DEFAULTER MISSING

Evening Post, Volume CXXVIII, Issue 103, 28 October 1939, Page 21

DEFAULTER MISSING

REDUCED CUP ENTRIES

(Special from "Early Bird.") AUCKLAND, This Day. A notable absentee from the weight-for-age races at Ellerslie at Christmas is Defaulter, so it is probable that he and Beaupartir will not meet agaiu this season, unless they happen to clash in Sydney next Easter. The Defoe horse defeated Beaupartir each time they met at three years, but the latter improved and may offer stubborn opposition to the . three-year-olds at Ellerslie. A feature of the weight-for-age events at Auckland is the number of good three- and four-year-olds entered, and this suggests the fact that there will be more than the usual four or five runners. With increased stakes all round in these races and the various handicaps it was hoped to get a horse or two from Australia, but whatever chance there was of that was abandoned when war came.

It is an interesting fact in racing that with a bigger stake on offer the more liable it is to reduce the number of nominations. It is so with this season's Auckland Cup, worth £3000. for the number entered is 47, or one less than received twelve months ago. The Cup has always been a difficult race for three-year-olds and there are none of note engaged on this occasion Of the 47 Auckland Cup nominees no less than 19 hail from stables outside the province. None' of the placegetters in the last New Zealand Cup are represented, but the first three home in the last Auckland Cup, Cheva] de Volee, Round Up. and Dictate, are all entered again. Round Up recently went to Sydney to be trained, and doubtless he would be brought back if his owner considers he holds a winning chance with the weight he receives. It is not .often that the Auckland Cup field includes two Melbourne Cup victors, but ii* addition to Catalogue-, last year's Flemington winner, there is Wotan, who scored two years earlier. Unfortunately, the latter has not reproduced that great form, although he has won on a couple of occasions and is now reported from Wanganui to be doing a good preparation. In addition to the two Melbourne Cup; winners, other outside horses in the Auckland Cup are Race Camp, Yours Truly, Thermidor, Kobi, Parquet, Entail, The Wrecker. Old Bill, Peerless, Spartan, Wardress, Clessamor, Dictate, Beaupartir, Winsome Lv, Sly Fox, and Blonde Princess. .-S&-' usual, there are two or three maidens engaged, so there are still some optimistic owners left. . ~ While the Railway Handicap, the big sprint on Boxing Day, sees the field down by five on last year's entry, being 46 against 51, a strong feature is.: the large number of smart three-year-olds nominated. In the past this event has been won by its full share of younger horses, and this season's contest maybe no exception. With three-year-olds like Orelio, Our Jean, Nora Gregor, Submission, Foxmond, Konneta, and Heroic Maid engaged, the juvenile division promises to be worthily represented.