Good Plumpton Handicap Field At Avondale

Northern Advocate, 14 July 1949, Page 8

Good Plumpton Handicap Field At Avondale

RACING REVIEW

By Frank Wilson

THE opening of the Avondale Jockey Club's winter meeting on Saturday will claim most attention from racing enthusiasts in the North. Second-day events at Trentham also will hold interest.

The Plumpton Handicap, one mile and three furlongs, as usual, has drawn a good field.

Take-a-Lot ran poorly at Tc Awamutu but will appreciate the roomier track. Ozami may not see out the distance on this big track. Vera Lee and Faline have 8.2. Vera Lee did well in hacks and this is her first attempt in the higher grade. Faline ran Well at Paeroa, but has not come up to metropolitan class yet.

Conspiracy, 9.0, is the He finished a good sixth in'the Corn* wall Handicap under 9.5. and will appreciate the drop of 51b here in poorer class. He has freshened up and should run well. Robin Leigh. 8.12. ran a sound race at Trentham last week but failed under the higher scale of weights. He is better suited here and should run prominently on his home track. It is still open to question if he is good over this distance. Ascot Lad, 8.11. has been working in good style and the Takanini stallion has previously raced well on the course. With the ground sure to be soft he should take beating. He is much improved in condition' following his recent racing.

Shirley Fox. 8.1. is in good order. She has been working very well and looks capable of a good showing on her home course, although the big field may be against her. The rest have 8.0. Gay Chat would need to improve. Telegram has performed poorly of late, as have Gavinmor, Malee. Loud Checks, Bridge Watcher, Master Arthur and Battling Brave. PROBABLE FAVOURITES Marie’s Tray, Moonee Valley. Happy March and Rating complete the field. Marie’s Tray is in good order and should pay her way. She has not run since February 5 but has done a good deal of work. Moonee Valley lias been racing promisingly and has been working in bold fashion at. Ellcrslie. She is a mare of good class and may prove one of the hardest to beat. Rating has also been’ working boldly and as he races well fresh, is regarded in some quarters as an outside prospect. He looks very bright Happy March has been handicapped by unsoundness. He is smart when right.

Sylis is on the same mark. He has not run since finishing unplaced' in the York Handicap, one mile, at Ellerslie on June 7 last year. He has done a good deal of work and although he does well fresh, would be all the better for a race. LADY CARMEL APPEALS Cowper, 8.9, has failed in recent attempts. There might still be another race or two in him but he may have a hard job to hold the smart young Lady Carmel on the same mark. She has previously shown her liking for the suburban course and has been a model of consistency, having run four seconds and two firsts at her last six starts, in the best company. With 41b less she ran second to Robin Leigh in the York Handicap at her last attempt and meets him 51b better off. She will probably be one of the favourites. Kia Ora Katoa has 8.4. He has not run since June 18 'when he finished seventh at Manawatu, over seven furlongs under 9.9. He is well weighted here, although he has yet to prove himself the class of Ascot Lad. Grand Shepherd. 8.1, has recently made the anticipated improvement. . His wins at Te Awamutu and Paeroa were in weaker class. With a strong horseman in the saddle he could be hai d to beat He revels in heavy ground.

Frontier Mac’s recent efforts have not been good. He ran a good race for second over a mile and a quarter at Te Awamutu at his last start, and as he is at home on the track he could surprise. Earldale. 7.11, is another which goes well at Avondale. His first day win at Hastings and second day fifth after a bad run indicated that he is in form again. He is nicely placed in the weights to upset some of those higher in the handicap. KYRAT, LIKELY LIGHTWEIGHT Kyrat, 7.3, has come on well recently and revels in the heavy going A good stayer, he has brightened up and may be the hardest of the lightweights. He should soon display form. Dakota, 7.1. has run poorly of late, and would need to show improvement. Tamaiti Kino, Antonio and Dominie have failed to display form. The Bat has not been working with his customary dash. Ascot Lad. Conspiracy and Lady Carmel may lie the favourites, with support assured for Grand Shepherd and Frontier Mac. Kyrat looks the most likely of those lower down in the scale.

