EASTER HANDICAP SURVEY

NZ Truth, Issue 1272, 17 April 1930, Page 15

EASTER HANDICAP SURVEY

Final track Form Points To Concliff, Harold Thorpe and Sunshower

TASK OF BACK-MARKERS IS HARD ONE

Once again Concliff has captured public opinion, his attractive track work having inspired visitors to Addington with the belief that he will go close to winning the Easter Handicap on Saturday. .'■•.. . .. .

WHILE fully cognisant of Concliff's j irevious promises and many downfalls, it is fair to state that the alleged Australian crack is better now than , at any time since, his arrival m New Zealand. ' . ' > His last mile and a-half of a twomile effort m 3.22, the concluding four furlongs of which he did easily in y I.S, was well done. v , ' ■„.•■ But "Truth" has not the same confidence m the chestnut's promise for Saturday as the majority. For instance, " if Tom ' Thumb '"hooped" to the. front and did his best, he would lead all the way. ...He is m the pink of. condition, and m private he has shown that he is a high-class pacer. Those who know him best doubt his gameness. ■ Age often has a beneficial influence on horses, and, maybe, Tom Thumb will come right. It has been noticeable that m races where he begins from the- front line, he goes best. His only associate off the 4.29 mark is Zenith, whose efforts of late have not been as convincing as some of his colleagues, but Zenith is a good racehorse" and can be depended upon to go a decent race. Harold Thorpe Improved Most interest outside of Concliff is centred m the 12 yards division, which includes Harold Thorpe,' Athlone, Jean McElwyn, Linkman and- Sunshower. A survey of track work shows Harold Thorpe m a favorable light. He is as fit as' a fiddle and his ability to pace; "half a mile m one minute gives real' evidence of his speed. What is more, he has shown m public that he has improved, m stamina. He will beat Jean McElwyn, but he will meet a tough nut m Sunshower. During last week Berry had his team

(By "The Toff")

at Addington, and both Jean McElwyn and Sunshower hit out m great style. Linkman is coming along gradually and will be m pretty good shape by Saturday. Since his fine performance ' m August, last he has- been very costly to punters, who lost their money because Linkman trained off and became jaded. He has freshened up rather well, and the fact of him not breaking watches m his work may be In his favor when it comes to a fight for the money on Saturday. " ■ . The Back-markers . Just how King Pointer is,i little is known. So far this season, King Pointer has not been m the limelight over two miles, but he has won several j races over that journey and f is considered- a good stayer. On Saturday he is on the same mark as Concliff, which will carry the most money of this pair, and on work and recent two-mile form he is entitled to more respect than King Pointer is. j On 36 y.rds is Cardinal Logan, which may be a serious menace to both King Pointer and Concliff. No news is good news arid that applies to Cardinal Logan, which, fit and well when he won at Greymouth, is assumed to have trained on satisfactorily. Cardinal Logan, is a good deal cleverer over two miles than he lias shown, and while S.unshower's and Harold Thorpe's, gap of 24 yards looks hard for him to bridge, Cardinal Logan should be among the first four. The three : back-markers are, Author

Jinks, Quality and Jewel Pointer. Of the trio, Jewel Pointer is the fittest. To concede 48 yards over two miles may be too big a task on Saturday, but he can be expected to pay a dividend before the meeting is over. Quality has not long- been m from a spell which has brightened her up considerably. She is a natural stayer and from the rear of a field she goes her best races. . : When the field is closely analysed, form and track work point to Harold Thorpe, Sunshower and Concliff fighting out the money.