NATIONAL PRELUDE

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVIII, Issue 24, 28 July 1944, Page 8

NATIONAL PRELUDE

MEETING AT RiCCARTOM

The curtain will be lowered on the 1943-44 racing season tomorrow, with the meeting of the Christchurch Hunt Club at Riccarton. It is a prelude to the Grand National fixture. Last year the club was not allotted a permit, and the customary lead-up to the big gathering was missing. That its return has been welcomed by owners is evidenced by the fields carded. Indications are that the Maiden Stakes will be run in three; divisions, and the Camla Hack Handicap and Brabazon Handicap in two .divisions, making a 12-race programme.

All eight prospective runners in the Homeby Steeples have an engagement in the Grand National Hurdles, and despite it being run over a mile shorter journey the event should furnish some line to their prospects in the later race. Small though the field is; the class is excellent. Erndale, who was to have made his debut as a 'chaser in this race, broke a leg yesterday morning, and a brilliant racing career on the flat and over hurdles was thus brought to an abrupt close.

The big majority of the candidates for the Brabazon Handicap are due to contest the Winter Cup, and here again' the form displayed in the seven-fur-long contest should supply an'interest ing line to the big mile a week later. Actually, the history of the Brabazon Handicap shows that' it has not furnished a particularly illuminating line to the Winter Cup, for during the period 1930 to date only two horses have completed the double. Fourteen years ago Toxeuma "won the Brabazon Handicap with 11.9 and the Winter Cup with 11.5, the minimum in those days being 9.0. It was not till 1942 that Bashful Lady emulated Toxeuma, winning at the hunt gathering with 8.11, the minimum being 7.7, and the Winter Cup with 9.1, the minimum being 8.0. However, there have been many horses who have filled placings in both.

