FEILDING CUP FIELD

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 124, 21 November 1931, Page 21

FEILDING CUP FIELD

GLANCE OVER HANDICAPS

LADY PAM'S PROSPECTS

.FollouiiiK .to-day's vac-ing at Levin the next fixture to interest sportsmen at this end .of the island will bi* the Feilding Jockey Club's Spring Meeting, which opens next Saturday. The principal event is the Feilding Cup, one mile and a quarter, for which the weights were issued this week. This is an important handicap, as it often throws light on the more valuable Christmas and New-Year events. An example is last year's case of Motere, who went on to win the Auckland after finishing very fast from the back with seventh place in the Feilding Cup. The presence of Lady Pain in the. field this year has necessarily depressed the handicaps •of the others. She has been awarded-0.6, but she is quite capable of succeeding-under' this impost, which does not compare unfavourably with her 9.2 in the Fendalton; Handicap at Riccarton (in which only Compris beat her), nor with her 9.0 in the Metropolitan Handicap (in which she, did not start, preferring to keep her.Stead Cup engagement). Lady Paniwas probably a shade unlucky in the .■Fendalton, and she may prove one of the hardest to beat at Feilding. Last year she was favourite carrying 7.13%, but was anticipated home by the outsiders, Kuamii and Blimp,, in a very close finish. Richfield-(8.5), next on the list, is over a stone below her, but even at the difference .the mare should account for him. A more formidable rival will probably be the New Zealand Cup winner, Spearful (8.4), who meets her at two pounds better terms oh' a slightly higher scale than he wris set to do in'the Metropolitan. The smallest change in the running might have found Spearful first.instead of a close fourth on. the final day at Rieearton, and taking a line through Compris he should be of considerable trouble to next Saturday's topweight, even though the distance of the-face may be-rather in the mare's favour.

CONSISTENT ARROW LAD,

Next to attract the eye is Arrow Lad (5.2), winner of the Jockey Club Handicap, one. -mile, at Riccarton under the rather luxurious weight of 7.5. The same risk has. not been, taken with him again by Mr. J. E. Henrys, handicapper at both liiceavton and Peilding, and he will find the task off his present mark probably just beyond him. He ran third under 8.2 in the Members' Handicap on the final day at Riccarton,: but was some way from the pair who beat him. His record would appear to have been very consistent a.t Feilding, but it must be remembered that he is one of the most honest horses racing. Three years ago he was second to Vertigern with 8.1 in the Peilding Cup. The following year he ran inthe sprint on the opening day, then won the St. Andrew's Handicap, a mile and a distance,- on the second day. Last year he made another attempt on the Cup, and, carrying 7.8, finished fourth alongside the third horse, Lady Pam. On the concluding day only Silvermine beat him in the St. Andrew's. Success for him next Saturday would certainly be most popular. It may be noted here that he has also been enter-ed-.for the sprint. ' • Arrow Lad closes the eight-stoners, and at the head of the seven-stoners is the three-year-old, King Colossus, who has been placed on 7.13, or one pound above weighfc-for-age. Judged on his vJctory ■under 84 in the Riccarton Handicap, nine furlongs, on the opening day of the New Zealand Cup Meeting,' King Colossus must be allowed a very definite chance at Feilding; and if he is produced he may be one of the principal selections' on the machine. Not too much notice need be taken of his failure to finish in a .place in the De'rtiy, for he had had a break in his prepafaifon subsequent to -. racing at the Wellington Spring Meeting and the Riccarton Handicap win probably drew more on'his condition, than was realised at the time-. He has had every chance 'to recover since, and is likely to strip a fitter horse the next time he is produced than he was on Derby Day. -