BLUE MOUNTAIN WELL

Evening Post, Volume CXX, Issue 111, 6 November 1935, Page 6

BLUE MOUNTAIN WELL

TROTTING CUP PROSPECTS

(Special to the "Evening Post.")

CHRISTCHURCH, November 5,

Blue Mountain had his final race before the New Zealand Cup in the Little ! River Handicap Trot at Motukarara on I Saturday, and he received a rousing ovation from the crowd when passing the field a furlong behind the leaders in front of the stands. He caught only one horse from his impossibles mark of 252 yards, but was not even expected to do that. J. S. Shaw is well satisfied with him and is of the opinion that the grey is as good as ever he has been. Last year he had Indianapolis extended, and he put up the excellent time of 4min 17sec. He is on the same mark again this year, and may be Indianapolis's most dangerous opponent once again. The previously-expressed fear that Moana Tama's condition might not hold out in a hard race was endorsed at Wellington on Saturday. The Nelson Derby gelding is a neat little horse, but has not furnished to any appreciable extent since he was a two-year-old. If he had lived up to his classic promise in Saturday's races he would have distanced most of his opponents. . Sir Guy is a doubtful starter in the New Zealand Cup. He had only the one race at the Metropolitan August Meeting, and made a poor showing. His owner, Mr. C. P. Cameron, is not satisfied with the Real Guy stallion's progress since then. SEA GIFT'S TROUBLE. It is freely stated that Sea Gift has been troubled with a corn, and that she will start the Cup Meeting short of work. If these repeats are correct, the Dominion Handicap will be made a lot easier for the-Auckland Nell Volo, who would probably be favourite in any case. Harold Logan looked a ball of muscle when he stepped off the float after his return to South Brighton on Sunday morning. His welcome home vied with anything Caesar, Mussolini, or Hitler ever experienced. Admirers of the champion, came from everywhere, armed with sufficient apples to keep all the doctors in Christchurch away. Harold Logan is partial to apples, but not so many at once. He is a national hero at the seaside, and he knows it. He is in perfect shape now, and there is general regret that he is not in the New Zealand Cup field. - Silver de Oro can merely hobble about, and her. leg is in such a bad way that she may not race again. Her trainer, G. McKendry, is naturally keen to give- her every chance, but her connections are seriously considering retiring her to the stud. She is the greatest of her inches ever seen, a'perfect pacer,'and a champion of her sex. Indianapolis will do his real fast final work-outs on a private grass track, as no risks are to be taken with his brittle, feet, which cracked up last year. He went to the post for the last New Zealand Cup a lame horse, and /t was only at the end of a round that the soreness entirely disappeared. That performance showed what a really great horse can surmount, and there is not a shadow of doubt that he is a better horse now than twelve months ago. AUSTRALIAN VISITORS. The connections of Emilius Way were disappointed with the gelding's performance in the New Zealand Cup Trial, as they were prepared to see him take a prominent part in the finish. The other Australian, Evicus, looks a picture. She derived much benefit from her race in the Weston Handicap at Oamaru, in which her finishing effort outshone everything except that of Indianapolis. She is quite a. reasonable place pyospect for the New Zealand Cup. • Iraq, has done well lately and looks certain to get some money next week.' His two defeats at the New Brighton Spring, Meetings could be explained aw.ay satisfactorily, and in more suitable classes at Addihgton he appears to hold excellent prospects. One performance left no doubt about his class. That was when he defeated Llewellyn's Pride, Guy Junior, and Graham Direct in the Ashburton County Handicap in 3min 16 4-ssec for the mile and a half They all started from the limit, 3min 2osec. Air Flow had a beneficial rest after the August Meeting, during which she lighteued up to a shadow. She soon built up again, however, and has held her condition better than formerly. The American filly stood head and shoulders above the class she met in August, despite her defeat over two miles on the second day. Her sort in America are taken for granted- here they are champions, and a welcome change from the usual run of New z.ealand-bred square-gaiters, which seldom trot twice alike. • ■ • T,^ am Pfast- the only trotter engaged ln !£? New Zea!arid Cup, can have no earthly chance of keeping abreast of me pacers, who will muster speed far too fast for him. He is asked to give 12 yards to Tempest and War ™"?J',? nd meet Blue Mountain and Wild Guy on equal terms. He has been a grand old trotter, and so far as seniority goes Che is in his fifteenth year) he has years over anything else in the field. In addition,, he is Ihc only New Zealand horse in the race who has not bettered his handicap