THE AUCKLAND MEETING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19349, 9 June 1926, Page 10

THE AUCKLAND MEETING.

NOTES ON THE FORM. BY ARCHER. Considering that ho was not quite ready, Llewellyn ran two good races in the Great Northerns, and he was in the picture in both for most of the> journey. The two hard races lightened him up, and he did not show the Name dash in the Winter Steeplechase, although he finished third. It is only a question of Llewellyn being right to win a good race over fences before the clobc of the winter. .No horse at the meeting stood his racing better than Archibald, who ran good races in hia first two starts, and then accounted for the Campbell Hurdles on the third day. His form throughout was consistently good, and there is uo doubt that he is good up to two miles Black Cruiser raced very consistently, being fifth in the Great Northern Hurdles, winning the Remuera Hurdles, and lushing second in the Campbell Hurdles. 1 his fellow has only been jumping about six months, and has done really well. It is probable that ho will be heard of again during the winter. The racing he had will be very beneficial to Lucullent. who had not appeared m public for five months. Tho big fellow ran creditably each day, and looked certain to bo very troublesome when he fell at the second to last fence in tho Campbell Hurdles. This was tho fence at the three furlong post, and Lucullent has fallen there three times in his last five starts. Lucullent raced well at Ti en thorn last winter, and should do likewise this year if he trains on all right. The way Cureaform tailed off in the early stages of her races indicated that she was not thoroughly right, although she was running on each lime at the finish. It is believed that she was suffering from kidney trouble, and she can be confidently expected to do better. Rangatahi missed a place in his first start, but on the final day ho won tho Orakei Hurdles in good style. This fellow is a new aspirant to jumping honours, and having won twice in four starts ovgr hurdles, has done splendidly. His successes have placed him out of the hack class, but he should not be finished winning yet.

The form shown by Zircon, who finished third in the Great Northern Hrudles and won the Panmure Hurdles, demonstrated that he is an improving horse end one likely to win a, big race over fences this winter. Zircon is very partial to heavy going, and is a distinct possibility for a nace like tho Winter Hurdles at Trentham. Glenidle contested two of the hack hurdle events and ran hit? best race on the final day, when he finished second. This showed him to be improving w{th his racing, and he may be worth keeping in mind for Trentham, where ho performed consistently well laat winter.

The Whangarei trainer W. Donaldson had three horses at the meeting, and won a race with each of them, his successful representatives being Bowman, Titaness and Hoariri. Those successes mny be an encouragement to owners in the Northland Counties who keep horses for the county races at the various meetings to go in for a better class of horse, so as to have a wider field. Competition was very keen at Ellerslie, and Donaldson is to be congratulated on his success.

It was the general otinion that Hoariri wanted a race when he finished second in the Members' Handicap, and as a result he was a firm favourite for the Visitors' Handicap, Hoariri proved the good thing the betting indicated, for he finished reso-> lutely and won nicely; The little fellow js a fine sprinter in heavy going, and is at his beat again. One of the most promising hurdlers in the country came to a tragic end on the second day. This was Brushwood Boy. who fell and broke his back. Brushwood Boy was the makings of a first-class jumper, and had won twice in three starts over hurdleß. It was bad luck for his owner; Mr. E.* Montgomery, who only recently lost Tactician, who broke a leg while contesting the Franklin Cup and had to be destroyed. The indifferent display Greekson gave when schooled over the steeplechase fences at Ellerslie prior to the meeting did not augur well for his prospects, but his poor showing can be attributed to strangeness. Greekson fenced well in his races, and. after being a creditable second in the Green Lane Steeplechase, he accounted for the Tamaki Steeplechase in hollow fashion. He was turned out in great heart by M. J. .Carroll, who has not had the best of luck with his team lately. The three-year-old division were much in the limelight in the fiat events at the meeting and- Nadarino, Lomint, Merry Damon, Danao and Thuraby were horses of that age to win. It is usual to look for improvement in three-year-olds at the back end of the Beflson and several of the above-mentioned winners showed a good deal of advancement. Several of our hurdle horsemen had plenty to do during the meeting as, in addition to riding in hurdle events, they also rode in flat events. . Probably none had more riding than R. E. Thomson, who had 13 mounts for two wins, four seconds and a third,

Bad luck pursued Kendal in his first two starts, for he slipped and fell when travelling like a winner in the Greenlane Steeplechase, while his rider lost an iron in the Great Steeplechase. On the final day Kendal won the Winter Steeplechase practically from end to end and conclusively proved that he is capable of holding his own in open company. A few seasons ago he was considered one of the worst horses in Auckland, but it is a different story, now. His improvement has certainly been remarkable, and credit is due to his young trainer, B. Lewis.

