THE FORM AT OTAKI

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 90, 13 October 1931, Page 6

THE FORM AT OTAKI

SOME IMPROVING HORSES

SEVERAL LIKELY HACKS

The Otaki Maori Racing Club's Meeting last week provided several horses with their first outing for the season, and the form shown was therefore of more than usual interest. The Masterton, Marton, Wellington, and G'urtcrtou jMoetiiijjs will see many-of'the Otaki runners again iv action, and improvement can reasonably be anticipated in most of them. Among the hurdlers Warzouo and Manuiri so outclassed the others that lew would wish to back any of the Otaki unplaced division iv races in which they should clash again in the near future. Okapua, the third horse on the first day, does not appear to be so good as his reputation. Yet he may one day surprise, for his owner-trainer (A. M. Wright) rates him highly. As he is only a four-year-old, there is still plenty of time for him. He had a second race on the flat on Friday, but was never in the picture, aud he was not produced on Saturday. Hymgreat, who had his one run at the meeting on Saturday to finish a poor third, appeared to meet some trouble halt' a mile from home, nevertheless he would not have troubled the pair that beat him. The open class at Trcntham would seem to be rather select for him. Hard Gold, a useful hurdler a couple of years back, made his reappearance at the meeting, and registered two creditable showings. Hj is in the same stable sis'Okapua, and may be doing better before long. He is duo to -have his next run at Marton. Easterly,-who had not raced since a bad Jail at Ellerslio iv June, did not appear to have recovered completely when paraded on Saturday, for sho moved somewhat •tenderly in her preliminary. She was backed to win, but never raised any enthusiasm in her supporters. MAIDEN PERFORMERS. The three maiden winners at the meeting—Miladi, Sanguine King, and Kotahi Eka—all are likely to inako good shortly among the hacks. Miladi was not quite ready on the first day, but she improved immensely with the race, coming on to win o the second day from the point at which she weakened on the first day. She will be still better when next produced, probably at MastertoD^. Sanguine King, who is a three-year-old lull brother to Tenacre, has yet had only the race he so easily won on Friday. He came at the right end after showing greenness ■in the early running, and he will have a big following next time he steps out, probably at Marton. Not only •was the Otaki success his first, but it gave the fust victory to the colours of his owner, Mrs. J. M. Bevan, and also to his rider, J. H. Wills, an apprentice in his trainer, A. M. Wright's, stable. Wills is Okapua's customary pilot over fences. Kotahi Eka, now raced by the Otaki owner-trainer, J. D. Lambess, was making his re-appearance after an absence of two years. Previously ho carried E. Penman's colours, and in that livery he several times failed narrowly to notch the m^in honour. As a three-year-old he was beaten a short neck at Otaki by Werata, and sis months later was second to Lucre at Marton in a big field. Ho had only four starts after the latter effort prior to his successful return on Friday. His next outing will probably bo at Masterton on Saturday. Among' the beaten maidens the most likely" to leave the ranks in the near future is the Australian-bred St. Roger, whose third among the hacks on Saturday was a better effort than his second in a division of the maiden event on Friday, because he came at the finish after having to cover much extra ground. Another maiden whose turn is overdue is Jean Ladosio. This three-year-old halfsister to Arrow Lad showed a lot of speed in Saturday's race, her only production at the meeting; and might have won if Miladi had not had the benefit of the previous day's race. As it was she gave up the lead only in the final hundred yards and was a close second. Her style o£ galloping is somewhat similar to that of her renowned half-brother. Lady Makere, a full sister to defunct !Te Awha, registered a couple of useful efforts at the meeting, being beaten in the maiden event only by Kotahi Eka on the first day, and running on well in the hack sis on the second day. She was several times in the money last season, and, although she may never he so good as her unfortunate sister, should forfeit her maiden status before long. Three Trentham maidens who will benefit with the racing they had are Bright Song, Weatherstep, and Fairwind. All were making their bow to the public. The firstnamed came from well back into fourth place pn the second day, and was going very strongly at the end. Weatherstep, not too well served in the running, was showing up at the finish on both days. Fairwind went with her field all the way at her one start, and wound up a creditable fifth. Her effort was better than that of either of her owner's other maidens, Foulwind and Capetown. AMONG THE HACKS. Among the hacks there were rifeveral disappointments, but a few caught the eye as liable to show improvement next time they are started. Over the shorter courses Nightmare, Acmil, Fiji, and Leisure were most outstanding. The first-named has left the class, but has nominations to run out at Marton and Wellington. She will be hard to beat in any company. . Acmil, whose form on Saturday was by no means in such marked contrast to what she showed on Friday as the results of the races in question might indicate, as she was ill-served at the start on the first day and then ran oft' the course at the straight entrance, has retained all of her last season's brilliance. With another £05 to earn for wins in the class, she is one that may well be remembered for the next month or two when she races among tho hacks. Sho was in great form last spring, but did not turn out in the final half of the season. The threc-yenr-old Fiji should beat Leisure any time they meet at near weights. This half-brother to Otairi and Cashier has had only four starts to date for three wins, and his two successful efforts at Otaki were very impressive. How good ,he now is has yet to be shown, for he had last week's races won all along tho line. Ho was held handy, and was then irresistible when sent along. On Saturday, in spite of his 8.10, he finished with something in hand, while Leisure was being ridden out. Leisure, however, went two good races for her two seconds, and she should win when (hero is no Fiji in the field. Her turn may come at Marton, where the opposition, excepting possibly Korokio and Saltpot, will not Lo strong. Both Fiji and Leisure (who, by the way, carries the same colours as Nightmare) should go further than sis furlongs. . The Australian-bred Appledore, now four years old, nearly brought off a big surprise on Friday, for the well-performed Nightmare had to do her best to wrest tho honours from him. On the strength of this showing he was made a good favourite; on Saturday, but, al'ter_ again moving out well, struck trouble hi the early running and lost a favourable position. While he might not have beaten Acmil, he • would probably have done better than fourth had he received an unchecked passage. He promises to be a cheap proposition for Mr. J. J. Corry at tfoo SOgns paid for him at the Elgar dispersal sale. His next race will probably be at Masterton on Saturday. The Tarnnaki-trained Green Patch was quietly whispered in some quarters, and, after never being dangerous on the first clay, finished fast from the back for second | money on Saturday. It is possible he was not quite himself on Friday, as he does not always travel well. While this rather small son of Acre may win at any time now he is not a, good recommendation when fields flic big, as he is too slow at

