VICTORIA RACING CLUB.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19563, 16 February 1927, Page 8

VICTORIA RACING CLUB.

THE AUTUMN HANDICAPS. The following is a list of the acceptances received for tho two leading handicaps to be run at the Victoria Racing Club's Autumn Meeting: NEWMARKET HANDICAP Of £25 each, with £2500 added; 6 fur. at. lb. st. lb. Top-Gallant .10 A Star d'Or . . 710 Heroic . . .10 3 Treylon ... 7 9 Fuiisan ... 913 Homerus . . 7 9 Valicare . . . 9 13 Swift , . . 7 8 Amounis . . . 9 13 Hope . 1 7 Waranton . . 9 12. Triangle ... 7 7 Comus ... 9 1 Postscript . . i 6 Red Gauntlet . 8 13 Chrystal . . . 7 t! Sailing Home . 811 Bicolor ....'« Gothic ... 810 Adjong . . * 7■ 5 Threeasta . . 8 8 Greeme ..74 Palelight ... 8 8 Lace Girl ..71 Prepoiiterer ..86 Rex Tertius . 7 1 Biskra ... 8 6 Limestone . . 71 Robespierre ..85 Yea Princess . 7 1 Calmest ... 8 5 Durability ..612 Tarquin . . . . 8 4 Vagrant ... 6,2 Perspective ..83 Hawick ... 610 Bravado ...32 Panoply . . . 6 9 Manacre ...81 Stage Saint ..67 Phonic . . • 7.3 Pistilla ...67 Tullius . . . 7 U Btmnghup . . 6 . Abdera . . . 710 Whitta . . . 6 i Lady Thrill. 710 Greenella ..67 AUSTRALIAN CUP Of £25 each, with £3OOO added; 2i miles. st. lb. st. lb. Spearfelt ... 913 Nico .... 7 8 Pantheon . . 911 Bicolor . . . 7 G The Banker. . 9 5 Answer ...73 'J'ookarby • • 8 6 Raith .... 7 0 Strongbow . . 8 j Lanson . . . ' Caserta ... 8 3 Benoni ... 611 Bard of Avon . 8 1 Imitator ... 6 9 Three Kin"S . 712 Builkie .-. .6 J Longworthy •• 712 Oriental Gem . 6 7 Naos ... 711 Ivenna . . . • b ' Mercato ... 7 8 Merauki . . G 7 THE ROTORUA MEETING. NOTES ON THE FORM. BY ARCHER. The Rotorua Racing Club's annual meeting was held under the most favourable conditions and went off successfully. There was a decrease of £2602 in the totalisator turnover, but this was not unexpected, as the returns at all the recent meetings have shown a decrease. Five favourites were successful" in the sixteen events and with the exception of The Author, who effected a surprise in the final event, all the winners were well supported. The management of the meeting was well up to standard and the programme went off smoothly. Branson was backed _ with confidence in his two starts and he justified the support by winning both races. His winning margins were small, but he won with ease on the first day. Every race is improving Branson, who should be in the limelight again before the country circuit concludes. Branson has won five times in the past few months and one more success will put him out of tlie hack class, for his winnings now stand at £420. Despite two defeats with only a few. pounds above the minimum in moderate hack company the previous week the victory of " Value in the Waimaiigii Handicap was not altogether unexpected. It was her first success this season and she is on the improve for she ran another creditable race on the second day. Value is speedy but may never go very far. The speedy Heisler had. a couple of runs at the meeting for a win and a second, his victory being attained on the second day when he defeated a hot favourite m Archeen in the Flying Handicap. Heisler is very useful among the class of sprinters that competes at minor meetings, but he is inclined to be getting wayward at the barrier. , __ . Dave ran third in the Waimangu Handicap on the first day, _ but did not compete again owing to being sore. His effort oil the opening suggested that he would have been hard to beat in the sprints on the second day. . Failure to begin well spout Dobbin s chance in the Waimangu Handicap. The chestnut was favourite for that event, but he was last to leave the mark and could only finish fourth. Dobbin was not so well backed in the Borough Handicap on the second day, but he made a bold bid for honours and was only beaten in the last few strides by York Abbey, who got up on the inside. The two defeats. of Serang were costly to backers, who sent him out favourite in each start. Weak horseman- j ship was responsible for his defeat on the opening day, while he did not show his correct form on the second day. Serang will bo improved by the racing and backers are not likely to drop him for his defeats. It is many months since Lord Star showed any form and it came as a surprise to see him unwind a fast run at the finish of the Rotorua Cup and only miss winning by a head. For most of the journey he was in the rear, but he travelled very fast at the finish and would probably have headed the winner in another few strides. Lord Star is getting- up in years but there may still be hope for him. On the strength of good showings in her three previous starts Miss Vera was a solid second favourite for tho Rotorua Cup and she acted up to expectations by winning narrowly. Miss Vera was racing in third position on the rails most of tho way but her backers received a shock when she was disappointed