R. A. ARMSTRONG MEMORIAL

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 49, 27 February 1937, Page 22

R. A. ARMSTRONG MEMORIAL

UEWELLYN'S PRIDE BACK TO FORM

(By "Ribbonwood.")

Llewellyn's Pride has not been conspicuous in two-mile races this season, but if he returns to his best form of last term, when he won four races in succession, including the Mason Stakes, two miles, from Cloudy Range and Gunfire, and the Midsummer Handicap, two, miles, from Gold Tinge and Rey Spec, he will have bright prospects in the R. A. Armstrong Memorial Handicap at Hutt Park next Saturday. His recent sprint success at Addington was so well accomplished that many keen observers believe he wil'. soon redeem himself as a stayer.

Grace McElwyn .. won the Denton Memorial' Handicap-.well, and has. been' remarkably consistent; but the New Brighton,race was falsely run, the first mile . taking 2min 23sec. Grace McElwyn, however, has' a fast placed record, and should be capable of going round about 4min 25sec at Hutt Park.

Isabel Derby had had a long run of outs until she struck winning form again in the Metropolitan Handicap at the New Zealand Cup Meeting, but the fact that she registered 4min 25 2-ssec.. and beat Gallant Knight and Eongomai, showed that it was far from being a fluke. She has run some sound races since, and at her last start she finished fourth in the Denton Memorial Handicap at New Brighton.

Big Author went under only to Grace ' McElwyn in the Denton Memorial Handicap; and among his previous- successes- was the .Victoria Handicap, 2 miles, from Southern Smile, Real Burton, and Neryie's Last at the New Zealand. Cup Meeting. Big Author has- not been a pronounced stayer to date, but then his opportunities at two miles have not been numerous.

Gunfire, one :of ■:• the veterans of the field, took: .a new:.lease of ilife this season; after! apparently .being. among the back-numbers'towards, the close of last term. His only-.win,-a-surprise one, was scored in the Wellingtonl Handicap, 1J miles, at Hutt Park; in October, but since then he has. been several times placed; including a third to Willow Wave and Sea Gift in.the James Buchanan, Handicap," 2. miles, at Forbury Park, and second to Sea Gift in the President's Handicap oh the second day, when his time \fas 4min 24 4-ssec.

Guy Junior, v whose tendency to pull hard has been against him in recent two-mile races, is a very capable pacer: over all distances. His last placing over two miles was in the Yaldhurst Handicap at the New Zealand Cup Meeting, when he finished third to, Bonny Azure and Pot Luck. '

Recess has fallen from grace as a two-miler since her return this season, and there is ' something to support a contention ■ that she,- has. always required a, slow. early .pace, to * win over the distance. She 'won the 1936 Timaru Cup, and the President's Handicap on the same^ course in 4min 29 2-ssec. She also finished third in the New Zealand Gold Cup to Sure and' Rey Spec. . . ■ ,

Queen.Author's only claim to e;.'asiu* eration over two miles'this season rests1 ■ in her third to Grace: McElwyn ■ and Big Author in the Denton Memorial Handicap at New Brighton last: Saturday. She brought off a complete surprise by defeating a hot field of sprinters on a heavy track at the Canterbury Park New Year Meeting, the minor places being filled by Llewellyn's Pride and Gunfire, while among' those down the course were Gamble, George Rey, Grace McElwyn, Reporter,: and-Blue Mountain. Still, that form has not since proved reliable. ..Queen.Author's only success last season was the: Metropolitan Handicap, 2 miles, at''-Hutt Park from Grace McElwyn andi" Agile, ■the track being soft. : : :■■..''■: ,V ■ i Tempest' -is another Cup horse/ •- but he is not regarded in the south as the sound stayer King's Warrior .is,; and Bonny Azure would probably also oust him in a truly-run race. Tempest hewever, has a faster two-mile record than either of them, and as recently '. as November he finished second .to Blue Mountain in the Ollivier. Handicap at Addington in 4min 19 ,4-ssec. Second to Harold Logan in the Free-for-All, and runner-up in the two sprint handicaps, his winning turn came in ths Mace Memorial1 Handicap at... New Brighton, when he was required to clock only 4tnin 32 4-ssec to beat Raydus and Grace McElwyri' At his next start Tempest was third to Evicus and War Buoy invthe Ashburton-Cup; • ... 1 King's Warrior is on 48yds,i but his task, in" a' field not the strongest for .the class, may not be as .hard as his handicap might suggest. His. dead heat in the Dominion Handicap at; Wellington was "a fine effort if .only because the time of the winners, was 4min 22 sec, which is only -a second qutside the track, record; King's^ Warrior's other brilliant two-mile victories included the Auckland "Cup. and he is entitled to rank as "one of the outstanding stayers in' New Zealand oday. / \

Bonny Azure; as King's Warrior's Dominion Handicap dead-heater, and probably the,best mare racing "in New Zealand at'present, should again go very well, desnite her being.with the backmarkers.-She went away safely at Wellington, and stayed on- with fine determination in both the ;Gold. Cup. in which she was a'close -fourth, and the Dominion Handicap.'lnT-the latter event, of course, she put up the same time as King's Warrior, 4miri 22s£c^ Proved staying ability • rests with King's Warrior and Bonny Azure. Tha likely improver is Llewellyn's -Pride.