THE AUCKLAND CUP.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIX, Issue 21, 23 December 1938, Page 5

THE AUCKLAND CUP.

AWAPUNI’S STRONG PAIR. QUADROON AND THE BUZZER. (By “Spectator.”) For the past two seasons Awapuni stables have been furnishing winners of some of the chief handicap events in New Zealand, and on Monday The Buzzer will attempt to win his second Auckland Cup for this centre to which Catalogue brought the Melbourne Cup, but he will bo facing a very stiff task to win in-a field of seventeen fine stayers and gallopers. Only from Padishah (Wellington Cup winner) and Willie Win (second in the 1937 Melbourne Cup) does he receive weight. The son of The Buzzard—Eastern Bello has failed to win since he annexed the last Auckland Cup, though he was second in the New Zealand Cup. Twelve months ago The Buzzer was weighted at the minimum, 7.0, but in order to be ridden* by S. • Wilson, he carried 61b over, and left the barrier with 7.6 on his back. On Monday next ho will bo called upon to carry 8.11, or 191 b more than in last year’s Cup when, in a battling finish, he defeated Knight of Australia (7.5) by a short neck, with Argentic (8.11) a neck away. - Knight of Australia will moot The Buzzer at an advantage of 181 b (there was only lib difference last year,- and there is now 191 b) and viewed from tho point of poundage Knight of Australia has received a generous concession for a short neck defeat, though he is now ten years old. FORMER YEARS’ RECORDS.

Since the Auckland Cup was first run in 1874 it has been won five times by tlircc-ycar-olds, 24 times by four-year-olds, 17 times by five-year-olds,- 13 times by six-year-olds, five times by scvcn-ycar-olds, while the only eight-year-old who has w6n was Bobrikolf in 1912, and no horse over that age has ever been successful. The seven-year-olds who won were Ariel (1879), The l’oet (1884), Nelson (1887), Putty (1905), and Cuddle (1936). Lochicl is also shown in the records as being an aged horse when he won, but, according to the Stud I look, lie was a six-ycar-old. Previous winners over the full distance of two miles in tho present field arc . The Buzzer (Auckland Cup), Arctic King (New Zealand Cup), Wotan (Melbourne Cup), and Master Briefly (A.J.C. Plate). Horses who have been placed over the distance arc Willie Win (second Melbourne Cup) Argentic (second and third Auckland Clip) and Knight of Australia (second Auckland Cup), while Kcllj’ and Mazir finished fourth in the Auckland Cup. Of those near the top of the. handicap, Padishah and Flood Tide have started over the distance and failed, but both have pretensions to stamina, and Padishah finished very strongly in both the last Auckland and New .Zealand Cups. Two horses, Ariel and Nelson, each won the Cup three- times, Ariel in 1876, 1878. and 1879, and Nelson in 1885. 1836, and 1887. Nelson’s record of winning throe times in succession may never, be equalled, al though one never knows what can happen in connection with the turf. To win the Cup twice is no .mean ipcrformancc, and in addition to Ariel and Nelson, ihe gallopers whose names figure twice in the long list of winners number four —Bluejacket (1899, 1900), Al! Red (1908, 1909), Te Kara (1923, 1924) and Cuddle (1935, 1936). It might be mentioned that -To Kara did not score two straight-out wins, as in 1923 lie shared the honours with Muraahi, tho pair dead-heating. CREDENTIALS OF PADISHAH.

The top-weight, Padishah, is a half-bro-ther to that good marc Cuddle, who \won I the event as a six-year-old in 1935 with j 9.0, and scored the following year with 9.3. | He is by Chief Ruler, who also claims two i other winners of the Auckland Cup in Admiral Drake and Gold Trail, and Senior, who ran second to. Cuddle in 1935. His dam, Caress, is by Martian, who sired Warstep, Mascot and Rapine, who also accounted lor the event, the last-named with 9.8, which is one of the best weight-carry-ing performances in connection with the race. Padishah is a versatile sort, for ho won the Wellington Cup last January and in August took the Grand National Hurdles. lie had. 8.6 in tho Now Zealand. Cup and finished well up, while on the concluding clay he came through to win the Me Iropolitan Handicap (Pi miles), nicely with 8.8. With a second to his credit in the Mel-

