A.R.C. SUMMER MEETING

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20454, 4 January 1930, Page 7

A.R.C. SUMMER MEETING

REVIEW OF THE FORM.

HUNTING GRY CHIEF WINNER

STAR STRANGER UNLUCKY.

BY ARCHER,

For tho second year in succession tho Auckland Racing Club's Summer Meeting whs adversely affected by unseasonable weathor, and only for the rain on New Year's Day there is no doubt that tho gathering would have been moro successful than the undoubted succesß it was. The rain before and aftor tho commencement of the meeting rendered the track soft and, though there was only one day that it was really heavy, the soft surface probably affected tho form of some horses, although there wero few of the good horses who failed to Bhow good form at some stage of tho meeting. Ono of tho features of the racing was tho number of close finishes, and on the whole tho sport was of a very high standard. It was very gratifying to see horses of tho class of Star Stranger, Pegaway, Count Cavour and Concentrate all in form, and they were responsible for somo of the best, performances at tho meeting. As a class the handicap horses wero a very solid lot, and probably better than Inst year. Pride of place among the stayers went to Star Stranger, whoso second with 8.12 in the Auckland Cup was a particularly fine effort. Only for the luck of the race being slightly against him thero is no doubt that * his magnificent finishing run would havo been crowned with success. A stride past the post ho had his head in front, and so close was the finish that the result was in doubt until the numbers wero hoisted. Luck and the conditions wore against Star Stranger in his other outings and therefore little notice need be taken of his defeats in those races. Star Stranger is still a performer of class and when he gets the ground firm he is likely to do even better than he did here. Last year Pegaway won a high place among the handicap performers by three attractive victories and he again gave evidence of his quality this year, although he wbb not. quite so successful. He was very unlucky to lose the Summer Cup, in which ho tailed the field until five furlong 3 from home, when he commenced a brilliant run on tho outside and only mißsed by a neck. His turn came on the final day, when he won the Clifford Plate, and, though he had to bo ridden out to beat Concentrate, his performance was full of merit, as he had had three races with substantial weights earlier in the meeting. Pegaway does not stay as well as Star Stranger but he has won races from six furlongs to a mile and a-half, and up to that distance he ranks among the best horses in the Dominion at present.

Cup Winner. As winner of the Auckland Cup and runner-up in tho Clifford Plate, Concentrate won a prominent position among tho best horses at tho meeting. For a time after returning from Australia in tho spring ho appeared to have lost a little of his dash but he has now • recovered his true form and will only have to retain it to be in the limelight again in tho near future. It was only his tenacity that enabled him to stall off Star Stranger in the Auckland Cup and there is no doubt that he is a really genuine stayer. Concentrate was in a winning position all the way through the leading handicap race, and this and the vigorous horsemanship of E. Ludlow were also factors in his success. It was not until a little over a furlong from the post that he had to ler;ve the rails and then when asked for an effort ho responded so generously that it looked as if he would win comfortably until Star Stranger appeared. Concentrate gave Pegaway a great race in the Clifford Plate and might have won if tho pace had been right on early.

For the fifth year in succession Count Cavour was here to contest the Auckland Cup, in which he had previously run three seconds and a fourth, and he made another gallant effort to achieve success, only to be beaten into third place. Possibly ho might have won if he had not como out so wide in tho straight, although he was probably not so unlucky as Star Stranger. His record in connection with the race is unique, and so consistent have been his efforts that it is a pity his name is not entered up with the winners of the Dominion's leading race. Although he is now eight years old, and not so good as he was a few seasons ago, the "Count" is still a force to be reckoned with in distance handicaps and he gave further proof of this when he finished gallantly to win the A.R.C. Handicap on the third day, when ho was right nt home on the heavy track. Count Cavour has become a great favoiuite with local racegoers, who have been impressed with his courago and racehorselike qualities, and ho will a'iways be remembered here as a trua racehorse.

Although they were not rewarded with anything more than minor placings, Prodico and Corinax raced very solidly at tho meeting, and tho form they revealed entitles them to rank prominently among tho handicap performers. Prodico only weakened in the last furlong in the Auckland Cup after being right in the picture to the dis. tanco and she subsequently registered two very solid efforts for thirds in tho A.R.C. Handicap and the Grandstand Handicap. Where tho class is not tho best she might yet get two miles successfully, but at prosent sho is better at shorter distances and up to a mile and a-half is undoubtedly very good. Corinas did not do quite as well as expected in the Auckland Cup, wherein he made his run a trifle early, but ho ran a solid second in the A.R.C. Handicap, in which he tried to win from end to end and might have succeeded only for being tackled by Amor about four furlongs from home. Prodico and Corinax aro very solid and will win more races, although they aro at fairly well up in the weights. The Two-Year-Olds.

