Auckland Cup Candidates in Te Awamutu Field

Northern Advocate, 9 December 1948, Page 8

Auckland Cup Candidates in Te Awamutu Field

RACING REVIEW

THE Auckland Cup looms large on the racing horizon and heightens interest in the Waipa Racing Club s summer meeting. The principal event is the Te Awamutu Cup, of £750, one mile and a quarter, which has drawn a good field, many of which are engaged in the big Ellerslie race on Boxing Day. Although the chief sprint race is the Flying Handicap, seven furlongs, the small field engaged has focussed interest on the open mile, the Paterangi Handicap.

Burdened with 9.10—a good horse’s weight—King’s Ransom heads the Te Awamutu Cup field. He has proved a master of weight, but the turning, extremely tricky course is unlikely to suit the long-striding Lang Bian- gelding. As he has not raced of late, he may not be thoroughly attuned. A proven stayer and a fine big gelding. King’s Ransom is likely to be well supported in the Auckland Cup. He ran a rather unlucky third in last year’s race, being placed second subsequently. Lord Revel has 8.5 and his excellent fifth at Franklin points to # his having prospects. He may not be seen to greatest advantage on the turning course. Last Saturday he was hopelessly placed with five furlongs to run, having lost the good position his class enabled him to take up early. He was favourite, but should soon alone. Chung Chong has staged a return to form this season and must be dangerous with 7.10, 51b more than his Auckland Cup weight. King’s Ransom and Lord Revel have 81b more, indicating that the handicapper considers Chung Chong to have a 31b better chance here than in the two-mile event. He ran third under 7.13 in the Waikato Cup to Artificer and Conspiracy at his last start on November 13. Subsequently, Artificer was just beaten at Te Aroha and Conspiracy scored solidly on Saturday. The latter won under 9.4, when. Lord Revel carried 8.5, as he has to this week.

inie has failed dismally recently. Last week he was under the whip from the outset, but never looked likely. Flying Officer has run fair races since graduating from hacks and seems to be improving. Mallee has failed to win for over two seasons. Voneltee's recent form is not encouraging, nor is that of Til'ox, Brown Atom, Jouster, Aylesbury and Gavinmor, although the latter is expected to show improvement. Bright Fox has won on the flat on his home course before, and may surprise. Ninth Week and Jouster have run their best races on soft ground. Irish Poet is unpredictable.

Knight Templar, Good Bay and Greekette may receive public support. Flying Officer, Gavinmor and Bright Fox appear the best of a poor lot of lightweights. Such a field is a good betting medium, being even, and as capable of providing a complete upset as a uniformly good one. CABER FAE’S RUN Caber Fae hung badly at Pukekohe, and also received a check at a crucial stage of the race. He is not big, and under 9.1 he never again found his feet properly. He is a smart gelding and should atone. Gollen pulled very hard on Saturday and beat himself. His trainer, F. Smith, subsequently remarked that Gollen’s recent racing should help him overcome his extravagant style. When he settles down in his races he should atone for his failures. He is a good type of gelding, a big rangy bay by Foxbridge from Llangollen, which was a good mare. Race Chum ran his best race for a long time to finish fourth in the hurdles at Pukekohe, and may carry support among the weak lot engaged at Te Awamutu.

CHUNG CHONG IN FORM Summed-up through Conspiracy and Lord Revel, Chung Chong’s form is good. Wonder Boy ran an excellent fourth at Pukekohe, after being badly placed early. It is worth remembering that lie, with 7.7, and those below him in the handicap, can well afford a rehandicap for Auckland, as it may save them being balloted. He has stood up to a lot of racing remarkably well, and worked keenly during his light tasks on Monday and Tuesday. ' Swanee is very nicely placed with 7.4, and should handle the track. Robin Leigh won at his last start over the distance here, defeating Frontier Mac. His latest efforts have been below par, but a promising fifth over seven furlongs at Pukekohe may be an indication of a return to form.

Bouquet has come through her recent racing well and should be capable of another good effort in the Pirongia Hack Cup. Maricrana concluded six furlongs in 1.18 at Ellerslie on Tuesday morning, Leadership being of little use to her over the final half mile in 51s. She should run well in the Ohaupo Hack Handicap. Her chances would be enhanced if the going was easy. Master Coronach did an effortless round on Tuesday, coming home the last seven furlongs in 1.31 2-5 and the last three in 38 2-5. He should strip fit for the Christmas carnival. BEAU CONTE PROBABLE

Earldale comes in at 7.1. His good third to Kyrat and Artificer at Te Aroha points to him as the dangerous lightweight. A half-brother to the erstwhile popular Erndale, Earldale is a good galloper, who shook Howe right up last winter at Trentham. He stays on, is in solid condition, and is one likely to upset. Waywardness at the barrier this season puts a question mark after his name. LIGHTWEIGHTS COURSE

The three-year-old Beau Conte is, on •paper, a racing certainty in the first division of the Waipa Plate, seven furlongs. He has been placed in classics, and this special-weight race for non-winners seems at his mercy. A slow beginner is at a big disadvantage at Te Awamutu, and Beau Conte is generally slow to find his feet. He has drawn No. 1, which may clinch matters for him if he could get a good jump out. He stands out as a most probable winner, but disability to begin makes the “certainty” opinion questionable, although he represents better class.

