FOR AVONDALE

Evening Post, Volume CXL, Issue 57, 5 September 1945, Page 10

FOR AVONDALE

CHUNG CHONG AS STAYER

(Special to "The Post,") AUCKLAND, This Day. Chaka failed to show up at his last start,- and he will need to make some improvement if he is to hold a winning chance in his division of the Trial Handicap at the Avondale fixture at Ellerslie on Saturday. He ran good races late last season and may do better this week, for he is looking well again. A race that may be confusing to stay-at-home speculators is the Henderson Hack Handicap. Several horses likely to carry big support, Kindroon, Leigh Hark, Odvaals, The Fake, and Old Scot, are also accepted for in the final event, the hack mile. In addition, General Lytup is also among those remaining in the Avondale Guineas. The. time appears to be ripe for clubs to refuse dual acceptances. After his successful southern trip, covering a win at Awapuni and placings at Hastings and ■ Trentham, Leigh Hark would appear to be the best proposition in the two hack events, the mile for preference, for he revealed stamina in all his engagements during the winter period. Little has been heard of Broiedame since she competed at the Wellington Winter Meeting, and a better appraisal of her Avondale Cup chance should be gained after her final track essays this week.' The Taranakiowned galloper made only one appearance at Trentham, in the Whyte Handicap, when she finished fourth. Jf she goes on the right way she will win a good prize this term, for she has shaped well throughout her career. Kerry Lad was paid up for the Henderson Hack Handicap only, being withdrawn from the Guineas. This suggests that this three-year-old has not made the progress expected, for lsjst season he was regarded as a great prospect, the opinion being based on his two good finishing efforts from the ruck to 'fill third berth in both the Foal Stakes and the Royal.Stakes at the Auckland Summer Meeting. He is still a maiden, but he should not be long in winning a race if he has not lost form completely. Chung Chong, one of the ruling favourites for the Avondale Cup, was never a prospect in the Jellicoe Handicap, 1 mile, at the Pakuranga Meeting. He was slow away from the barrier and that deprived him of any chance. Further, he bruised a foot during the race, but he seems all right now and is bowling along in good style in his work-outs. It will be interesting to see how he shapes as a stayer, for the Avondale Cup is run over a mile and a half. AN IMPROVER. As he seems to have derived considerable benefit from his race at the recent Pakuranga Meeting, which was the second outing of his career, Stable Boy will carry some support in his division of the Trial Handicap at Ellerslie. He was not sighted in the running' in his recent engagement, but it is expected that he will do better with that race into him. His dam, Princess Hilda, is a half-sister to that good galloper King Rey. Another Ellerslie maiden that has done well lately is Bay Jim. He had his first race at Ellerslie last month, when he ran right up to expectations, finishing fifth in his division of the hack event, a satisfactory debut. Now four years old, he looks the right type for flat racing and jumping. A first foal, he is by Dink from Tip Toes, daughter of Tea Tray and the Catmint mare Danae, who sprang a great surprise when she won the Great' Northern Oaks 1." years ago. If Dumbo could get back to the form he displayed as a hurdler in his first outing over the sticks he would stand a winning chance in any company. Unfortunately, he went off considerably just when it was expected that he would be a Great Northern Hurdles .prospect. .He had divided the winner, Moderate, and Foxsen, in the open hurdles at Te Aroha, but following a poor showing a week later at Te Rapa the programme for him was considerably modified. He was started in the Hunt Club Hurdles on Great Northern day, and he finished third to Bramble Song and Betterman in a hectic finish.