WINTER CUP

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22488, 4 August 1936, Page 7

WINTER CUP

GOOD mileks engaged recent form discussed PONTY SOLIDLY FANCIED A final payment of £M for the Winter Cup is duo 011 Thursday and it is probrblc that several of the 22 horses still engaged may drop out on that' day. Last year's winner, Epris, appears to be a very doubtful runner a s n result of a leg injury, and the {•ict that Mustang did not accompany H.t> ulion's other horses, Silk Sox and Hunting Maid, to Riccarton, indicates that he is certain to go out. However, ft fine field appears assured and the presence of many capable milors will make it a difficult race. The top-weight. Queen of Song, is a good mare, who won at distances from seven furlongs to a mile and ahalf last season, her victories including the Invercargill Cup, Wellington Cup, Kivcrton Cup and tho Great Autumn Handicap. In hor start following the Wellington Cup, Queen of Song ■ was narrowly beaten by Invoice over 6 j x furlongs in 1.12, a performance which demonstrated plainly that she is not. lacking in brilliance. Great Easter Winner After'a number of defeats, Concertpitch displayed marked improvement last season and gained four successive wins, the last and most important being the , Great Master Handicap at Riccarton, where he carried 7.0} and won b.v half a length from Prostration, 7.7 i, in 125. Prostration subsequently developed winning form, which made Concertpitch's oifort read well. C'oncertpitch is a four-year-old gelding by Balboa from High Note, and belongs to the same family as Autopav and lieonui. lie has not had a race recently, but is trained by T. H. Gillett, who understands how to get his horses ready without racing thorn into form. Fair Weather won two races at the Grand National meeting last year and later scored at Trentham and Timaru. His best efforts have been recorded at six and seven furlongs, but a mile is not beyond Win. The Aucldander Adalene. fourth last year, is one of the most consistent horses iri the field and rarely runs a bad race, although her wins have not been too frequent. At Trentham last month she registered three minor placings and a repetition of tho form she displayed in finishing geeond to Epris in the Winter Oats Handicap should give her a good chanw. ponty an Improver Toward the end of last season Ponty displayed good form in the hack class and the easy manner in which he won the Kia Or'a Handicap under 9.12 at Trentham last month indicated that promotion to open company would not prevent him from gaining further success. Ponty is a five-year-old by Hoseno r from Sporting Girl and is trained bv the trotting trainer M. B. Edwards As he is just reaching his best and appears to be at home in any kind of going, his prospects are very bright. Davolo has shown no form in his latest races and whether he will regain his former dash seems doubtful. However, he is a good galloper and would take considerable beating ir produced at his best. Mother Superior has not done as well as exported lately but she was second to Royal Dance over six furlongs at her last start, and a mile is not beyond her. Bay Duke is a. six-year-old brown bv Diacquenod from Merry Twinkle aiid a half-brother to the speedy Ned Cuttle. He has won a number of races in the South Island, and his last success was achieved in the Empire Handicap, six furlongs, at Dunedin m June, when he carried 8.10 and won bv three lengths from Fair Weather, o*s Progress of Wall Street Wall Street is a six-year-old gelding bv Night Raid from Mas.v Street. It was in October last that lie recorded his first win, but he has made marked improvement in the meantime and is evidently very useful. Southern reports favour Wall Street making a good showing and he is not likely to be neglected in the betting. Rona Bay does not appeal for a race of this description and a longer distance would suit her better. Golden Dart is an aged gelding by Arrowsmith from Finora and has won up to a mile and a-quarter. At the Waimate meeting last month he won the Morven Handicap, 1 mile, from Mount Val. subsequently he was unplaced in tne Clareinont Handicap at Timaru, whicn was won by Tho Surgeon. Metal Bird, an eight-year-old gelding by Weathervane from the good mare Stardancer, was bought last November by Mr. C. L. Kettle, of Grevmouth, for 60 guineas after his horse Royal Sceptre had had to _ be destroyed. In the meantime Metal IJird has registered several wins and some minor placings. At Trentham in January he finished second to Silver Streak over a.mile in 1.38J, and at Ashbmton in June he won the Maronan Handicap from Golden Dart and VN mo. form which should give him more than an outside chance. Chance For The Surgeon The seven-year-old gelding The Surgeon, by Shambles from Sweet Charity, has'made steady advancement during the season just closed, and is a horse who should run very well. At his last start he won the Clareinont Handicap at Timaru, running out the mile and 25 yards to score in good Btjle. Boomerang is another who has not long won promotion from the hack class, and his close third in the Whyte Handicap at Trentham suggests that ho will be very difficult to teat. Roomerang is trained by the successful trainer T. R. George, and is an improving four-.vear-old by Iliad from Grac-iosa. It will not be to Ins disadvantage if the track is soft, as he has shown Jiis ability to handle such conditions well. The race at this stage bears a very °pen aspect, but some who appeal are Ponty, Boomerang, The Surgeon and Concertpitch. RACING FIXTURES Ang-nst n, in. ir>— Canterbury Jockey Club August 22—I'akuringa Hunt. August 27—I'grnont-Wanganui Hunt Club. August 2!)—Taranaki Hunt Club. September r>—Otago Hunt Club. September 10 12—Wanganui Jockey Club. September 1 i)—Asliburton County Racing Club. September I!) Fox lon Racing Club. September ID, 21—Avondale Jockey Club. September 21 20— (Jeraliline Racing Club, freptcmh'-r ■_'(!—.Marlon Jockey Club, ofptcmbri 20—Rolorua-Hav of i'lenty Hunt „ Club. September 20 -Napier Park Racing Club. October :t—Kurow Jockey Club. "ctobe; otuki Maori Raring Club. 'Jctober !!, —-Taumarunui Racing Club (at A Prirroa). wtober n, io -Dunedin Jockey Club. October U)—Hannevirkc Racing Club (at "aipukurau). vetober 10, I.2—Auckland Racing Club, oc ober 10, 17— Masterton Racing Club. c oher 17—South Canterbury Jockey Club, uuober 17, hi—Dargavillo Racing Club (at AvonJ.de). KS o*' 0 *' ~1. _>C—Wellington Kiting Club. '-0- \\ averley Racing Club. (''"her 20— Waipawa County Racing Club "as'iiigs). 'aober 20—N'oftb Canterbury Jockey Club.' uctober 2(5—-\V'aikf,to Hunt Club, ctober 20. 27—Core Racing Club.