THE AUCKLAND MEETING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19217, 5 January 1926, Page 6

THE AUCKLAND MEETING.

THE FORM REVIEWED. BY ARCHER. THE TWO-YEAR-OLDS. Tho racing at Ellerslio last week did not cloar up the question of supremacy among the two-year-olds. Lysander won tho Great Northern Foal Stakes, but that race was spoilt by Commendation being left standing at tho post, whilo Joy King was also slow away. Then in the Royal Stakes, Joy King, when receiving slb. from Commendation and Lysander, beat both of them, while Commendation on this occasion defeated Lysander. This left tho position obscure, but there is no doubt that they aro three good youngsters, with probably not a great deal between them. I was impressed with Commendation's finishing effort in the Royal Stakes, for ho was giving the leaders a big start at tho turn. His defeats caused him to loso a little caste, hut ho may rise to superiority beforo the season concludos. Throadneedle met with a mishap shortly beforo tho mooting and had to bo eased in his work. Ho made a good recovery and was produced on the concluding day, when ho accounted for the Sylvia Handicap. There Was nothing above the ordinary in this form, as tho raco was slowly run. but Throadneedle i 3 a good type of colt that should improve and achievo better deeds later on. Ho is a well-grown brown, by Autumn from tha imported maro Slipstitch. Tho local youngster, Royal Tea, mado a good showing in the Great Northern Foal Stakes, and had Lysander doing his best half a furlong from tho post. Royal Tea did not shape nearly so well at his two subsequent runs, and evidently his hard race put him back. Thoro is no doubt that ho is smart, but at present he may not be so robust as some others of his age. THE THREE-YEAR-OLDS. Tho three-year-olds that contested the Great Northern Derby were not a good lot. and Star Stranger and Mandano boat them pointless. The honours went to Star Stranger, who stays well, and is fully entitled to rank as the best of his age. There was not a great deal in his Derby win, but wero the raco run over again he might win easier, for ho was kept a good way out of it in the first five furlongs. Diogenes and Mask were' both defeated in hack events, but were running on behind the placed horses in tho Derby in a manner that suggests that they may race well over a distance later on. Of the two Mask may bo tho more susceptiblo to improvement, as he has dono very little racing, and looks like one that will bo served by age. Tho Thorn revealed himself as a much-im-provod gelding and one that can run ten furlongs in good stylo. His Summer Cup win was a nico effort, for the pr*.'.e was on all the way, and was responsible for him receiving good support in tho Derby, but the extra distance in that ovent found him out. Like all tho progeny of Absurd. Tho Thorn may never stay, but he should win good races up to a mile and a-quarter. Mosaic did not run in the Great Northern Derby, but by his performances in hack events he showed himself superior to many of tho others of his' own age. He finished a creditable third in the Queen's Plate, and also led the fiold home in tho Ellerslie Handicap. Unfortunately ho lost the stako for tho latter event, owing to having an allowance to which ho was not entitled. It was an unfortunate happening.

