AUCKLAND TOPICS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3854, 24 January 1928, Page 55

AUCKLAND TOPICS.

By

Digger.

~.T Takapuna Cup field does not look Lke being a strong one. Pegaway, who teads the weights, is not a good stayer, ut he may be able to get, the distance in Uie comparatively weak class. If. however, Eden Hall and Desert Glow i line up In satisfactory condition they should be the prime selections. A repetition of Eden Hall s run in the Auckland Cup would find the Quin Abbey gelding giving the opposition a very hard task to defeat him. Mr W. Schollan’s pair, True Blood and White Wings, have not been seen out since the last meeting at Takapuna, when they were in need of racing. On Saturday next they may be much better fitted for the fray, although a mile and a-half may be just as far as True Blood cares to go. White Wings was closing up when she foil at the last meeting, and in a poor lot she is favourably placed to lose her maiden status on Saturday. One of the unlucky hacks at Christmas was the imported mare Cynthia N. In the meantime she has worked pleasingly, without being sent seriously against time, and she is expected to be even better at Takapuna, where she is assured of siron" support. Lord Guy is the latest of the local a-pir-ants for hurdling, honours. On the two occasions he was schooled last week his efforts were highly encouraging. He has size ai.d

a good dash of speed, so that he looks a good prospect with a little experience. biaosi, who is temporarily under E. Rae’s care, was given his first schooling lesson during the week, but his display was not a good one. He baulked at first, but , hna ly got over all. right and seems only to lack confidence. The ground i s very hard, and that may have prevented him from putting much dash into his effort Inat useful handicap performer Princess Ronme continues to sprint attractively, although still above herself in condition. She was much too good for Yaqui in a smartly run five furlongs on Thursday, and P’omises to come back to form after a race or two to sharpen her up. Cunningham has recommissioned »rr- eC wt i ,S l eam durin 8 th e week. They air Whakanhe and the Australian-bred two-year-olds Dominican and Sylvanum. Dominican has been gelded during his absence from the track. S lhe French-bred Tidal is showing a little speed and may come right with racing. He is a sluggish big fellow who can do with Plenty O f racing now tAat he has :;c--quired the condition to stand up to it. Ellerslie track watchers always had a good word for tins handsome horse, but it °s now time he was showing some form, as be na s been given plenty of time. M°st of the horses at Ellerslie are being worked on the tan track, and a pair that n pleasingly are Speechless and Baby Bun. They are both well fitted to i«\k U -r ‘ n,m,dla tely and may be taken t 0 4, aral , lakl meetings in February. lea lime s track form at Ellerslie was nigh class, but he failed among the open sprinters on the last day. In that race he was not well favoured over the first furlong, and lost hi s position. Usually a i- S i he should do better in a slightly weaker class at Takapuna. When The Immigrant won at Ellerslie he shaped like one that would successfully bridge the gap between hack and open conir? n V- u p ndoubted Jy a fine galloper, the English-bred gelding can be relied upon to hold his own first time out among the open performers at Takapuna. Sir Rosebery is apparently quite sound after hi s efforts at Dargaville, and is better conditioned as a result of his racing. If W. Garrett can get him to survive a preparation he w'ill earn plenty more money among the jumpers later in the season. The locally-owned trio—Salario. Clarus, and The Thorn, are due back from Sydney next week. The Thorn, who wa s the only one to run during hi s sojourn on the other side, is now owned by J. Williamson, who received him as a present from Mr G. M. Currie.

J. Williamson has just taken up tho speedy but delicate Newberry. He has put on a lot of flesh during his holiday, and if he can hold his condition should race better in the future. He has already shown that he is not lacking in speed.