A POPULAR HUNT CUP

Evening Post, Volume CXXVIII, Issue 16, 19 July 1939, Page 15

A POPULAR HUNT CUP

RANGITIKEI EVENT

FINE FIELD FOR SATURDAY

Although they do not rank as important features of the year from the point of view of the form disclosed, the various hunt cup steeplechases decided during the winter and early spring months create a lot of interest among hunting people, and there is often much rivalry among the leading hunting families in the particular district as to which of them shall -produce the annual victor. Quite often, of course, the prize goes outside the district, but competition from near at home is generally assured in most of the hunt cup events. Success in the Harold Russell Memorial Challenge Cup at Hastings last Saturday went to one of the keenest Hawke's Bay hunting families when Mr. E. W. Symes's Royal Toast was victorious. The next of these hunt cups is the Rangitikei Hunt Cup Steeplechase at Marton on Saturday, when one of tLe best fields that have ever contested the race promises .0 go to the post. WELL-KNOWN NAMES. The Rangitikei Hunt Cup Steeplechase has been no exception to the general rule of keenness among certain families and also particular stables. Though the more notable names were missing in the owners' epresentation last year, the winner. Hanover, came from the stable of L. Knapp, who has usually had a strong contender in this event and has secured numerous past wins with his candidates. Until last year one might always look out for horses racing in the name of Brice. Duncan, or Grace, names that have been responsible for nearly half the winners of the race. The name 01 Duncan is likely to be represented again in Saturday's field, as Sir Acre is owned by ".lr. E. H. Duncan, oi "Otamaire," Hunterville. a member of the next generation of a notable racing or hunting family. The remaining entrants, however, have owners who have not previously had their colours carried to success in the race. Since the Rangitikei Hun' Club resumed racing in 1932, after a lapse of eight years, five of the sevei hunt cups have been taken by the families mentioned. It was actually not till two years ago that the sequence was broken, when Mr. J. Cole's Sleepy defeated Mr. J. Brice's Miss Pango andj Mr. K-. McK. Duncan's Evermore into the minor places. Last year the families had no runners, but the winner, Hanover, was, as though by coincidence, owned by Mr. H. H. Bryce. of Kimbolton, who is not related to Mr. J. Brice but has a name phonetically the same.

In 1932 and 1934 Mr. K. McK. Duncan won the ..ace with .Trouble and Currajong respectively, in 1933 Mr. G. R. Grace's, Winnagan was the victor.

and in 1935 and 1936 Miss Pango succeeded, for Mr. J. Brice. Back in 1921 Mr.'Brice also won the race with Onipot6,'';<vl}O.;al: the previous meeting had been successful in the minor View Halloo Steeples, a gentleman riders' event that'was part of the programme I til] three or four years ago, when it , gave way to .a maiden flat race. Though

none of these owners has a runner this

year, Mr. Duncan has a candidate for the Otairi Bracelet in Battle Pomp, whom he will probably be riding himself.

The Rangitikei Hunt Cup has been contested, on thirteen*occa3ions to date. The first race was in 1915, when the

meeting was held early in the season,

and Mr. J. B, Gaisford was successful with Ranter, who carried the solid

impost of 12.0. The next meeting, because of the war, did not take place till the winter of 1921, when Mr. J. McDonnell's Papatere secured the prize; and then followed four annual meetings up till 1924, when the fixture lapsed again for another eight years, the winners during that period being Mr. Brice's Onipotb (in the spring of 1921), Mr. D. R. Jackson's Rosemount, Mr. J. R. Northcott's Ringi, and Mr. J. Sexton's Ah Fu. THIS YEAR'S GOOD CARD.

In the past the fields for the Hunt Cup have generally been on the light side, but Saturday's field will probably be well into the double figures, as no fewer than seventeen horses have been weighted for it. The quality is undoubtedly the best yet, well above1, the average for a pure hunters' event, j The first half-dozen horses in the weights have all been winners this ; winter! Biform beat a good field, in- < eluding many Great Northern aspirants, in the Waikato Steeplechase in May, and he has been in the money at his four subsequent starts, including a second to Charade in the Remuera Hurdles at Ellerslie, where he did not race over the country, and a second in the Bay of Plenty Steeples under 10.13. Should he make the* trip down he will probably be favourite. Glenvane won two hunters' events in May, and though he has been in only the minor money in two starts since, he' is a safe jumper. Blue Tiger won at Dannevirke and fell at Hastings. Lactose was a winner at Otaki and also finished in the money at Trentham. Count Willonyx was successful first up this season in the Napier Steeples, but he has failed since, though he was third at Hastings last Saturday and the two who finished in front of him are not in at Marton. Lady Callaghan ran poorly at Otaki after winning the hunters' steeples at Wanganui, when she beat Glenvane, but that form was not her right form, as she ■ might demonstrate on Saturday.

There are also some prospects among the remainder of the field. Royal King ran a surprisingly good fourth at Otaki when obviously not tuned up, and he is liable to have come on 1 since then. He had a partiality for Marton as a hurdler. Kikiroki was the Hawke's Bay Hunt Cup winner last I season, and he has been twice placed lin two starts this winter, but he had to miss Trentham because of a mishap, which apparently was not serious. Adventus was a good hurdler, but Umpire so far has not taken to lumping. The likeliest on the minimum may be The Ranger, who showed promise as a 'chaser when trained at Trentham and has not started in public during the two years that J. J. Waller has had him, though he has undoubtedly had plenty of hunting experience. From this brief review of the known foran, it is clear that this year's Rangitikei Hunt Cup field is well above the average. The acceptance may lighten the numbers a bit. but the quality will remain, and racegoer? who pay a visit to Marton on Saturday should be well rewarded in this race alone, without the excellent lists that ;are promised 1 for all other events on the card.