RACING CARNIVAL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20640, 12 August 1930, Page 7

RACING CARNIVAL.

' BRAND NATIONAL WEEK: todays steeplechase. .(FIELD BELOW STANDARD. • / • PROBLEM IN WINTER OFF. V REVIEW OF THE PROSPECTS. t The Grand National Steeplechase, the '.most important event of Grand National week in Christ church, will be run at Riccarton to-day, when tho Canterbury ' Jockey Club opens its three-days meeting. Our Christchurch correspondent, telegraphing last evening, stated that light :? "showers fell at Riccarton yesterday morning, but there were indications for favour- <■ able weather prevailing to-day. Tho track lias had a thorough soaking, but as was usually the caso with Riccarton, tho going would not bo worse than holding unless more rain fell overnight. Tho first 1 ipce is timed to start at 11.31. The following are the acceptances, with It review of tho prospects in each race by , onr correspondent : HUNTERS' HURDLES RACE. Of £250; 1J miles. st. lb. at. lb. Dome . . 10 9 Akbar .... 9 5 'Airforce . . . 10 8 S. Stranger IT. 9 4 Barrington ■. . 10 1 Thurina .... 9 0 Gold Mint . 9 13 Peterette ... 9 0 The Awapuni representative Airforce is ; entitled to moat consideration, as West , Dome is likely to bo reserved for the : -Jumpers' Flat Race. Akbar has schooled well and Gold Mint will handle the going better than the remainder. The favourites •rs likely to be AIRFORCE. GOLD MINT. AKBAR. TRIAL HURDLE RACE. Of £300: 11 miles. st. lb. st. lb. LJyn Dhu . . 10 13 Deluge .... 9 8 Zippor 10 18 Gay Fashion . 9 1 Disrank .... 10 4 Rigoletto ... 9 0 Paria 9 7 Exide . . 9 0 The field will not be as strong as in ©ther years, and there is a chance that Llyn Dhu will not be produced under the prevailing conditions. In his absence Zippor will claim cloee consideration in spite of the going. Disrank was a double winner at Awapuni recently, but he was lightened up considerably since, and his poor ' attempt to jump one of the schooling fences yesterday did not point to his prospects of mastering the bagger obstacle® to-day. Paris jumped badly at Trentham, but has ehown improvement in several schooling tasks since arriving at Riccarton. Deluge has plenty of pace, but i 3 a non-stayer. Both Gay Fashion and Exide have chances on Timaru form. The best supported may be

ZIPPOR GAY FASHION ! PARIS. CASHMERE PLATE, Of £250; G fur. st. lb. et. lb. Air Laddie . 911 Karaka ... 9 0 Charint'use . . 9 11 Lambent ... 9 0 GoKien Pennant 911 Locksley ..90 . Miss Bradbury 911 Painkiller ..90 JRiiaouh ... 9 11 Kiri ... 9 0 Swntrny .... 9 1J Royal Amphora 9 0 Appeal . . . .:9 0 Shatter -.90 Brumal ... 9 0 Sleipner ... 9 0 Gustavo . . 9 0 Verden .... 90 This race, always a popular feature of the programme, has attracted a vvellbaianced field, and speculation will be well ■ distributed Some smart three-year-olds are engaged, including Painkiller and Shatter, who raced prominently at the Christchurch Hunt meeting, but in the caee of Painkiller she will bo at a disadvantage in soft going, lvakara is a promising filly and is well forward, while Gustavo and Sleipner will attract attention on looks alone. Of the older division Air Laddie, who will be ridden by El Gray, ran third in the same Ts,ce last year and the fact that he is still eligible docs not serve as much recommen dation. ♦ Charmeuse's eflort in the concluding event *t the Hunt meeting must not be overlooked. Rasouli's only race for some time the Wellington meeting attracted attention, and his work nt Riccarton since coming down has been very encouraging. Swiftxay has been a disappointment to date and Miss Bradbury is not partial to a holdinc track. Goldyan Pennant, a stable-mate of Nancy Lee, won a small raco over five furlongs last March, but has no other form to recommend her. An interesting contest is promised, with most attention contrcd in CHARMEUSJE KAKARA RASOULI.

