FORM AT AVONDALE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20991, 30 September 1931, Page 7

FORM AT AVONDALE.

FAVOURITES FARE BADLY. MARECHAL'S FIRST SUCCESS. TE WAIPU AND TANKARD. BY ARCHER. K"o club in New Zealand has been more unfortunate in the matter of weather for ifs meetings than the Avondnlo Jockey Club, and its misfortune in this respect has become almost proverbial. For the spring meeting just concluded the conditions were very adverse and tho inclement weather seriously affected tho attendance each day. Tho financial result, of the meeting is not available yet, but it is unlikely to be satisfactory to the club. The racing nt Ihe meeting proved highly interesting, but tho soft Mato .of the going undoubtedly affected the form of some of the runners and mnuy of the beaten horsos may bo seen to more advantage when they have an opportunity of ""racing on better going. As is often tho case at spring meetings there were a number of surprises aud tho results proved very unfavourable fer investors. Only ono favourite was successful in the sixteen races and the dividends on the whole were of good proportions. Toward the end of last season Marochal was showing signs of progress and ho gave further evidence of improvement when he scored in convincing fashion in the Maiden Plate. On tho second clay he rnu another good race and only for having to be bustled to get a position froth No. 17 fit tho barrier ho would probably have been in the money. Marechal is a half-brother to Awarere. and now that he has commenced winning he should not be long in achieving further success in the hack ranks. Some Likely Improvers. The three-year-old Granado did not look a3 forward as many of his opponents in the Maiden Plate, but, lie made a very creditable showing to finish fairly close to the placed horses after a slow beginning. One of the most pleasing features of his performance was that he was closer at the finish than at any other stage. A little racing should effect considerable improvement in Granado, who should soon open his winning account if all goes well with him. It was with a good finishing effort that Heremia got up into second place in the Maiden Plate and his effort, was very encouraging in spite of tho fact that ho was rather easily beaten by the winner. The race should bo very beneficial to the three-year-old. who was a trifle on tho pretty side, and tho next time he gets an opportunity in novico company ho may turn it to good account. For a horse who was having his first race Tarporley registered an encouraging effort in finishing fourth in the Maiden Plate. _ If he improves as she should do with racing Tarporley should win races for A. M. Robertson, who has exercised a great deal of patience with him. Tarporley's action 13 rather extravagant, but he is endowed with a good turn of speed and he now appears a more hopeful proposition than when first placed in work. Moreover, he has a fine constitution, which should prove a valuable asset through his racing career. Owing to the fact that ho has been Browing all tho time. United has not developed as much as might have been expected, but he still retains his early speed, which enabled him to show up very prominently for six furlohgs in tho Maiden Plate. The race does not appear to have had any harmful effect on the three-year-old, who worked freely yesterday, and he may run on better in his coming engagements. However, he gives tho impression that ho will not reach his best for some time yet and whatever he may do in _ the next few months be should surpass in the autumn. Defeat of Biddy's Boy.

The fast pace set by Biddy's Boy and Gay Lap in tKe Champion Hack Plato proved the undoing not only of the pacemakers but also of some of the other runners wjio were prominent in the early stages. when Biddy's Boy shook off Gay Lap at the distance it looked as if he would win comfortably, but in spite of H. Gray's effort to hold him together at the end he tired very badly and was beaten b'y Curie. Biddy « Boy need not bo in any way discredited for his defeat, for proof that_ his effort was a good one was forthcoming on the second day, when Gay Lap, who faded right out in tho Plate, was successful in the open SP Ona of the horse? in, the Champion Plate whom the early pace iiffected was Catoma, who was kept up to it in the first few furlongs hold a forward position. Staring the tuun ho was racing linndy behind the leaders and it appeared as if he wpuld certainly fill a v place. but bis usual solid finishing effort was missing and he faded away at the cjid. Catoma is a better horso than his latest run would indicate, and. although he' will havo to concede weight to some hacks, he should run solid races in his class at the Auckland meeting, especially ft ß the going is likely to bo entirely to his liking. _ . , / , ~ 111 appearance Te Waipu did not take the eye nearly na well as homo of her opponents in the Avondnle Stakes, but she demonstrated that she is possessed of speed and courage by winning nicely. She certainly seemed a trifle lucky to bent Broken Rule, who ran about a. good deal, but she did everything right and must be given credit for a smooth performance. Te JVaipu is a. neat but light-boned filly, who may not improve like some of the. others, but she is smart and should continue to raco well in her next few starts. ' Without having any the best of the running Rulanut was responsible for a solid effort'in finishing third in the Avondnle Stakes *nd added merit was given to his performance by reason of the fact that lie carried B}lb. overweight. Rulanut displayed plenty of speed to run to the leaders quickly from an outside post position and altogether his effort was very encouraging. As lio may bo better for the raco he may prove very dangerous in the Welcome Stakes if he has the luck to draw an inside position at the barrier. A Smart Juvenile,

