SPORTING

Grey River Argus, 16 January 1941, Page 7

SPORTING

WELLINGTON CUP Meeting Opens To-day With horses from all parts of the Dominion engaged, the Wellington Racing- Club’s summer meeting opens at Trentham to-day, continuing on Saturday and Wednesday next. Weekend rain brought about an improvement in the track which w.d be fast order. Excellent racing is pro-, mised with large fields engaged in all event, the principal of which the. Wellington Cup of £3lOO should find Old Bill, Kindergarten and Little Robin well supported. Win and Place betting betting will operate, the heicis, starting times and prospects are as follows: — 12.12: TRENTHAM HIGHWEIGHT HANDICAP £350; one mile—De Friend 11.7 Black Musk 10.11, Great Night 10.6,’ Auto Sweep 10.5, Iceland Spar 10.3, Sunee 10.1 Twenty Grand 9.10, Kotua 9.9, Gold Bridge 9.8, Boat Song 9.7 Doctor Defoe. War Cloud J. 5, Arabic Thrasos 9.3, Martene, The Monarch 9.2, Happy Ending, Moderate, Namesake, Rose Acre 9.0. Iceland Spar Auto Sweep Great Night 12.54: THE WELLINGTON STAKES, for 2 and 3-year-olds £7OO (weight forage, with penalties), five furlongs.— Sir Beau 9.6, Kentucky 8.11, Pay Roll 7.9. Corn Prince 7-5. Foreign Coin, Par Avion 7.3, Burra Sahib, Prince Plato. Varuna 6.12, Golden Moon, Greek Step, Salutation 6.9. Pay Roll Burira Sahib Corn Prince 1.37: APPRENTICES’ PLATE. £300; seven furlongs.—Etruscan, King’s Toast Native Chief, Parchment, Rakanui 8.7, Cheerful Lady, Dainty Dell, Gentility, Kalika, Laughing, Song Miss Leighon, Stylist 8.4, Blandisher, Blue Border, Gold Nugget, Locrian. Tau-uru, War Credit 7.11, Phyto, Talenta, Wild Fox 7.8. Cheerful Lady Blue Border King’s Toast 2.20: FITZHERBERT HANDICAP, £350; five furlongs. —Erin’s Court 9.5 Gunyah 8.8, Imperium 8.5, Gay Genet 8.4, Divorced 8.3, Monetary 8.2, Caroline Bay 8.1. Ring Chief 7.12, Fleche d’Or, Greek Dancer 7.9, Mindo, Night Ward, Willow Wood, Palfrey 7.8, Kevin 7.7, Aqueduct, Eastern Sport, Makaroa, Sports Flash, Moutoa Bond 7.5, Amorangi, Olein, Saka Bona 7.0. Gunyah Divorced Erin’s Court 3.2:

WELLINGTON CUP, £3100; one mile and a half.—Royal Chief 9.10, Old Bill 9.5, Catalogue 8.10, The Buzzer 8.7, Kindergarten 8.6, Orelio 8.5 Gladynev. Proud Fox 8.1, Amigo 7.13 Friesland 7.11, Enrich 7.10, Belle Cane, Beau Leon, Native Song, Serenata 7.9, Wardress 7.3, Little Robin, The Ring 7.2, Esperance Bay, Settlement, Sir Amyas, Schoolgirl 7.0. Old Bill Kindergarten Little Robin 3.45: RUAPEHU HANDICAP. £350; six furlongs—Trig Station Black Majesty 9.7, Scandal 9.0, Valiant Lady 8.13. Augment, Last Acre 8.9, Queen Beth 8.4 Leighnor, Grey Night, Kriemhild Vivid Night 8.2, Colerica, Sham Boy 8.0, Gemara 7(13, Circular Note 711, Omapo 7.10, Lord Midas 7.9, First Round, Royal Vision, Squeers, Triple Crown 7.7. Black Majesty Circular Note Scandal 4.27: TELEGRAPH HANDICAP, £1000; six furlongs.—Black Thread 9.3, Sir Crusoe, Sir Beau 8.11. Kathbella 8.9, Arvakur 8.8, Density 8.5, Doria, Mittie 8.1, Marshall Hall. Rakahanga 711 Hearth 7.7. Kentucky 7.5, Night Eruption 7.4, Chary, Duvach, Zest 7.0. Sir Beau Black Thread Marshall Hall 5.10: ANNIVERSARY HANDICAP, £450; one mile. —Trench Fight 9.6, Lambourn 9.3 Gayest Son, Olympus 9.0, Hearth 8.11, Red Cat, Ruatiti, The Ring, Winning Rival 8.10, Siglow, Schoolgirl 8.5 Gay Mimic 8.4, White Rajah 8.2, Charles Edward, Cherry Bay, Colonel Bogey, Gay Fox, Pleading 8.0. Gayest Son Siglow White Rajah

