Northern Notes

NZ Truth, Issue 878, 23 September 1922, Page 9

Northern Notes

(By "Walmangu.")

The Auckland season opens to-day, when the Avondale Club will hit off with the Spring Meeting. Gasbag is sure to be one of the hardest to beat m the Avondale Cup. If Alteration cannot win amongst the goats he has to beat to-day at Avondale, then he is not half a hurdle racer. Lady Lois, who won the Avondale Stakes last year, and then went to pieces, looks really well, but the question is whether W. Donaldson j has developed her speed. Most of the Auckland horses will be making their reappearance after, months of idleness, and most of them will require a race or two to put them right. They are a pretty rough lot m the Maiden, and perhaps the result will bo m keeping with previous years. A big dividend. Royal Present will go out well backed m the Cup, despite the fact that he is not thrown into the race. Just how good he is nobody knows, because he won his races at a hand canter. Those who saw Lady Rouge' finish close tip to' the placed horses m big fields at the Northern meeting will not forget her when the tote bells are ringing on the Maiden this afternoon. Hyginas at his beat is a class above the hurdlers, he will meet at Avondale, but the gelding has' not been showing his best for a long time, and the chances are that he is on the down grade. Still the field is weak. The fact that R. Hannon has paid up for Royal Abbey m the Cup suggests that the chestnut is pleasing his owner-trainer. "Dick" does not throw money away paying acceptance fees for horses that have no chance. The, wining owners' list each year is proof of this. The Aucklanders Lady Hill and Kin<^ Neva, who have been touring away from home, did no good on the trip. Excellent nominations have been received for the Whangarei meeting, and everything points to this energetic club scoring a big success. The jumper -Master Mick is now one of P. Conway's team: Golden Glass showed up rather well on one occasion last season m a. hack race at Avondale and may have more than a good show to-day m the Maiden. Illumination has done practically no fast work of late, and he is not likely to be seen at his best till later on. The victory of Admiral Codrington at Wangamii has caused tho handicapper to raise his weight m the Cup to-day to Bst 61b. One of the hardest to beat. Should have won twelve months ago. The Flying Stakes is a very open race, but perhaps when the post is reached Civilform and Lucius will be there. Dovelet has been going nicely m her work, but she is too unlucky to put good money on. Gold Kip is coming down m the handicaps, but a mile and a-half m the Cup may be just a shade too far. The big race on Monday may suit him better. Stammer is the sort likely to bring off a surprise at any time. The peculiar looking gelding is engaged m the Henderson Handicap. : It would be difficult to get together a worse field of horses than those m the Hack and Hunters' SteeplechaseIt is certain that most of them will either fall or run off, and punters will know from past experience that a wise plan is to leave steeplechases alone at Avondale. One of the most forward of the Auckland contingent m the Cup is Martial Dawn, and this mare will be still m the race when many of the others have cried enough. Stork is too slow a beginner to be suited m such a Wg field on a course like Avondale. Brentland will carry good money m the Henderson Handicap, but at the seven furlongs post the draw for position has a lot to do with a horse's chance. If Mimiwhangata can jump at all decently he should make a job of the field m the Hunters' Steeplechase. F. D. Jones must have been disappointed with the running of Urgency at Wanganui, as he was not accepted for m the Avondale Cup. The Avondale Stakes to-day will introduce the two-year-olds to Auckland for the first time. The ' local youngsters do not appear to be anything but of the ordinary, and some of them are not nearly ready to run out a 'fast five furlongs. Most likely the visitors will have things all their own way, and most of; the money invested- wil be entrusted to Orofino and Queen's March. It is bad luck for the owner that Highland is not engaged m the Avondale Guineas. However, the stable* has another good one to rely upon m Lucius.