The performance of Merry Damon in winning the King George Handicap was full of merit. Being badly drawn at the post, he failed to get a position early, and was in the rear - after going a _ furlong. Then he commenced to thread his way through the big field, and ho had the race won at the turn. Merry Damon would probably have won the York Handicap also, only for striking trouble at the five-furlong post and losing his position. He finished close behind the placed horses after being nearly last at the turn.

It is doubtful whether Lord Star will stand very much longer, as he was walking short after contesting the York Handicap. The big fellow has never been sound, but there is no doubt that he was good when at his best.

The three failures of Rowley were very costly to those backers who sent him out favourite for each of his engagements. Rowley flattered the hopes of his supporters for several, furlongs in his last start, but then Jost his position and finished well back, iiis form was probably incorrect.

Payo was pinning on strongly in fourth position at the finish of the Visitors' Handicap. It was only his second start in many months and he should be benefited thereby. It is probable that he may return to the winning list through the winter. Consistency wa3 rewarded when Thursby won the Fitzroy Handicap, as he had raced well in his two previous starts. Thursby has been steadily on the improve for some time and was turned out in first-class condition by P. Conway. That smart hack Highflown was noticed showing some (lash m the middle stages of the fcitzroy Handicap. The racing he had here should bring him on and, if taken to Trentham next month, he should trouble the hack sprinters. The big weights he had to carry i n the hack events stopped King Smock, but he ran creditably all the same. ATJSTBALIAN NOTES. . New Soiith AVales lost its most prominent jumping; performer when P&ibi was destroyed last Monday as the result of an accident that befftl him while contesting the Australian uockey Club's Hurdle Race. In the decision of the High-weight Handicap at Bosehill on May 22 there was some trouble, and Sydney papers now to hand state that two leading riders, G. Young and K. Bracken, were each disqualified for three menths. The Auckland-owned gelding Ruapapa, figured as a starter in the Newcastle Mile, run on t'no 26th nit. According to the Sydney Referee he was badly placed at the start, and he failed to gain a place. Ruapapa did not contest the Newcastle Cup. Piratic, who won the Australian Jockey Club's Hurdle Race, is a descendant of Piastre, and once again the St. Simon strain is brought into prominence in connection with an important jumping event. Piastre was got. by Positano (a son of St. Simon). The Auckland gelding Cherry Ripo was oxpected to play a strong part in connection with the A.J.C. Hurdle Race at Randwick, but a mishap half a mile after the start put him out of the contest. Dr. C. Murphy, who owns Chrry Ripe, went across to Sydney in order to see his horse perform at Ramlwick, and it wouTa have Wen extremely pleasing to chronicle a win for his colours on the A.J.C. ground. The New Zealand colt Kiosk, who was taken across to Sydney with a view to contesting Ihe two-year-old races at the Australian J cokey Club's winter meeting, duly made his debut at Randwick last Monday in the First Nursery Handicap, and under the - stendier of 0.10 he finished second to Aeneid. to whom he was conceding Ist 101b. In referring to Kiosk. " Pilot," of the Sydney, Referee, penned the following:— '.Kiosk is a first-class advertisement for his sire. Tea Tray. He is so well-grown thai anyone, unaware of his identity might easily mistake mm for a three-year old. Kiosk is Quartered, «u n ds over a lot of !Fn an j excellent middle piece and witk of B V Ot PufTer hy Sydney?* • h,B own a!? 0 raci "C in torUn*'ora-vf kT h, \ ldica P» for the Vicanrotw°st^B^? r a ' s no y - R £- ? m 4'> race atsd Xiewellv,, si o t <v n hurdle U,« }b opTKmite Bir Ro*l£ . Bte eplech.ise 10.4 u allotted to Llewelyn, 8 lmrn ' and