ELLERSLIE'S OPENING

Evening Post, Volume CXIX, Issue 128, 1 June 1935, Page 23

ELLERSLIE'S OPENING

GREAT NORTHERN MEETING

FINAL ANALYSIS OF FORM

(Special from "Early Bird.")

AUCKLAND, This Day. The course at Ellerslie received such a severe soaking this week that the going is certain to be very heavy for next week's racing. Fields for the opening day on Monday are quite satisfactory, with one or two events likely to be contested by a great number of runners. A division has been avoided in the only hack flat race on Monday's programme, the Jervois Handicap, but there are almost enough competitors in the Great Northern Hurdles to make two races and so minimise the risk of accidents. However, a few are engaged in the minor hurdle event and this may cause the big hurdles field to be reduced to about 15. Last year there were 16 starters and several mishaps. The old betting single-pool system, with two dividends m fields of six and over, will be in force.

The opening event on Monday is the Greenlane Steeplechase, a race that in the past has often given a direct line to the Great Northern Steeplechase. Among the likely contenders in Monday s event are Solanio, Royal Limond, Clan Ronald, Pahu, Haakon, London, and Mia Stella. This is the best field that has contested this event for many years, and over the distance it is difficult to select one to beat the Te Rapa winner, Solanio.

One of the heaviest-backed hacks in the Jervois Handicap will be the Hawke's Bay gelding Solaria. He will be«thoroughly tested over the seven furlongs by several smart provincial hacks, one that may threaten danger being Salesman, who might have been left a bit short for his race at Te Rapa. A winner at the same venue was Prince Acre, and the manner in which he scored there suggested that he is something more than an average hack now. There are several other possibilities besides those named.

The Penrose Hurdles has attracted a large field of its kind, including several novices who may take part in the decision, notably King's Archer, Volition, Black Marlin, and Karangapai. Of the proved hurdlers most interest will be focused upon Ruaform, who has only to handle the right-handed going and the formidable hurdles well to be a strong possibility. Full Measure is class too, but he has not raced for a long time, and he may do better later on at the meeting. Maunga King is a battler, and some others likely are Ruling King, Whistling Rufus, Booklaw, and Sir Mus,k. It has been announced that Stanchion will contest the big hurdles.