OLDER HORSES. Taking a line on Auckland Cup running there would b© very little between Rapine and Count Cavour over two miles at weight-for-age. Rapino met Count Cavour on 3lb. worse than scale terms in that ovent. and beat him by n, short head. but. making 'allowance for tho bad luck of Count Cavour there is good reason to arrive at tho above opinion. Count Cavour defeated Rapine over a mile and a-half at weiaht-for-ago in the Clifford Plate, and while the raco was not run 'olidlf enough to suit a stayer like Rapine the chances are that Count Cavour is slightly his superior at that distance, being the more brilliant of the pair. The performance of Rapino in winning the Auckland Cup with 9st Blb. in tho go9d time of 3m 2G l-ss, was one of true merit, and added furthpr lustm to an nlreadv splendid record. Rapine has r roved himself a first-class stayer, and one of tho best horses of recent years. About two years ago ho performed some doughty deeds at Randwick, and as he is seemingly as good as ever thero is a Possibility thnt his_ owr>»r may again send him to the other side this autumn to trj; conclusions with the Australian cracks in the distance weight-for-agp events. Tho Banker disappointed his admirers, but he mado a gTeat run in the final stages of the Auckland Cup. Six furlongs from home he was in the rear with Haze and it was only with a slashing effort that he reached fourth position. There can be no doubt thnt he is a good stayer and it may be as well to overlook his unplaced performances in the Summer Cup and A.R.C. Handicap. His best form has been #iown on loft-handed courses and he may not be partial to Ellerslie Perhaps he will show to more advantage at Trentham. The best performer of the meeting at distances from six furlongs to a mile was Reromoana, who accounted for the first division of the Railway Handicap with 9.7 and also for tho King's Plate, a mile weight-for-age event. His form simply afforded further proof of his excellence and at the abovementioned distances he hns very few superiors in the Dominion. The timoo ho recorded in his races were tho fastest for the respective distances at tho meeting. Lady Cavendish displayed a fine dash of brilliancy in the second division of the Railway Handicap and won from end to end. Last season she was the crack two-year-old and sho has trained on better than many Absurd fillies have, for she has notched two wins, t,wo seconds and a third in six starts this season. Owing to developing soreness after winning the " Railway " she did not run again at the meeting. The manner of her latest victory suggests more success for her in sprint events.

By finishing second in the Summer Cup Fool's Paradise demonstrated that he-is capable of running a mile and a-quarter very merrily Later in the meeting ho scored a dashing victory in the Glasgow Handicap, coming from a good way back with an irresistible run and smothering his opponents over the final furlongs. Fool's Paradise was lame after doing his preliminary prior to the Glasgow Handicap but evidently the trouble did not affect him very much in the race, though he was very lamo on returning to scale. It is stated that he was pricked while being plated and that was the cause of the lameness. That _ brilliant mare Glentruin showed speed in the first division of the Railway Handicap and was with the leaders at the turn but eventually finished in the rear. Evidently the run improved her, for with a magnificent effort she accounted for the Electric. Handicap. It was proof that she is regaining her dash and all going well she may bo as good as ever in the autumn. There is no doubt that Lady Ridicule is good at a mile. She won the Christmas Handicap in easy fashion, while in the King's Plate, in which she pulled hard in the early stages, she made a bold showing against Reremoana and had that horse doing his best a furlong from the post. It is doubtful whether there is another horse in New Zealand that has made the same improvement as Te Monanui since the beginning of the current season when he was racing in hack company. Te-Monanui is now one of our bast handicap horses and stayers, proof of which he gave by finishing third in the Auckland Cup with 8.7, and winning the A.R.C. Handicap in fine style with 8.11. Earlier in the season he won the Mitchelson Cup at Ellerslie and he is bound to wind up the season is a very prominent position on the winning horses list. ,

Automne had four runs at the meeting and showed some dn3h on each occasion, his best performances being a second in the Glasgow Handicap and a similar placing in the Royal Stake 3. As he was not so seasoned as many of the horses that raced at the meeting he stood up to his racing remarkably well. This fellow should reach the winning list in the near future, and will possibly be a good deal better in the autumn. THE HURDLERS. There was nothing outstanding among the hurdlers but-three of the winners in King's Guard, Black Cruiser and Kawa should win more races. Black Cruissr is comparatively new to thjß game and is a more than useful recruit to the ranks of our hurdlers. King's Guard won easily on the first day but a fall on the second day evidently took a little out of him for he did not fence with the same dash at his subsequent starts though he ran fair -aces. King's Guard is only a young horse and should have a good future. Crown Coin notched two seconds. He displayed no dash in the early stages of his races and tailed off in the first few furlonis but finished stroncrly. Staying is evidently a strong point with him. NOTES FROM ELLERSLIE. BY ARCHER. The horses owned by Mr. J. Eraser Smith will in future all be trained by J. Anderton, who has been training Prince Abbey and King Selwyn for that sportsman for several months. King Merv and Alfort were handed over to him on Sunday, while Quincke. Uuscari. Race sul and Mervplte are expected to join his team 'at Ellerslie this week. Pegaway strained a muscle when he fell in the Queen's Plate and was unable to run again at the meeting. It is thought that he will have to be spelled for several months before racing again.