AUCKLAND STAKES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22628, 16 January 1937, Page 9

AUCKLAND STAKES

AUTUMN AND WINTER INCREASES DECIDED UPON G.N. STEEPLES WORTH £1250 The programmes for the autumn and winter meetings were decided upon yesterday by the committee of the Auckland Racing Club and increases were made in both instances. Each of the five hack events at the autumn meeting was increased from £275 to £.300, the President's Handicap from £350 to £IOO, and the Victoria Handicap from £350 to £4OO. an increase in prize money for the meeting of £225. i The eleven hack events at the winter meeting were each increased by £25, making the stake £3OO in each case.

It \va also decided to increase the Great Northern Steeplechase from £llOO to £1250 and to allot the prize money as follows: Winner to receive £850; second horse, £250; third horse, £100; fourth horse, £SO.

The increaso for the winter meeting prize money amounts to £125, a total for the two meetings of £650. The stakes for tho future classic events for which entries close next Juno were re-allotted on the same lines as last year. FITZHERBERT HANDICAP TOP ROW INELIGIBLE Appearing among the acceptances for tho Fitzherbert Handicap at the Wellington meeting is Top How, who was awarded top weight with 9.4. The conditions, however, governing this event state that it is for two-year-olds who have not at, time of starting won a race or races exceeding the value of £l5O to the winner. Top How was a winner at the Ashburton meeting in November, when he annexed the Lagmhor Plate, worth £BO to the winner. His other success was at Duncdin on Boxing Day, when he won the Dunedin Handicap, in which the winner received £l2O. Top How's total winnings, therefore, amount to £2OO, which makes him ineligible to start in the Fitzherbert Handicap.

A RISING STAR

SOUTHERN PACER WAIPAHI Visitors to tho Gore and Win ton trotting meetings were very much impressed by the performances of Waipnhi, a five-vear-old son of Prince Pointer and Olga Russell. At Winton he made a record of 2.43 4.-5 for 10 furlongs in saddle. His courage was well tested in this event by Budge, and, in addition, he looks the part of a champion. He is owned by Mr. W. McDonald, who races Satin King, and is trained at Oamaru by A. Henderson. Prince Pointer was mated with only a few mares in one season at Oamaru before being sold to Tasmania. NOTES FROM EVERYWHERE TRACK AND STABLE GOSSIP Royal Saxon, who had his first race for some years at Gore last October, is being trained as a steeplechaser at Riverton. He is rising 14 years. Returning to Riccarton from the country, Royal Limond is to be prepared for his usual winter circuit; Riverton, Te Rapa and Ellerslie. Cuddle has been entered for the Doncaster Handicap and Sydney Cup at Randwick and for the Newmarket Handicap and Australian Cup .at Flemington. The latest addition to R. S. Baghv's stable is a colt by Beau Pere from The Begum. Tha newcomer is a half-brother to Mazir and in a shapely colt, whose appearance and breeding suggest that he should gallop well.

Namakia has been entered for tho Doncaster Handicap, one mile, C. \V. Cropper Plate, Warwick Farm Liverpool Handicap, Victoria Racing Club Newmarket Handicap, six furlongs, and tho V.A.T.C. Oakleigh Plate, five and a-half furlongs, at the Australian autumn carnivals.

Mat or u, who was bought by J. S. Shaw on behalf of Mrs. D. Levin at the Ellerslie wjnter meeting, in June last, was an immediate success in the South Island, winning four races, with four seconds and a third placing before 'being given a spell. He is back in work again and is sound and well. Although he will have to race in open company in future, he should continue to do well.

The invasion of American horses in England has brought oyer a winner of the American Grand National, Battleship, who will contest the Liverpool Grand National if all goes well with him. Latest advices were that the critics had been impressed by his anpearance and action. War Vessel, who left America as Battleship's companion, was not considered of much account in his homeland, but he has begun to pay his expenses.

The two-year-old Aero King has been on the easy list since competing at the Auckland Racing Club's Summer Meeting as a resylt of a cold. By The Ace from Charis, ho is a half-brother to the Epsom Handicap winner Capris and he displayed marked promise in his last, start in the Sylvia Handicap, in which he displayed brilliant speed after being badly away. Aero King should coma into his own later on.

Although Land Raid's holiday form seems to have taken some by surprise, he was recognised as a horse of possibilities by keen observers on his first appearance at Biccarton from the West Coast, where lie was bred. He should be placed to advantage in one or more races at Trent-ham at a mile or a mile and a-quarter. He dropped out of the Wellington Cup but retained his Anniversary Handicap engagement.

ASIIBURTON CLUB'S STAKES AUTUMN MEETING INCREASE [HY TKT.KOUAI'H TItKSS ASSOCIATION] ASHBURTON, Friday The Ashburton Trotting Club's committee has decided to increase the stakemonev for the autumn meeting by £2BO, making a total of £IBOO. The stake for the Sapling Stakes of 19:38 has been increased to £I2OO, with no additional charge for forfeits or subscriptions. The present value is £IOOO. TROTTING FIXTURES January Iff —Timaru Trotting Club. January 23 —N.Z. Metropolitan Trotting Club. January 28. 30 —Forbury Park Trotting Club. January 30, February I—Nelson1 —Nelson Trotting Club. February 4, ri—Wellington Trotting Club. February <>, 10—Auckland Trotting Club. February 13—Canterbury Park Trotting Club. February 20 —New Brighton Trotting Club. February 20, 24 —Auckland Trotting Club. February 27 —Kaikoura Trotting Club. March 5. 6 —Invercargill Trotting Club. March 6— Wellington Trotting Club. March 13 —Wanganui Trotting Club. March 17 —Wyndbam Trotting Club.