap, and Lady ; Kehc should again go well in spite of the 9.11 she has been set to carry, which will probably be reduced to 0.0 by putting L. Cr. Sinclair in the saddle. Winloch, who did not race "at Nelson, vri\\ be among her chief opponents, for she has been working well for some time and a turn is overdue, Winloch is a slow, beginner, but the disability may not be. such a disadvantage as it'haE been in the North. •'.Others-.who.will be supported arc Landmark und']?cep, ant] one who must be coming to form, if evei ho is to, is Ben Hur, who promised tc rise much above "this class-early in the neason. Good efforts should be coming from Lady Rene and Winloch.- -. DELTA HANDICAP, of 100 soys ; seren furlongs. • "■ (■ - st lb- ■ • " st lb Atholspear ..10 1 Taku Tama ..8 2 Kozan 9 4 Johneen .... ; 7 13 Ariklnui .... !t 3 Royal Game,'.' 712 First Raid .. 8 13 Courtllke " ../ 7 11 P.lack Mint .. 8 11 ■ Kllmoyler. .'..711 Make Up .... 8 9 . . If the.field for the Delta Handicap goei to the post as it stands, it is probabli that ."bettors will select several h.orses foi support, but the favourite is practical!] certain to be the Corry (Kozan, Make Up find Johneen) bracket. Each leg, is do cidedly possible, and the choice slioulc ■ prove near the .mark. .. .Atholspear.-rcad: better in" the Clip, "but fail- .prospects an hfid by Arrkmui.. Jf-irst'- llsVidj -ami Taki Tama; what preference-there-is being fo first Raid, who has been knocking fo some tirnf. The final, hoist should in elude some member of the Corry bracket

MAIN RACE AT EGMONT

EASILY WON AT FINISH

Birkbeck,' a splendid jumper, won the Bg'mont -Steeplechase -at 'Hawcra yesterday definitely on the merits of the race. He lay in fourth place till approaching the hencoop, about two furlongs from the winning post, and was almost on terms with the leader,. Copcy, for the last (brush)-fence.-J n-the run-down to the judge he outstayed his rival and scored comfortably for a couple of lengths. .

There can be no doubt about Birkbeck's ability to fence. He leaped the obstacles like, a' deer, and never made a mistake in the whole course. The harder the fences, are probably the better he will do. With his light weight in the Great Northern Steeplechase he must be considered as ■ holding first-class prospects, for the scale of the Northern is very similar to that at Hawera. Ho stays on well, and at the end of yesterday's two and a half'miles there was no fresher horae in the contest.

Copey, the second horse, took the lead from. Nukumai at the beginning of the final circuit, and at one point looked'like remaining there. He was ably assisted by his rider, I. Tucker, who lifted him at every fence, and several times gained much ground with him. When challenged by Omeo and Aurora Borealis approaching the hencoop the last time round he thrust off their, menace and beat Aurora Borealis comfortably "by''four lengths for second money. :

Aurora Borealis, after laying last for a circuit, attempted several times to go up, but she could not get to Copey, nor could she hold-back the winner. However, her jumping was up to last year's standard, and the race should do her a lot of benefit. Still, up among the weights where she is now she is going to find steeplechases harder to win this year, and it will not surprise to find some of her main near future efforts made aniong the hurdlers', where she has not, yet earned the penalty of success." . }.; •'' , ~'■-..

Omeo was rathoCi disappointing. Sis furlongs out he looked, a prospect,,; but he did not continue with a promising move, and, after jumping the last fence on terms with Aurora Borealis, went under to her badly in the run home, finishing a good tw'p.'iehgtlia. behind her. Of the other pair,.. the performance of Nuktimai was the more impressive. He ledf more, than half the way, and was not beaten.til! nearly two miles had been, covered..: His jumping was not altogether good, f oi he was rather .slow and deliberate, arid' once or twice he took risks. He is now.: trained at Hawera by M. C6n : way.' - ~':. .V, , ■ . ■ '. Fine Acre is not yet ready, but he will be doing better shortly.- No fault could be found with his fencing.- The..message yes: terday announcing his death in his stall was a mistake, the horse who collapsed and .died being Paiko. ; ' . ■;,.