The rest are on the minimum. On a lightweights’ course, they command respect, if only for that reason. Kind Regards, Race Lad, Maid of Sherwood, Hunting Rua and Censor would need to improve on recent efforts, although the last two ran much better races at Pukekohe. Highfield, Fianna Fail, Queen Opal and Gay Youth have yet to prove themselves up to the class. Highfield is trained on the course and is improving. Gay Youth has won there and is a smart galloper when right. The other pair showed good hack form and stay on fairly well. Dougal is a good galloper fresh up. He has been working nicely at Takanini and looks bright and muscular. Unfortunately, he is unreliable. Scotch Meadow is a good type of young gelding by Nizami from Lady Meath, a bonny mare, and the manner in which he worked over a round at Ellerslie on Tuesday morning indicated he is not without prospects. Foxfable put up a solid performance at Pukekohe, finishing strongly for sixth, after being tailed off most of the way. He has done this many times in the past and must be taken on trust. He may be field-shy. Chung Chong, Swanee and Earldale will probably make most public appeal. Wonder Boy may be more favoured than those above him on the day also, while Dougal and Scotch Meadow look the most likely outsiders. The last-named may ' be worth more than passing consideration. He is not in the Auckland Cup.

F. f. Docherty has a good type of Beau Vite three-year-old in work at Avondale in Empire Prince. He has smartened up with recent racing experience and may be capable of a forward showing in the Pirongia Hack Cup. He shapes like a middle-distance prospect. FIRST ARRIVALS The first of the visiting horses for the Auckland Racing Club’s summer meeting have arrived. They are Pimlico and Morocco. Both were at Ellerslie last June and showed form over hurdles. Pimlico is now racing in handicaps, and Morocco in sprints. The latter was a very smart galloper before being put to hurdling and showed he had lost little of his brilliance when he ran Miss Bairnsfather to a head over seven furlongs at Trentham on October 23. He may run on better now he has had a fair amount of jumping. Both look very well. j Shillelagh Boy has never shown] much to recommend him, but he hasj improved a great deal since joining] J. E. Olney’s team at Ellerslie, and ran i a good fifth at Pukekohe. He could sur-1 prise at Waipa. i

ATTRACTIVE MAIDEN A maiden performer who caught the eye at Pukekohe was Leon Fox. He had been working- attractively for his trainer, A. P. Lumsden, at Ellerslie, and was “under observation,” as it was his first race. Badly left at the barrier, he set out after his field and eventually finished a handy sixth. It was a promising effort and he may soon improve on this. Leon Fox is by Beau Leon from Sister Fox, from the same branch of the famous Persis family as Gay Seton. Beau Leon was a game racehorse, and this colt has much of the same doughty air about him, that indefinable character that so often goes with horses of ability. The Te Rapa trainer, 11. Long, nearly brought off a big surprise with Bui Bahadur at Pukekohe. Having his second start, Bui Bahadur showed brilliant speed and was just overhauled in the last few strides, dead-heating for fourth with Velia. Silver Birch beat Coronach’s Pride by a nose, with Manon a long head away third and the other pair inches behind. It was one of the best finishes seen in the province for years. Bui Bahadur is an upstanding grey gelding by Nizami from Mon Acre, and was paying something like half a century. ;

FLYING HANDICAP With 7.6, Tc Tui appears the logical favourite for the Flying Handicap. She ran a third behind Chubin at Ellerslie and was just beaten by Rosslare at Te Aroha. Pine Park won attractively at Pukekohe and would almost win again if he repeated that run. He won his first race, but went right off subsequently, and Te Tui may be more reliable. Foxbay should be improved by his race on Saturday and is most likely to upset. Miss Julienne, on the minimum, has prospects, although she has shown no form for a long time. Foxwyn’s latest efforts have been disappointing. Even with 9.0, the gallant little Contango is still in it. Craven, Peter Gregor, who ran a useful race on Saturday, Gaymeer and Bramble Song complete the field. The latter needed his race at Pukekohe. He is good class when well, although now at an age where* retrogression rather than improvement is usual. FRONTIER MAC RIGHT

Frontier Mac, with 9.6, heads the Paterangi Handicap field. This is 231 b more than he has in the Auckland Cup, indicating the class engaged here. His preparation for the Cup was interrupted by an injury at Te Aroha, but his trainer, J. P. Hayes, said at Pukekohe on Saturday that he was over this and was making good progress again. The run may benefit him. Greekette is a smart galloper when at his best and is capable of surprising. He has been working nicely at Te Rapa. Ostentatious has raced below expectations of late. Knight Templar ran his best race for months when he finished third at Te Aroha, and may be on the up-grade again.

Another one of Long’s team that may bear watching is the useful Redingote. Left many lengths at Te Aroha, Redingote finished right behind the placed horses. It was a performance that indicated he could surprise in the Ohaupo Hack Handicap at Te Awamutu, although the track might be against him, as he is a fairly slow beginner.

Cowper has done well since returning from Riccarton, where he ran fourth in the New Zealand Cup. He is an honest gelding, although questionable soundness and increasing age may make this his last season on the turf. He is a candidate for the Auckland Cup. Purple Passion has shown some improvement in her more recent work. She has run unplaced in two attempts this season. Her last start was at Whangarei on October 30, when she finished well back in the Novice Stakes, five furlongs.

Good Bay, with 8.2, may go well. He won at his second to last start. On a firm track and fresh, he has ability, although he has failed his connections many times in the past. Jeep has 7.8, a weight he could win with if good enough. He has not raced for a long time. The same applies to Hazara. The rest have the minimum weight, 7.7. Ganjah has failed to show worthwhile form for some time. He should be improved by recent racing. Dom-