THURSDAY'S OPENING

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21794, 8 May 1934, Page 7

THURSDAY'S OPENING

the century hurdles keen contest expected GRANDSTAND STEEPLECHASE BY ARCHER The jumping season will be continued with the Wanganui Jockey Club's Winter -Meeting on Thursday and Saturday. The Century Hurdles, the chief hurdle race, will bo decided ou the first day, and the Wanganui Steeplechase, the leading steeplechase, on the second day, and form in these races will be followed with a good ileal of interest owing to the presence of a number- of horses who have engagements in the Great Northerns at Ellerslie next month. The acceptances for Thursday are very satisfactory and th« club's policy of increasing the stakes this year is evidently going to be repaid by increased fields.

A g(3od field of sixteen is carded for the Century Hurdles and Make Up is in pride of place with 11.10. Make Up lias not had a race over fences since lie went amiss at Riccarton last August but he has lately had a couple of unsuccessful outings on the flat and may be fairly forward. However, the chances are against him being back to his best, and there may be a tendency to pass him by in favour of others, in spite of the fact that he is a first-class hurdler when at the top of his form.

Hounslow should bo all the better for his outing at Hawera last week and may make an improved showing. Easterly and Blacksmith aro recent winners with undoubted chances. Both are trained by Mrs. A. W. McDonald, end in the Kairanga Hurdles, 1 i miles, at Awapuni, on March 22, Easterly, in receipt of 31b., defeated Blacksmith by a head. o,n that form there is very little to choose between them. Easterly won the race two years ago with 10.5, and.the chances are that she will again run well. Consent and High Falutin', both trained by L. G. Morris, should have benefited bv their unsuccessful outings at Hawera, and slight improvement should give them good prospects. Last Year's Result Last year High Falutin' and Consent finished first and second. High Falutin' getting a lucky run through on tho rails and winning by a head from his stablemate, whose rider was fined for careless riding at the finish. The general impression was that Consent should have won. On that occasion Consent was conceding 101b., but this year they will meet at level weights. At Hawera High Falutin' was giving Consent lib. each day, and they finished close together on each occasion. The turning course may favour the speedy Consent and he ,mav be given preference on this occasion, although the more solid High Falutin' can be relied upon for a good effort. Knollmere and High Grader are two very dashing hurdlers whose presence should ensure the race being run at a solid pace. High Grader has been schooling well at Hastings, and in the hands df a capable rider like W. TJennie he may take <i lot of beating. Million has only 31b. more than when she scored in the Tongahoe Hurdles at Hawera and must again be treated with more especially as she meets the horses who finished behind her there very little worse. The journey may be too short for Callamart to shine, although he is likely to be running.on When many of the others are tiring. A Likely Improver True Shaft lacked confidence in the early stages of the Tongahoe Hurdles at Hawera, but was running on strongly at the 'end and did well to finish fifth after being a long way back. That experience should do a lot for True Shaft, and, although he may require more experience before attaining proficiency as a juniper, he is a promising beginner who may not be long in showing some form over hurdles. One thing in favour of True Shaft is that the fences at Wanganui ,are not very formidable and on that account he may go with more confidence.

Brown Abbey is nicely placed and can bo expected to give a good account of himself. He is splendidly fit and that will be a strong factor in his favour. Constant Sun, I?oval Limond and Stanchion have no recent form, but Count Lendroff is an improver who went quite well enough at Hawera to be a possibility. The race bears a very open aspect and fancies are likely to take a fairly wide range. Some who may command strong support are Brown Abbey, Consent and Blacksmith. Field in Steeplechase Apart from the three top-weights, the class engaged in the Grandstand Steeplechase is not very strong and the Hawera winner, Riotous, appears to have excellent prospects of success. He is within 101 ib. of Luna Lux, one of the best steeplechase performers last winter, but lack of recent racing may be against that horse, and Riotous has the advantage of being thoroughly fit. Besides being a dashing jumper, Riotous has more speed than the average steeplechaser and he should take q, lot of beating over two miles on the flat country at Wanganui. Manuii'i displayed promise in his first attempts as a steeplechaser at Hawera ft nd, although he fell on the first day, he gave'quite a good exhibition on the second day. Last week's form indicates that Manuiri is likely to be held safe by Riotous, but he is an improver and should beat more than will beat him. Tunbridge won recently at Marton, but there does not appear to have been a great amount of merit in tho performance. Possibly the best of the light-weights may be Don Krma, who r 'iri two fine races over hurdles at Hawera. and is a safe jumper. Bon Aryan is-, just a plodder and Royston is compartively a beginner, although he Ms won in the hunters' class on the flat. The form horses are Riotous and Manuiri and they are likely to be the faroiirilos,. Don Krma. may also be solidly fancied, and Luna Lux Avill not be neglected if produced fit. TE KUITI WEIGHTS vOrrcctioiiH in the telegraphed list of 'fights for tlip first day of Hie To Kuiti Jnefetinrr at fe Rapa are us follow?: —Te Haiti Hurdles: Tudor, 9.0. not 9.5: Royal J'lmorirl, 0.7, not 9.1: and Valpeen, 9.1. riot Oloiolinnpa Knelt Handicap: Bellkyri|iy. 7.1.3. not. 7.12; Pelngia, 7.1, not 7.7. '•ny Broney has been scratched for all •Bgagernoiits. RACING FIXTURES ir" 3 " J ft - 12—Wiiucamii Jockey Club. : «y 11. 12—Southland Racing Club. \fo 5 ' —Rnngitikei Racing Club. J2~ARlihurton County Racing Club. t> -I—Te Kuiti Racine Club (at Jo >. napni. Tnl? 2? r S o ,, t 1 ' Canterbury Jockey Club. Ti!«» 1' Otaki Maori Racing Club. t 4, 5--I)unedin Jockey Club. June -2. }, (1— Auckland Racing Club. •t« O—Creymoutb Jockey Club. ,j ,*) I r oxton Racing Club. Jimf V'-HnwUc's Rnv Jockey Club. Wftipa ltacing Club.