in trying to get through an opening on the fence nearing the turn. This might have cost her the race, but she came again on the outside and thoroughly deserved her success. The favourite, Spooney, made a determined bid for honours in the Rotorua Cup and he looked a winner when he reached the front inside the distance but Miss Vera and Lord Star both headed him in the last little bit. Spooney was unlucky in getting cut out at the and was many lengths behind the leaders after going four furlongs when he was being ridden hard. It is not surprising that he weakened at tho fiqish for he had made a big run. Pelhani, who had notched two seconds in his three previous starts,-confirmed the I opinion that he was returning to form by winning the Arawa Park Handicap and tho ! President's Handicap. His victories were achieved in decisive fashion and he is so well at present that he seems likely to win again soon. Pelliam was favourite each day and gave his supporters little cause for anxiety on either occasion, as he was prominent from barrier rise in both races. It is interesting at times how somo horses are comparatively neglected one day and solidly backed at their next appearance. There was a case at Rotorua of a horse that ran unplaced on the opening day being over twelve times as well backed in similar company on tho second day. The horse was Cliaritaine, who was entrusted with only £4l 10s when lie ran fifth in the Hot Springs Handicap with nearly a stone overweight. With a change of riders he was backed tortile extent of £507 in the Electric Handicap" on the second day, when he caught the barrier at the start and did not show improvement that so many evidently anticipated. It is a pity that Miss Egypt is not sound because she is a very useful mare. Despite her infirmities she still manages to win in her turn at the minor meetings and her victory in the Mokoia Handicap was her second this month. Miss Egypt also notched a third on the second day and was only beaten in the last little bit. . Scat counted sufficient admirers to make him favourite for the Mokoia Handicap but he was beaten into third place. Still he was only about a length away from the winner and this after covering a good deal of ground. Scat should better in the near future. Air Queen is on the improve and she ran two good races for a win and a second. She has not been out of a place in her last four starts and seems to be becoming more solid with age. It is possible that she may show further improvement before the country fixtures are over. The Author, who effected a big surprise in the Farewell Handicap on Monday, finished last in a field of six in the Mokoia Handicap on the opening day. when he showed a little dash in the middle stages. When he won The Author was in the rear most of the way and his victory was attained with a solid finishing run. As a result of his close third in the Arawa Park Handicap oil the opening day Tall Timber was a good second choice for the President's Handicap on the second day but he missed a place. EUerera was unplaced in his two starts bill he raced sufficiently well in the Farewen Handicap to indicate winning prospects at the later meetings. The Heather Mixture gelding drew the outside position at the post in that event and was badly placed in the early stages. He showed dash in the middle stages and finished close up sixth. R. McTavish, who was the most successful jockey of the meeting with five winning mounts, is riding with considerable judgment and confidence at present and his exhibitions at the meeting were of a high standard. The EHerslie horseman has ridden ten winners in the past fortnight and occupies a prominent position on the list of winning jockeys for the season. Wenday ran two good races, finishing fourth in the Rotorua Cup and third in the President's Handicap. She is very well at present and may have a winning turn soon Under a light weight Wenday is capable of running a solid mile and a quarter and she should go well in the leading nanaicaps. elsewhere on the country circuit. After running second to Branson on the opening day Rangatahi went one better by winning the Tarawera High-weight HanI oieap. The racing he has had lately has done lum a let ot good and he should be a fit horse when he is asked to take on hurdling again. There was fair support for Valkon in the Rermie If tick Handicap, but he could do no better than finish third to Branson and home Laciv On a bigger course he mav nave done better lor he commenced boring out rounding the home turn and finished wide out. Yalxon is one that should be susceptible to a pood deal cf improvement and should do better later in the season. Ballacluihsh was solidly backed m hU two engagements, but his form fell short of expectations. On the first day he finished third in the Hot Springs Handicap, but he missed a piace in the Ohinemutu Hack Sightly' 1 unlucky^ 0 he