A.R.C. WINTER MEETING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19659, 10 June 1927, Page 16

A.R.C. WINTER MEETING.

NOTES ON THE FORM. BY ARCHER. Few recent recruits have taken to 'chasing more readily than Zircon, and in winning at his second start over the bis fences be furnished proof that he is likely to prove ir.at as Rood in this department us he has been over hurdles. It is true that he had little to spare in his victory.- but he v.aa conceding just on two stone to a useful sort in Pendstvies. A juniD over a few of the fences before the meeting was all the experience Zircon had, but his pood showing in the Great Northern Steeplechase prepared backers for his success in the Tamaki Steeplechase and he started favourite. It would seem that Prince Rufus has lost form, for he shaped very moderately in his two at the meeting. The King Rufus gelding is getting old, but he shaped creditably at Paeroa 111 the autumn, and on that form should have done better than he did in the cias3 he had to meet hero. Unless he can show improvement, ho is not likely to win out of his turn. The easy manner in which Kamehameha and Potoanui disposed of the field m the Orakei Hurdles made it appear that the hack hurdlers at the meeting were a very moderate lot. There was probably someing in this, but tho. form of Kamehameha and Potoamii was quit© koocl and they travelling at a slightly faster pace for the mile and three-quarters than Royal rorm was going in winning over two miles in open company. Quite a number who remembered Kamehamelia's koocl ixallop oyer hurdles before the meeting and also his fair showing for about two-thirds or tho journey in the Great Northern Hurdles anticipated his success and shared in the nice dividend he returned. For a beginner Kahepoto did notching a win and a second in the r.acK hurdle events, and he should bo seen to further advantage over the battens. It is probable that he may also have finished close up on the third dav only for nearly coming down at the fence by the BiX;turlong post, where he slipped badly on landing. At that stage he was up fourth, but he aiterwards drifted and was back ninth ftt the post. The hunter Just .John, who created a favourable impression when he accounted for the Hunt Club Hurdles, could not do better than finish a moderate third in the Orakei Hurdles, but he met a couple of smart ones in the class. A good feature of his performance was that, after being near the rear and a long way back in the middle stages, he was running on at the finish. Just John is seemingly a solid stayer and he will do better deeds before the jumping season concludes. It was thought- after he raced in the Auckland Cup last December that the turf had seen the last of Te Kara, but a short spell put him rigVit. and he was placed in work again. About a month ago he was given a run in a sprint event and he ran well enough to suggest that he had not lost his dash. This outing benefited le Kara, and in his two outings here he was conspicuous in finishing fourth in the .Cornwall Handicap and occupying a similar position in the York Handicap. Under the circumstances there is reason to believe that Te Kara may yet win more money before he is retired. There were many who ticked. Tuki off ns a likely winner at the meeting alter a brilliant schooling effort he gave a ..few days beforehand, but he showed so little dash in the Great Northern Steeplechase that it was not surprising he should pay a big dividend when he won the \\ inter Steeplechase. Although Vie was more favourably handicapped in the latter eve_nt. it was hard to imagine that he would beat several of the others even at the. altered terms, but he came prominently into the picture over the last nnle and eventually won very easily. It was most unfortunate that Beau Cavalier should have fallen at the fourth fence—a brush hurdle—in the Winter Steeplechase, as ho was early out of the contest and prevented one from getting a further line on his form. It is difficult to say how he would have fared if ho had stood UP. but the chances are that he would have been very hard to dispose 01. His fall appeared to be caused by his getting too close into the fence and landing badly "on the slippery ground. The connections of Comical have had exasperating luck in their attempt to make a steeplechaser of that horse, whci has failed to complete the course on any of the four occasions he has raced over country run also fallen a few times while schooling. It was unfortunate that Comical should topple over at the brush hurdle by the six-fnrlong post in the second round of the Winter Steeplechase, as he was going strongly with a lead of six lengths at the time and up till that stage. had been jumping Pretty well. "Unless his rcent experiences frighten him. Comical should, gain the necessary proficiency with judicious schooling, and then his opponents can expect trouble. The latest exploit of Master Boon in notching a comfortable win in the York Handicap demonstrates that he is right hack to form again. It was his first success since he registered a sequence of .Jiree victories in the spring, but he was very solidly supported in consequence of his third in the Cornwall Handicap on tie opening day of the meeting. . Master Doon has done well this season in winning at distances ranging