THE FRANKLIN MEETING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20199, 8 March 1929, Page 15

THE FRANKLIN MEETING.

TO-MORROW'S EVENTS. BRIGHT PROSPECTS AT PUKEKOHE The Franklin Racing Club's meeting, fised for to-morrow at Fukekoiie, premises to provide a capital da™ 3 racing, and. with special train facilities announced, a record attendance may be safely anticipated in the event of fine weather prevailing. The programme ot eight events has been arranged to come off as folioW3: —Bombay Handicap (two divisions, sis furlongs), t'um High-weight Eandicap (li miles), Waiuku Hack Handicap (sis furlongs). Franklin Cup Handicap (li milesl. Buck land Handicap (sis furlongs), TuaKau fe lying Handicap (sis furlongs). Onewhero Hack Handicap (one mile and a furlong), and Pukekohe Eandicap (aaout seven furlongs and 'l2 yards). The first race is timed to be started at 11,15 a.m. CANDIDATES DISCUSSED. BY ARCHER. The three-year-old Kiata shaped v er y promisingly when he finished third in the Waimangu Slakes at Rotoriia, for ha was badly placed early and also met with acme interference when several horses fell. H:a finishing run was impressive and it should not be long before he is seen to greater advantage, because he seems certain to improve. Hiata is credited with training an well in the meantime and should require a deal or beating in the fir3t division of the Bombay Handicap. On several occasions Achieleen has shaped rather well in minor company and at her la3t start she waa a good second to F'apperette in the Hinuera Handicap at Matamata. She finished on strongly in that race and a similar effort ahouid make her one of the most difficult to beat in the first division of the Bombay Handicap. Archieleen is also engaged in the Pukekohe Handicap, but will be out of her c!a3B among the open horses and her connections will no doubt decide to tackle the novice event. There has been nothing special about the latest track doings of Standfast, although lie has been working usefully and aeema to have made some progress lately. Up to the present he has failed to show any torm, but he made a creditable showing m a big field at his last start and perhaps he may do likewise in the first division of the Bombay Eandicap. as the field is not strong. To date Eaviland has been well beaten •n each of his outings in public, but he has invariably displayed pace and tSere should be hope for him in novice company, notwithstanding that he stopped very quickly in a five-furlong sprint at Rotorua. It ia doubtful whether he was quite Himself on that occasion and perhaps there may be some excuse for his failure. Eavi!and will he racing on his home track at this meeting and his speed should enable him to show up prominently at some stage m the second division of the Bombay Eandicap. There wqs probably not a great deal ot merit in Whakama'a second to Prince Val at Rotorua, but her effort was good enough to indicate that, she ha 3 possibilities. She has had very little racing and should yet improve a good deal before reaching her best. Whakama ia in a field that ia not strong and a repetition of her Rotorua form would gi~e her an undoubted chance. She is one of a few in her division who have displayed any ability in public. Without managing to win or reach a place, Red Lion has displayed lets of pace in bis latest outings and it is on the cards he may develop a little form shortly. The three-year-old has been a great disappoinTment and it would be pleasing to see him improve and make h;3 owners some return, for the substantial amount he must have cost them. Red Lion ia not likely to get an easier field anywhere than he will have to meet in the second division of the Bombay Eandicap and here may be his chance to open his winning account. Without recording anything out of the ordinary. Sleepy Sol has been striding alow; satisfactorily and is carrying a very bright appearance. It is some time since he wa3 on the winning list and a success for him is overdue. Sleepy Sol generally does bestwhen the sting 13 out of the ground and the rain that has fallen should be helpful to his prospects at this meeting. The Marble Arch gelding is likely to go well in the Puni Bigh-weight Eandicap.

Therp will be few fitter horses in the field for the Funi High-weight- Handicap i*an Glena Bay and his condition should be a factor in his favour. Glena B'ay has raced consistently -veil in his latest outings and should give a good account of himself to-morrow, <iespite the fact that he will be saddled with the steadier of 10.12. Imperial Prince has not come nnder notice since running two creditable races for i third and a fourth at the summer carnival at Ellersiie and it is therefore difficult to assess his prospects in the Buckland Handicap. He is a fine big colt who may take time to reach his best, but the chances are he will have made some impr"vernent lately. Slight improvement on his previous displays should give him an undoubted chance in the moderate field at juveniles he will meet to-morrow. It is generally agreed that the Franklin Cup is a very open race. Most of the candidates ha~e shown form lately and an interesting contest is expected. There is * disposition to favour the chances or Tidal and Maori Boy, who have been racing well with big weights in hack company. They have both displayed ability to run the distance and should be capable at solid efforts under their handy imposts. A number of defeats have gone down against Desert Glow since he won the Te Awamutu Cup in December and he has his admirers puzzled. He displayed some dash in running third in a mile handicap at Te Aro'na last month and possibly he may do better in the near future. Desert Glow is at an age where he may be beginning to deteriorate, but should still possess sufficient ability to prove troublesome in the ciass he will meet in the Franklin Cup. Three wins and once unplaced is the record of The Begum m her last four starts and she is an improving ally likely to accomplish more success before the close of the season. She is handily placed wiin 7.1 in the Tuakau Flying Handicap and is likely to be m the firing line at the finish. The Te Awamutu trainer A. Cook has two candidates for the W aiuku Hack Handicap in King Feg and Te Taone and his elect is likely to find a good deal of favour wiHi backerx King Peg was a good second in British King at Te Aroha last month and Te Taone won the Putaruru Stakes at Mafarnata, so that both have some recent form to recommend them.

Te Money has been working with treedom j and will strio in capita! condition to tackle ! !ier engagement in the Onewhero Hack Handicap." The three-rear oid tiily won (deadheated wiih Owairaka) at nine furlongs *t her last appearance and will only want to repeat that effort to prove very troublesome to the opposition in her comma: engagement.. The decisive manner in which Big Bertha beat a novice field when making her first public appearance, early in the seasun stamped her as a very promising back. In the meantime she has been well beaten m her only two starts and Ikat would indicate that she has not trained on aa well as anticipated. Big Bertha will be racing on her home track at this meeting and may possibly display some of the dash she repealed earlier. She will not have to be good to be a possibility with 7.3 in the Onewhero Hack Handicap. Consistency has been a feature ot the latest efforts of Archieval, who has notched one win and fire minor placinga m his last, six starts. The Archiestowu gelding haa not yet revealed his best and further succeaß is likely to come hi 3 way as the season advances. He read 3 nicely placed with 7.3 in the Onewhero Hack Handicap and is sure to command a 3trong following.