NOTES FROM ELLERSLIE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 20072, 9 October 1928, Page 16

NOTES FROM ELLERSLIE.

GOSSIP OF THE TRACKS. BY MENTOR. Much disappointment was felt when Commendation misbehaved at the barrier in the Shorts Handicap, as the fine son of Limond had been comporting himself in his best stylo in his work. On tho day following tho first day's racing Commendation galloped a circuit at Ellerslio in brilliant stylo and demonstrated that ho has all his former speed. It is not his trainers intention to race him again at this meeting. After working before tbr- first day's racing Storm Fiend was playing about nnd came into contact with ono of tho discs on tho rails at Ellorslie. receiving some injury to one eye. F. W. McCabe does not expect any permanent trouble as ft result, but he decided to withdraw the Swift Flight gelding from his engagements. Mr. A. .T. McGovern, owner of Supremacy, winner of the Avondale and Welcome Stakes, has received a cable from Australia asking him to put a price on. tho brilliant son of Chief lluler. Tbero has been some suspicion that Branson is becoming atlected in his breathing, and ho certainly makes o, noise at tho end of his gallops. Whether he is affected or not, it is evident that at present ho is not bad, as he beat a good field of sprinters in decisive fashion at Ellerslio yesterday. With splendid track conditions ruling yesterday. the Welcome Stakes was regarded as a truer lest of merit than tho Avondale Stakes, which was run on n heavy track. Conditions, however, did not atTect tho result, as Supremacy again won brilliantly. On this occasion Hunting Day forced the Avondalo winner to be kicked right out, but it could not be said that at any stage lie seriously threatened to brine about his defeat. First Money was badly left in this race, but his subsequent showing did not leave the impression that he would have had a chance with Supremacy: ' It was a matter for regret that Star Stranger, as well as the other six horses left behind, did not t;et a chance to reveal their present form in the Mitchelson Cup. Star Stranger is in great shape at present, and ho would have relished tho mile and a-half course. Yesterday morning ho beat Valkon in a fast-rnn seven furlong gallop, and if JelTerd decides to start him to-day his effort will bo interesting, in view of hia New Zealand Cup engagement. It was unfortunate that Episodo struck Iroublo during tho running of tho Great Northern Guineas. The Limond filly got on Ihu heels of Wilito Wings near tho halfmile post and lost several lengths. At tho finish sho was battling on gamely in fourth place. Sho was unlikely to have beaten the winner, but would surely have filled a place. On tho day after tho race 3 Episode was showing lameness in tho shoulder, but her trainer is nob inclined to tako a serious view ! of the ma!to- It will bo a groat pity if this speedy fill.v is again stopped just as she is coming back to form With a knowledge of Siaosi's speed and his conformation, cne was not unduly optimistic in predicting a good future as a hurdler for H. L. Russell's charge. In his first outing at Avondale he ran a creditable race, but w< s inclined to run about at his fence. l ?, thus losing considerable ground. His most ardent admirers woro not quite prepared for his remarkable improvement as a result of ono public effort, and ho rather surprised by jumping like a veteran at Ellerslio on Saturday. Fencing as straight a3 could bo wished, ho toyed with tho opposition nnd won much more easily than hi 3 winning margin would suggest. Siaosi has only to fence in the sonic manner in future to win plenty of hurdle races. The much-discussed debacle at tho start of (ho Mitchelson Cup removed several of Laughing Prince's most dangerous opponents. but at tho same time Mr. T. A. Duncan's horso can bo credited with a satisfactory effort in hia first victory over 12 furlongs. He was not seriously troubled to beat those that started and we may now regard him as a satisfactory stayer up to a mile and a-half. Laughing Prince has always been noted for his sameness and that attribute should assist him in the battles to come, which will bo the more difficult now that he is up in the weights with tho best. Although well beaten by Siaosi. Potoanui ran truo to form in the Trial Hurdles and battled right on to the finishing post. E, Rae ha 3 this gelding in first-class condition and, as ho is equally proficient over hurdles or country, he should bo among tho fancied ones in tho steeplechase to-day. As expected tho Great Northern Guineas proved a fine contest, although decisively won by Prodice over tho last half-furlong. After Toxeuma and Cashier had been eased. Gold Money. White Wings and Episodo sot a cracking paco that told its talo in tho run home. Toxeuma, whoso rider A. Tinker secured a beautiful run all through, then appeared again, but with all his advantage he failed to withstand tho solid challenge of Prodice. This filly is shaping liko a stayer and sho won on her merits after all tho speed merchants had expended their energy in disputing tho lead in tho early stages. Oration is a hard horso to follow, an he mixes a good effort with several bad ones, llis Shorts Hundicap victory was full of merit, as ho began from tho extreme outside position to hold tho brilliant Paganelli throughout and fairly worry him out of it at the finish. Oration seems to be afflicted with periodical bouts of soreness, which may bo attributable to some other cause than hard ground. Thi3 is purely surmise, but it is provoked by tho fact that when ho is quite free ho is a fine sprinter, and that his occasional victories are sometimes a surprise to his connections. For his first effort this season Paganelli ran quito a good race in the Shorts Handicap. Ho caught Oration on his best day and it was not surprising that with the worst of tho weights ho went under to that horso in a gruelling duel from barrier rise. Paganelli has a great burst of speed and on fine tracks ho promises to take high rank among tho sprinters. Tho brilliant gallop put up by Aussie on the ovo of the Spring Mooting resulted in that horso getting solid backing in the Shorts Handicap. Ho failed to go the first furlong at tho lightning speed of tho more lightly-weighted Oration and Paganelli. and thereafter ho struck trouble on moro than ono occasion, Tho race should do tho big fellow good, but it may bo a week or two hence before ho actually strikes tho great sprinting form ho displayed last season. Good track work prepared many for a victory on tho part of Royal Lincago, who, after making most of tho running in the Gordon Handicap, lost tho lead a short distance from the post, and then camo on t'gain in tho gamest possible fashion to dead-heat with Golden Wedding. Royal Lineage made a very good impression and looks the part of a handicap performer as ho races into hia best form. Golden Wedding has let her admirers down frequently, but sho rewarded them by dead-heating with Royal Lineage yesterday. In tho early stages sho was a good way back, but sho made a fino run in the straight. Tho Kenilworth mare is a consistently good track galloper, who has beon temperamental in the past. Whether sho is destined to grow out of this weakness can only bo determined by tho naturo of her futuro efforts. \ B. H. Morris and E. Ellis left by train Inst night in order to ride at th'o Duncdin meeting'.