WAS A FALSE FAVORITE

NZ Truth, Issue 1175, 7 June 1928, Page 11

WAS A FALSE FAVORITE

i • — — —^— — ; G.N. Hurdles Records All Against The Heavily Burdened (From "N.Z. Truth's" Special Auckland Representative.) „ There was a most surprising happening m connection with the Great Northern Hurdle race.

THAT was to find Wedding March, 1 which was burdened with 11.8 on a. holding track;, made favorite, especially m view of the fact that the race had never been won by anything laboring under such an impost. Punters were certainly entitled togive Wedding March a show because of the fact that he had carried somewhat similar imposts to victory over two -mile tracks since winning the G.N. Hurdles last June with 191bs. less. ; But to make Hannon's horse \ favorite hardly seemed solid rea-' soning m view of the fact that before the race it seemed that the light-weight division last week were better than m most years. Only one horse has so far Avon the 2% -miles eA'ent with more than list — Fisher (11.2), when those m under lOst had mostly poor qualifications for inclusion* m the field. Of the 22 contests so far over the 2% -miles course, no fewer than a dozen have been won by horses m the 1 9st odd division. '. Many of the minor place-fillers down the years are those burdened with light imposts. : * All.. three cash-earners m this year's hurdle event were m at 9.5 or under. MiiiiimiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiimiiiiimiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiMiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiimn

: Those burdened with list or. more under the present system of handicapping will have to be almost superhurdlers if they can hope to survive Under , the heavy track conditions uiualiy- associated with June racing- at •: Ellerslie. ■ ; '.->};' The two-and-a-half-miles Great Northern Hurdles is certainly not m favor of the 11st odd division at present. Punters may be wise to take note of the fact. It is different m the Great Northern Steeplechase, where jumping ability and real staying powers often tell the tale m favor of the heavily-burdened candidates over a moderate lot. ' ' • IN THE OPEN CLASS NOW . _ _ TT was the, fact that Auriculous was ■*■. ridden by practically an unknown horseman which caused, the Lucullus filly to return a false dividend m the opening event at Ellerslie. She was known to favor soft going like the majority of her breeding and she did the job well, but her task will not be. so easy m future as she is forced out into the open class. luiiniiminmiiiuummimmmmjiiiiMiimimuiiiiiMiimiiiiiiiiminiiMiiiiuiinmiiii!