SPORTING

Greymouth Evening Star, 26 November 1926, Page 6

SPORTING

TAKAPUNA SPRING MEETING FIELDS REVIEWED. (Special to ‘-Star.”) AUCKLAND, November 25. The Takapuna Jockey Club’s Spring Meeting opens on Saturday. In both numbers and quality the fields engaged are well up to the average. The programme opens with the Melrose Maiden, in which a big field, but a poor lot, will start. None have any form to recommend them, but King Emerald is such a good beginner that he should break his maiden status* The Tiri Hurdles will see Royal Form a good proposition. At the Auckland meeting early this month he ’was well cleax 1 of the field when he fell at the last fence. His most dangerous opponent to-morrow should -• be Black Cruiser, who ran fairly well at the New Zealand Cup meeting. Wedding March is the only other likely to get strong support. Some good sprinters will be seen out in the Borough Handicap. Le Choucas and Ring the Bell are both trained by Jamieson, and the former looks to be in a class above most of those engaged. Mosaic and Archibald are also sure to get support. The Alison Cup promises to provide a good race, as several horses are fancied. Master Doon, despite his four wins lately, should be held safe by others below him. Desert Glow ran second in the New Zealand Cup, but did not do well later on at the meeting, while Town Bank, though, a good horse, has not done much racing for some time. Tresham showed at Ellerslie that he was returning to form and later got a place at Waikato, which suggests that he is nearly at the top of his form again. It looks like Tresham, Nippy and Desert Glow being the best supported. The Cambria Handicap is not likely to cause much concern to backers, as High Finance, winner of the Wellesley Stakes at Trentham, looks a class above all the others. Ti Tree is in the same stable, but will not be bracketed. Chips is the only other with any form to give him a chance. The Takapuna Plate will see some good hacks competing. Had the distance been five or six furlongs Ruffles would be favourite, but there is a. doubt about him seeing out seven furlongs. Tinokoa, Ned Kelly, True Blood, Quondong, Dobbin, Te Karoke and Delightment are all good sorts, and the race is very open. With a fair start Tinokoa, Delightment and Ned Kelly should go well. Those in the Ponai Handicap are not a strong lot, and Wendy is sure to be favourite. Quomdong and Schorr are likely to give her most trouble. The Cheltenham Handicap is the second leg of the double, and if Tea Bell starts in preference to Le Choucas he will be favourite. Merry Damon is nicely handicapped, and though his form has not been good lately, he can rattle off a smart six furlongs. Nancy Lee be the best of the others. ELLERSLIE TRAINING NOTES AUCKLAND, November 25. The Nassau —Mountain Dream filly has been named miss New Zealand, and ran half a mile in, 53 l-ssecs. at Ellerslie this morning.' There was a fair amount of fast work on the outside course proper at Takapuna this morning, where the going was good for the final gallops. Nilly was too good for Transformer over the best part of a round, the last seven furlongs taking 1.33. Ruffles, looking bright, ran home from the five furlong barrier in 1.6, not being all out. Tea Bell finished a shade in front of Le Choucas over five furlongs in 1.4 3-5. Ring the Bell had it over Rahepoto from the six furlong post home in 1.22. High Finance was not after time over six furlongs, but looked well. Ruapapa and Spoony moved off in front of the seven furlong post and ran the last six furlongs in 1.20 2-5. Ruapapa was well in front. Ambrosian -was willing to go better than 1.24 over six furlongs. Dimmer finished ahead of Namutere over half a mile in 52secs. Bold Front was too good for Sandbag over half a mile in 52 4-5 secs. Delightment ran five furlongs soundly in 1.6 3-ssecs. Town Bird, Archeen, True Blood, Ti Tree, Desert Glow, Air Queen, Tutous, Lorna Doon, Black Cruiser, Cantab and Value were a number of others seen out, but only at easy work. •' Hoariri was not worked on the track, but looked well. R. Reilly will ride Master Doon, Muskari, Wonder Star and Blue Sky at. the Takapuna meeting. E. Stanway will be on Sea Comet and R. Orange on King Selwyn and Arihana. , E. Ludlow will be on Salamander in the Takapuna Plate. E. Keesing will ride Ruapapa, Mosaic, Ruffles and Nancy Lee, and R. Reed will be on True Blood in the Takapuna Plate.