FIRST DAY AT AWAPUNI

NZ Truth, Issue 1151, 22 December 1927, Page 9

FIRST DAY AT AWAPUNI

Cup and Sprint Fields Under The Spotlight The field set- down to contest the Manawatu Cup on Monday can only be termed disappointing — there are only eight acceptors. ,

OP this number only one — Piuthair— is asked to carry over eight stone and three of the eight are on the minimum. Five of the acceptors are mares and the race should go to one of the alleged weaker sex. Back to the form she showed last autumn, Piuthair would toe a home-and-dried proposition. She has failed so far this season, tout there is every reason to expect her to do better from noiv on. Lady Desmond and Joy Bird are on the 7.8 mark and of the pair the former is fancied most. Her party thought she had a good show m the New Zealand Cup, but unfortunately that race found her not herself. Next week it should be a different matter and she will probably account for Joy Bird, though the latter has been staying on well of late. Last year's winner, Novar, has only 7.2. He has done nothing of note of late weeks and for that reason will be passed by. On the minimum are Wild Pigeon, Assurance and Gaze, and it says little for the first-named as an Oaks winner to be down there. Most will look to numbers one and

two m the book to <win. They are Piuthair and Lady Desmond. The sprint has filled far more satisfactorily and it should be a fine race. With the form Kiosk has shown, he should (be favorite and even with his 'burden it will be hard to beat him. Lady Cavendish shows signs of returning to the form she is capable of producing. Feilding running points to her being a possibility. Civility is preferred to Stormy, but Licinius should hold this pair — and Royal Game also. He was 'going very well when he fell at Feilding and if that mishap has not unduly affected him he will make those giving him weight travel. Still, he* is so unlucky that many are afraid to go on with him. These conclude the eight-stone division and eig-ht are engaged with less than that weight. In their class they manage to hold their o.wn, but next week it may be too rich for them. The best of the bunch is probably Epistle. If not altogether up to the best of them, she is more than moderately smart. Kiosk is going- to have most supporters, with money for Lady Cavendish and Licinius.