LAP UP THIS YEAR

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

LAP UP THIS YEAR

AMATEUR RIDER'S MOUNT

(Special from "Early Bird.")

AUCKLAND, This bay.

The well-known Hunterville sportsman, Mr. K. McK. Duncan, is to ride Lap Up in the Carbine Plate (for amateur riders) on the second day of the Auckland fixture. Mr. Duncan rode Beacon Fire to victory in this event two years ago, and in the previous year he was on Seneschal when he won.

Brackets at Ellerslie on Monday include Lion Heart and Orac in the Jervois Handicap; Wee Pat and Kilmuir, and Verden and Billy Boy in the Great Northern Hurdles; Master Norval and Scotland in the Cornwall Handicap; and Whistling Rufus and Haakon in the Hunt Club Hurdles.

Since his arrival at headquarters Chile has not been asked to do much in the way of schooling over the battens, and when sent to the task his rider did not bustle him at any of his ! fences, giving him time to sight them before taking off. This appears to be a sound policy, and Chile may reap the benefit of it in the big race on Monday.

Valpeen schooled very well over the hurdles this week, and he is going to be well fancied in the Great Northern Hurdles as a result, for there is no doubt as to his seeing the journey out. Free Air went with him, and while she fenced well she was still scratchy afterwards. ,

LIGHTWEIGHT'S CHANCE.

A lightweight prospect for the two Northerns generally accepted as having a splendid chance is Master Musk, and therefore his effort over the country last Thursday was watched with the closest interest. He got over the sodwall all right, but nothing would persuade him to take on the double on the flat, and he was not persevered with. It is probable that he . will be more

amenable on race day, when in company. Master Musk afterwards made no fuss about jumping four of the schooling hurdles. The effort of Wee Pat and Emancipation over five hurdles on Thursday morning was a splendid one, and the fact that the' former put'a foot wrong at the last obstacle could not be taken too much notice of, for she recovered well and was quite unperturbed at her lapse. Emancipation seems to be all the better for his recent run at Te Rapa, and he is expected to run well in his third Great Northern Hurdles appearance. The fields of late years in the Greenlane Steeplechase on the opening day at Ellerslie have been little guide to the Great Northern Steeplechase, for the simple reason that there have been few runners and they have been generally of poor calibre. One has to go back a few years to remember Sir Rosebery leading all the way in this event and then to repeat the performance in the Great Northern Steeplechase. There are four horses in the Greenlane Steeplechase on Monday that claim an engagement in the big cross-country event next Wednesday, these being Pahu, ' Solanio, Royal Limond, and London. The first-named was second in the Egmont Steeplechase last month, and the other trio finished first, second, and fourth respectively in the King Country Steeplechase at Te Rapa. Their efforts on Monday may furnish a guide to their Great Northern chances. An interesting hack engaged at Ellerslie is ■ Salesman, who won and paid a huge dividend at Te Rapa in the autumn. A' week later, at Paeroa, he was left in a big field and then flew up into fourth place,, giving a performance that was a repetition of Silver Jubilee's in the same class of event on the same track six months earlier. While Salesman may not be so good as Silver Jubilee, his showing indicated that he was a good hack, and this he demonstrated by running a good race at Te Rapa last Saturday, only weakening in the final stages. He may win a race' next week. KING' MUSK IN FORM. When King Musk won three races on end in the autumn, following on several placed efforts, it looked as if he was going to go on winning in the best class. However, he has failed to do so, and therefore his second to King Rey at Te Rapa was taken as evidence of returning form. King Musk still seems to be rather a sluggard in the early stages of his races, and when taking on the handicap horses he cannot afford to concede much. Apart from this he has a real good chance in the Cornwall HandiCaßlack Marlin has been exhibiting signs of soreness since he raced for the first time over the sticks last week, and there is a doubt about his engagements at Ellerslie. He" is a good stayer, and as he shaped so promisingly over the sticks at Te Rapa it was hoped that he would be given another chance to prove himself as a jumper. In any case, if he stands up to his work he will be a decided acquisition to the ranks of northern hurdlers. Mercian Prince's two races at le Rapa -should have brought him along nicely for the Cornwall Handicap, for he looked big and burly, and under the circumstances it was surprising to find him running so well. In the mile on fhe second day he was fairly well placed once the field had settled down, but his rider had a hard task keeping him in his position. In the long straight he came home very strongly, and at the end he was beaten for third only by the narrowest of margins, so that with the expected improvement as a result of his tw,o gallops in public he should go a great race in the Cornwall Handicap, .in which he figures on the minimum. . Lord Val made a reappearance at Te Rapa after a lengthy spell, and his showing the second day . was good enough to indicate that he will play a part in'at least one race during the coming Auckland fixture. He is a good mudlark, and he has always shown his best form at this time of the year. The fact that he has only just resumed racing indicates that he will probably be kept going for the Wellington Winter Meeting,' at which fixture he has performed well for some seasons now. "

The New Zealand jockey, K. Voitre is, as far as the bookmakers go, "Bookies' Enemy No. 1." says the "Melbourne Herald." In winning the Bayview and Gellibrand Handicaps on Takakua and Nellie Thrice at Williamstown on May 18, he cost the ring a fortune.