AUCKLAND CUP HOPES

Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 142, 13 December 1933, Page 6

AUCKLAND CUP HOPES

KING'S KNAVE IN FAVOUR

CAY SHEILA'S PROGRAMME

(Special from "Early Bird.") AUCKLAND, This Day.; There has been nothing wrong with the recent track doings of King's Knave, who. is one of the ruling favourites for the. Auckland Cup. Last Saturday morning the Austraiian-bred gelding was galloped a mile and a quarter .'at Te Awamutu, and he went very freely throughout. He is to run in the Te Awamutu Cup on Saturday, and this should be an effective windup to his public Cup preparation. Master Norval, who has won his last three races, should be at his peak on Bosing Day, which suggests that he is going to be a hard horse to top oft in the Auckland Cup. In that event he _ has eight stone, the same weight, as Kings Knave," and next Saturday, in the le Awamutu Cup; they also meet on level terms, with nine stone. Over this shorter distance Master vNorval may in his present form.be too good for Kings Knave. The conditions at Te Awamutu on baturday will prove vastly different from those under which the Auckland Cup is run, for it is a question of a two-mile race on a big course against a ten-furlong affair on a turning track of just under a mile. In the past horses have failed at Te Awamutu and then won the Auckland Cup, and vice versa. There is a disposition to fancy King's Knave over Master Norval in the longer race,- for the former is richly endowed with staying blood on both sides of his pedigree. : Auckland Cup horses engaged m the_ J.e Awamutu Cup, in addition to the pair just mentioned, are Red Sun, Alloy, and King March. Alloy has also been entered for the Taranaki and Manawatu Meetings, and may go south, although in his present form he would be a possibility for one of the handicap events at Ellerslie if given the chance. However, the second string of the stable, British Columbia, is not quite up to Ellerslie standard, and that may induce their trainer-owner to extend his tour southwards this month. MAY NOT BE RUNNER. Judging by the work that is being allotted Gay Sheila at Takanini, it would seem as if she will not be a runner in the Railway Handicap, for her work-outs have been over middle distances in company with the stable's Cup representative Speedmint. Nevertheless, although the filly has been indulged in long work, usually it has not been against time, thfe last few fiu> longs being sprinted, so that it may not be taken for granted that she will not start on "Boxing Day. Gay Sheila has a couple of pounds under the weigbt-for-age scale in the Railway Handicap, and this may be a temptation to her owner to let her run in the big sprint. In addition, this outing would be a grand final work-out .for her engagements later at the meeting, which include the King's Plate and the Derby; In these two events the probable meeting of Gay Sheila with Red Manfred, Golden Hair, and perhaps the improved Spiral is arousing the greatest interest in the north, i' The defeat of fiambury at Takapuna has taken a bit of the sheen off his very fine performance earlier at Te Rapa, but in his latest outing he was a victim of jostling at-the barrier,; consequently he could not obtain the. great advantage his wonderful spe£d usually gives him. He is engaged in: the Waipa' sprint -with a;stone more than- his Railway Handicap' impost, and that, may seryie. to .indicate-what his chances will be, at Ellerslie on Tuesday week. ,'- .".. ■ ■■. .'■ '■ ■■- .-.■ .;;. .''". .■ FOAL STAKES CLASH. . , Once, again the Great Northern Foal Stakes at Ellerslie on "Boxing Day is going to be'most interesting. This is the first time that .the twd-ysar-olds will be running over'; six furlongs, which perhaps, may account for the frequency with which favourites have been defeated- in this classic. , 'Mother Superior and Whehuakura will be able to have their A.R.C. Welcome Stakes duel all over'again, and other improved youngsters likely to make their presence :felt are Pin Money, Gay Blonde, Burnish,. Br6wn Betty, and Coronilla. . '.•,-■■ ■ '.'■■[' ..- The best of the Auckland horses engaged in: the Railway Handicap on Boxing Day may be Gay Sheila, Puss Moth, Bambury, and .the bracketed pair, Greek Gold and Exaggeration. ■ The first-mentioned trio are very' fast out of the' b.arrier, [ and Greek Gold, now that he' is being better ridden than earlier in the. spring, may be solid enough to take part in the final'dash up thestraight. :.■'■■' ■~';■ "•' • ';-... ■■■■■ It is just bqssible thafr'the Robinson Handicap on Boxing .Day'j will; have Sto be divided, for the hprges;,handicapped exceed the safety number;, by' 27, although'it is probable that the acceptances".on-Friday afternoon" may see' the' field reduced sufficiently. This hack race' in the past has often been run in divisions.," ■ ; >