Oklahoma, Prince Chat, Maricrana and Shirley Fox may carry the bulk of investments, with Fencing and Bramble Leighon liable to be supported. Moonee Valley is likely.

Bronzeman is a mass of condition, and interest will centre around his steeplechasing debut in the Mount Albert Hack Steeplechase. He is trained on the course and may be one of the most likely of the lightweights. Valconia is a good type of hack steeplechaser and should extend his record before long. South Road has been infusing dash into his work at Avondale without being allowed to tax himself. Consequently he has brightened up since Ellerslie. and is in solid condition. He should be capable of a good showing in the Oratia Hack Handicap, in which he is topweight with 9.3. Our Gold gave an inglorious display when asked to take the steeplechase fences at Ellerslie on Tuesday, but in a hurdle event at Avondale on Saturday may be worth keeping in mind. Argent is in good order for forthcoming engagements. H.is stablemate. the veteran British Talent, is at an age where improvement is hardly to be expected. He has seldom looked better. MAY WIN MORE Mary Marvel is a smart galloper, and won nicely at Paeroa. Beau Astaire, a half-brother to Tweedsmuir. has long been known as a smart galloper, but only recently won He should extend his record.

Although the class engaged in the President’s Handicap, seven furlongs, is not first-rate, it is even and a thrilling race should ensue.

Maricrana, a much improved galloper, has topweight of 8.9. She may not be well suited by the 8.0 minimum, as she is a rather small filly, but is in great heart and is assured of support. Fencing, 8.8, has been working in bold style at Ellerslie. Over the distance, she won the Members’ Handicap on the first day at Ellei'slie. but failed on the latter two days. She is not a particularly robust mare but has freshened up since then. Queen Opal, 8.7, handles soft ground admirably and won well at Paeroa. She could beat better-fancied candidates, and won in so’ft going at Avondale while in hack ranks. i AVONDALE SPECIALIST Dougal and Prince Chat have 8.6. Their latent form has been below their capabilities. Prince Chat, has had a chance to freshen up and in this class may prove the one to beat. The distance will suit him. Bedivere and Bramble Leighon have 8.5. Bedivere is an Avondale specialist, and won an event last season over the distance on the course. He may not be as good now. but the class is weaker.

Yama has been a disappointment. He has shown promise in steeplechase schooling and may make good at this branch of the sport. He looks bright and muscular.

Although there are only eight in the Grey Lynn Hurdles, it promises to be a good contest. Top weight is Hunting Mac, which schooled brilliantly on Saturday morning. Our Gold, second in the Great Northern and winner later at the meeting, has 10.7. Jon Rosa. 10.4. won on both days at Hastings.

The very promising College Boy. 9.9; Sareel. 9.9. whose recent efforts have been impressive, including a win over Ruling Master, whose latest form is good; Dr John, 9.0. and Abaris. 9.0. complete the field. TILLY A DISAPPOINTMENT

Tilly, a half-sister to Nancy Hanks and South Road, has been a disappointment. F. J. Docherty has her looking well, although she is lightframed. and she may surprise soon. Marian Ann has a good deal of pace and when she comes right may establish a good record. She looks much more solid than formerly and after her race at Ellerslie has hardened in condition.

Bramble Leighon is a smart galloper and his Paeroa effort was good. Oklahoma, 8.4, ran third in the King George Handicap at Ellerslie at his last start and will probably be the favourite. He must prove hard to beat. Take-a-Lot and Ozami have 8.3.

Kenneth is a good class of gelding. He” is trained on a farm, but would only need to be solid to make a bold showing in the Ml Albert HackSteeplechase. Brer Acre was left badly at Paeroa and finished in attractive style. He should make a good showing in the Winter Hack Handicap.

Lightmint worked brilliantly at, Ellerslie on Saturday morning.

Swift. View looks in good order for the Windsor Hack Hurdles. Stable Boy is a fairly sound stayer and has a golden opportunity in the Kia Ora Hack Handicap, one mile and three furlongs, which has drawn a poor class field.