TRENTHAM WORK-OUTS. WELLINGTON, January 14. Although many vi'sitprs were still absent the Trentham tracks were busy this morning. Conditions were good, except for a fresh westerly wind. The going wac fast, the outside of the course proper being used, though there were one or two gallops on the plough. There was nothing of an outstanding nature, but Black Thread and Hearth did very smart sprints. Sal - tation and Prince Plato also went well over short journeys. Enrich and Serenata were seen to advantage over a mile. Enrich was the first to work and he ran a mile in 1.42, th first half in 50sec. He did not appear to have much in reserve at the finish, but he did it well. De Friend was much too good for Good Sun over a mile in 1.47, which time he could have improved considerably> as he was being held back to finish with his companion. This gal op s the plough. De Friend looks well. Siglow, going alone, ran six in 1.1 , the last half in 51sec. Native Song and Gay Mimic registered a better over the same-distance. Hearth attracted attention by doing six well in 116 She was much too good for Lambourn and Great Night, easing up over the last bit. Hearth is engaged in both the sprint and the Anniversary Mile, and as she struck form at the New Year, she looks like running prominently in her engagements Miss Lcighon w-as no good to Chary over the same distance, the latter doing 1.20, going easily. Serenata was doing it well at the end of a mile with Gladynev in 1.421. Schoolgirl went with him for five and then ran off the track, but she finished on again in the straight though the other pair had drawn well clear of her. Serenata went very well, as she was by no means doing her best; Little Robin and The Ring ran a mile together, but were not timed

over the full distance, the last half being run in just under 52sec. Sir Amyas and Titter finished together with The Monarch eased off over seven in 1.29 4-5. The fovrier pair were doing it fairly well, Titter, if anything the better. Black Thread ran away from Mittie over five in 1.2, the last half in 49sec, and was neve: doing his best. It is clear that the Gisborne gelding is at the top of his form again. He will be ridden by A. E. Ellis in the Telegraph Handicap Duvach and Circular Note took 1.3, almost from a stand, the first furlong taking 14sec. This also was a good gallop. Salutation was too good for Erinscourt in 1.21. Salutation was moving a bit short coming on t 0 the tracks, but after being warmed up before the gallop, showed fine pace. She has grown into a big, handsome filly. Erinscourt’s poor showing was due to the saddle slipping. Prince Plato played with Alexcellia over four in 48 3-ssec, a very smart gallop, for he was never off the bit. Wildfire was doing it nicely with Last Acre and Tau-uru, all running together throughout in 1.32. Gayest Son was joined by Vascones at the five, and they ran home in 1.3. Endorsement sprinted .down the straight, and Belle Cane worked strongly over 10 furlongs, running the last half in 55sec. Howell will ride Belle Cane in the cup. Sir Beau will run in the Telegraph. Pay Holl showed that she is at her best by holding Corn Prince throughout four in 50sec, and doing it well. Far Avion got an early break on Cambria, and the latter, in running up at the end of a furlong, appeared to slip and nearly fall. He lost four or five lengths, but was gaining ground gradually again in the straight. Cambria’s time was 51sec. Parchment and Gunyah and Sir Reynard and Aquedect, came down from the half-mile post. Aquedect made up ground in the last furlong in fine style, but looks like taking time to develop. Foreign Coin will not be a runner in, the Wellington Stakes as he is to be given a short spell. Greek Step has been withdrawn. Old Bill was out doing trotting and working exercise. Kindergarten, Proud Fox, Orelio and Arvakur were also working easily. Orelio has developed into a fine-looking horse since he was here last. Both Arvakur and Proud Fox are in solid condition. In the published list of acceptances the Fitzherbert and Apprentices’ Plate became transposed. The Appretentices’ Plate is the third race, and the Fitzherbert Handicap the fourth event.