There has been little change in the Great Northern Hurdles situation, for Wee Pat stands her ground ;as first choice with early selectors. Emancipation can be expected to give a better account of himself than he did at Te Rapa, and so may Verden. Valpai, Biform, Chile, Free Air, Master Musk, and Stanchion will all carry big money, and under the conditions prevailing a lightweight victory is a distinct possibility. There is an old saying here, and a true one, that let two horses come at the last hurdle together in this race, one with a bit of weight and the- other at the bottpm, and the odds are heavily, in favour of the., latter.'; For that reason Master Musk reads about as well,as anything. A splendid field is left in the Cornwall Handicap, with that good horse Kiltowyn in splendid fettle, but liable to; be beaten by the going. Monanui will be quite at home in the mud. King Rey won nicely at Te Rapa, although it might have been good riding only that got him home ahead of Gay Rose. Ruri at his best would be very hard to beat, for his winning efforts over the past couple of months have been quite good form. King Musk, Horbwhenua, Engi, Gay Lap, and Mercian Prince will all count friends, and the most likely improver may be Mercian Prince, who ran two excellent races at Te Rapa. It is a very open race, in which Ruri and Mercian Prince appeal as much as anything, with Gay Rose and King Musk the next fancies. The Hunt Club Hurdles usually furnishes a chapter of accidents, but this time there is a bit more form than usual for backers to follow. Whistling Rufus, Victor Colima, Sandy Dix, Haakon (who will be coupled with Whistling Rufus), Cometra, and Bells of Bow will comprise the hard-to-beat division; The open sprint, the Members' Handicap, concludes the first day's bill of fare. In this the real mudlarks will come into their own, and there is none better than Tradesman, who finished within a head of Orapai the first day at Te Rapa after being badly placed in the first part of the journey. The meeting- will be continued on Wednesday and concluded on Saturday, the Great Northern Steeplechase being decided on Wednesday. Form horses engaged the first day are the" following:— Greenlane Steeples,—Solanio, Clan Ronald, and Royal Limond. Jervois' Handicap.—Solaria, Salesman, and Prince Acre. . Penrose Hurdles.—Ruaform, King's Archer, and Karangapai. Great Northern Hurdles. —Master Musk, Biform, and Wee Pat (or Chile). Cornwall Handicap.—Ruri, Mercian Prince, and Gay Rose (or King Musk). Hunt Club Hurdles.—Whistling Rufus-Haakon bracket, Victor Colima, and Cometra. Members' Handicap.—Tradesman, Astarth, and Greek Gold. The acceptances, with adjustments, are as follows:— 11.40 GREENLANE STEEPLECHASE, £275; about 2% miles. Transact- .... 11 1 Carlarls .... 9 8 Pahu 10 2 Haakon .... 9 7 Solanfo .... 10 1 London 9 2 Clan Ronald . 10 1 Silver Division 9 2 Mia Stella .. 10 0* Domo 9 0 Royal Limond . 9 12 Ardmanning .90 12.20 JEBVOIS HANDICAP, £275; T furlongs. Oe Parade ... 9 0 High Tea .... 7 4 Solomon .... 8 6 Gay Egypt ... 7 4 Gallant Knight 8 6 Holly Lu .... 7 1 Solaria 8 4 Hunting Maid . 7 0 Scotch Nation . 8 3 Jewelled Girdle 7 .0 Prince Acre w< 8 2 Royal Mimic .. 7 0 Lion Heart ..8 0 Glenacre .... 7 0 Lady Zinnia .. 713 Teddy Boy ... 7 0 Orao i 1 9 Master Rex ..7 0 Keith LU ..... 7 8 Supreme Ruler 7 0 Air Lassie .... 7 5 Salesman ... 7 0 Royal Potoa ...7 5 Hope Lass .... 7 0 I.S PENROSE HURDLE RACE HANDICAP. £275; 1% miles. Ruaform .... 10 7 King's Archer . 9 3 Full Measure .10 5 Kilmulr .... 9 l Maunga King ,10 3 Karangapai .. 9 0 Stanchion ... 912 King Mestor .90 Ruling King . 910 The Sun 9 0 Whistling D'Artagnan ..9 0 Rufus 9 7 Black Jlarlin . 9 0 Sir Musk .... 9 7 Affliction .., 9 0 Bobklaw .... 9 1 Volition .... 9 o 1.55 UitEAT NORTHERN HURDLE RACE (handicap), £900; 2% miles. Wee. Pat ... 10 6 Royal Limond 9 8 Emancipation .10 5 Billy Boy ... 9 4 Verden 10 4 Cargen 9 3 Valpeen 10 2 Booklaw 9 0 Valpai 10 1 Catoma 9 0 Biform 9 12 Free Air 9 0 Chile 8 12 Kilmulr 9 0 Pahu 9 8 Master Musk . 9 0 King Win ...» 9 8 Stanchion ... 9 0 Imperial '-The Sun 0 0 Prince 8 8 2.40 CORNWALL HANDICAP, £550 J m. miles. Kiltowyn .... 9 4 Lord Val 7 4 Monanui ... 8 3 Baroscope ... 7 3 Knight of Tybalt 7 2 Australia 8 0 Delraln 7 1 King Rey .... 710 Horowhenua .71 Kiirl ....... 7 9 Engl 7 0 Master Norval 7 8 First Lap ... 7 0 Gipsy Moth ,« 7 8 Gay Lap ..... 7 0 Gay Bose m 7 7 Mercian Prince 7 0 King Musk 'SM '^-Scotland „.... 7. 0 ] Jti

HUNT CLUB HURDLES HANDICAP, £275; 2 miles. Whistling Cromwell ... 9 0 Rufus 10 3 Cornerman ... 9 0 Victor Colima . 9 11 King Rod 9 0 Sandy Dlx ... 911 Gaseelle .... 9 0 Haakon ..... 910 Adsum 9 0 Cometra .... 9 3 All 9 0 Bolls of Bow .90 Arabesque ... 9 0 B'orest Glow ..9 0 4.5 MEMBERS' HANDICAP, £350; 6 furlongs. Silver Jubilee . 9 3 Exaggeration . 7 12 Cireok Gold ..8 8 Lord Val 7 8 Rebel Chief ..8 8 Astarth 7 6 Good Hunting . 8 7 Matornl 7 5 Rerepai 8 4 Grand Sport . 7 5 Versant 8 1 Tradesman ... 7 4 Gipsy Moth ..8 1 Koman Mascot 7 0 Lady Kyra ... 8 0 Hampton /Park 7 0