THE WAIPA MEETING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 20132, 18 December 1928, Page 15

THE WAIPA MEETING.

BY ARCHER

NOTES ON THE FORM.

As thcro has been, a general decrease in totalisfktor business at meetings in this province this season, it must have been a source 'of gratification to the executive of the Waipa Racing Club when the investments at tho club's meeting on Saturday were over £BOO above those for last year. The meeting was abso a success in other respects nnd the racmg was full of interest. The Waipa Racing Club provides a training ground for a considerable number of horses on its fine courßC at To Awamutu and it is always ploasing to see tho club do well. For tho eeconH year in succession .Highflown won tho Pirongia Hurdles and tho only horse to give him any trouble was Gala Day. Ho beat that horse rather comfortably in the end and his dashing foncing was undoubtedly a fu;tor in his sueceßS. Highfiown is a better horse now than he was last year and promotion to the open class should not prevent further wins coming his way. He was turn§d out well by N. Prenter, who hns. tho happy knack of placing his charges to the best advantage. Although ■ beaten into second place,' Gala Day was seen to more advantage in tho Pirongia Hurdles than in his previous outings over fences and is on tho improve. All he wants is confidence in his fencing and this should come with more experience. Only for being outjwnped at every fence, be would have beaten the winner and his performance was very encouraging. Gala Day is in blooming health and will be a tough proposition for the hack hurdlers at New Plymouth.

It might not be wise to attach too much importance to the failure of Lady Cintra in the Pirongia Hurdles when assessing her prospects for the hurdle events at tho coming meeting at Ellerslie. She was slow to get away in tho straggling start and was a long way back most of tho way. Over the last few furlongs she made up a lot of ground and was going strongly in fitth position at the close. With this race into her Lady Cintra should strip very fit next week.

The latest efforts of Flying Juliet Lave been consistently good, her victory with 9.2 in the Kihikihi Handicap being ono of her best. She was always prominent and comfortably beat the opposition at the finish. The black mare has never been better than at present and seems likely to race well in her engagements at the summer carnival at Ellerslie, where she is freely engaged. Plying Juliet has not been rehandicapped for the Christmas Handicap and will carry her original impost of 7.10. A few weeks ago Macroom gave evidence of striking form and good track work in the meantime encouraged backers to make her favourite for the Kihikihi Handicap. She reached the front quickly and made play to the straight,, where she gave way to Flying Juliet and Te Koroko to' finish only a fair third. Macroom is a genuine little mare, but has not yet struck her best form. She should be one to watch after the holidays. It is safo to say that the majority of backers who supported the Desert Glow. Prodice bracket in the Te Awamutu Cup expected Prodice to win and it was as well that the second string was there to take the honours. Prodice wa9 in the leading division throughout and only lost a little ground in tho last furlong to eventually finish fifth. She still looked a trifle pretty and F. Loomb has probably been working her with a view to haviiig her cherry ripo for Ellerslie, where her engagements include the Great Northern Derby. Prodice is booked to have her next run in tho Christmas Handicap and should run a lively mile in that race with 7.8. Although he was assisted to victory by a lucky run on tho rails, Desert Glow showed himself in form by winning tho Tc Awamutu Cup. The pleasing feature of his performance was that he finished very strongly and thero is reason to believo that he may prove ono of the hardest to beat of the light-weights in the Auckland Cup. It is worth recalling that Desert Glow ran second to Count Cavout in the New Zealand Cup in 1926. The same year he also run fifth in the Auckland Cup, after being second into (he straight, so that ho has at least some pretensions -to genuine staying ability. Four Auckland Cup candidates in Transformer, Papatu, Eli Timi and Tidal were among the beateh horses in the Te Awamutu Cup and their form did not enhance their prospects for the big event on Eoxin? Day. Transformer and Tidal were always near the rear and in tho caso of Transformer his form was too bad to be t'ue. Tidal was showing a little dash toward Hm end and was running on. 'i'he circular course would not be in his favour and 1 is failure may be dismissed, although ho seemed a little lighter than he was a month ago. Papatu was always plugging away in fifth position and made a fair showing. Eli Timi was well beaten and has been flattered by an acceptance for the Auckland Cup. A good mile gallop before tho meeting indicated that Tho Lover would be difficult to beat in the To Awamutu Cup and l:o was rather unlucky not to win. Had bis rider allowed him to drop in behind Mervette instead of running on tho outsidn of that mare he would have won. Rounding the bend he looked a winner, but Mervelte took him out and unbalanced liim slightly, with the result thnt Desert Glow *ml Siaosi both beat him home. The Lover is very fit arid should be seen to better advantage in the near future.

It is unnecessary for me to make r-ny furthercomment on the brilliant win of Aussie, in the Flying Handicap, aa referenca was made to his feat yesterday. Thoso who fancy the crack sprinter for the Kailway Handicap need have no fear about l.is condition, us he is a remarkably fit horse. It is' a solid task to win a Railway Handicap with 9.9, but Aussie has the brillianco and fitness to make a great bid for honours with all his weight.

The-speedy Nancy Leo was made favourite for tho Flying Handicap and her supporters made a slight loss on their investments when she finished second. The Laieullus maro was always handily placed, but she had no chance with Aussie at the finish, although she beat the others comfortably. Last year Nancy Lee ran second in the Railway Handicap at Ellcrslie with 8.2 find a repetition of that form would make her dange'ro.'is with 7.8 this year. Still she will only meet Aussie 3lb. better than on Saturday and will have the hardest part to do to- turn the tables.

Having his first run this season, Marblo King displayed some speed in tho Flying Handicap. Near tho turn ho made a sharp dash into third position, but weakened in the run home and missed a place. Marble King should improve with racing and will earn some money during the season. Nevertheless, his running was not good enoucli to give him a chance in the Railway Handicap and it might be better to reservo him for something easier. Backers had no hesitation in making Awarere favourite for the Ohaupo Handicap and his fiilure to finish closer than fourth was a blow to his admirers. The race was run in /ast time and it was no disgrace to get beaten with his big weight. Awarere is a liorso that requires a good deal of galloping to tune him up and possibly his trainer mny have been a little easy with him lately. There is no reason to discredit bis Railway Handicap chance for the defeat, as ,he was beaten at this meeting last year and then won the big sprint at Ellcrslie.

There was a general impression that King Lu might bo in need of a 'race, as ho bad not run f° r several months and consequently hp was not greatly fancied for the Ohaupo Handicap. However, he surprised by running a good second and is undoubtedly well forward in view of lis engagements at the coming summer carnival. King Lu is a good horse, capable of winning on metropolitan courses, and he may be in the limelight again before tho big meeting is over, as lie looks like coming right back to form early. There was sufficient support for Lunette to make her second fav.ourite for the Orakau Hack Handicap and she acted up to expectations by winning nicely. It was not moro than an ordinary performance to beat a moderate hack field with only 7.8, but Lunette never looked like getting beaten, and, ns she is on the upgrade,-more succesd should come her way during the season. One good feature of her racing jb that she has not run a bad race sine* the beginning of the season.