WINTER CUP PRELUDE

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 33, 8 August 1934, Page 6

WINTER CUP PRELUDE

VIEWS ON THE BRABAZON

HAULBOWLINE'S EXCLUSION

While it is admitted that?several horses who ran in the Brabazon Handicap at the Chrktchureh HJunt Club's Annual ' fleeting at Riccarton List Saturday are susceptible to definite benefit from that race, and also {hat there "are several popular aspirants for Winter Cup honours among horses who were not seen in action I last week, there is a southern trend of. | thought favouring three or four of the best runners in the Brabazon as very pointed Winter Cup prospects. There is agreement on the chances of Vontrac, Davolo, and Giggleswick, and Sweet Agues 'is'added to the group by one critic, but no list includes the second horse' Ilaulbowline. It might be the irony' of fate for Haulbowlinc to Idacl all these opponents home next Tuesday, despite the , fnety that he comes in on fairly general all-round worse terms', as he is rather better class than many will yet allow him to be. ' The following two articles record the views of the Brabazon taken by ,tho two G'hristehurch evening paper critics "'Sundridge" and "Vigilant." VOTE FOR VENTRAC.' Says "Sundridge":— If the Brabazon Handicap is ten be .regarded as a preliminary trial for' the Winter Cup, then several preconceived ideas about the candidates for the big mile race next Tuesday must have been upset on Saturday. • The few who ventured on the VeutracDismiss bracket got a great return, and Ventrao gave them and the rest of the Christchurch Hunt Club patrons food for real thought. It was a truly-run race, the first three furlongs taking 37 3-Jcec and the last four jOsec. A'cntrac miiet be uiven full credit for his most impressive win, and he gives a new angle to Winter Cup prospects*. Ventrac drew 19 in v field of 25, and he did not immediately become prominent, but before they had gone two furlongs he was running with Slippery behind Haulbowline and Princess Dorccn. Ho trailed the leaders all the way- to the home stretch, and the race then resolved itself into a duel between him and Haulbowlinc. Davolo entered calculations opposite the carriage paddock, but the other two were going too well, i Ilaiilbowline surrendered the lead only\ in the last few t-trides and Ventrac gotl the verdict by a short neck. , ' Davolo, no" doubt, would have won, at a mile. He had to make his run almost iv the micrUle of the couise to enter the ,«traight in sixth place. It was a'good Cup trial. Giggleswick. in fourth place, was ulso impressive. He drew the rail, but was not able to mike the best use of it. ,Jnt,t i before the half-mile, he was eighth and made no appreciable advance until the last furlong. He is very fit and at si mile or more he will be a better proposition. A disappointing fchowing was that of Rebel Star, who was elected a hot favourite. He got away well and was running freely in fourth place over the middle section. At the distance he was beginning to falter, and he could •make no impression on Giggleswick and Davolo, although they were racing neck and neck 101) yards from the poet. He was sixth, but several behind him were doing better. After the race he was ?ore, co this may explain a lot about his effort. Some Shamble was right up with the place-getters. He was very little fancied and evidently surprised. It was a valuable "sighter," however. Another runner who was impressive was Sweet Agnes. She was first to break the line from No 4, but Haulbowline ran past her and took " *up her tricks. She lost further ground on the turn and only on the final run did she come into the picture again to beat Princess Doreen and Slippery, who both displayed great speed, but did not run on. Water Power began slowly and did not improve till the last couple of furlongs. Vintage drew No. 14, and dropped back half a dozen places over the last halfmile. He needed this race and vill need another before he is at his best. The Southdown-Cleaner bracket did not flitter at any stage. The former was in Uouble from the outset and was not able U> justify his position in the^ betting. ,I'anelajcb. jumpeil clean from No. 9, but the field at once closed round him. and he became unbalanced, as did Southdown. Ho had only Water Powrr behind him at the half-mile, but lie was finishing on -wonderfully well from an impossible position. ' Niggerhead, Dismiss, Jaloux, and Sea Vox -were the four lost to leave the post, and they were always out of the lmining thereafter. Bed Sun showed no ?ign« of reproducing his recent trial with •Southdown. Niggcrlibad had a very rocky passage. Vehtrac, Davolo, Giglcswick, and Sweet Agnes took the honours in this race. How ' far they will carry on with it in the Winter Cup now remains to be seen. . DAVOLO PREFERRED. "Vigilant" believes that the oritstand- ■ ing performance in the Brabazon from the point of view* of a Cup trial was that of the third horse Davolo, and next in merit ~- he placea the efforts of Giggleswick and Ventrac. He writes:— Sixteen! of the thirty-three horses still ! eligible to rnn in the Winter Cup were ' seen in action in the Brabazon Handicap, run over a furlong shorter distance. The Brabazon has before now supplied a good lead to the more important event. Twelve months ago it was fairly well on the mark, for Polydora, who won the Brabazon, would have won the Cup, too, with any hick in runnings Generally speaking, the handicap for the Brabazon was framed on a scale of, six or seven pounds heavier than that in the Cup, but there are some .other differences. Ventrac, the Brabazon winner,

