AIR BELLE EXPECTED TO RUN WELL IN OTAKI SPRINT

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22757, 1 October 1948, Page 1 (Supplement)

AIR BELLE EXPECTED TO RUN WELL IN OTAKI SPRINT

(Herald Special Service.) ' AT Otaki tomorrow the Otaki Maori Racine; Club will conclude its spring meeting. On the first day early showers in Wellington prevented many patrons from making the trip. However, the present outlook is for a fine day. X

need to run up to her recent attractive track gallops to run prominently.

★RERE NIKITINI MEMORIAL ..Sixteen figure in the main handicap event, the mile and a quarter Rere Nikitini Handicap in which HIGH ORDER carries No. 1 saddlecloth and. as last week, may find 9.4 a little too much. IMPERIAL, second last week, will again be liberally supported, while the next on the list, MERRY ROBIN, might do it again.. BRONSTAR disappointed a little last Saturday when finishing fourth. However, he will be given another chance to do better. THE STORMOVIK did not run well enough the other day to suggest him being a serious consideration, and after Him on the list comes the “iffer” HORMUZ, who is passed over in favour of METEORINA, third the first day. LORD TIIEIO and BON CIIALE are only possibilities for a place, but NIGHT SCHOOL, a recent sprint winner, is bicd on sound lines and should run prominently here- Of the otners WHITE CLIFFS appeals as much as any other. ★WAIORONGOMAI HANDICAP The open sprint of the day is the six-furlong Waiorongomai Handicap. DEPRIVE did not run well enough last week to entice support now, and YASDA is passed over in favour of GARRY, who is expected to do better if the track has improved. PLAYTOS again ran poorly and seems to have trained off on recent showings. FULL O’ FUN is one to couple up again. RED HERRING is also an acceptor at Hastings, where he is more likely to run. PITOITOI showed plenty of speed last Saturday for half a mile and then retired: the gallop should benefit her. CASTLEBRAE is not commended with any confidence after his last two efforts. IRON DUKE, CONCRETE and PETER TIIEIO have only a rough show,' but AIR BELLE will be expected to run a grand race. FRANADA showed speed the first day although not in the call at the finish, but may improve. OBAN might prove the best of the other lightweights. PUKETOI HACK HURDLES A big field has made the acceptance in the hurdle race, including the three placed horses last week, Fairhome, Lord Manna and Master Raymond, and ns hurdle form is fairly reliable on the whole they may be belter backed than the first day, particularly so the first-named pairRoman Duke, Mesalliance, Sunshine

Bay, and Christopher Robin appear to have as good a chance as the majority. MANUAO TRIAL NO. 1 The Trial will be run again as two separate races, but not in divisions as a week ago. In No. 1 Shadoof, Balagrnore, Platonic, and Urenui’s Gift may attract most attention from the public. PUKEKARAKA HACK HOP. The Wanganui double winner Champagne heads the list in the six-furlong hack race and with W. J. Broughton in the saddle there is no reason to ask what will be favourite as she is a much-boomed filly. She is not unbeatable, as on the first day at Wanganui if Outlook had had a stronger rider

(Otaki Fields on Page 2.)

he would have beaten her. Vincette, a recent winner, may do better now on a firmer track. Leeston, the first day’s winner, is another that will not _be taken cheaply. Saravan, Blue Skimmers, Lady Myrtle (“down the drain” the first day), Ilelenette and Murrayfielcl all have the right form this season. The two recent novice winners, Euraka and La Modelle, also will have some following. MANUAO TRIAL NO. 2 What form there is offering in the No. 2 Trial favours the chances of Tuatea, Belle Reine, Leighwyn and Flying Colours. Among the others there might be a “dark horse.” The firstnamed, a roan horse by Pherozshah, imported at the foot of its dam by Mr. T. C. Lowry, failed last week, but is now to do better. OTAKI HACK HANDICAP Another fairly large field has paid up in the seven-lurlong hack event, but an analysis of the field shows very little to choose between seven or eight of the candidates. Maybe the most likely horse will be Blue Seal after Ills second to Festal last week, while another that may carry solid support is Irresistible, first and second in his last two ellorts. RANUI HACK HANDICAP The concluding event is the nine-fur-long Ranui Hack, in v/hich Matara will endeavour to complete his “hat trick.” Last week he only triumphed by a nose over Nullah, who finished very strongly, so on the difference in the weight some will undoubtedly prefer the latter. Patunui should again go close to gaining some of the money, and Beau Bijou, who failed at Wanganui (it was a costly failure, too) may do better on this course. Arvastep was in the money last Saturday. The quintette may prove the hardest to beat.