TAKING NO CHANCE

Evening Post, Volume CXXII, Issue 134, 3 December 1936, Page 13

TAKING NO CHANCE

FLOOD TIDE'S HIGH MARK

(Special from "Early Bird.") AUCKLAND, December-2. Many "Auckland sportsmen considered that they-' had the winner of the Auckland Cup all right*as far back as a couple of months ago, and these same gentry were perplexed as to the RailSffip problem. Having the -first lee" already home made it a rather simple problem to solve the big Boxing Day double even if they had tncouole every starter in the big sprin? wUh thei? Cup" certainty-" But they reckoned without the handicapper, who has confirmed their idea in a most pmnhatir manner I ™fcoursTthe horse concerned was Flood Tide, for after he won the Mitclelson Cup, lj miles, early in October, tliis being his first outing since the aiitiimn Bianv imagined that he was fhe bit of good Sf for the Auckland Cup seeing that there was no doubt as Plto Ws stamina. The Tidal geldine carried 8.8 on that occasion, with the 7.7 minimum prevailing. Now hfconsiders him! Sittelv thJ | O Sf dankerous can*S mUesX?: tattSSJ tS is a reversion to the old 7.0 minimum, Just hbw°o show how impressed he was with Flood Tide's .prospects, based upon his Mitchelson Cup victory; the hanHicannpr has rated him as being witWn half a stohe^of ISilver-Hin£ and XX of Cuddle winner of the New Zealand and AuckS Cups last season, while he is. 81b above this year's Wo«r 7oaianri rim virtnr Fersen Flood Tkte may be every Wng tof his connections consider him, and they have mapped out. his programme to such effelt that it has been provided for that ytaS but first of /all he seems: now to be presented with a real horse's task to win the Auckland Cup, without considering the other Thpn ■'■■aaain fhprp fnieht have been somefhinTin Ac MitcTeison Cup field that finished behind him and may now be able to reverse the positions with him, due to the liberal concessions that they are now set to receive. For instance, in the Auckland Cup, Jonathan now meets him 231b better; and other horses and the advantage they hold over the Mitchelson Cup winner are1:— Master Brierly 101b, Red Manfred 171b,, Spiral.lSlb, Mazir 141b,.Mungatoon 201b, Fersen (third in the" Mitchelson Cup andsubsequentlyfirstintheNewZealand Cup) lib, Scotland (second in the Mitchelson Cup) 81b, and Dark Shadow gik ■ The outcome of this agreement by the handicapper and the connections as to the strength of Flood Tide in an Auckland Cup connection are of great interest, and it will remain to be seen if the horse can act up to the high opinion formed of, his future. If the Melbourne Cup next year is really con-sidered:to-be at his-mercy, then the Auckland Cup ought to be only a little more serious than child's play to him.

(Special from "Early Bird.') AUCKLAND. December 2. .How are the mighty fallen! Eighteen months ago' Kelly defeated Sporting Blood by a neck in the St. Leger at Ellerslie, and to confirm the form the latter won the principal handicap on the opening day at Avondale a week later and Kelly won the same class of race on the second day. Now in the Auckland Cup Sporting Blood comes in with 8.10 and Kelly has 7.0. After his second in .to . Waikato Cup and a similar placing m the Alison Cup, King Rey asser edhimseli! to win the mile St. Andrew's Handicap at J!,llerslie on Monday 'in most convincing manner, carrying He is an improving horse that wdl have a chance in the Auckland Cup with 7.13. Apparently his owner considers that he can stay the distance, for last, summer the Raceful gelding was one of the early fancies for the same race a mishap m the running of the event failing to.prove the contention one way or the WHY Jonathan come back to anything like his best form? He has had several outing this season^^he^g* ed off at Wanganui nearly three montns ago but it was not until the past fortnight that he began to show up in his races He was fairly handy-at the distance in his three outings at le Rapa and Ellerslie, so he cannot be written off yet. He won the Railway Handicap with 9.12 last Boxing Day, and in the sa me race this month he is down to 9-0> with the minimum half a stone higher, so that in all he has really been dropped 191b on his winning weight However, in his present form one could not suggest him yet as a Railway Hannatural^ brings up Namakia's name, for She is in the R^ay Handicap too with top weight, and she is a stabiemate of Jonathan s. The mare has had only two races this season, her second being in the mile handicap at Ellerslie on Monday last, She was a bit behind the line when the barrier rose,_ but from the rail aosifion she soon shot through tojt, clear lead and was still m charge below, the distance. It was a revelation of sheer Pace and^ indicates that even with all her weight she. may be. a difficult proPosition forlocal and visiting sprinters pnßoxing Day. _ . T|^ lnS .? T Nf t ma^ a «* he n r at ? ut a 1 l l}s at Ellerslie last Monday naturally rouses the subject of coincidences^ J^S-. She was number one m the book, she. drew number one, her rider, having his first ride, was carrying 8.1, and the one was very_ prominent in her finishing effort, as she finished 11th. Her rider, F. Naylor, shows promise, for he handled her very well indeed, getting her out fast and then holding her together nicely when in the lead, He is apprenticed to A. Cook. Mazir went one of his best races when he filled the role of runner-up to KmS «ey in the ■ St. Andrew s HandicaP a} Ellerslie on Monday. He received a check half-way through the event when Kelly began to drop back, but he went forward again, frocn this point and he'was fairly handy at the home turn. He has been entered for the Te Awamutu Cup next week, and should again .make a forward showing, despite his rise In weight. He is also in the Auckland Cup with 7.11, so that the handicapper has serious doubts as to. his prospects as a stayer. This opinion is interesting in view of the fact that Sydney critics consider his younger half-sister, Stretto, by Hunting Song, is only a sprinter, judged on her efforts over there in the early spring. Despite this there will be many early speculators nibbling at Mazir. .' . ■■-.