THE NORTHERN TREBLE POINTERS FROM TE RAPA

Evening Post, Issue 122, 26 May 1933, Page 4

THE NORTHERN TREBLE

POINTERS FROM TE RAPA

PROTOMINT CAINS FRIENDS

(Special from "Early Bird.") 'AUCKLAND,'This Day. It is a fact-, that in most respects the recent racing at Te Rapa, so fur' from shedding new light upon the big events to be decided at Ellerslie a week or sc hence, only served to complicate the position. The. meeting .last weekend was a great .one -in every detail, big fields and splendid racing, with . most satisfactory financial returns. : • SETBACKS IN HURDLES. Probably the most enlightening races at the meeting were. the hurdles on the opening, day. First and foremost, early speculators received a severe setback when Thespis failed to make a showing in a weak but big field. One was prepared to overlook this apparently, temporary- lapse of form. Still, the owner and trainer of Thespis wanted another trial, so they took on the open hurdles the second day. The hope of : Ellerslie was sent to the front in the first furlong, and was doing it quite well there until he hit hard at the fence five furlongs from home, after which he faded out—and so did, his Great Northern Hurdles backers' optimism. A different story was associated with Paddou's effort on Saturday. He made a brave showing,-and was beaten by a good one in High Commissioner, the latter being in receipt of 131b. Enough was seen of Paddon to show that with the benefit of that race and another' fortnight's work before the G.N. Hurdles he should atrip a fit' horse. He is a good hurdler, and a proved stayer and mudlark—three .very necessary attributes for a Great Northern candidate. So Paddon- stands now as haviug a really first-rate chance, at Ellerslie. The dual Te Rapa winner, High Commissioner, was the-first', horse scratched for the.Great Northern Hurdles, so that he does not enter into calculations for that event. But he affords a good line on the prospects of those he defeated last weekend. Biform, whom Paddon kept out of second money on Saturday, met his conqueror on the second day at an advantage of 91b—and the handicapper could not have-brought them any closer together. Running to the last hurdle this pair were level, and all the way home they had a battle royal, but High Commissioner beat Biform to the post by half a head. Biform, with a lightweight, is a Northern possibility. High Commissioner^ ie still in the G.N. Steeples, but beis an unknown quantity over the country. Other hurdlers in Prince of Orange 'and Criiachuu, also True Blood, were very disappointing. The last-named was the.best, and be is handier ,in the weights than the other pair named. Prince of Orange never;was any good in bad going, so thut makes his, prospects nest 'week • rather remote: / - ' • , ■ Make,'.Up was, the only cross-country performer, to make an impression. Lucess is not improving, and indeed .he appears to be oil the down grade. . Wiltshire wou easily-the second day, but he had nothing to beat. -Master Lv pulled up lame, on the second day,' and Star Comet appears to be far from right yet. Kawini.made a fine, showing for most of the way, and threatened to play a part on Monday, only to tire in the last furlong. He does not look to be a spent light by any means, notwithstanding advancing years. , CORNWALL CANDIDATES. :'Thei'e is a different story to, tell about the Cornwall Handicap candidates, for two of them won at Te F>apa aud others :jverei in;:-the;'money*.',"Gibraltar .scored .imiKlsomely over .the' mile and- a 7 quarter :sLfie'isfirst .day, /with Ornamental finishing | ■brilliantly in second place, literally "coming from the clouds." Euri, made favourite, , was qfif the course all the way, and i't'subsequently transpired that his saddle slipped/at 'the start, so that his rider could not ,eoutrol him. . On Monday, Prolyso, Speedmmt, Protomint, Master Norval, Tarporley, afld King March flew past the judge in that order, and in close formation at the end of -the Waitomo mile—and they are all engaged in the Cornwall. Prolyxo, a sister to Ammori Ra, is a Cup winner ,in the making. Speedmint was made a lot or use or. She ia usually slow to find her feet, yet in this race ehe was actually running clear out in front inside the first furlong, and then she carried on on the outside £■'Prolyxo right to the judge. "Ridden, in behind she may do better in the Cornwall. Protomint finished in great style, and showed brilliancy in the early part, ; lie will be a very much improved hbrue by tomorrow week, and he is a veritable mudlark. He got his tongue over "the .bit in Monday's race, so that it was. a sterling performance under difficulties, but tor Which he might have actually wou. . tie ■is entitled to become first selection tor the Cornwall Handicap: now, especially with such an- accomplished horseman as A. again in the saddle.: