WINTER RACING.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXXI, Issue 5595, 4 July 1930, Page 2

WINTER RACING.

T 000 THREE DAYS NEXT WEEK AT TRENTHAM WELLINGTON CLUB’S POPULAR GATHERING. Review of the Horses: Their Ability Discussed. (By “ The Pelican.”) Next week the Wellington Racing Club will conduct its , popular Winter Meeting at Trentham. The days are Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, and as both quantity and quality will be in the fields, the problems of investors are going to be puzzling. Trentham is a hard course to run on, perhaps the hardest in the country, for the reason that it is the pivot ground for attracting the best available at the time of the year from all Dominion training centres. It is a difficult sifting’* ground, and punters require a lot in their favour if they are to be fortunate in showing a profit at the end of the week. Trentham, at this period of the year, provides very “sticky” going. It is a “stickiness” all. its own, and horses looked upon as real . good < mudlarks on other courses are not always at home at Trentham. It is real exertion for an equine to get its hoofs out of the surface at the Wellington Club’s racing headquarters. For the guidance of “Gazette” readers, “The Pelican,” in the article below, discourses upon the various candidates, and sums up the situation as the public may fathom it in each event on opening day.

The Minor Hurdles Item. The Vittoria Hurdles, which is the minor event of the day for batten performers, has drawn a disappointing field in the numerical sense, but as. all the half dozen engaged will have a following, the club will get out of it all right. Zippor, who won in Hawke’s Bay the other week, is not everything so far as fencing-Ts concerned, but speed offsets blemishes in other directions. Being by King JohnLandicul, he has great breeding for the division. Auro has yet to win this season, but the Wausland gelding has been earning place money,fend is in the right order. Daylight and Mountain Guide are Auckland provincial jumpers. The latter ran at Te Awamutu on Saturday, and on that performance should not only account for- Daylight once again, but will keep the others busy as well. Paris, who is ’Southland owned, is a Solferino gelding with some experience; while Masher, by Gay Lad, has given more encouragement. The machine figures may say Mountain Guide. Avro Zippor. Then way will be made for a field of 4 Hacks at Six Furlongs. The Woburn Handicap, which is next for decision, is a six furlong race and the eighteen hacks engaged make a very representative field. Blue Paper, who heads the weight scale, has been in running vein of . recent months, and she will be in the issue, although her weight (10.10) may be just enough for her when , the final claims are being lodged. Hurly Burly, from the latc~ Sir George Clifford’s team, won two on end in the early part of this year, and if back to her best would be in it. Tahoma is one of the useful Hunting Song strain. Merry Melody, who is Gisborne trained, is a Catmint, and has recommendations in the going for that reason. Glen Rossie has not won for some time, but the Acre gelding has been about the premises. Tuku, formerly in R. Hannon’s Cambridge stable, has been owned in the South Island for 1 six months or so. He has not done.better than second since he left, but on his form this way before going south, he would have a chance. Great Lady does not appeal, but Desert Song, Hunting Call, Portray and-Lady Rene will each have a following. Abbey Queen, although raced a lot, has paid her way this season, and the King Country owned galloper is just the sort to take all sorts of beating here. Coon Song has nothing much to his credit, but Gowanlea is a smart sort likely to see a better day. Pat’s Boy and Win Acre appeal most of those remaining. Investors may give most support to

Gowanlea Abbey Queen -< ■ Hunting Call. The race card will next point to the event set down to The Hack Steeplechasers. Eleven stand their ground in the Matai Hack Steeplechase, which is a journey of two miles and a half. Red Bank and Waitaunaha, who figure on even terms. (10.4), at.the front of the handicap, y have recent jumping performances to their credit. Sir Moment, Diamond Jack, Wyeford, and Taramoa offer nothing particularly outstanding, but Corneroff and Son O’ Mine are a pair further down in the scale who are going to have their day at the business. The latter won over the big ’■’country at the Egmont-Wan-ganui Hunt, and although he had little to beat, he did the job thoroughly, and that was after winning the hurdle race earlier in the day. The public may rely on Waitaunaha Son O’ Mine Red Bank. The next for investment concern is the item Where the Sprinters Reign. If matters have not been favourable to investors to this point of the programme, they will require to be optimistic if they hope to find a silver lining in the cloud, when they survey the array of first-class talent down to contest the sprint race. In the Stewards’ Handicap, twenty-one appear, and they offer a tough puzzle indeed. However, “take the chance” will be the slogan, with the seekers after riches. Black Duke and Havering (11.2’) are real top notch performers in excellent form, and are going to

be- in it, despite their “poultice”. Consent has been showing form of recent months, but Panther would like it longer. Kiosk is good,'but can hardly be ready for this one. The same applies to Paddon, but they’ll come in later. Arikinui and Mandy are possibilities, but Master Clarence does not strike one in the class. Lady’s Boy was very sore at ' Waipa. Royal Opera and Goblin .Market will be in market. Subdivision, once known this way, but in the South Island for some time, is a rare flier on occasions, and this might he the time the Surveyor galloper will be'in the mood. Staghuhter has lost most of his fine promise as a two year old. Hopwood was a good hack. Roi de Vai also displayed ability in the minor ranks. Prince of Orange will be running on, but may not go fast enough in the early part. Kilmezzo has pace. Marble King run at Te Awamutu last Saturday, and the Te Aroha galloper is coming on rapidly. He looks like being worth following at the meeting. Piako offers some prospects, but a longer journey later on is likely to be more beneficial to Royal Game. When punters have had the last word, a trio well considered will probably be , Marble King ; Havering ; Consent. This paves the way for the Wellington Steeplechase. There are ten acceptors for the big test over country, on a trip extending to three miles and a quarter. In pride of place on the weight scale is the Great Northern and Winter Steeples winner, Aurora Borealis. “Multum in parvo” aptly sizes up the Day Comet-Rangrata mare. Shqps a wonderful jumper for her inches, and a true stayer. While Hawera and Ellerslie country offered no terrors this season, there are some who are confident that the stiffer jumps at Trentham will anchor her. The writer doesn’t support such fears. Nukumai has had a win and a second over country. His second was gained at Napier Park last week, but somehow the Mackinnel gelding does not betoken confidence in the coming trip. He may go in the, hurdles in preference. Mangani, I expect, to be a nuisance to the best. The Waikato owned gelding ran his fences down badly in the Great Northern Steeples, but the left handed circuit at Trentham will minimise this defect. Radiate is a southerner who must have a show. Of Wharncliffe and Matu, the latter is preferred because of his more varied expedience. He failed at Ellerslie, but will be a different proposition on Tuesday, for the reason that he knows the country and will not have “the hill” to bother him. Master Lu and Odin are lightweights who promise to carry the field along. The fprmer has won at his three latest starts as a steeplechaser, and while this company is the best he has yet tackled, he is fast and a clever jumper. There will be solid support from this end for the Kaihere owned gelding. Odin was third in the big item at Ellerslie, and that is something in his favour. Flying Swift won at Wanganui, and again headed them at Hawke’s Bay. He would hardly be recognised as the horse who finished, outside a place over hurdles at Paeroa in March.' Wanganui is now his headquarters. The going might beat him, however. Young Thurnham will be at or near the front for a time, but hardly impresses from the staying aspect. Speculators will be keen with the major volume probably for Aurora Borealis Mangani Master Lu. The saddling paddock will next give accommodation to the fine field which will contest the Trentham Hurdles. In this mile and threequarter race both islands are to be represented. Mister Gamp (11.4) has plenty of weight, but the Bronzetti chestnut is first class. He was right in it over the final stages of the Great Northern Hurdles, when Wako King pitched out and brought him down at the penultimate fence. He ran second next time, and when saddled up on the last day he had no luck again, as he got unsighted at an early jump and was again up-ended. Nukumai would be better suited here than in the steeples. There was never a better hurdler* than the Foxton candidate, and he is not past his best yet. When seen out at Napier Park last week, he looked as if he done quite a lot of work. No horse can act

better in the ground at Trentham. Prince Lu is certainly at a distance that suits him, but the pair on top should beat him at the weights. Taumai won three hurdle races at Ellerslie last'month. The St. Auraus gelding is in improved company now, but he has advanced markedly of recent months and might do anything. Fine Acre’s class is hardly good enough. Carinthia has done well since leaving Auckland for the South Island. Archibald, once useful, can hardly ever be as good as he was. Brigadier Bill beat little when he won at the Napier Park meeting last week, but, on his day, would have to be considered with 9.9. There are some “form” horses among the lower weighted brigade, of whom Nucleus and Beaumont may have the best ' following. totalisator bells may stop with most favour for* Nukumai Mister Gamp Nucleus. Next on the list is the big mile, known as The Whyte Handicap. Black Duke, who tops the list, is a class. South Island galloper, who would be better suited here than in the sprint. The Balbou gelding is at the peak of his form, and is a good mover in the condition. Still, 10.3 reads like a burden. Maori Boy is one of the Auckland hopes, and those who saw the Lucullus gelding “bolt in” at Ellerslie last month will support him more than moderately on Tuesday. His form is on the variable side, nevertheless. For instance, he never got in the firing , line at the Waipa meeting. Mendip is one for which there will be a lot of respect. The Bisogne chestnut had to be withdrawn from Auckland engagements owing to bereavement in the family of the owner. He was going well at the time, and was quietly favoured for the Cornwall. If anything, Mendip’s condition should be better ' now. Blimp’s form about the middle of the season was good, but the Gasbag gelding has not been very active lately. True Blood, the Cornwall -winner, will strip O.K.sfor this job. With 9.9, the Archery gelding should take some bowling over. Don Quixote, Balloon and Marjoram will have some support. The former reads the best of this trio. Chopin and Llyn Dhu have good back form. Best Friend, who is to have Hector Gray’s services, is a Paper Money-Halma gplding, who won a double in Hawke’s Bay of recent times. Big things are prophesied forthis fellow. Black Mint has some proved form, and Full Mark is another who will not be overtaken. Helium will be coupled with True Blood if both start. The former, although only'a hack, has shaped like one who will do a lot better. High Pitch, from local headquarters, could not be other than a long shot on his form this season. A win to the Sarchedon gelding would be distinctly ' popular to his local owner. Maui may find eight furlongs too extensive, while Ranelagh hardly strikes one as the class for this grade. Investments may go chiefly to Mendip True Blood—Helium Black Duke. Then the last event of the day is reached. , This is known as

Te Afo Handicap. It is a seven furlong race for the hack brigade, and there are many decent gallopers on the list. Brilliant Light and Semper Paratus, each witn 10.5, would only require, a decent run to give a lot of trouble to the best of the opposition. Lucretia, Singer, and Shortly have each earned stake money this season. Paeroa has Snow Prince engaged, and his second to a' good one in Chromadyne in the Carbine Plate has to be remembered. The Warden and Disrank will have- their followers, as well as Mt. Shannon and Whisogne. Pedestal has been expected on more than one occasion, and the Wanganui track performer should surely be advanced in condition by this. He is a strapping big fellow, who should handle the mud. There is nothing to brag about among the remainder, but this is the time of year when ■ the maximum develops. Karachura, who carries the same Auckland colours as True Blood and Helium, is a Catmint. That breeding is very partial to a holding track. The Sun finished second to Cruachan at Te Awamutu last Saturday,/ and The Sun Cure three year old looks like developing decent form. White Doe has been a winner of late, and the Royal Stag filly is not going to be the outsider of this field. The favouritism may tend towards Semper Paratus Lucretia Air Laddie.