TE RAPA FORM

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23662, 22 May 1940, Page 7

TE RAPA FORM

BEARING ON NORTHERNS JEWELLED GIRDLE SHINES GOOD EFFORT BY BALDRIC BY ARCHER Form at the; Waikato .Racing Club's Winter Meeting at To llapa last. Saturday and Monday was followed with considerable interest in view of the Great Northern carnival, which opens at Ellerslie next Saturday week. Of the jumpers, the most pleasing form was revealed hv Jewelled Girdle and Baldric and both have advanced in favour for the Great Northerns-as a. result. The, manner in which they registered their victories was convincing, and Jewelled Girdle, now in his lltli year, has reached greater eminence than at any previous stage of his career.

On tlio first day Jewelled Girdle won the Waikato Hurdles. 1% miles, with 0.10, and on the second the Hamilton Hurdles, two miles, with 10.0, scoring on the latter occasion by eight lengths. Originally ho was weighted at 0.2 for the Ureat Northern Hurdles and now he has been rchandicapped to 10.2, Kvon so, lie does not come in so badly with the horses he defeated in the Hamilton Hurdles, meeting Inness Lad (second) on the same terms and General Ruse (third) 'Jib better. Inness Lad, who was second to Charade last year with and General Ruse are both on the minimum in the Great Northern Hurdles. Difference in Weights

Actually, from tlio Hamilton Hurdles Jewelled Girdle will be down lib. and others be defeated in that race will be down as follows:—streamline (fourth). 10|b; Loombination, :*»»; Aussie Ha. '_>lb; Lapidartali, 71b; Devon, lib; and A nog. 1511). The figures aro most favourable to Streamline, who will now meet Jewelled Girdle olb better. Moreover, Streamline may be the most improved by the racing, as lie has not yet reached the peak of condition and another fortnight should do a good deal for liini. However, it appears very doubtful whether lie is entirely suited by heavy going, although the ehaiices are that the ground might not be as bad at Ellerslie as it was at To Rapa on Monday. Streamline may run very well in the Great Northern Hurdles and his work iu tlio meantime will be watched with interest . Naturally, Jewelled Girdle has much to recommend him us a probable, winner of the Great Northern" Hurdles, as in addition to possessing plenty of size he stays and Junius well and excels in heavy going, which appears to be assured after the rain lately. Jewelled Girdle is a brown gelding by-Kit broney, successful sire of stayers, from J<olonia, by Monoform from Scabird. by Ben Godfrey, and tracing to the imported mare Coronarin (3), by Sweetmeat. Tlio broruirirC is interesting because of bis close relationship to the Ii)•_»-; Great Northern Hurdles winner Poanui, by Poloa (son. of Monoform) from Scabird. It is on the cards that Jewelled Girdle will add further lustre to the record of a family that has produced some notable mudlarks. Position of Inness Lad The performance of inness Lad in finishin-? second in tlie Hamilton Jlunlles was his best for some time and evidently he is recovering his dash. The effort encourages the belief that he will again run prominently, especially as lie is susceptible, to improvement in the next II days, and lie is likely to have a good following. Still, ho will require to make progress to turn tlio tables 011 Jewelled Girdle, who is fit and should bo right at the top of his form if alt continues well with him. One fact that' is worth keeping in mind as far as Inness Lad is concerned is that ho has proved Ips ability to run the distance solidly. The disappointment at Te Rapa was Aussie Rn, who ran unplaced 111 both his r:lccs - Gn tlio first occasion he made a creditable showing. being fairly close to the placed horses after hitting a fence hard, but on the second day lie was never going well 111 the ,hea\> ground and was badly beaten. Aussie Ra is capable of doing better as he revealed when he finished second to Padishah 111 the Grand National Hurdles at Riccarton last August. Now that he is more seasoned an important success should be well within his reach, although it would appear that he will require tlie ground better than it was last Monday if he Is to show his best. A Genuine Stayer The belief that Baldric is a genuine stayer was strengthened by the manner in which ho finished on to beat Clarion Call at tho end of the Te Rapa Steeplechase about three miles. Certainly lie had a great advantage with a pull of -lolb in tlio weights, but Clarion Call is a class steeplechaser and tlio victory was the more pleasing considering that ho lost several lengths by a faulty jump about fivo furlongs from homo, Only a true stayer could have come 011 in the fashion ho did after that and ho responded gamely to the urgings of his rider to scoro decisively at the end. Baldric gained many friends for the Great Northern Steeplechase as a result of his success and may be the favourite even though lie has been rehandicapped from 0.0 to O-HJ. ~ Whether Baldric will bo reserved for the Steeplechase has not yet been decided. He is in the Great Northern Hurdles with ihu minimum, and as he is a winner among the hack hurdlers this season, Ins owners may bo tempted to let him take bis chance in that event. However, lus prospects ' so bright in the Steeplechase that they may deem it wise to reserve lum for that ewnt, especially as lie goes so well over and has been successful previously over the Fllorslie fences. If he is allowed to miss the Hurdles and is reserved for the Steeplechase, what beats him should win. Handicaps Compared Compared with the Te Raoa Steeplechase Baldric will meet horses be defeated 011 the following worse terms in the Great Northern Steeplechase:—Clarion Call (second), bib, All Irish (third), 17lb; En Tour, 1211): MlO Lume, 131b; Biform, 1 —lb; Little Briton, nyjW and Tutor, Olb. The r.gures are most favourable to lus stnblnmatc All Irish, who won the shorter "Waikato Steeplechase on 10 second day with 31.11. However, the longer journey in the Great Northern Steeplechase may trouble All Irish, and even at the difference in weight the preferenro may be for Baldric. Possibly MlO Lume who fell at Te Rapa, and Riforrn may be better prospects in tlie Great Northern ™cep cclnse than cither Clarion Call or All Irish. .1. they are. ■ sound stayers and may improve •1 little before the merlins. . , There is no doubt that Baldric, is belter