JUMPERS' FLAT RACE, Of £250; li miles. st. lb. at. lb. King's Jest ,11 9 West Dome ..90 Aberfeldy . ; 10 8 Omeo 9 0 Carinthia ... 10 5 Jen 90 Fine Acre ... 10 3 Shipshape ...90 Iroilus .... 9 3 Exido ... 90 Membo .... 9 1 King's Jest has a big weight, but is a class horse apd will be a tough proposition. Aberfeldy won tho race last year and cn recent track work has another favourable chance is an adept in eoft going and should be on hand at tho finish tine Acre, who followed Aberfeldy home 12 months ago. has been sore since arriving ®t Riccarton, and Troilus is hardly up to tho standard of this company Both Mcmbo *nd West Dome have been racing well of l»te and if West Dome is reserved ho will have strong support. The Wingatui trainer F. Shaw has a likely candidate in Shipfliape, and a surprise may come from him It is hard to go past the proved horses, lowevcr, and three who appeal are

KING'S JEST AIiKIiFKLDY CAKINTHIA. GRAND national steeplechase, Of £'looo. including gold cup valued at £100; :il miles. st. lb gt. lb Aurora Borealis 11 I Wharncliflo 9 11 °meo ' 10 11 Kapuna . D 6 Bnowfnll 10 9 CornorofT . 9 0 Lord Ranald 10 5 Valves 9 0 Watu 10 5 Tho Grand National Steeplechase promises to provide a more interesting contest than the class represented would indicate The race-coin? public han had plenty of opportunities to test its opinions during the Past week and under the circumstances which have arisen will lie in « quundnry 1 11 Passing f/nal ludgrrient. The poor form shown by Snowfall in the Eomob.v Steeplechnsc and his wubsequent •lameness were followed by » disappointing display on Saturday by the then favourite Matu, and his heel trouble since has added tc the doubr created about his ability to fict round. Omeo's effort on Saturday •orved to brine him into prominence, but ln his case also be suffered an injury which much prejudices his prospects. Aurora Dnrcalis, on the other hnrid. hns Cono on the right way since racing at renthnm, and although her admirers would like to have seen her given a trial over the main •,fences, her schooling yesterday over tho insudo obstacles left nothing to b# desired. She is a small niaro to master the big Ripcarton country, especially under * more solid weight than she has yet cartied, but her performance in the Welling-

toil Steeplechase on a heavier track than will be the case to-day exemplified her capabilities both as a juniper and a stayer. Snowfall would have to show remarkable improvement to be seriously considered, and that is not likely in the face of his interrupted preparation in the interim. Lord Ranald has been the subject of muoh discussion for some time past. He hoe not been schooled for over a fortnight, owing to trouble which broke out 111 one of his hocks after that task, and although surviving a lot of strong work on the galloping tracks he is far from being in anything approaching his Bound condition of 12 months ago. It was not definitely decided yesterday to 6tnrt him, but if ho appears to be in satisfactory order this morning his owner will desiro him to bo produced. Wharncliffe has done nothing to justify discussion and sportsmanship has much to do with his appcaranco in the field* Kapuna has been over the country twice and is worthy of consideration, but Valves does not suggest being a possibility. If the topdivision is to bo challenged the trouble may come from Corneroff, whose display on Saturday could not bo faultod. B'e has had a solid preparation in capable hands, and it would not b» surprising to find him one of the favourite selections. With the field thus summed up it must be recognised that there is no outstanding candidate, and the issue is made unusually open. Investors, however, will probably show moat confidence in AURORA BOREALIS OMEO CORNEROFF. ENFIELD STEEPLECHASE. Of £250: about 2 miles. st. lb. at. lb. Radiao . . . . 10 11 Tractarian ..93 Kaikahu . . . 10 3 Double Soult . 0 0 Diana's Lad . . 9 13 French Fleet .90 Cornerof! .... 9 12 Parader .... 9 0 Taramoa . .94 Radiac appears to dominate the position. The order of favouritism may bo RADIAC TRACTART AN . DIANA'S LAD. WINTER CUP, Of £750: 1 mile. st. lb. st. lb. • Toxeumji ... 11 5 Royal Opera . 9 \ Havering ... 10 11 Arikinui .... 9 8 Black Duke .10 11 Starshooter . 9,2 Full Feather . 10 5 Marjoram ..92 Ten . . . . 10 8 Ranelagh ... 9 0 Taboo . . •. 10 1 Black Mint ..90 Nanoy Lee .10 1 Smithereens . 9 0 Staghunter . 912 Rascal . . .t. 9 0 Best Friend . 9 10 Royal Game . 9 0 Pride ..99 Topere .... 9 0 Blimp .... 9 6 Arch Arrow ~9 0 This race has once more set speculators an intricate problem. Since the weights appeared moat discussion has centred round those in the first half of the list, but changed track conditions have prompted a fair amount of re-shuffling. Toxeuma's win in the Brabazon Handicap wae clean-cut and pointed to his cup chanco, but the going will now trouble him under his big impost. Havering handled the Trentham track well and is certain to bo one of the favourites. Black Duke and Taboo will both be in ,their element, and Black Duke especially makes strong appeal. Teri, a good beginner and at home on any ground, will have to be considered in spite of his ailment of the past few days, and Aiicklanders are very keen on the hardy Nancy Lee. Staghunter threatens to offer serious opposition, as he is back to his early form, and his winning feat at Trentham cannot be ignored. Best Friend handled the going well in a gallop with Staghunter yesterday and is certain of heavy wagering. Arikinui, Starshooter, Marjoram, Ranelagh, Black Mint and Topere will all coniniand a following, and the best of these appears to be Ranelagh, who, .however, would bo better served on a firm track. Indications point to the following being in keen demand:— BLACK DUKE BEST FRIEND . f STAGHUNTERHAVERING. AVONHEAD HANDICAP. Of ±'2so; 7 fur. t st. lb , ' st. lb. Semp. Paratus 10 5 Charmcuso . 9 9 Potoaform 10 3 On Top .... 9 7 Grattus . 10 3 Bulolo 9 3 Hounslow .10 3 High Gear . 9 2 Lord Tliomond 10 3 Dumblano . • 9 2 Hunting Call 10 2 Grand Aero ..91 Portray . 9 12 Rapina . 9 0 Desert Song 9 11 Compris 9 0 Fortalice . 9 9 The usual well-filled field will contest the concluding event, and another interesting tussle should be staged. A surprise may be in etor6 for investors, but recent form may cause the public to give most support t0 HUNTING CALL PORTRAY LORD THOMOND.

