AN ATTRACTIVE CARD

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 28, 3 February 1937, Page 17

AN ATTRACTIVE CARD

TARANAKFS OPENING

HORSES IN WINNING FORM

(By "Rangatira.")

With such excellent acceptances .as I have been received, the opening day - of the Taranaki Jockey Club's Autumn ; Meeting at New Plymouth tomorrow t should be an outstanding success. The ; old-established Taranaki Cup has ' drawn a field of quality and form, and I great interest will also be taken in the reappearance of the last Melbourne \ Cup winner Wotan in a sprinting role. i The only moderate field on th"c day's ■ card is the hurdles. ' - The weather during the past few I 1 days has been more what summer • | should be, and there is promise that the'good behaviour will be continued. Under such circumstances, the course and track at New Plymouth will be in the best order that could be desired. The betting will be under the win-and-place system, which was inaugurated in the Dominion by the Taranaki Club. A special weekend train leaves Wellington for New Plymouth at 9.20 p.m. on Friday, and will reach Wellington on the return at 12.1 a.m. on Monday, a minute after Sunday midnight. Racini» enthusiasts thus have the opportunity of viewing the second day's racing at Taranaki, when the Taranaki Stakes and Paul Memorial Handicap will be the star events. A brief review of the form is as follows:— 12.0 WAITAItA HURDLES HANDICAP, S130; about 1% miles and 100 yards. Court Arnia .. 10 0 Royal Routine 9 2. Bazaine - .... 0 11 Bencdlctlno .. 9 0 Don Erma .. fl s.,Valroy 0 0 Sufficient promise was given by Royal Routine in his first two starts over fences at Wanganui to make him look a likely one. for the Waitara Hurdles. . Court Anna is more experienced" and he is capable of better than he showed last week, when he was favourite each day., His stablemate Bazaine has speed but has so far failed as a jumper. Don Erma is an out-and-out hurdler who may lack the required pace. A good pair should be Royal Routine and Court Anna., NUAMOTU jrUYENILE HANDICAP, £125; 5 furlongs. ■ Orate ....... 9 7 fairy Dale- .. 7 7 Card Sharper . 9 3 Dracula .... 7 7 Greenwich .. 8.-13 Pantoon .... 7 7 Great Hopo .. 8 10 ;.Btppla 7 7 Wildflower ... 8 0 Fafner 7 7 Gayatep .... 712 All Happiness 7 7 Seaham .... 7 8 Unless Greenwich should produce her best-brilliance, it may be a three-year-old whowiris the Ngamotu Juvenile Handicap this year. Greenwich can do better than at Trentham, where she was unfortunate at the start. Among the three-year-olds Card Sharper looks a likely;one, as he is a son of Paper Money who has won at his only!"start:yet.- Orate stopped too badly at Trentham to be recommended now, and Great Hope looked light at Wanganui. Wildflower is a consistent filly with at least a place chance. Bettors may favour Card Sharper, Greenwich, and Wildflower. 1.30 -.■■■■ FLTING HANDICAP. £200; 0 furlongs. Oratory .... 9 9 Notlum .... 713 Wotan 8 9 Ned Cuttle ... 7 7 Refresher .... 8 4 Moatoa .... 7 7 The Tiger .... 8 1 Supreme Court 7 7 Lone Balder ... 7 13 Symcony 7 7 With Wotan weighted as just an average horse, one could not pass him by in the Flying Handicap on the mere assumption that he can win only at two miles. He may finish last, but meanwhile he deserves the notice of a horse who is handicapped belbw his proved class. Oratory may be the favourite, but she was weak at the end of her Trentham racqs _ over longer journeys, and a three-year-old like Notium might prove her equal, for the Lysander gelding was impressive at Wanganui. A pair with prospects are Wotan and Notium. 2.15 MOTUROA ELECTRIC HACK, £100: 5 furlongs. Colleen Gain .. 8 5 King Koroki ... S 5 Kentucky Song 8 5 Running Shoes 8 5 Eagle's Eye . 