RACING NEWS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21266, 21 February 1931, Page 22

RACING NEWS.

By Sentinel. Nominations for the Cromwell meeting •re due to-day. The field of 12 horses engaged in the Midsummer Handicap to-day should suffice to provide a fine contest. Half of them are from Riecarton stables, while Lady Pam hails from Trentbam; Black Duke, from Wingatui; and Admiral Drake, Glenrowan, Night Parade, and Night Effort, from South Canterbury. Paris is in work again on the Invercargill track. First Raid was not at home in the going at Wingatui, but may run closer to his true form at the C.J.C. meeting to-day if the going is firm. The Wingatui two-year-old Fairweather carries every indication of being made a sound favourite for, the Middle Park Plate to-day. In the D.J.C. Handicap Black Duke was beaten by Compris when conceding 12ib. In the Midsummer . Handicap at Riecarton the Duke is required to give Compris 161 b. In the Dunedin race there was 121 b between Black Duke and Glenrowan (who did not start owing to the wet), while in the Midsummer there is a margin of 161 b. The two-year-olds in the South Island this season are much below the average. The best of them at the moment appear to be Fairweather, Royal Baby, Solvent, and Dulen. Fairweather has won the M'Lean Stakes and Champagne Stakes and two handicaps, all at Wingatui. At Riecarton in November he was a long way below the class of the best North Island youngsters, but he has improved very considerably since then. Admiral Drake raced a long way below expectations in the Dunedin Cup, but the Orari-trained gelding made a much better showing under a high scale of weights in the Hazlett Cup. He was well beaten by Town Major in the handicap when receiving 17ib. but defeated the black gelding in the weight-for-age race on 161 b worse terms. Admiral Drake was showing signs of soreness at Trentham, and it is possible that his new trainer has been unable to give him the work, he required before Dunedin. Obviously bis run on the first day improved him. The programme for the Riverton Racing Club’s Easter meeting has been issued, and over the three days £4771 is offered in stakes. The Riverton Cup is worth £565, including a £IOO gold cup, and the Great Western Steeplechase £4OO. Both of these races are set down for Easter Saturday. On Easter Monday the Easter Handicap is worth £3lO, the Riverton Steeplechase £26o,r.and the Southern Champion Hack Handicap £3OO. On the third day the Fiord Handicap carries £260, the Autumn Steeplechase £l9O. and the Farewell Handicap £2OO. There are also two trotting events on this day’s card. It is a wellbalanced programme, and the stakes are most liberal. Entries are due on March 4 at 6 p.m. Impetuous, who won the Juvenile Handicap at Wanganui on Thursday, has been m training since the winter, but as she was foaled three days before August 1 in her year,, and ranks as a three-year-old now instead of a two-year-old, she has been difficult to place, and has had only six‘races to date .for three wins and two thirds. Had her arrival been a few days later she would probably have been one of the season s best youngsters, for none could have claimed better breeding lines. She ia by Limond from Pennon, the foal the imported Eulogy was carrying to Coriander (son of Spearmint) when bought for the Koatanm stud by .Mr G. M. Currie in 1914, and is thus a sister to Damaris, and half-sister to those good performers, MotJey, Lysander, Ceremony, and Arisus.