HORSES FROM 'TRENTHAM. • POSSIBILITIES OF MATU. [by telegraph.—own correspondent.] WELLINGTON, Monday. Trcntham has quite a good representation at. the National meeting, and with average luck Wellington headquarters will obtain some prize-money. " Matu left here a very fit horse and the fact that R. Syme was an improvement on his old jockey, A. Jenkins, in the July Steeplechase at Trentham last month, made him advance to the head of National quotations. Matu finished second to Wiltshire last year, and although it means Syme winning three Nationals on end, there is no reason beyond that of superstition why he cannot do it, provided that he has the horse capable of doing the job. Trentham trackrWatchers regard Matu this year as being that horse Eleventh-hour reports from the Riccnrton track are rather disquieting, but provided that Matu throws off the soreness, tho couple of days' rest is more likely to benefit him than otherwise. In tho Winter Cup, Trentham has four representatives, Staghunler, Arikinui, Black Mint and Royal Gamo. Sfnghunter and Arikinui should provo tho best of this lot, and Arikinui may be very handy at the finish M the big mile. Block Mint showed a return to form at Awapuni, but he is likely to be better suited by a longer journey. IT B. Lorigan ban taken Diana's Lad down for (he Enfield Steeples. Early in the. winter ho beat nil but-Aurora Bbrealis at Egmont. and showed plenty of promise, but hurt himself while training at Wanganui. He had his first start einco then at the Manawatu meeting this month, when he was made second • favourito in the open hurdle race on the last day. He ran fifth, so that it 'looks as if ho will run well in his Riccarton engagements, although ho may still bo short of another race.' J W. Lowe haa Hunting Call in the Avonhead Handicap, in which he will again be ridden by 11. Gray. Hunting Call's form at the Wellington winter meeting will gain him many supportors for to-morrow Kaaouli and Rational 11. are t.wo members of Murtagh's team who will repay thoir followers. They are both good gallopers fairly well forward in spito of the lack of much recent racing. Rnaouli is in the Cashmere Plate, but might do better in a handicap than at set weights, although he must be greatly respected. Rational II is not engaged on tho first day. but in whatever ho runs ho will bo hard to boat.

LORIGAN'S SYDNEY TRIP. TEAM TO LEAVE ON FRIDAY. [BY TELEGRAPH.—OWN CORRESPONDENT.] CHRISTCHURCH, Monday. The Trentham trainer 11. B. Lorigan will be at Riocarton to-morrow in oharge of Diana's Lad, but will return to Wellington in the ovening to make final preparations for his departure for Sydney by Friday's boat. His team for the trip will comprise Concentrate, Royal Duke, Cimabue, King Musket and Gcsturo.