Particular interest always attaches to the running of the two-year-olds at this meeting, n3 it is usually the occasion, for a meeting oi; those who have shown the most promise in the spring, and also provides an opportunity for the youngsters to have their first test over a longer distance than five furlongs. This year Gesture was the outstanding j'livenilo and she won the Great Northern Foal Stakes in such convincing style as to appear a good deal superior to the others. Gesture iB a well-developed filly and hor form has been consistently good. Sho may not develop into anything bettor than a sprinter, although she may prove very good at distances lip to a mile when sho is thoroughly matured. If sho retains her present form, sho should soon repay Mr. R. J. Murphy for tho 2000 guineas ho gave for her after she won, as she will have nice stakes to compete for in tho autumn.

Outside of Gesture, the youngsters wcro probably not better than an average lot. although there were several who will no doubt do u. good deal better when they are more matured. Two who created a very favourable impression were Cylinder, who notched thrco seconds, and Dunraven, and it is more than likely that these sons of Limond may prove good propositions in tho autumn and as three-year-olds next season. They look more likely to develop into Derby possibilities thnn any of the others, and nil going well the future should hold good things for them. Cylinder and Dunraven are bred on lines that suggest they will at least get middle distances successfully/and it is i« favour of Dunraven that ho belongs to a good family, tho members of which have all improved with ago. The greatest disappointment among the two-year-olds was Praise, whose public and track form stamped ber as a very -smart filly Backers had no hesitation in making her a solid favourite for the Great Northern Foal Stakes, and they were sadly disappointed when alio finished last ISever ft t any stage of the race was she going kindly, and there can.bo ro doubt that her form was too bad to be true. Although she looked bright, tho filly was probably og

colour on the day, .and it might bo wise to overlook the failure until she has another opportunity to show her real worth. Praise was not produced on the later days of the meeting, and it may be some time before she races again, as she is reported to have contracted pneumonia and been in a bad way for Beveral days. As winners in the two-year-old handicaps, Awaken, Tcnterden and Sigh" Draft all displayed creditable form. Awaken won twice, and is a solid filly who should continno to win races. Sight Draft is rather on the, small side, and may never be good, but Tcnterden has plenty of speed and. though he was well beaten in the Royal Stakes, subsequent to winning, may develop into a more than useful sprinter. Betterment, Bells of Shandon and Tremetus raced respectably without winning, and should bo worth watching for the local meetings in the next couple of months. Dells of Shandon ran two very solid races, and Will only have to produce the satno dauh among tho locals to win very soon.

The Three-year-olds. »

Some useful three-year-olds competed ut tho meeting, although with the exception of Hunting Cry they did not reveal form of any particular brilliance. With wins in the Railway Handicap, the King's Plate and the Great Northern Derby, and a third in tho Royal Stakes. Hunting Cry was the chief winner of the meeting, and his efforts wero uniformly good. With a dearth of stayers amonf the horses of his age, the Great Northern Derby did not provide a really good test of his ability over a middle distance, but ho has proved that he is at least a /ery capable handicap porformer at distances u& to a mile and a-quarter, and ho is making such steady improvement that it is quite possible that he will reach greater heights than he has yet attained. Hunting Cry is a plain-looking customer, but he has courago and brilliancy," and there' should be somo more plums for him before the season is over. The form of the beaten horses in the Great Northern Derby was not particularly encouraging, and, although some of the runners may have been affected by tho heavy track, it would appear unlikely that any of them will develop staying form of any note. Jaleux and Flying Prince, who filled the minor places, were well beaten in handicap events under light weights, and that was not altogether encouraging. Possibly on a dry track Count Palatine, Vali and Duellona may have done better and, as they are bred to stay, there may be hope for them yet proving useful over middle distances in the futuro. Count Palatine strikes one as being the most likely to mako improvement, and he may eventually make ft decent handicap horse, despite tho fact that his form up to the present indicates that he is nothing more than useful.

The Sprinters. A3 usual, the sprinting form at the meeting was difficult to follow. Silvermine and Cimabue, who failed to win. represented the best class, but they both had sufficient weight to steady them, although they ran well up in their races, and Silvermine was unlucky in his second start when he finished fourth after receiving a bad bump at the home turn. Great Star, who notched two seconds, was one of the unlucky ones, but ho mixed his efforts by running two good races and two moderate ones. No doubt he was feeling the effects of his earlier exertions when he raced on the final day, and his failure to come on after racing prominently to the turn was excusable. Leitrim was another who mixed his efforts. From an outside post position he ran a recent race in the Railway Handicap, and he improved on the second day, when he narrowly missed winning. Then, after running a moderate sixth on the third day, ho won nicely on the final day. Leitrim now looks more solid than formerly, and he should continue to win in hia turn. Knightlike and Awarere were others to win, and the former was probably one of tho most improved horses in his cln.ss, although he failed when expected to again race well on the final day. Awarero, who has been a disappointment for some time, ran two very solid races for a win and a second on the last two dnys, and therefore showed a welcome return to form. Some have been inclined to regard tho chestnut as a rogue, but he raced genuinely enough in his four outings at tho meeting, and now that he has struck form again he should win moro races through tho season. a

THE THAMES MEETING.

