IN AVONDALE CUP

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVIII, Issue 55, 2 September 1944, Page 10

IN AVONDALE CUP

HARRIS TWEED ENGAGED

■ (Special to "The1 Post.")

.. , AUCKLAND, This Day. .Harris Tweed, one of the- hack finds of last season, is engaged in the Avondale Cup on September 9. nis last success was scored over -.a mile and a quarter in hack company at Te Rapa, and on the "score of stamina he may.be one of the favoured lightweights at his first appearance in open company. . k - High Span was a useful two-year-old last term. He scored a surprise win at.EUerslie at his first start: This Poxbridge gelding ■, remains- in the Avondale Guineas, and it is evident that his trainer holds a high opinionof him, for the stable already has two brilliant' "gallopers engaged .in that class, .My Bonnie and Coronaire. The ability of trainer F. D. Smith to get his charges forward enough to win first up has been proved in the past. Last spring Representative and Lord Chancellor won at'their first appearance; indeed, >they won their first two. Representative is still at a nice position in the handicaps, but Lord Chancellor is high up^ and that may influence backers, good horse as he is on Auckland's ' right-handed tracks. Both have been sprinting well at Takanini. The best , three-year-old of last season, Expanse,- winner of the Great Northern Derby/and St. Leger, had little to beat in those events, but for all that he got through his tasks in a tradesmanlike , manner. It is - probable that he will be much better this season, for improvement- was possible. He is entered for the Flying Handicap at the Avondale Meeting, and while the distance may be too short i for such a good stayer, it will prepare him for longer races ahead, notably [the Mitchelsbn Gup on October 14. i With a slight improvement in the tracks there is a hope that Beau Vaals will come into his own shortly. It was noticed at the 'Great Northern Meeting that, this Vaals gelding was flying towards the finish of a sprint race, and as he has been kept in work in $he interim it should not be long before he begins to display his best form. It is more than likely that he will be found racing prominently, over distances up to a mile and a quarter this season. : . Merry May was one of the unluckiest horses in the Auckland district last term, for she went close to winning several big races, including the Auckland Cup, in which Lord Chancellor headed her off after a terrific struggle up the straight. Merry May is engaged in the Avonidale Cup, and as she should be geti ting, more •'solid, with age, her future ! prospects look bright. A promising two-j'ear-old of twd i seasons back, Subadar is engaged in I the sprint race at the Avondale Meeting. He won his first two races and looked like developing into the best of his' age, but something went wrong I with the colt and he was sent out into I the paddock after having four more 'races. He has not raced since Easter of last year, and as he has developed into a big horse he may want a race or two to bring him back to his best. .