THE CLIFFORD PLATE

NZ Truth, Issue 1102, 13 January 1927, Page 9

THE CLIFFORD PLATE

Owners' Attention Required As a race; v the mile and a-half weight-f or-age event j&guring on the final day of the A.R.C. summer has often heen referred to as a farce.

THIS is. due to the fact that it seldom induces a decent sized ' field, and last, week's event was not the only occasion when the field was reduced to two as Charley O'Connor i sent them on their twelve furlong ' journey. ; Its was the same when Balboa j and Eligible contested the stake m j "1916, while m the interval three , -runners only have been noted on at least two occasions. . ; , It may seem strange to remark that ' when Gloaming won m 1922^, he met ; niore opponents than would be expect- : ed, for six starters went to the post. - For the 1927 contest, the fact that both; Commendation and . Seatpun ap-

peared among the payments influenced, quite a lot of enthusiasts to pay a visit to Ellerslie. . Unfortunately, however, Commendation was -withdrawn, while Seatown took on the Grandstand Handicap and won that race handsomely. -.' :■ As to Commendation, his owner can hardly be blamed for not stepping out his promising three-year T old m the bad ground. It would be a pity if the A.R.C. were compelled to withdraw the mile and ;a '*-■'■ half test from their programme, but the race has hardly been a payable one » from their point of view. It is too bad to note third money going begging, as was the case on the last day, at Ellerslie. . : /^ V•■ ■ i ■ . ■■ . • • ....... ■-...•, f PAYABLE BOYS Green and Driscoll Quite a lot of friendly argument has been going on regarding which apprentice rider^— T. Green or A. v Driscoll — -it would have paid best .' to follow during the Auckland Cup carnival. "MZ. TRUTH"* has gone fully into , * figures. 7v. It is '"found that though T. Green drew the most handsome-sized cheque for 19 taounts, including five winners and three thirds, £ 1 invested on each would have resulted m A. Driscoll's followers coming off best financially. This is due to the fact that his 16 mounts produced three first and t four second "dividends, which worked out at £ 45/17/6 fqr the £16 invested. In Green's case the cash netted : would have been £39/5/6 for £19 invested. Both boys were riding at the top of * their form- at Auckland. Provided they can keep down to reasonable poundage, there is every pros- " -. pect of their services being m great' demand. * . T. Green's victories at Elierslie included the important Railway Handicap and the A.R.C. Royal . Stakes. NOT RUBBISH Commendation's G.N. Derby Opponents (From rNJZ. Truth's* 1 Special Auckland Rep.) That Commendation's easy victory m the G.N. Derby is -worthy of more than passing thought was proven by the fact that three of his opponents — Lysander^ Seatown and Atloway' — won other events on the programme. TWO others (Oteriria and True Blood) *■ earned second honors, and yet another — Tinakoa — registered a third. Another m Phaola registered a bloodless third m the King's Plate, : while Chamour had previously figured as a ; winner at Ellersfie on three different occasions. Thus it will be seen the' Derby -field; of, New Year's Day was composed ot more, than mere rubbish. toiaw^MlllßßllllM

".■■• Y-A W^fmi^Cup candidate . ■■ ..-;,£