than he looks, his gaunt appearance suggesting fiat lie is delicate. However, his latest form has heon consistently good and the best probably has yet to be seen of him. fin the scoro of breeding he has much to commend him, being by Martanna a Derby winner, and son of tho great sire , Marl.un, frnm Life, by Gay Lad, son of Cellini, from Flower .of tho "West, (imp.), by Arizona from Floworer. by Persimmon. It is therefore not surprising that he is a true stayer. NO SPECIAL TRAINS GREYMOUTH CANCELS CARD [jjy TKLKCKAVn —OWN CORRESPONDENT] GREYMOUTH, Tuesday Tho Greymoutb Jockey Club has reluctantly been compelled to abandon ils annual winter meeting, set down for June 15, owing to railway restrictions. No special trains would run between Greymoutb and Omoto racecourse, while there would also be no special trains from outlying districts. Willi the petrol restrictions also a problem, the club considered it inadvisable to attempt to conduct a meeting oil that date. AWAPUNI EXERCISES TIDEWAITER AS HURDLER [nv TKLKonaPTi —own correspondent] PALMERSTON NORTH, Tuesday The Awapuni course proper was oj>en and the going was easy to-day. Tidnwaiter (C. Rlry) and Kincora (P. Jarvis) sclino cd over four hurdles. They gave a good exhibition. Kincora is entered for tho hurdlfe race at Foxton. El Mevnell (P. Jarvis) was put over , tho country. I'lie first time round he was given a look at the fences and then he was schooled tvitli .soino pace on, giving a good account of himself. , , Eupatrid was under restraint over five furlongs, the last threo taking hini 4:35. Kaiwaka had a working gallop and others given light tasks were Old' Surrey, Quadroon, Old Bill, Catalogue and tho horses from J. J. Waller's stable. Anita Foe was given a working gallop over a mile, tins pace being increased for the run home. It is expected she will have her next race at the Dannovtrke Hunt meet'"'princess Mcrling and Royal Fleet, the Laughing Prince youngsters in L. 0. Morris stable, were given a three-furlong gallop down the back stretch, moving well. Juinna sprinted three furlongs in 40 3-ss. It was a smart effort. PURCHASE OF NORSE [llY Ti:r,KOltATH —OWN CORRESPONDENT] C'HRISTGHURCH, Tuesday The three-year-old gelding Norse, by Valkvrian from Flourish, bred by Mr A. S. FI wort by . and owned by Messrs. hi worthy •ind 1) W. Gould, lias been sold to Mr. (i. 11. Paul, Washdyke. the former owner of Gold Salute, whom be sold in Australia for a substantial price. Xorse has contested four rices for two seconds and a fourth and is one'of the most promising young horses to he produced in South Canterbury for tome time.