FIRST DAY'S ACCEPTANCES

GOOD FIELDS ENGAGED

The Thames Jockey Club holds its annual race meeting on Thursday and Saturday next. Acceptances for the events of the opening day's programme closed yesterday and augur well for tho completo success of the gathering. The following is Ihe list of acceptances fdr the events set down for decision next Thursday;—

TAPU HANDICAP. Of £100; 6 fur. et. lb. et. lb Tuku 9 (I Miss Albyn . 8 2 Grand Arch . 8 7 Rangitown ..82 Measurer ... 8 £i Valcuir .... 8 2 Dainty Manners 8 4 Norval Tea ..81 Glenison ... 84 Trig 8 1 Honiton ... 8 3 Little Gift ..81 Momoanatui . 8 3 Irish Comet . 8 1 Vital .... 8 3 Howick ...81 St. Warrigal .83 Section .... 8 1 Master Amour 8 3 Queenstown . 8 1 Lillton .... 8 3 Squadron ..81 Valour .... 8 3 Rose Willonyx 8 1 Searcher ..82 Waiau Lady . 8 1 Caulis 8 2 Princess Snow 8 1

BOROUGH HIGH-WEIGHT HANDICAP. Of £110; 1 mile. fit. lb. et. lb. Archeen . . . 10 5 Mashoor ... 9 2 Quincoma . .10 1 Bizzaro ... 9 1 Waltzer ... 9 10 Asmodeus ..90 Master Roley 9 5 Night Comet 9 0 War Oflicer . 9 5 Gay Cabalero 9 0 Grand Tea . 9 4 Master Amour 9 0 Taumai ... 9 3

PURIKI HANDICAP. Of £100; 6 fur. et. lb. . st. lb. Patere .... 90 Somo Lady ..8o Valstreet ... 8 12 Red Lion ..83 Cruchan ... 811 Flapperette 8 2 Abbess .... 811 Welcome Boy 8 0 Whakama . . 8 10 Norval Tea 712 Joy Girl . . 8 9 Lillton . , . 712 Volimond ..87 Luxurious . . 7 12 Parfait Amour 8 0 On Top ... 7 12 Big Bertha . 8 fi Searcher 7 12

GOLDFIELDS CUP. Of £300: li miles, el. lb. at. !b High Pitch .90 Flying Juliet 710 Transformer . 8 6 Taneriri .... 7 8 Sir Russell . 8 2 Good Boy ~70 Marble King 712 Glenstar ... 7 0 Lo Choucas 7 11

PARAWAI HANDICAP. Of £100: 7 fur. at. lb. nt. lb Patero . . . 8 G Somo Lady 7 1-2 Frothblower . 8 3 Grand Tea . 7 I'2 Crimestor ..83 Liona_ .... 7 11 Archievnl ..83 Oninailiti ... 7 10 Whakama ..82 Havilnnd , g . . 79 Joy Girl . . 8 1 Snow Princo . 7 5 Diamond Queen 8 0 Snow Plane . 7 5 Muster Lator 713

FLYING HANDICAP. Of £160: 6 fur. et. lb. at. lb Nancy Leo ..90 Bright-Ivnight 7 i Branson ... 8 12 Envoy .... 7 1 White Wings 8 1 Crimestor ..70 Flakanoa ... 8 0 Abbess .... 70 Takutama ..76 Joy Girl ...70 Billikins ... 7 5

WAITAKARURU HANDICAP. Of £120; 1 mile. et. lb at. lb, Pr. of Orange 9 0 Brampton ..77 Indolent . . . 8 G Coll . ...70 Abbess .... 8 7 Bizzaro ...70 Taku 8 0 Orghus .... 7 2 Grand Tea . . 7 11 Waiau Lady . 7 0 Currajong ..77 Day Lass ... 7 0 Always .... 7 8 HAURAKI PLAINS HANDICAP, OP £130: 7 fur. et. lb. et. lb. Billikins ... 8 9 Glenstar ... 7 9 Arcliecn ... 8 7 Tanngra ... 7 7 Mosaic ...» 8 fl Unoco . • • . 7 7 Good Boy . . 8 5

Taneriri in tbo Goldfields Cup lias been rehandicapped at 7.8* and Abbess in the Waitakaruru Handicap at 8.7.