Something of a new fashion was set by Treasurer in 1941, the Paper Money gelding fulfilling his hack engagement in the Kennels Hack Handicap, 1 mile, to win with 10.4. His stablemate, St. Cloud, had taken the honours in the Brabazon Handicap, and with the pair being bracketed in the Winter Cup they were installed ■' favourite. Treasurer showed his appreciation of a drop to 8.1 by leading Boloyna and St. Cloud home in the big mile ten days later. The distances of some of the races at the hunt fixture have been amended. The Kennels Hack Handicap was extended from a mile to nine furlongs, and the Camla Hack Handicap from, six to seven furlongs. Two of the three topweights in the Kennels, Boolamskee and Salary, both weighted 8.13, are on the minimum in the Winter Cup, and High Play, topweight with 10.3 in the Camla Hack Handicap, drops ,to 8.7 in the big mile. Early in the current term High Play looked like going far, but internal trouble temporarily halted his activities, and he has not raced since January. Recent frosts will prpbably leave the track at Riccarton at least easy, but "the conditions should ibe better than at Trentham. Horses'who may be- favoured are:— Lawford. Hack and Hunters' Steeples. —Dividend, Spanish Main, Timber Topper. Hadlow H. and H. Hurdles.-j-Light-fair, Po-Huka, Hard Frost. Maiden Stakes.—First division: Bowmore, Whitley. Second division: Good Friend, Cinderella. Third division: Reorapa, Desert Victory. ■Homeby Steeples. — Noko-Anglo-French bracket, Kanui Te Pai, Khurja. Camla Hack Handicap.—First division: Findon, Notary. Second division: Kaitoa, Pink Bonnet (or Lyndon Lea). Longbeach Hurdles.—Flying Spy, Boloyna, Paladeo. Brabazon Handicap.—First division: Lord Advocate, Bashful Lady. Second division: Immediate, Skyhawk. Kennels Hack Handicap.—Foxchase, Honest Sal, Pink Bonnet (or Salary). Following are the acceptances:— 11.2 I/AWFORD HACK AND HUNTERS' STEEPLECHASE, £300; about 2% miles.— Dividend, 11.9; La Boca. 10.11; Spanish Main, 10.7;: Timber Topper, 9.12; Ballyaggan, 9.11; Donadea, 9.9; Alrdrie, 9.7; Edward, 9.4; Thoraide. Force,' Golden Sight, Chins Up, 9.0. .11.47 HADLOW HACK AND HUNTERS' HURDLES, £250; 1% miles and 50 yards.—Kilcato, 10.4 ; S&ndy Cape, 10.2; Arctic Dawn, 10.1; Roman Son, 9.13; Ivar. 9.12; Ligntfair, 9.11; Norse, 9.9; Waitoru, 9.8; Po-Huka, 9.5; Albino, Tideover, 9.4; Gold Nugget, 9.3; Hard Frost. rhil Boa, Cataract, Gleucos, Forage, Airborne, Tan Peter, Prince Dolomite, Author's Dream, Pilot Officer, 9.0.. 12.32 . . MAIDEN STAKES, £220; 6 furlongs.— First division: Bowmore, Espanita, Fairy Godmother, Legal Right, Olga's Choice, Sir Bernard, Whitley, 8.11; Baffling, Casilda, Lord Roland, Double Cross, Kalahari, Lawless, Miss Medley, Nightwinlc, Rahiri, Siegwood, Stewardess, Tomahawk, windlnk, 8.0. Second division: Cerne Minster, Delano, Good Friend, Legislator, Pharos, Trailing Homo, S.H; Air Ace, Battle Royal, Chicago, Cinderella, Fortitude, Koa Manu, Liquidate, Night Ace, Quick Rise, Runaway, Silvestre, Takuta, Weld Cona, 8.0. Third division: Comic Paper, Ration, Hadrian, Peculate, Reorapa, Twelve Pointer, 8.11; Air Lord, Desert Victory, Centime, Dark Diana, Golden Kea, Lady Desirable, Maid of Dunloe, Night Advance, Racket, Saint Joachim, Simon Tor, Tifox, Well Armed. Brackets: Bowmore' and Cerne Minster; Comic Paper and Espanita; Delano and Ration; Fairy Godmother and Good Friend; Hadrian and* Legal Right; Legislator and Peculate; Olga's Choice and Pharos; Reorapa and Sir Bernard; Trailing Home and Twelve Pointer; Whitley and Air Ace; Air Lord and Baffling; Battle Royal and Desert Victory; Casilda and Chicago; Centime and Lord Roland; Cinderella, Dark Diana, and Double Cross; Fortitude, Golden Kea, and Kalahari-; Koa Manu, Lady Desirable, and Lawless; Liquidate, Maid of Dunloe, and Miss Medley; Night Ace, Night Advance, and Nightwink; Quick Rise, Racket, and Rahiri; Runaway, Saint Joachim, and Siegwood; Silvestre, Simon Tor, and Stewardess; Takuta, Tifox, and Tomahawk; Weld Cona, Well-Armed, and Windink. ■ 27 'HOMEBY STEEPLECHASE, £500; about 2% miles.—Noko, 12.0; Anglo-French/ 11.7 ; Dozie Boy, 11.5; Kanui Te Pai, Slayer, Khurja, 11.0; Surpeen. 10.9; As Requited, 10.0. .. , 2|2 ' CAMLA HACK HANDICAP. £250: 7 furlongs.—First division: High Play, 10.3; Grecian Glow, 8.13.; Findon, 8.12; Big Joe, 8.11; Ni"ht Fighter 8.6; Grand Forest, 8.4; Sunny Sal 83; Good Fun, 8.2 ; Notary, Kurawhi, Paybook 8.1; Wall; Off, The Pied Piper, Reorapa, King Burn, Old Glory, Irish Brogue, 8.0. Second division: Kaitoa, 9.0; Good Cast, 8.13; Pink Bonnet, 8.11; Wise Girl, 8.10; Saldowa, Bridgehead, 8.6; Owaka, 8.3; Lyndon Lea, 82; Some Sing, Bill Gundi, Warrigal, Lex, Prince Leighon, Miss Clorane, Croupier's Pride, Lucky Girl, Surama, 8.0. Brackets: Wise Girl and Irish Brogue; Good Fun and Some Sing; Notary and Bill Gundi; Kurawhi and Warrigal; Paybook and Lex; Walk Off and Prince Leighon; The Pied Piper and Miss Clorane; Reorapa and Croupiers Pride; King Burn and Surama; Old Glory and Lucky Girl. 2 57 ' LONGBEACH HURDLES.' £350 ; 1% miles and 50 yards.—Nightcalm,- Moderate.. 10.6; Young Charles, Boloyna. 10.3 ; Te Kawitl, 10.1; Paladeo, 9.13; Knight Commander, 9.7; Maggiore, 9.5; Flying Spy, Albino, 9.0. 3 42 'BRABAZON HANDICAP. £350; 7 furlongs —First division: Royal Flight, 0.9; Bashful Lady 92; Lord Advocate, 9.0; Gulf Stream, 8 9 • Foxleap, Hearth,' 8.7 ; Gamble, 8.5 : Prince Shad 8.3; High' Play, 8.2; Omahina, 8.1; Aurora Australis, 7.13; Royal Greek, 7.11; Lenardo. 7.10; Night Lancer, Sal's Pal, High Ideal, Craraond Bay, Arustra, 7.7. Second division: Platform, Monetary, 9-2; Poutatau, 8 12; John o' London, 8.9; Silver Lily, 8.7; Kevin 8.6; Skyhawk, 8.3; Minority, 8.2; Immediate, 8.1; Fur Coat, 7.13; Arabian Night, 7 12- Hippodrome, 7.11; Rawhamai, 7.8; Fairy Bard, Rex Maitland, Sham Boy, First In, 7.7. Brackets: Kevin and' Gamble; Minority and Hi^h Play; Immediate and Omahina; Fur Coat and Aurora Australis; Arabian Night and Royal Greek.; Hippodrome and Lenartlo; Rawhamai and Night Lancer; Fairy Bard and Sal's Pal; Rex Maitland and High Ideal; Sham Boy and Cramond Bay; First In and Arustra. 4 27 ' 'KENNELS HACK HANDICAP, £250; 9 furlongs.—Foxchase, 9.0; Boolamskee, Salary, 8.13; Silver Sal, 8.10; Pink Bonnet, 8.9; Scarteen, 8.7; Great March, 8.6; Honest Sal, Royoney, 8!4; Guile, 8.3; Sedgemere, 8.1; Stavros, Lance Wing, Miss Clorane. Trueway, Metonymy, Scottish Lad, Fin" Knight. 8.0.