SOUTHERN INVASION

NZ Truth, Issue 1305, 18 December 1930, Page 13

SOUTHERN INVASION

Strong Contingent of Canterbury Contenders For North

BIG BATTLE FOR RICH PRIZES.

(From ''N.Z. Truth's" Special Christchurch Representative.) • The present week maa-ks the exodus of a good number of Canterbury horses bound for the rich prizes- ttf be battled for up North. Chief among the number, of course,; is Nightmarch, which is at present favorite- for the Auckland Cup, and, despite opinions to the contrary, is still likely to maintain his position at the top of the market right up to the release of the webbing.

HE has done everything asked of him since his New Zealand Cvp v outing m such a manner as to suggest that if it were possible for him to be any better than he was then, he has achieved it, and whatever he is up against at the northern carnival, he will be the one that South Islanders will stick to right through. Among the strong cordon surrounding hi 'hi on the trip will be Paquito, First Sight, Solvent, Grea* Star and Praise. Paquito, a couple of weeks ago, showed signs of soreness, but this was only temporary, and since then he has been galloping better at Riccarton than ever before. He is bound to run a better race m the Cup than most people expect if his soreness does riot make an unwelcome return, while First Sight has come to hand very quickly. Although it will be hard for him to be at his best for his first race, the run should work a big improvement m him, and he looks like getting some of the plums to be distributed at the meeting. Great Star has disappointed several -times lately, but another attempt to win the Railway will be made with him, and by his track work since Ashburton he has improved out of sight. He' will not be short of southern admirers when he goes out m an endeavor to improve on his second of last year.< Praise, as usuaU has not re-

vealed anything outstanding m her ' track gallops, but she can be relied, oh to hold her end up m whatever "she is set to contest. Solvent will give a good line- as- to how the northern two-year-old handicappers compare with those of the south, and if she is m the same mood

as when last produced she will have most of her opponents wondering where the chain lightning was released from. With the above-mentioned horses as a s.'imple of what is going north, prospects of Riccarton-trained horses look j more than bright. j