RICCARTON PROBLEMS

Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 27, 1 August 1933, Page 4

RICCARTON PROBLEMS

NATIONALS AND THE CUP

REVISION OF PROSPECTS

■ Recent, movements and racing have to an extent affected the outlook for next "■ week's two Grand Nationals and the Winter Cup, and with all the preliminary racing now completed it may be of some • value to reconsider opinions previously formed about these star attractions at the coming C.J.C. Grand National Meeting. The position appears to have undergone little material change in the two big jumping events, but a couple of candidates at least (Polydora and Foreign Queen) have strengthened their call to attention in the ■ Winter Cup. The Cup especially always offers a difficult problem to investors, and this year's issue is as open as it has ever been. THE STEEPLES. The four horses who made principaj appeal on the weights in the Grand National Steeplechase were Omeo, Luna Lux, Callamart, and Copey, and this quartet must still remain in warm favour, with the declared opinion appearing to prefer Lulia Lux and Copey to the other pair. Another four who will probably carry very little less, support next Tuesday are Billy Boy, Makeup, High Commissioner, and Thurina. . Luna Lux has been rated by the C.J.C. handicapper as probably a good thing beaten in the Wellington Steeples, and his owner has not demurred. He is said to have done well since at Hastings, and, as lie is a jumper who has yet' to have a fall recorded against him and has s':own that he possesses plenty of pace en the flat, ■he must be reckoned at present among the likeliest prospects. Still, over the last mile of the-KJccarton country, one remembers, ihe will have to fence with more speed to jrin than he did at Trentham. •■' C«peyi» very highly regarded 5n Taranaki, and he has a good Biccartou record. His showing on the final day at Trentham would go to indicate that lie is one oiT the horses in the field who has been improving, and he is a clever jumper in :ata handy weight. Omeo's Jwo falls since his Wellington Steeples success are black marks against him, but it is probable that he was unlucky to go out in either' of these later races. He is a bold fencer, as fast as anything in the field at his obstacles, and his connections must be very keen to win with .him, as there is some doubt whether he will stand, up to much more racing. Cal'lamart, an incorrigible sluggard, is a stablemate to Omeo, though running in different interests, and the stiff trip will suit him, for he is a clever fencer who can all day. Whether or cot he is in front at the end he will almost certainly be going as well as or better than anything else when the race is in its closing stages. There has been a definite movement towards last year's winner, Billy Boy, during the past week. Billy Boy did not go a bad race by any means at Trentham, better than many expected, and he improved a lot ,in general appearance during tho fortnight he was at the local centre. Perhaps, "after being started out to win races ■under very solid weights in; the early winter, he is only now coming into his own. ■'.',• 1 Makeup will probably attempt _ the double, and his connections are said to be hopeful of "making history" with him. The Riccarton country may' trouble him, however, though he has now settled down much better to big,jumping -with the experience that, he has been 1 having.. -High Commissioner is another who may aim at the elusive double honours, but, without knowing more about him than that he completed riskily at Ellerslie, one cannot feel particularly drawn to his Steeples chance. Thurina is the southern hope, but it is questionable if his preparation has been sufficiently full. He was beaten at Washdyke (when conceding a lump of weight) tea days ago, but so was Snowfall prior to winning his National two years ago. THE HURDLES. The only present revision in the view originally taken about the Grand National Hurdles that appears to be necessary is to replace Full Mark, who did not make the first" acceptance, by Punchestown, ■who has now won three hurdling events in line. That makes the likely'grourj as High Commissioner, Makeup (or Landmark), Ad;ventus, Gold Knight, and Punchestown. Were High Commissioner reserved solely for the Hurdles his prospects would look decidedly inviting off 9.13. , Prior to his good second in the Great Northern Steeples at hia last outing he won three hurdling events on end, including a defeat of Paddon at Te Rapa when in receipt of 131b. It is additionally in his favour that he is bred along excellent jumping lines. However, in the history of tha races, only one horse that has priovly contested the Steeples has yet run into a .place in the Hurdles (Liberator, after being unplaced in the 1896 Steeples, ran third in the Hurdles), so that there is a tremendous hurdle of precedent to be taken, as well us the scheduled obstacles, if a Steeples runner is to succeed in the Hurdles, and it is very ■ doubtful if" High Commissioner is quite up to negotiating this additional "obstacle." ■ > The- same argument may be applied to the case of Makeup, but he may be the likelier of the pair to succeed where all others have failed, for he is gifted with marked versatility. About his bracket mate. Landmark, too little is at present known, and he has not been conceded any particular advantage by the C.J.C. handieapper. Adventus is an improved hurdler in at a handy weight, even though his 9.11 represents a rise of 111b on what he carried into second place behind Paddon in the Winter Hurdles at Trentham. Still he might have been half a stone or so higher, i'or had the weather been fine on the final clay at Trentham he would very probably have beaten Paddon. His prospects at [Riccarton look excellent. Gold Knight has been one of the South Island's hurdling finds this season, but it Jias still to be shown that he ia a true stayer. He is brilliant, ,but 2% miles at Trentham was too far for him. His being out of an Absurd mare would account for his fine turn of pace when it is required, but it also makes his stamina a point to he questioned. Puncheatown, a half-brother by ThurnJiarn to Charlatan, a good hurdler who 'ihad a placing to his credit in the National, undoubtedly has the requisite breeding, find his latest sequence of three wins, ending with a victory from the back under 30.6 in the mile and five furlongs hurdles at Riccarton last Saturday, marks him as si lightweight with distinct prospects. He ■wast a fast horse on the flat, and evidently be has now come quite sound again. Among the others there is Prince of Orange, a hurdler with plenty of speed, and there was no disgrace in his defeat at Auckland ten days ago, for he was conceding weight all round, Paddon included. The Riccarton course, however, may not suit him, for his best efforts have been on the right-handed Ellerslie track. Judgment musft atypresent be reserved on last year's winner, Membo, till it is known if he has completely recovered from his fall Bt Trentham. Henry of Navarre, ridden es he was* in his races twelve months ago, would be seriously dangerous off the minijmuni. ' THE WINTER CUP. The Winter Cup looks rather a more solid problem than either of the jumping events, yet it will probably be found at the conclusion of next Tuesday's racing that one of the well-fancied horses has been enrolled as the 1933 winner. Some years ago the type of horse to look for in this race was the good hack, but that was in the (lays of the nine-stone minimum, when horses of class were out enjoying a jeat or were only just returning from spells. In the lust' few years good class liorscs in fit order have stepped out in

