TUESDAY'S OPENING

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22009, 16 January 1935, Page 7

TUESDAY'S OPENING

WELLINGTON CUP FIELD " iffOOD CONTEST EXPECTED THE TELEGRAPH HANDICAP BY ARCHER Horses from practically all parts of the Dominion will be competing at the Wellington Racing Club's Summer Meeting, to bo held at Trentham on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday of next week, and interest in the racing will be widespread. The meeting is one of the most important of the season and as usual, the Wellington Cup and the Telegraph Handicap, the chief handicap events on the first day, are attracting considerable attention. . The Auckland Racing Club Handicap winner, Vintage, heads the field of tvrelve in the Wellington Cup with 9st. 91b., which is 31b. more than he suecess- ! fully carried over a mile and a-half at Ellerslie. Compared with the horses he defeated on that occasion Vintage will now meet them on the following worse terms: —Grand Jury (third), 71b.; Caliente (fourth), 71b.; Spiral, 91b.; and Rocket, who carried overweight, sjlb. Prospects of Vintage Only one horse, Star Stranger with 9st. 81b. in 1928, has been successful with over 9st. in a period of twenty-five years, so that it will be necessary for Vintage to record an attractive performance to win. However, he has proved himself good and a repetition of the form he revealed at Ellerslie will make hirh very difficult to beat. He is a big gelding who carries weight really wall, and he will need only to be landed at the post fit to have a very substantial following. Of those who finished behind Vintage at Ellerslie the one most likely to show improvement may be Grand Jury, who did not do particularly well while in Auckland. Grand Jury won last year with 7st. 51b., and he followed up that performance by winning the Wellington Racing Club Handicap with Bst. 21b. With Bst. 41b. he has a weight under which he should run a very solid mile and a-half if at his best and the chances are that he will beat more than _ will beat him. Gay Marigold has been doing well again lately and she is a consistent performer who can be relied upon for a good effort. Red Manfred has not done as well as expected this season, but bis second in the Grandstand Handicap on the final day at Ellerslie indicated that he may be regaining form. His prospects would be enhanced if rain came to ease the track, as he likes the sting out of the ground and has run some of his best races when the going has been that way. ' ■/ • Form of Tout Le Monde Spiral did not race well at Ellerslie, but it may not be wise to discard him entirely on that account. In the spring he failed to perform up to expectations at. Ellerslie, but he won immediately afterwards at Trentham, to which course h© seems to be partial, as he has run some of his best races there. Cuddle is an improving mare who is thoroughly fit after her racing during the holidays,, when she won the Marton Cup very easily. She has yet to prove herielf at a mile and a-half but she is out of a Martian mare and those who have-witnessed her best form are hopeful that she will stay rather well. Tout le Monde redeemed 'his tarnished reputation by his good form during the holidays when he won tho Manawatu Cup and the President's Handicap, at Awapuni. The mile and ahalf is not beyonCTout le Monde and this may be^is:chance to win a really important Caliente was possibly not seen quite, at her best when she failed in her engagements at the summer carnival at Ellerslie but she has had time to freshen up and may prove one of the best of the light-weights. She stays solidly and in a soundly-run iace she may make her presence felt with the iniuimum. Royal Artist was successful two years ago but his form in the meantime has not been attractive and his latest efforts have been by no means encouraging. Red Sun was second to Tout le Monde in the Manawatu Cup but his form has been disappointing. Silver Sight has raced fairly consistently in the South Island and is a genuine customer who may be equal to a forward showing. Rocket's running at Ellerslio was not attractive and, although he is a solid stayer, recent form does not say a great deal for chance. It promises to be a 'very interesting contest and some whose chances may be well fancied are Vintage, Grand Jury and Gay Marigold. The Sprint Contest Some very smart sprinters will appear in the Telegraph Handicap and v the-issue is decidedly open. I'ho -topweight Autopay won recently at Awapuni and in his best form lie should not be out of it with 9.4. Diatomous and Silver Streak are also recent winners and both may be prominent at the finish. Rereatu was unlucky to lose on tho final day at Ellerslie but he appears to do best when the ground is easy and a really firm track might not be entirely in his favour. Princess Doreen ran two solid races at Ellerslio and is in great heart. Wheriko, who won at Awapuni, appears to be a good galloper and he may have possibilities. Cranford is expected to do better on tho left-handed course at Trentham than he did the reverse way round at Ellerslie, where his best effort was to run second to Silver Jubilee in th«) Newmarket Handicap. Star Artist anrl Namakia, who are both capable of'running a fast six furlongs, may prove dangerous light-weights. Lucidus has three successive wins in weaker company to his credit but ho will have a much more severe test on this occasion. Guarantee is also smart and is by no means a forlorn hope, although there are others whose prospects appeal. more. Some who may find favour are. Diatomous, Silver Streak and Cranford. WELLINGTON CUP RUNNER GAY MARIGOLD FOR TRENTHAM It has been decided that Gay Marigold contest tlie Wellington Cup, and her stable mate King March will remain at home for tho Takapuna Cup. 11- t>. Bagbv will take Gay Marigold to Trentham on Friday. Both horses showed by yesterday s eollop that there in little amiss with them. , 11. Goldfinch A-i!l ride Gay Margild and Lusidus at Trentham and will return north ft'tsr the second day of the Wellington meetto take the mount on King March m the ■Takapuna Cup. ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS "A.C.," Poker.o.—Golden Wings has not Jon the Thompson Handicap at Trentham. The last foiir winners of that race are pilvermine. G'gy Crest, Autopay and Golden Hs.ir. ''lnterested." Kerepeehi.—The only race won by Indianapolis at the Auckland Trot- •} H g Club's Summer Meeting last month was tho Champion Handicap, li miles, on the second day. - "Inquirer." Wnihou.—The horse S. Henderson wus riding when he was severely injured at Pat;roa in March. 1929, was Mangmti, by Carl Rosa from an Extractor I ttur#.