ELLERSLIE TRACK

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22909, 11 December 1937, Page 13

ELLERSLIE TRACK

FERSEX IN G001) HEART

KILTOWYN FULL OF MUSCLE

ROYAL ABB VERY PROMISING' The hear approach of the Waipa meeting at Te Awamutu next Saturday and tho subsequent four days' carnival of the Auckland Racing Club lends itself for comment on the doings of Ellerslie horses with engagements at these .fixtures. Ellerslie will have good representation, but the local contingent will bo well tested to compcto successfully with the strong team of visitors. Wo tan lias suffered 110 ill-effects from Ills Australian venture, and looked bright and well when doing light exercise at Ellerslie yesterday. For the present ho will remain in tho (.'arc of H. Cook, who brought him back from Sydney. Royal Abb, who will race in Mr. A. H. Long's colours, is a good-mannered colt and is a promising galloper likely to bo one of the mainstays of It. S. Hagby's team as the Reason progresses. Tho minor juvonilo races at the summer meeting may draw, some good material, but,tho encouragement Royal Abb has given in his training suggests lie has possibilities. Kiltowyn was riot accorded a nomination for the Auckland Cup, although tho sound, work ho is accomplishing on tho tracks suggests his owner has definite ideas about Kiltowyn repeating his Slimmer Cup win. of four years ago. Howover, tho Christmas Handicap 011 the first day will give, a lead in this direction. Kiltowyn js a mass of condition and even better than when ho ran a close second to Dark Shadow in tho middle-distance event on the second day of the recent Takapuna meeting. H. I\. Wiggins, who has yet to win an Auckland Cup, will ride Mazir in the two miles event at Ellerslie on Boxing Day. Mazir finished a close fourth last year and in view of his consistently good efforts lately is likely to havo a strong following. Fersen's chance in the Auckland Cup cannot be discounted because of a sequenco of failures. He is a true stayer, as instance his New Zealand Cup win last year, and he may be running on when many others are tiring. He is looking and galloping well, and if ho happens to strike an easy track 011 Boxing Day will have enhanced prospects. Tho three-year-old Play On has come on rapidly of late and now has the appearance of a horse with a future. A race at the last Takapuna meeting proved beneficial, and steady progress since has brought him to a pitch where he can be depended on for a solid race at his next attempt.

SUCCESSFUL MISSION AUSTRALIAN TROTTERS SEVENTEEN EASTER ENTRIES (Received December JO, » p.m.) SYDNEY. Dec. 10 Mr. D. F. Glanville....who was sent to Australia by the Metropolitan Trotting Club to. recruit entries for international races at Easter, has visited New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia and he has secured 17 nominations, including those of the best horses in the three States. The entries include Wrinkle, Dan's Son. Speedy Boy, Lawn Derby,; Logan: Derby and Marhln Bath. Mr. Glanville will return to New Zealand in the Awatea to-night. " BIWORTHY HANDICAPPfiD ON 3.45 AMONG TROTTERS An additi&n to the Selby Handicap, for trotters, limit 3.49, on the first day of the Auckland Trotting Club's meeting is Biworthy, who has been placed on 48 yards behind. NOTES FROM EVERYWHERE TRACK AND STABLE GOSSIP Custodian, who has not raced since February of last year, has been recommissioned by; the Orari trainer, J. W. Pankhurst. Twilight Song, who is in the Maiden Stakes at Woodville, will run'to-day in the colours of Mr. S. J. Newlands, Wellington, but he is remaining with w. j. Wood. , The two English thoroughbreds purchased in England by Air. W. ;Higgins are expected to arrive on Friday next. They will be given a year in which to acclimatise. - "" ■ ) The Southland Cnp winner, Ard? choille, has won £485 in stakes, so that ho is still a hack, but it is probable that his future racing will continue; to bo in open company. Two winters ago, Chile was secured on lease by the Waslulyko trainer, P. 'l'. Hogan, but the high-weight raco at Hororata will be his first appearaneo in Hogan's interests. He is a brother, to Agrion, which is his only claim to fame. • / / ; , Trebleack has recovered from a cold and he is galloping well agaiiv at Invercargill. He is expected to win more than one race over the holidays." His half-brother, Waitoru, has recovered from soreness and is in good condition to begin another preparation.

The Wellington Cup next January will currv a stake ol £I2OO, with a trophy valued at £SO in addition. Stakes of all the other principal handicap events have been "increased and as wns the case at the last previous meeting, no stake is smaller tnan £300..

At tho Newmarket, thoroughbred sales in October, all the five horses in training for Prince Aly Khan, son of tho Aga Khan, were sold for an aggregate price of 2665 guineas, highest price of £IOOO being paid for the four-year-old gelding Sidley Dee, by. Prestissimo from Script.

A table published yesterday showed that the mare, Hilda, had been three times placed in the Auckland Cup without. winning. A more unlucky record is that of Count Cavour, who was runner-up in three successive years and third two years later.

W. Little, nn Australian jockey who served his apprenticeship with Ij. JMcC'ann at Caulfioid, and has since been riding in India, joined Mrs. A. "\V. McDonald's stable this week and will have his first engagements in tho Dominion at Woodvillo to-day. Little goes to scale at 7.8.

Although most clubs are now using the 7.0 minimum, only two events will be decided with this; minimum nt tho Wait-urapa Racing Club's Summer Meeting at tho New Year. The two events referred to arc tho open sprint on 'the first day and the open distance .handicap on' tho second day. A 7.7 minimum will operate in the AVairarapa Cup and in both juvenile events.

The good, sprinter Hcreatu has done well since racing on each day of the Takapuna, meeting, with the result he now bears a more racy appearance, while the lighter imposts lie will carry at the Auckland Racing Club's meeting should help liim. Rereatu is engaged at Te Awamutu next Saturday, when his running might shed some light on his prospects at Ellerslie.