GOOD FOXTON CARD

Evening Post, Volume CXXII, Issue 67, 16 September 1936, Page 15

GOOD FOXTON CARD

SATURDAY'S FIELDS

NEW ZEALAND CUP HOPES

The spring racing carnival in the Dominion, which was opened last week with the Wanganui Meeting, will be ' continued at the coming weekend by the Avondale, Foxton, and Ashburton Clubs, and in view of the circuit of meetings now in progress at this end of the North Island, leading on to the Wellington Meeting next month, the fixture that will hold the greatest interest ;on Saturday for racegoers from the Wellington .and adjacent districts is the Foxton Racing Club's Spring Meeting.' Very satisfactory entries were secured, for Foxton, and the ac- ' ceptance this evening should disclose fields of good dimensions and quality 'in all events on Saturday. . The Foxton course is almost ideal for spring racinig. It is situated not far from the sea coast, and the weather , there at this time of the year cau generally be relied on. The track, too, is naturally drained, with good going under almost any conditions. mo Foxton Club changed its original dates to separate Spring and Winter Meetings • four years ago, and there lias been fine weather for every fixture since the change. With fine weather probable again for Saturday the fixture this year should be an outstanding success. FORM MAY PROVE BEST. A number of the horses due to compete have recently been racing at New Plymouth or Wanganui, and others will be reappearing after spells during the winter. In most of the events' there will be a fair amount of recent form, but at this period of the season the incursion of fresh horses often makes form rather difficult to rely on. The Foxton course also gives an opportunity to horses who prefer the tracks, firmer than they generally are during the winter., Despite these factors it is probable that horses who have been racing lately will mainly hold the advantage over horses who have been off the scene for several months. '' " ■An innovation at the coming meeting will be a ■ steeplechase instead of the two-year-old-race that formerly figured on the card for this fixture. The crosscountry event has drawn a surprisingly good entry and a field of eight ornine is probable. Besides the steeples there will be a hurdles, which also promises to see nine or ten competitors. The remaining six races comprise two open, events, a maiden event, and three hack events. The programme therefore is well-varied, with all classes except the juveniles catered for: When the club held its first Spring Meeting three years ago, it named the mile and a quarter open race on the card the Robinson Handicap; but the following year this race became the Carnarvon Gold. Cup, with the open seven furlongs carrying the title of Robinson Handicap. These are the titles now attached to the- "double" event at-the. Spring Meeting, and two useful fields are promised for these races this- year. GOIDCUF FIELD. The Carnarvon Gold Cup is likely 10 draw an.acceptance of ten or more horses, and ssven of them may be aspirants for the next New Zealand Cup. ' As-the majority have had recent racing,' the race is one in which -foijm .shquld .hayeVan■,-important. bear-. ; ing. " "', '■■-••'■' ■• -■■•■••- ■■ At the top of the handicap is Dungarvan,. who has been awarded 9.2. >His recent failures have earned him a respite in the weights, but he may still have enough in this company over 11 miles. Last autumn he gave promise of developing good middle-distance form, but his racing under big imposts in the winter did not seem to help him towards this end.' At Awapuni in July he pulled. up distressed at the end of 1J miles, and though he ran a fair race over six furlongs on the concluding day at Wanganjji he was expended before the post. He looks to be on the ■ improve again, but one would prefer him for the meantime at a shorter distance. On recent form a quintet who might ■fight out the issue on Saturday are Gay Boy, West Tor, Full Throttle, Fersen, and Lapel. Gay Boy looked ready for an early good effort when he ran in the open sprint at Wanganui last: Thursday and came home fast into fourth, place." West Tor might have Avon on the final day at Wanganui if he had not been, brought down by Spiral when moving up on the home turn. Full Throttle has weighed in at his last three starts, and was narrowly beaten in his two races' at Wanganui, but I:1,- miles might be just a shade too far for him. Fersen won at New Plymouth over a sprint course, and he is now back to his right journey, if no further riding" experiments are made with him. Lapel has not yet won since his resumption, but he went near doing so once or twice during the winter. Davistock will attract notice, as he "was winner of the race last year, and, though he has not been out lately, he is reported to have been doing useful work on his. home track. Werohia, Round Score, and Sunec, proved middle-distance horses, may be better after a race or two. Hunting Queen had good hack form during the early winter and may be likeliest of the quartet on the minimum, unless Red Sand should improve on her Wanganui efforts on the better track. ' The New Zealand Cup entrants engaged in this event are Dungarvan, Werohia, Gay Boy, Fersen, Round Score, Sunee, and Hunting Queen. The last occasion on Which some of the Foxton field clashed over the distance was at Awapuni in July, when West Tor was second to Silver Brier, Lapel third, and Dungarvan unplaced. Now West Tor is set to meet Lapel at ljlb worse terms and Dungarvan _at 91b worse terms, but he may again beat the pair of- them. His most formidable opponents on Saturday at the weights look like being Gay Boy and Fersen. OPEN SEVEN FORM. The field for the Robinson Handicap on Saturday will probably be only six or seven strong numerically, as several ■o£ the horses nominated claim other engagements during the day. Gay Boy, Full Throttle, and Miss Hushabye, for example, are also in the Carnarvon Cup, and Lord Moutoa and First Chapter are in the hack sprints. The form of the candidates also is less recent than that of the Cup field. Indeed, except for Full Throttle, form is more or less lacking. If Full Throttle, were reserved for the shorter race he would merit being sent out favourite. Only Royal Secret could beat him over the distance on the first day at Wanganui, and Royal Secret was again successful on the second day of the meeting, showing that the form was good. On the final day at Wanganui Full Throttle took on the middle-distance race, finishing a close second to the outsider Delrain, arid possibly under all the circumstances he was unlucky, as he was the horse-Spiral galloped on, and after that trouble he hung out and allowed Delrain to come up on his inner. Full Throttle is overdue for a return to the winners'..list; Seven furlongs should suit him better than 1J miles, which has always proved just a little far for him. ■•■ '-. ,\ .., • Hazoor, who heads the weights-with 9.12, has been off the scene for three months. He is hardly a sprinter, and as he is being set specially for the New1 Zealand Cup it may be assumed that he is still some way short of top form yet. He is a horse who comes up well as a rule, but he will be a better horse with a race or two in him, especially now he has- to carry big weights. Gay Boy would bu a prospect it run here, but the Cup ■ seems his more likely mission. Jubiiee Song was winner of the corresponding event at!

the Winter Meeting with 41b less than he now has, and, though he failed to repeat the form subsequently and was a trifle lucky to win that day, he has it in his favour that he knows the track and is most dangerous when fresh after short let-ups. Bodyline's double at Otaki in the winter will assure him support, for he has always been a good horse in the spring. Except that Miss Hushabye might surprise, the others do not read a very formidable lot. First Chapter has yet to justify his private reputation, and Severe failed so completely as a three-year-old last season that bettors will be chary about her till she shows some