NOTES AND COMMENTS

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXVI, Issue 100, 8 April 1936, Page 2

NOTES AND COMMENTS

(By “The Barb.”) Hawke’s Bay stables will be represented over the holidays at Auckland, Feilding, Wairarapa and Waipukurau. At one time there was always a strong contingent from here for the Canterbury Easter races, but of late years this meeting appears to have grown out of favour with the local owners and trainers. Last season Cuddle was the sole representative from here and now next week not an owner from here will have his colours carried at Riccarton. * tt On Tuesday morning Happy Landing, Pakanui and Maine were entrained for Ellerslie. Happy Landing will contest the Easter Handicap on the opening day, Saturday, and the Great Northern St. Leger on Easter Monday. In the early autumn he won three races on end, one at Wanganui and a double ar Woodville. He was next hurried up to Waikato, where he failed to gain any stake-money, and then to Wellington, where he was third out of the three starters in the New Zealand St. Leger. In the Hawke’s Bay Cup on Saturday last he had every chance when carrying 7.9, but never really flattered his party. On recent running this three-year-old will cause surprise if in a place at the Ellerslie fixture. * * * Maine is now a better mare than ever and all her- recent endeavours have been honest. Engaged in the President’s the first day, run over ten furlongs, Mr J. M. Cameron’s mare, with but 31bs. above the minimum, will prove equal to the task of giving the best engaged a great tussle for the major portion of the stake offering. Just how good Pakanui is I do not know. He has now won. eight races on end, and, moreover, is an improving horse each day. On the morning of the Hastings races last week-end he sprinted three furlongs in 3-1 J to equal the course record jointly held by The Hawk and Statuette. Mr J. Reedy’s colt is not engaged the first day at Auckland, but on Monday is in the Huia Handicap, six furlongs, and the St. Leger. When his trainer left here yesterday morning he told the writer that he was not decided what event would be contested, but that in all probability the short race. He will remain up there for the Avondale fixture run on April 18 and 20, when he will be tried out over a middle distance. * * * To-morrow morning Lacquer, Stitch, bird, Big Dook, Pladie, Silver River, Gay Hunter, Speed and Royal Solo leave for Tauherenikau to compete at the Wairarapa meeting. The latter was not brought back from Pahiatua, so will bo picked up there by the local contingent en route. * * * Lacquer is all the better for her race last Saturday and it is safe to say that she is at least now half a stone better than this time last week. Her first-day engagement is one over seven furlongs, a distance that she has not raced over in public, but privately she has shown ability to run this distance out. She is not opposed by a very strong field with the exception of the Australian-bred mare Geitel. * * * Stitchbird was never conspicuous in the Maiden on Saturday. Half-way through the running his bridle slipped, but to have had a chance of winning he would have needed to have “slipped some” and not his bridle, as Joviality spreadcagled his field from the word go. # » fe Big Dook will be ridden in the Easter Handicap by H. Young. This gelding has suffered no ill-effects from his hard race last Saturday and will again be in the condition to run the ten furlongs out to the bitter end as at Hastings. It is quite possible, though, he will be reserved for the seven furlongs the first day and the mile and a distance the second. There is still controversy of what won the recent Hawke’s Bay Cup or what should have won. In the first case there is no doubt that the deadheat was the one and only correct decision, as the horsemen effected state that it would have been almost impossible to have separated them. The trainer of one of the dead-heater s said that his horseman, may have made his run too early, while the representative of the owner opined that the self-same horseman made it too late. So there you are.

Pladie also dried off after his gruelling race to the satisfaction of his trainer. He is in great nick at present and from now on this Paladin gelding will have to be seriously considered in any middle distance race ho contests. * * # Silver River won at Pahiatua; but was lucky in getting such a big break at the start, as undoubtedly it was that advantage that got him home fist ahead of Halley and Gay Hunter. * « * Gay Hunter is on the improve and on Pahiatua running should be one to finish ahead of Mrs Haldane’s voungster, but on Wellington form both will have to leg it to head off the speeuy Deficit. -x- * * Is Speed past his best? To that question 1 would answer in the affirmative, but by this I do not wish to insinuate that he is a spent light by auy means. The opposition on Saturday at Wairarapa is decidedly stronger than what he wa a up against at Pahiatua, as at that meeting there was nothing of the calibre of Erua. * # # Royal Solo is an improved mare by that run sho had at Pahiatua and cn this trip will greatly disappoint if not at least paying exes. * * * To-morrow and Friday Journet, Ben Braggie, Hunting Cat, Royal Banquet, Candico, Sardius and Passion Flower will leave here for Feilding. «■ * * If Journet is on the same misbehaviour as he wag at Hastings and then not allowed the same latitude it is quite possible that he will arrive at the starting post after the hurdle field has been dispatched. He is in great form but being asked to concede weight to Clarion Call is asking him a question I am very much afraid he will be unable to answer. * * * Ben Braggie, as reported in the ‘‘Tribune,” was, after the recent Napier Park meeting on account of soreness, turned out for a week or so in the paddock. For this reason be umv not li? n! hi- best the first day at

Feilding, but quite a few have signified their intention of not being caught napping by this brilliant galloper. » « » Hunting Cat has fully recovered from his Trentham mishap, although it is quite possible he is still suffering slight soreness in some parts of his make-up. Yesterday morning he strode out freely against the bit over six furlongs in 1.19. The turning track and the very short straight may be very much against this long-striding gelding. On the actual handicap he will appeal to many though. * « * Royal Banquet is engaged in both the Feilding Cup and the middle distance hack race. It is more than likely that it will be the latter he will be saddled up for. Being in the best of racing condition this horse is one of the locals that over the holiday meetings should draw a prize somewhere. * * * Two very fair two-year-old representatives will start in the Nursery Handicap, five furlongs. Candico gave a taste of her sprinting ability at Awapuni recently, but 8.13 will see her required to work on all six. ghe has done well since last racing, * * * . Sardius has gone up 51bs. for his Saturday’s win so now carries 7.7 The distance on Saturday will be half a furlong less than it was here, so that this classy-looking youngster will be fully expected to test the best opposed to him. * * * Anyone witnessing the Hawke’s Cup last Saturday will remember that when heads were turned for home Passion Flower looked a likely proposition for a stride or two, but then gradually faded behind the placed horses. Now at Feilding, over seven furlongs, this maro will be at a distance she is mistress of. She has felt no illeffects from her recent travelling and racing; in fact, she may be all the more solid for it. * * * The appeal of the Hastings jockey, P. Atkins, to the N.Z. Racing Conference will be heard this evening at Wellington. If he is successful it will be a little late to attend the outside big meetings, so therefore he ha s said that Waipukurau will see him and then Hastings the following week, * ■» * The cableman advises that the New Zealanders S. G. Ware (trainer) and W. Jenkins (jockey) have been suspended for twelve months. This is most unfortunate for the former particularly, who has just gone to a big expense. is establishing racing quarters outside Melbourne as well as moving all his portable possessions across the Tasman. The ex-Hastings horseman since going to Victoria with Mr G. J. Barton’s team has met with more than his share of success.