will meet Haulbowline, the runner-up, at < Dlb better terms on the weights next Tuesday, which riiay be reduced to 31b if Haulbowline's rider ddea not have to put up overweight, a« .last Saturday. Slippery will meet Haulbowline1-and Giggleewiek each 101b better on handicap weights, and Palermo has 131b the better of it compared with the two West Coasters. r A comparison of the two sets of weights is:— Tlrabazon. (.'up. Ventrac (1) 8 13 8 » Haulhowllnc (2) ....SO S (I Itavolo (3) ....; -U 'I Blt (Jlggleswlck (4) SO SO Somo Shamblo (v) .... 8 2 X I Slippery (7)' 9 3 S (I Wator Power (3) .... 8' 5 S 0 I'rincess Doreen (0) .. 8 5 SO Rehcl Star (10) ...'.. 8 8 Hi Southdown 9 11 9 i v Vlntasta 9 3 8 II! Jalous 8 0 SO Ilanelagh 9 3, 810 ■--. Palermo 9 1 S i ' Nlggerliead 8 0 SO Seed Sun 8 0 S 0 The extra^ furlong is more likely to suit Ventrac thin Haulbowline, though the latter has won onco over a.mile and once over a mild and a quarter on the West Coast. Giggleswick was not suited by drawing No. 1 barrier position in such a field at the eeven-furlong 'barrier. He jumped away all right, but could not 1 hold hie position and went right back. He thus put up a sterling performance in finishing fourth, and on this form he must be respected in the Cup. ' Davolo had a lot of ground to make up in the straight, and he waa within a ■ length of the winm# at the end. His Cup . prospects look bright. Some Shamble ran a really good race, find he is susceptible to improvement. Princess Doreen and 7!ebcl Star were well in the picture most of the way, but both faded out in the . closing stage, Kebel Star stopped very suddenly, but that docs not seem true form in his case. ' ~

The other Winter Cup candidates in the lirabazou mostly run- unsighted. In a

GATIBJL")

field of twenty-five for a sovcn-fiivlong race at Rieearton a little bad luck can put a hoiise right out of the picture, and one or two of 'the disappointment on Saturday may give a much.better account of themselves.iv the Cup.

The Winter Cup candidate* who did not race on Saturday were:—Curie 9.13, Autiv pay. 9.11, Polydora SJ3,' Hurlinghnm 8.9, Bay Tree S.O, Silver Streak S.S, Great. Star S.S, Prince Val 5.4, Tiger Gain S.S, Limbolim 5.2. Korokio 8.2, l'raeas S.I, Passion I'm it S.O, Lady Spy S.O. Silver Sight S.O, Grand Review S.O, and Boudoir S.O. Hurlingham for one among.these is considered an unlikely starter in the Cup.