THOMPSON HANDICAP

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22058, 14 March 1935, Page 9

THOMPSON HANDICAP

good horses engaged chances of gay blonde WEIGHT RECORD. INVOLVED BY ARCHER Excellent fields are carded for the opening off the Wellington Racing Club's meeting at Trentham next Saturday and some fine racing should be provided. Horses from practically all parts of the Dominion will be competing and interest will be widespread. The chief races are the Thompson Handicap, the Railway Handicap and thtf New Zealand St. Leger. The field in the three-year-old classic is very disappointing and it is unfortunate for the club that the event has not filled better. However, thero will be a good deal of interest in the meeting of Sporting Blood, winner of the New Zealand Derby, and Variant, winner of the New Zealand Oaks. As usual, the Thompson Handicap is creating considerable discussion and fancies are likely to take a wide range. Last year Golden Hair established a weight-carrying record for a three-year-old when she won with 8.7. This year •the Auckland filly Gay Blonde will endeavour to surpass that performance with 8.12 At a mile Gay Blonde is really good, and, in view of the fact that she won at a mile and a-quarter afc Te Aroha with 131b. more than weigbt-for-age, she may be quite equal to the occagion. In this race she has to carry 91b. above scale weight in a stronger field and it will be necessary for her to register a fine performance to win. Nevertheless, it is likely that she will answer all demands, as she has done in most of her races this season. The top-weight Nightly also has 91b.

over weight-for-age and he is likely to make a forward showing, although , Gay Blonde will bo expected to beat him at the heights. Cuddle is a good mare, but she may have enough to steady her. JRed Manfred's form this season has not reached expectations, but he is a good miler who has had

a chance to freshen up since racing last and he may prove very dangerous. Fracas is also capable of a solid performance at the distance and she may take a lot of beating. Princess Doreen has been working well and she should run well, although there are others who appeal more. Burnish's brilliancy is likely to take her a long way and Rulanut may prove a very troublesome light-weight. After a long absence from racing he won recently over six furlongs at Bulls. When he was racing in Australia he demonstrated that he could run a mile in good style and ho must be respected. There are some other possibilities nmong the light-weights and the best of them may be Cadland, Might, Fair Weather, Palm and Speed. The final gallops of the horses engaged may shed further light on the prospects, but at this stage Gay Blonde, Fracas, Rulanut and Red Manfred may be most faVopred. The Dominion's leading horsemen, W. J. Broughton and L. J. Ellis, who are having a close contest for the jockeys' premiership, will both be riding in the Thompson Handicap. Ellis is to ride Princess Doreen and Broughton will steer Fracas

FIRST TRENTHAM ARRIVALS SILVER RING AND GAY BLONDE 1 [by TELEGRAPH —OWN correspondent] WELLINGTON", "Wednesday Silver Ring, from Riccarton. and Gay Blonde and Gay Sheik, from Takanini,.havo arrived at Trentham. They are the first visitors on the scene. arriyAl of leighon STALLION FROM ENGLAND [by telegraph OWN correspondent] WELLINGTON, Wednesday Mr. J. J. McGrath'a eix-year-old horse Leighon, by /Gainsborough—Leighon Tor, imported for the Curragh stud at Waikanae, arrived Jby the Rangitane from London to-day. ife stood the voyage well, and is a commanding horse who created a very favourable imprc3sion on good judges who -inspected him. '

NOTES FROM EVERYWHERE TRACK AND STABLE GOSSIP . The term oti suspension on K. Keed and B. H. Morris -will expire at 10 p.m. on March 22. They \Vill miss the first day of the Manawatu meeting, but they will be eligible to on the second day. Among Mr. L. C. Huzlett'e candidates for the coming winter's tteeplechase events is Whipnot. a nine-year-old gelding by Tractor from Whiplash. He is a half-brother to "Whipcord. Avispado. Miss Winkie and Camisader. / Speed has not been rehandicapped for the Thompson Handicap because of his success at Napier Pa*k last Saturday. There were only two other horses in the race ho won and neither of them has shown good form recently. Sunny Sky, who ran second, was a good performer a couple of seasons ago and her wins included a Cornwall Handicap, but it is a long while since she has shown anything approaching that form. Speed will be ridden in the Thompwn Handicap bv o. Anderson. With a history now extending back over 40 years to 1892, the Thompson Handicap, run at the Wellington Racing C-lub's autumn meetings, has a title the significance ot which tends to be lost sight of as racegoers of a new generation take over the niain 'stage. The race was named _ M. Thompson, a merchant of Wellington and a vice-president of the elhngton Racing Club in the eighties and early nineties. Mr. Thompson did much good work for the' club, afad when he left New Zealand in 1891 to settle in Melbourno the stewards instituted the Thompson Handicap as «■ mark of appreciation for his services. The death is reported from Southland of the nine-year-,old mare Night Maid, yj'b°* with her racing davs over, was expectin to prove a, valuable addition to the stud. NiKt Maid was by' Night Raid from the Solferino mare Moijelle, and she was a sister to ISignt Lad, a useful performer. She had a i. Bir record of success herself, her wins includins the Dunedin Jockey Club's Aldworth Handicap, Winton Soldiers' Memorial Handicap, four races at Core, three at Invercargill and one at Riverton. as well as seconds in tne Southland and Winton Cups..Sbo was owned by Mr. S. Lynch, of Tapanui The following sales made ut a dispersal lale in Melbourne on March 1 on account of Mr. H. E Spry and the executors of the wtate of Mr. H L. Spry, are of interest to New Zealand :-Laity. by Leighton, with filly by Simeon's Fort. -10 guineas; Mantua, oy Solferino from Panama, with filly Simeon's .Fort. 50 guineas: Nadalla py doi* {erino from Nada. with filly by Simeon s Fort, guinea*; Note Issue, by. Paper Money from Philomel, with filly by Sumeon a Fort, 40 guineus; and Treasury Bond, by Paper Money from 80-Peeo. with filly by Simeon's Fort, 35 guineas. Of 19 mnres foal 3 B t foot by Simeon's Fort offered. 13 tad fillies. This English sire has recently s°big into prominence through the feats Trob®. TROTTING FIXTURES March 16—Cheviot Trotting Club { arch 23—Auckland Trotting Club. /Mwch 23-Rgxburgh Trotting Club. ■March 30, April 3 Manawatu Trotting Club. April 4,. 6—Thames Trotting Cluh. April 6. 13—Wanganui Trotting Club. A Sril 13-—Ashburton Trotting Club.