Additional riders for the cup are: Amigo, W. J. Mudford; Belle Cane. R. G. Howell; Proud Fox. R. W. McTavish; Orelio, W. Hooton; Little Robin, C. G. Sargent; The Ring. D. W. Redstone; Serenata. S. Waddell. Howell will also ride Varuna, Gay Genet, Blandisher, Kriemhild and Rakahanga.

Beau Leon was withdrawn from the Wellington Cun at 5 p.m. yesterday by telegraph from Te Awamutu, which makes it appear as if he will not be coming to the meeting.

Racing Noies Looks Well In : Little Robin, third in the New Zealand Cup and second in the Metropolitan, looks well in the Wellington Cup with 7.2. He ran indifferently in the Manawatu Cup, but showed that this form was not correct by winning with 8.8 and 9.4 at the Wairarapa. meeting. Old Bill:

Old Bill, last year’s winner of the Wellington Cup, wil be one of the favourites with 9.5. ~He has 191 b. more than he carried to success 12 months ago, and 51b. more than he carried into second place behind Beau Vite in the Auckland Cup, but he is raced so occasionally that he does not ever run much risk of overdrawing on his energy reserves. As a matter of fact, he will probably strip even better than for the race at Ellerslie, and if such be the case he will take a power of catching should he manage to reach the front during the final half-mile of next week’s contest.

Erination’s Good Record: One of the best-received victories at the recent Ellerslie meeting was that of Erination in the New Year’s Hurdles, the only race he contested. On two occasions he has contested the Auckland Cup, but by far the largest part of his stake earnings, which now total £5OOO. has been won in jumping events. In the seven seasons in which he has raced, Erination has travelled approximately 152 miles the longest in any one season being 35 miles. He was produced m excellent condition for his effort, but he was allowed to pay a doublefigure dividend to win supporters.

Heavy Imposts: The only occasion prior to this year on which Mr. Coyle considered an entrant for the Wellington Cup worthy of such a weight as that allotted to Beau Vite was in 1927, when he gave Rapine, winner of the Auckland Cup under 9.8 just over a year previously and winner of the A.R.C. Summer Cup under 10.3 that season, the record Trentham impost of 10.2. Rapine started, was sent out favourite, and finished third behind Rapier 7.8 and Te Monanui 9.3, the margins separating the trio being a nose and a length and a-half. The weight Beau Vite received this year was 10.1. and through w.f.a. reckoning, it was 31b. more than Rapine, then a seven-year-old. was given. No four-year-old has ever carried anything like that weight to success in the Wellington Cup. The best winning four-year-old performance at Trentham was Concentrate’s un’der 8.10 in 1930. A three-year-old in Defaulter won under 8.11 two years ago. though even that was not quite the task set Beau Vite, as Defaulter had 111 b. over w.f.a. and Beau Vite had 151 b. over w.f.a. Trentham Prospect:

Kindergarten 8.6 offers danger to the older horses in the Wellington Cup. A three-year-old in Defaulter was the winner under 8.11 two years ago and Beau Vite was beaten only by Old Bill under 8.7 last year. There seems no doubt now that the Kincardine colt is a three-year-old well above the ordinary, and until he is beaten in handicap grade it will be wisest to accept him as such. Perhaps there is no better clue to his ability than the fact that H. N. Wiggins, one of the astutest riders in the Dominion, got off Belle Cane to pilot him in his Ellerslie engagements. It was the same “Larry” who took the mount on Bronwen several weeks before the A.R.C. Railway and woke up

a number of those who were cogitating about the second “leg” of the Auckland double. Gay Genet: Amongst those engaged in the Fitzherbert Handicap is Gay Genet, who won on the first day at the Hawke’s Bay meeting, but played up at the start on the second day, when she ran second. She won by five lengths on the first day. She is an Australianbred filly by Piccadilly—Vivere, by Heroic—Troisieme, by The Welkin. An Invitation: The Canadian Racing Association has invited 600 English owners to race their horses in Canada for the duration of the war. It was stated that only a few owners would accept this invitation, because of the dangers and expense entailed, and manj r trainers of the Old Country did not favour the project owing to the moderate stakes in the Dominion and the difficulties of transit. Since the announcement of the entire suspension of flat racing in England during 1941, however, these views may have undergone a change, but the problem of transport would remain a major difficulty. Schoolgirl: There seems to be a tendency abroad to boom Schoolgirl as a sure winner at Trentham, end all going right she should run well in her engagements. She won very comfortably at Wingatui with 8.8 in Imin. 42 2-ssec. She ran third in 'the Invercargill Cup and when she won tue Southland Handicap was meeting Mona’s Song on 71b. better terms. The opposition could not be rated high in the south, whereas it will not lack strength at Trentham.

Right and Left: When considering the ptos and

cons of form and comparing the running ,a.t Riccarton and Auckland with what is likely to happen at Trentham it should not be overlooked that some horses do not act too well when galloping the reverse way at Ellerslie. The same applies to Randwick and Flemington, and a change from the usual way of galloping may bring about a tendency to get unbalanced. It may affect some horses more than others, particularly when racing round a turn, where a' horse may be

apt to “change a leg.” After his form at. the New Zealand Cup meeting, Enrich was confidently expected to shape well at the Auckland Cup meeting, where he did not succeed in gaining a place, although apparently there was no reason to think that he had trained off. In the Christmas Handicap Enrich, with 9.0, was up against Kindergarten, 8.4, who won in Imin. 36 3-ssec., but his form in the Great Northern Derby reads too bad to be true Amigo:

As a rule sprinters are . generally too keen to gallop when first a'sked to race over more ground, and so beat themselves by travelling at sprinting speed or else require a good deal of holding. They may settle down after a race or two over an extended distance, and so become dangerous beyond a mile more particularly when treated as non-stayers. This may be the case with Amigo, who has won under top weights up to six furlongs. This season he was second to The Buzzer over a mile and a-quarter and successful over nine furlongs. He meets The Buzzer on 41b. better terms than when the latter beat him in the Marton Cup by a short length in 2min. 5 4-ssec. It is, however, not so much the poundage carried by Amigo that would help him to stay. Hi? chance of doing so

depends on whether he has settled down to go a quiet race and not beat himself by pulling. Amigo has 7.13 in the Wellington Cup, and. as he was got by Beau Pere from Adorable, by Limond —Admyra, by Solfenno— Temba, by Sainfoin, he belongs to the same family as Compris, who won the Wellington Cup in the record time of 2min. 29sec. under 9.0. RACING FIXTURES January 16, 18, 22—Wellington R.C. January 18 —Wairio J.C. January 18, 20 —Thames J.C. TROTTING FIXTURES January 22, 25—Wanganui T.C. January 23, 25—Forbury Park- T.C. January 30, February I—Wellington T.C. February B—Canterbury Park T.C. February 8, 12—Auckland T.C. February 15—New Brighton T.C. March 27, 29— Wellington T.C.