It is a groat pity that Tankard is riot engaged in the Welcome Stakes at Lllershc. because lie won the Nursery Handicap so easily that bis chance of winning the classic must have been a good one. It is doubtful whether there was a more forward juvenile at the meeting than Tankard, who is bred for speed, and it will take something very smart to beat him at his next appearance. Tankard's first classic engagement is in the Wellesley Stakes at Trent ham next month and all going well in the meantime his prospects in that race should bs br Like his half-brother Sea. Cob,. Sea Kwler is a leggy customer, but he is evidently goin-, to develop form much more Quickly than his relative did. Sea ttuler was not favoured with a good barrier position in the Avondale Stakes and did not appear in the picture until the final, stages when he was running on solidly just behind the placed horßes. In another few strides ho would have been closer, and, if he has improved with the race, he ia one who will have to bo conceded a. good chance in the Welcome Stakes at Ellcrglic. A Cook s other two-year-old Miss Linlev also shaped creditably in the Avondale Stakes and evidently has soma ability also, although her per-formance-was not as promising as that of Sea, Ruler. . On the strength of Ins smart gallons at Takanini there was solid support for Belltopper in the Avondale Stakes, but ho struck some trouble, early and failed to finish closer than sixth. The most pleasing feature of Belltopper's display was the determined fashion in which he was running on at the end and he left the tmpression that, he would give a good deal mora trouble to his opponents at his next appearance, which will probably bo in the Welcome Stakes next Saturday. At.one stage of his preparation Be.lltopper displayed wayward tendencies, but ho is now settling down well and give* every promise of racing well in his coming engagements. Taneriri and Historic. Those who watched Taneriri dropping back into a rearward position in the early stages of the Avondale Cup were rather surprised that H. Gray should let him get so far behind the leaders, but the reason was explained by thf* riders statement that lie was struck in the- eye with a, pieco _of dirt. Over the concluding stages Taneriri put in flome solid work to get, up sixth and at the end he was undoubtedly running on more strongly than most of the field. Most of Taneriri'a best performances have been registered in shorter races than the Milchelson Cup, but ho won at a mile and a-half at Wanganui in the 1029-30 season and there is every reason to anticipate that he will run a sound race on Saturday. The statement by L. G. Morris that Historic met with some interference in tho Avondale Cup would be sufficient to excuse the top-weight for his failure to finish closer than ninth. It is likely that Historic will be a fitter horse for the wee and tho work he will get through during the week. f"'d possibly he may bo more in the limcmrht in the Mitchclson Cup. Two years ago Historic won with 9.7, and Inst year he was second with 0.33. so that if ho can reproduce his form of previous years he will have to bo seriously reckoned with on (Saturday, It is many years since racegoers were so far n stray in their selections for tho Avondale Cup as this year and the result was a complete upset. Little Doubt s victory was totally unexpected after Ins Ulluroß through the winter and what was probably p great factor in his win wan his seasoned condition. Maori Boy's second was also a surprise, as it was his first glimpse of foim for some time. General expectations were that, the race would improve Maori Boy. but it had the reverse effect apparently, for he WAR well beaten on the second day affcoi beinr? nicely handled by H. Gray, and in & winning position at the turn.