8 5 Carleaf 8 5 Captain Tudor 8 5 Glenthawn ..8 5 Silver Gold ..8 5 Mint Tour ... 8 5 Ohanga .... 8 5 King Pluto ... 8 5 Roscrana ... 8 5 Gaystcp ..... 8 5 Not a great deal of form has been shown by the field engaged in the Moturoa Electric Hack Race, for the maidens. Kentucky Song is so long overdue that one hesitates to suggest her again, but she ran two thirds to good horses during, the (holidays. Eagle's Eye was not backed on nothing at Ashhurst, though she failed. Gaystep is an improver among the others, and Roscrana is also said to be promising. Glenthawn may do a better turn for his new owner. The betting may favour Eagle's Eye, Kentucky Song, and Gaystep. : • , 3.0 ,• ■■•.;-■ >; ■- '-v ■■■' '. ■' ■ TARANAKI CUP, £450; 1 mile and 3 ' furlongs. DungarTin' ..9 3 Aussie Ba .... 710 Spiral ...... 812 Taitoru .... 7 9 ; , Razoor ....87 Haut Monde .. 79 One .Whetu .. 8 6 Tahurangl .. 7 7 Martara .... 8 4 Tout le Monde 7 7 Chief Banger .. 7 10 Windsoreen ..7 7 The field for the Taranaki Cup is as fine as one could have desired. As the three-year-old Martara is taking his place in the'parade he will be favourite* and he should Justify the choice. Most likely among his rivals may be Spiral and Hazoor, both capable of improving on their Trentham form; and Chief Ranger and Taitoru are possibilities among the seven stones. Recent racing suggests Martara, Hazoor, and Spiral. 3.45 OKATO HACK HANDICAP, £150; 9 furlongs. Le Grand .... 9 0 Corow* .... 8 3 Student Prince 8 9 International .80 Convivial .... 8 6 Earl Colossus 7 » Red Sand .... 8 8 Nlghtlasa ... 7 9 Maestro .... 8 4 Bonny Glow .. 7 7 Recent winning form is strongly in evidence in the Oka'so Hack Handicap. Le Grand has class about him besides, and on his excellent Wanganui performance he may induce the main following. Red Sand is back to form as well, but her Wanganui success was hardly as impressive as Le Grand's. One who attracted by his appearance last, week, is International, from the Le Grand stable. Student Prince is another recent winner, and Maestro, on his first day's form at Trentham, is fit? company for the best hacks. A form hand comprises Le Grand (or International), Maestro, and Red Sand. 4.30 * ' . TARANAKI PLATE, £225; special weights; 1 furlongs. Mustang .... 8 9 Mazzlnl ..... 711 Eantry g 7 International 7 11 Cappy 8 7 Cheval de Red Fox .... '8 2 Voloe 7 11 Ned Cuttle .. ' 8 2 Imposture ..7 8 High Test ... 8. 2 Missal 1 8 Tho Bigot » .. 7*ll The Taranaki Plate is a new event corresponding to the hack plates at Avondale and Takapuna, but it lets in hacks under the old definition. A field of excellent class has been obtained for the inaugural contest. Among the older horses High Test, without a penalty, has an advantage on the set scale over Mustang, Bantry, and the others. But three-year-olds are always hard to beat in such events, and Ned Cuttle, International (from the same stable), and The Bigot are a trio who should not be concerned about the distance. A likely trio may be Ned Cuttle (or International), High Test, and Bantry. 5.15 TIMARD HACK HANDICAP. £135; 6 furlongs. Rustem .... 9 0 Te Broney .. 7 10 Export .... 8 9 Autumn Leaf 710 Calshot .... 8 9 Glontnawn .. 7 7 Sansfoy .... 8 5 King Koroki . 7 7 Cloudy Bay .. 713 Arahura .... 7 7 Ringside .. 710 The first half of the list will mainly concern investors in the Timaru Hack Handicap. Rustem and Export ari two fairly recent winners, but they may be hard pressed to hold out a couple oJE steady improvers in Sansfoy and Calshot. Sansfoy has only to be ridden more patiently early to improve on his Trentham thirds. The Wangamii Maiden winner Te Broney is a possible upsetting factor. The final hoist may include the numbers of Sansfoy, Calshot, end Rustem,