tlm race, and one of them has succeeded. Toxouma, K.ihikatoa, and Fart Passage in the last three years are the argument. _ The class acceptor in this year's'field is, not far to seek. It is the New Zealand Derby and Stead Cup winner, Cylinder, who showed a touch of his old ability in winning the Parliamentary Handicap at Trentham three weeks ago. Cylinder has been improving with every race he has had, and 10.5 does not by any means set him an. impossible, or even excessivelydillieult, task. On a firm track he would have, to be ranked as possessing-'a chance the equal at least of that possessed by .the best of the others, and even if the track is easy he should also take lots of holding out. A heavy or cut-up track, however, would probably ruin his prospects. With him, therefore, it is probably .a cast on what the going will be. . His opposition comprises some formidable gallopers, tested by the rule' o£ recent form, and proved under winter weights and under the most varied track .conditions. One needs only to refer to Beacon • Fire, Merry Peel, ■ Polydora, and Foreign Queen, without naming others whose . prospects are not much inferior on the general book. Beacon Fire, who will again be ridden by L. G. Morris, is a horse with a very consistent record since he resumed racing early in May, for he has had four wins and five placings in ten starts, and his unplaced effort (final day at Ellerslie) was principally the result of serious interference in the running. Twelve months ago he led into the straight in the WinterCup, and finished sixth. He has developed into a high-class handicapper now, and he is not badly placed at 9.6. Merry Peel is one of those unlucky horses who regularly just fail to pull oft the big wins. He is the right type tor a Winter Cup, but recently ; he has given some concern to his 'connections through soreness. Twelve months ago only ■_■; last Passage beat him in the race/1 but his 8.1----places him 101b higher in. the weights now. His recent record consists ot- six seconds in seven starts, including- four on end at his last four starts. If he ts fit enough to be started he would at least have a good place chance. Polydora and Foreign Queen, are two mares with impressive recent records, and they will undoubtedly be among the first .favourites on Tuesday. Polydora, has won 'five races and been second once, in her last six starts, with a* final sequence of four wins, and her brilliant finishing effort in the • Brabazon Handicap at Riccarton1 on "Saturday is sure to have demonstrably increased' her following. Foreign -Queen has won.her last five races on end, and for her year inferiority is to receive, alb from* Polydora, or 21b better than the weight-for-age difference. She is a different style of galloper from Polydora, for she beginsi brilliantly, .and can hold a forward' place from beginning to cud, which she can' top off with a sustained finishing run, awl this is rather 'a better Winter Cup style. Unlike her rival, hbwever, she has' yet to be tried over a mile. M. Kirwan ' will again, ride-Tolydora, and K. Voitre will have the mount on Foreign Queen. The list of the probables, let alone possibles, is not completed with the«e five. Shatter has yet to win at a mile, and may not be ready. Silver Ring has been working with something of his earlier dash, but may also require a race, for. he has not had a run since the New Year. Hurlingham is good, but has a difficult task ahead of him to win in this company with 5.13. Inflation is another one with class, but it looks too early for him yet. Perhaps of the remainder the likeliest to upset the better-backed horses are Playground, Martian Chief (who reappeared to run a good third on Saturday), Palantua (who recently won at Waimate), Mount Boa (though he has recently been mixing his racing), and Cottesmore (who ran a creditable race at Riccarton on Saturday). . .