bourne Cup, Willie Win - has proved that lie’ can go the distance, while he lias won up to a mile and a half —the Great Autumn Handicap at Riccarton. He has not done much this season. Willie Win had been galloping well at Riccarton. A horse from Riccarton piling up a record for place consistency in the event is Argentic, who was fourth in 1935, second jin 1936, and third last year, and is also engaged in the Manawatu Cup. ARCTIC KING’S FORM. After his success in the New Zealand Cup Arctic King, a seven-year-old gelding by Rabbi from Snowland, by Kilbroney, from Snowstcll, by Clamanald, will only have to handle the right-handed going to he again in the picture. Ho is inbred to Kilbroney, for Rabbi, his sire, is by Paladin trom Rachel, by Kilbroney from Rebekah, by Bezonian trom Snowstcll. Lord Qucx sired Catalogue, winner of the last Melbourne Cup, and Motere, who finished second to Gay Crest in the Auckland Cup in 1930, and was awarded the race after inquiry into interference. He is represented on Monday by the six-ycar-old gelding Round Up, who lias won four times over a mile and a quarter. He is a very fit horse.

I Mazir has a good staying pedigree, for he is by Whirlwind (by Galloper Light) from | The Begum, by Chief Ruler from Lucella. Mazir was fourth in the Auckland Cup to Cuddle, Argentic and Scotland in 1936, j when carrying 7.11. This season he has shown excellent form. I Trench Fight is engaged in both the Cup and the Christinas Handicap, which he won last year. His best efforts have boon over a mile. ' PROSPECTS OF QUADROON. Quadroon will bo Awapuni’s principal Cup hope, and no horse could have under- ’ gone a more thorough preparation. He will be at home on an easy track, and has been galloping as well as any horse at this centre for a month past. By Nigger Minstrel (a brother to Desert Gold) he has been out of the monev only once in four starts this season, this mci.ng in the open sprint at Woodviile recently. His dam, Liaison, is a,sister to Moterc, winner of the Auckland Cup. 1 Wotan, by Siegfried from Left, won the Melbourne Cup in record time in 1936, but his only, successes since then were two at Feilding, including the Manchester Handicap, one mile and a quarter, last month, but lie is very leniently treated in the handicap, and will to tho post as fit as any horse in llk . ace. Master Brierly, a good stayer a few years ago, is getting older. He showed a bit of his old-time dasli when he ran third over a mile and a quarter at Te Rapa last month. He did not stay on too well on that occasion.

Chief Ruler is also represented by Die-’ tato, who has shown winning form up to a mile and three furlongs. Kelly, winner of the Wellington Racing Club Handicap, one mile and three furlongs, with 7.11, must be given a chance. Gay Rose has previously contested the Auckland Cup, but failed' to get into the money. She is by Gay Shield from .Autumn Rose. ERINATION IN FIELD. There is no question about Urination's staying power, but whether he can go the paco is another question. The sire of Erination, Illumination, was second in the Auckland Cup to Te Kara, while his dam conics’ from tho same family as the brilliant three-year-old of his day, Crackshot. Parquet is by Limond from Inlaid, ,by Invinicblo from Lade, by Ladas, and she has won up to a mile and a quarter. The following arc the acceptances:— AUCKLAND CUP, of £2550. Two miles.

Best prospects may be possessed by QUADROON' WOTAN WILLIE WIN THE BUZZER

Padishah Willie Win 9 0 Master Brierly 8 12 Knight of 8 2 Argentic The Buzzer tarctic King 8 11 Australia 7 6 8 11 Dictate 7 6 8 10 Kelly 7 4 Round' Up 8 8 Gay, Roso 7 3 Mazir 8 8 Chcva! de Voice 7 0 Trench Fight 8 8 Erination 7 0 Onadroon 8 4 Parquet 7 0 Wotan ■8 3