HURDLERS' FORM

New Zealand Herald, Volume 82, Issue 25202, 15 May 1945, Page 7

HURDLERS' FORM

RUNNING AT TE AROHA BEARING ON NORTHERN BY ARCHER No fewer than 22 candidates for the Great Northern Hurdles, 2$ miles, at Ellerslie on June 2 competed in the jumping events at the Poverty Bay Turf Club's Winter Meeting at Te Aroha last Saturday, 11 in the Waimata Hurdles (open) and 11 in the Herriesville Hack and Hunters' Hurdles. It can scarcely be said that the form was very illuminating, although some of the horses showed that they were very fit, notably Moderate, who won the Waimata Hurdles, j Recent racing has brought Moderate to a high pitch of condition, and he won his race at the right end. outstaying Dumbo after the latter had led over the last fence. Dumbo was responsible for a solid performance also, and is an improver. Perhaps, if his rider had waited a little longer before going after the pacemaker. Brantome, who established a commanding k-ad over the first few fences, Dumbo ■ might have won. Moderate is ageiug. he is I now eight, and he has never impressed as a real stayer. Whether he is better in that respect than formerly remains to be proved. At the moment, he is one of the fittest hurdlers racing, and his seasoned conditibn was undoubtedly a factor in his success on Saturday, when he nag -w el I handled by the southern rider R. Heasiey, who was appearing on an Auckland course for the first time Heasiey is a very capable horseman. The Great Northern Hurdles horses whom Moderate defeated in the Waimata Hurdle* were Dumbo. Fcxsen. Gold Cape, Wildore Stock .Exchange, Sir Grant. Lapidarian, Bran tome. Lucky Alex and Snrp3i/ For his win last week. Moderate has earned a rehandic.ip of 51b for the Great Northern Hurdles, and| he will meet them all with the exception of Brantome and Surpai on s!b worse terms. He will meet Brantome 61b worse, and Surpai, if the pound overweight the latter carried in th« Waimata Hurdles is taken into account, 41b worsp. Moderate's weight in the Great Northern Hurdles is now 10.12. which is exactly what he carried last Saturday. Factors which should assist Moderate in the long and trying journey over two and a-half miies at Ellerslie are his present fitness, his ability to carry weight well in heavy going and his good jumping. Ths doubt where be is concerned is whether he can stay well enough. Likely Improver In a Great Northern connection, one of the likeliest improvers among those who finished behind Moderate in the Waimata Hurdles is Gold Cape, who finished fourth. Gold Cape was having his first start- over hurdles since he won at Ellerslie in October. Meanwhile, he has had only an occasional race on the flat, which indicates that his training and racing havi been planned to have him at top for the mi portant hurdle races of the winter. As. a four year-old last year Gold Cape ran fourfii m the Great Northern Hurdles with 9.2. He ha? 10.5 this year, but is an improved horse in the meantime, although he has not won just lately. The race he had last Saturday should be very beneficial to Gold Cape, who looks a good type for a race like the Great Northern Hurdles. Gold Cape's pedigree is a combination of staying and jumping blood, and he may come to a high standard as a hurdler this winter, which is his second as a jumper. Dumbo is only a four-year-old, and he has not had a great deal of experience as a hurdler, although he is a winner. His effort in the Waimata Hurdles was encouraging, and may cause him to be regarded a 6 one of the possibilities among those near the minimum in the Great Northern Hurdles. Dumbo is weighted at 9.2. Foxsen's third in the Waimata Hurdles was surprising because she has been out of form and has had very little racing in the past six or 6even months. She w as sore after fanning at the summer meeting at Ellerslie, and subsequently her forelegs were lightly blistered. Foxsen is evidently a little more forward than believed, although there was no particular merit in her third, because she was ten lengths behind Dumbo, arid merely plodded past beaten horses at the end after being well back early. Foxsen is a staying hurdler. She was second in the Great Northern Hurdles last year with 9.6 and also second in the Winter Hurdles with 9.11 She has 10.4 in the Great Northern Hurdles this year, and would be difficult to beat if back to her best. There may be just a doubt whether she can recover top form so soon as June 2, although she is coming on again. Foxsen is a reliable jumper without being spectacular, and all going well she may again defeat most, of those she beat at Te Aroha. Brantome Disappointing Ihe four-year-old Brantome disappointed, tiring quickly in the heavy going after galloping and jumping in dashing style for about a mile and a-half. Brantome does not appear to staj; well yet when the ground is heavy, and he is a big gelding who may be all the' better for another year on him. In view of his breeding, he should not lack stamina, and age may do a lot where he is concerned. If he develops staying power. Brantome is a hor6e who may be a good type for the Grand National Steeplechase at Riccarton, where the ground is usually drier in winter-than at Ellerslie and Trentham. Brantome and Dumbo, being four-year-olds are the youngeet horses in the field for the Great Northern Hurdles. It woull be nothing new If a four-mr-old were to win the Great Northern Hurdles, although one has not been successful since 1922. Past winners of the race at that age are St. Simon with 12.12 in 1897, Cavalier with 10.0 in 1900, Merriwai with 9.2 in 1907, Wimmera with 10.9 in 1910. Te Onga with 9.0 in 1914, and Poanui with 10.0 in 1922. Usually the race is run when the ground is very heavy; there have been few occasions when the going hag been good, and the race requires a horse who can jump well and keep running on solidly right to the end of the two and a-half miles. Last year's winner Hunto carried 10.10 and ran 4.51. The race record is held conjointly by Prince of Orange and Town Survey, both of whom ran 4.41. The most impressive of the candidates who ran in the Herriesville Hack and Hunters' Hurdles were the division winners Our Nation and New Battle. Our Nation carried 9.12 and ran 3.26. a second faster than Moderate recorded with 10.12 in the Waimata Hurdles. New Battle carried 9.1 and ran 3.25. New Battle is a farm-trained horse, but he has been showing steady improvement lately, and it would not be surprising if he were to win a good race this winter. New Battle jumps both hurdles and country well. In the Great Northern Hurdles, Our Nation has 9.7 and New Battle 9.0. Both are six-year-olds and are well conditioned at present. Our Nation was thought a possibility in the Great Northern Hurdles last year, but ran disappointingly.