the beginning of his races. In the small lield he will probably meet at Waverley, however, he should have a great chauce to go one up on his most recent effort. ENTRANT FOR CUP. Tho Trentham three-year-old filly Flower, who still remains iv tho New Zealand Cup and Oaks Stakes, improved on tho second day at Otaki to take third money behind Green Patch. She was off tho course at the turn, aud it was only narrowly that she filially lost second prize. This was one of her best showings to date, as she covered more ground than anything in the race, and it will not surprise to find her developing good middle-distance form later oil. Saltpot, who did not appear to have retained any ill-effect from his experience on the Tuesday morning preceding (the wire he crashed over was wirenetting, not barbed wire, as earlier reported), went a One race to the straight on Saturday, and, although he was not quite ready enough to hang on, was by no means disgraced, and should be seen to better advantage next time he steps out. Eminent, one of the best track workers at Trentham, did not improve at the meeting. His first day's showing was a fair one, as he suffered in the dispatch, and it is possible that the effort told on him on Saturday, as there is not much of him. If this is so, he may be found doing better at Masterton with the short spell he will have to freshen up again. Joie de Val must be an exasperating puzzle for her connections. Three successive times before leaving for Otaki she beat Tobaccoland in gallops, but she was never prominent in either race sho had at the meeting. It may be mentioned that on both clays she appeared to be jostled at the start. One wonders why the rider (L. Daly), who gets such results from her on the track, is not put up on race day. Duly all but brought her home on the occasion he rode her at Tauhercnikau at Easter, and the horse to beat her then was Martian Chief, who in the next few months proved himself to be much above ordinary hack class. OVER A DISTANCE. Among tho hack milcrs Spearful and Tahoraa stood out. Spearfi.. would appear by results to be an unlucky horse, but he is always dangerous, and once he leaves hack ranks he should win races in open mile and a quarter events. He is a slow beginner, but he has a very powerful finishing run, and in smaller fields such as he will eventually meet in open class he may be able to. exploit it to fuller advantage. At Otaki his year-older full brother, the hurdler, Full Mark, showed the same lightning dash at the end of his races. V- is a characteristic feature of the best of Greyspears' stock. Spearful, by the way, is in the open race at Masterton, in which he has been placed on 7.5. Tahoma'a much increased backing ou the second day at Otaki was not by any means a surprise, for he went a good race into sixth place on the first day, and on Saturday obtained the services of L. Or. Morris, who might have had the ride on Royal Black had he wished. Tahoma s last season's record was very consistent, although it contained only two winning etforts (both in open class), an. it is likely to be equally as good this season. Saturday's win lifts his stake-earnings for firsts to £455, so that ho has not yet leit hack company, but as he is well up in the weights he may in future do most of his racing in better company. Gran Chaco, who has only comparatively recently joined G. W. New's stable, was unexpectedly well backed on the first day, but failed after having quite as good a chance as Johneen, who finished second. On Saturday he was never a prospect after not receiving the best of tho start. He is back on the minimum at Marton, and $nay make amends there. Royal Black was somewhat disappointing on the first day by failing to finish on, and, with Wiggins replacing L. (*. Morris on Saturday, drew the rail and was sent back to the rear at the dispatch. As that hopelessly settled any chance he might have had, it was not possible to discover if his first day's form was correct. In any case, as he has been in good fettle for some months, one cannot look for much immediate improvement in him. Johneen and Flakewhite are a couple who may be paying their way shortly. The former indicated that. he is approaching highest form, and the latter is also decidedly on the upgrade. Zephyrus, tried over a distance on Saturday, aid not go a bad race, and there is ample time yet for'him to rise to the expectations of his trainer. Still, he has a reluctance to do his work the right way at the end of races.