from six furlongs up 1o a mile and n-hnlf,. and he has credited fcjs owner with £2755 in stakes. The Trentham-trained gelding Black Mint came to Ellerslie with the reputation of being a very useful horse, and, even though he failed to win a race, he demonstrated that ho will do so elsewhere. In his first two outings at the meeting ne ran fair races without getting into the money, but in the York Handicap on the third'day he just missed second place f-fter being well back at the turn. B.ack Mint was only fairly supported on his third outing and was returning a pretty substantial dividend. Sun Up was sprinting attractively before the meeting and it was thought that he would win a race, but he raced The Sunny Lake gelding was produced each day and ho ran threo good races for a second and two. thirds. This gelding is returning to his very best form and, though he is well up in the weights, he should have good prospects in the next few months. It is rather remarkablo for a horse to win the same race three years in succession at Ellerslie, but Hoariri has that record m connection with the Visitors' Handicap on the third day of the Auckland Winter Meeting, having won in 1925. 192G, and again this year. Hoariri is a. fine sprinter in heaving going, but he is practically untrainable when the tracks are hard owing to the fact that he goes, extremely sore and cannot hit out. There is no doubt that he is just as good as ever, and while the tracks are heavy, he should be in line for more success. After S. Henderson had won the Orakei Ilurdles on Kam eh am eh a and the succeeding event—the York Handicap-—on Master Doon somebody asked the writer whether it would be a record, if Henderson won the ■next event—the Winter Steeplechase on Bean Cavalier. What was implied was whether a jockey had ever, accomplished a " hat trick" in winning a flat event, a hurdle event, and a steeplechase. Such a feat has been once accomplished in_ the Dominion and it stands to the credit of W. Young, who did the " hat trick" on Prophet (Sydenham Hurdles), Te Arai 'Lincoln Steeplechase), and Penza (Redcliffs Flat Handicap) at liiccarton on August 13, 1910. Unfortunately Beau Cavalier fell, in the Winter Steeplechase and his. rider probably lost . a golden opportunity of recording a similar notable feat to Young's. Although he. was only in work a comparatively short time before the meeting. Gala Day ran three respectable races and was close behind the placed horses in each of his engagements. It would f-eem as if the Quill Abbey gelding is not going to be long in striking form and he should be quite ready for early spring engagements. When Te Koroke finished well in fourth position in the King George Handicap on the middle day of the meeting, he was one of the outsiders of the field and was returning a huge dividend. Many evidently took notice of this running and he «is over five times better supported in the >ork Handicap, but he failed to run as well. Jr. the latter event he was better placed early and was racing about sixth to the turn, but did not finish so well. and wound tip in eighth position. Despite his failures hero, Te Koro'ke should be a payable proposition next season. On the eve of the meeting Llewellyn gave evidence of unsoundness and he was not produced until th;> final dav. when he started in the Winter Steeplechase. The big fellow did not get far on the Journey, for he broke down before going once lounri and was pulled up. A long spell will probabl? be necessary and the mishap is distinctly unfortunate for his connections. Llewellyn was never better than he was this winter, apart, of course, from bis unsoundness As he had not raced for six months, people expected Black Cruiser to be a horse on the third day as a result of his outings on the previous oays. and he -a sent out r good second 'a von rite for the Campbell Hurdles. The All Black gelding was, however, not sufficiently ready .or the task and finished a moderate third alter going well for a mile and a-hnlf. Cruiser should be a filter horse in n mtrth s time, and perhaps he may go to Trenth-am and Riccnrton. One of the easiest victories of the meeting was tiiat of Royal Form, who simply romped home in the Campbell Hurdles. Five furlongs from home he had his opponents well beaten, and. barring accidents. he always had the race in safe keeping from that stage. Royal Form end not perform up to expectations m his previous efforts at the meeting, as he was beaten at the end of two miles in the Great, Northern Hurdles and fell at the third fence in the Remuera Hurdles. Unless her latest form has been all wrong, it is going to be difficult to place Danae to advantage. Danae looked . remarkably well and was up about ninth in the early stages of the York Handicap, but finally finished a bad last. For some time past York Abbey has shown a dislike to facing the barrier and he gave one of his worst exhibitions in the Visitors' Handicap and was eventually stood behind the field. His rider had to dismount several times to get him to turn round, and it is a pity that such a good Itfi. should develop such nasty manners barrier. Mr. O'Connor gave him th« latitude before placing him behind stewßrio after his latest display the having v,;™ ay i c °nsider the advisability of [ inmng hm placed on the schooling list.