CUP FIELD AT WAIRIO

Southland Times, Issue 23408, 15 January 1938, Page 8

CUP FIELD AT WAIRIO

Ardchoille Early

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FACULTIES ON INJURED LIST Lucullus Lad, a recent graduate from the hack ranks, may upset calculations in the Wellington Handicap. Nominations for the Tapanui meeting on February 5 close today at 8 p.m. Handicaps for the Clifden meeting appear on Monday. Nominations for the Dunedin Jockey Club’s meeting close on January 25. Mr J. A. Pears, of Etalvale, has a particularly fine three-year-old colt by Balboa from the dam of Trisox (by Panmure) that he intends placing in work later in the year.

In addition to riding Cerne Abbas in the Wellington Cup, L. J. Ellis will be on Paper Slipper, Dictate, Peerless, and Raeburn at Trentham. Other engagements include J. W. Jennings, Wild Chase, and Lazybones; A. E. Ellis, Argentic; A. C. Messervy, Mulatto; C. T. Wilson, Grey Honour; G. Watson, Nightdress; D. O’Connor, Roy Bun. Several critics are anticipating that Francis Drake will improve on his Ellerslie form at Trentham next week. Since he raced during the holidays Last Post has done well for P. J. Boyle, at Heddon Bush, and improved by his outing at Wyndham, it is likely that he will strip well at Wairio. It is unlikely that he will be asked to race across country this season. Besides Black Banner, Ballybrit, and British Star, Boyle has also Rotowai and Red Owl in work. It is some time since Rotowai last raced but the Tractor gelding has plenty of ability as two seasons back he won a hunters’ flat at the Otago Hunt meeting after being placed in the Hunt Club steeplechase earlier in. the day. Apparently he has not been an easy horse to train but it is now expected that he will come right. Red Owl is a four-year-old gelding by Nightcall (a son of Night Raid) from a mare by Balboa. Red Owl will be a new recruit to the jumping ranks and is credited with having shaped well. Faculties, who was one of the best young ’chasers produced last term, is on the easy list as he has opened an old injury.

The Wairio Cup field is a particularly good one but Ardchoille and Paladino are pronounced early favourites. In his two starts over the holidays Paladino was a winner and finished second to Counterflight, each time over a mile. The Paladin gelding is one of the most improved hacks in sight and should have little difficulty in getting to the end of a mile and a-quarter. He is in excellent condition at the present time and is set to receive 71b from Ardchoille. There is good reason to respect Ardchoille’s chance and on the day he will be the hardest to beat in spite of his 9.5. In the Wyndham Cup he was chopped out at the start and it was a particularly good effort on his part to finish as close up as he did. The Wairio Cup is not likely to be run anywhere near as fast as the majority of races Ardchoille has contested of late and this fact will suit him admirably. He won this race 12 months ago and on form should win again. Rodeur was a winner at her last start but the distance will be new to her and sprint distances have been her limit so far. In the majority of her races she has stayed on well and the Riverton mare may be responsible for a surprisingly good effort. Johnny is not as seasoned by recent racing like a number of others but Bow Street and Last Post should both get to the end of 10 furlongs. Ardmayle i; another lightweight with a chance. The latter has done particularly well of late and he may upset calculations. At this stage the chances of Ardchoille, Paladino and Ardmayle may be given consideration. If his holiday form was any guide Lord Nuffield will have little chance against some of the smart hacks he will be opposed to at Trentham. The Straightcourse three-year-old was one of the stars of the New Zealand Cup meeting and in view of this his holiday form may be ignored, although he did not race up to the expectations of his party.

The Telegraph Handicap at Trentham on Tuesday has drawn an unusually small field of seven, which includes several very fine sprinters. Top Row carried big weights successfully during the southern holiday circuit and in spite of the calibre of the northern opposition it will take a good one to head him on Tuesday. His 7.7 will be a luxury weight as compared with some ot those he has recently carried.

Flaminco who is a member of F. Langford’s team at Winton has shown a good deal of promise in her private work. She is engaged at Wairio and while she may not be sufficiently forward she has done a good amount of hacking about. By Balboa, she is out of Uno (the dam of Trisox) and does not boast a great deal in size. Impressing as a horse likely to emulate the deeds of her dam, Aurora Borealis, the improving Aurora’s Love, who won a double at Marton, should win some important hurdle races for her Bunnythorpe owner (states a northern writer). Trained at Awapuni by J. J. Waller, who is outstanding in hi« handling of jumpers, Aurora’s Love made her debut over hurdles at Levin, where she ran unplaced. Next she went to Otaki where, but for taking off too soon at the last fence, she might have beaten the winner Top Hat. Aurora’s Love was third in the hurdles at her next start on the second day at Woodville, just being beaten into that position by Rapa Waiata. At Marton on New Year’s Day she made short work of the opposition to win, the Rata Hurdles easily by six lengths. This was the same race her dam, Aurora Borealis, who subsequently succeeded in the Great Northern Steeples, won seven years previously. In spite of a 121 b rise in weights Aurora’s Love again scored a decisive win in the Tutaenui Hack Hurdles on the second day at Marton. Her jumping on each day was brilliant, and she has little to learn in that respect. The Te Rapa-bred Surmount, in just being beaten by Icing in the Junction Plate on the second day at Marton, showed what a courageous colt he is, and if he is at his best again by the time the Wellington meeting opens his speedy opponents will know he is among them (says a Christchurch writer). Surmount had not had a race since the last Riccarton meeting and had just recovered from a bad cold, which kept him away from Ellerslie, while he appeared to be carrying just a little too much condition. He went to the front like a flash, and, after making the running for Icing, appeared to be holding off the Limond filly in the battle up the straight. Had any less vigorous horseman than B. H. Morris been on Icing the winner would have been Surmount, who was only beaten by half a head.

An Auckland report states that F, Smith, who had such a successful meeting at Ellerslie, where he won six races, intends to divide his team this month, and if present intentions are not altered, Round Up, Valamito, and Arvakur will be taken to Trentham, while Grateful, Red Ledger, and Pamela will be engaged at the Thames meeting. Round Up has been nominated for the Wel-

lington Cup, an event in which he will have a host of admirers after his impressive victories in both mile and a quarter events at Ellerslie. Valamito’s return to form was encouraging and his victory over seven furlongs on New Year’s Day was impressive. He is to contest the mile events at Trentham and is sure to command attention over that distance. Arvakur looks none the worse for his enforced respite, and is again working nicely. Arvakur is a very promising colt, who has scored a first and three seconds in four starts this season, and if at his best again for the Wellington meeting, is certain to make his presence felt in juvenile events. -

More than two years ago the New Zealand-bred Country Party gave promise of an outstanding career by leading past the post in the V.R.C. Batman Stakes, a race for three-year-olds. He was declared unplaced by the stewards, who took exception to the improved form he showed. Country Party waited until a fortnight ago to lose his maiden certificate, winning the A.J.C. Handicap from Bobby and Kinsfolk by a head. Sidcup was favourite, and backers were always prepared to accept a short quotation, but they got a sorry run for their money. Between the six furlongs and the three furlongs it appeared that he might take part in the finish, but his run was spent at the top of the straight, and he plodded along in the last furlong, to be sixth. Country Party has had a fair amount of racing, and was probably more solid than he has ever been. He likes to be out in front and E. Bartie allowed him to make a solid pace from the outset. Kinsfolk followed, with Caliban at the head of a bunch that included Maurice and Sidcup. Caliban wilted under the strong pace, and at the entrance to the straight Country Party had a serviceable lead from Kinsfolk, next coming Maurice and Forestage, who had moved up resolutely on the inside. Bobby was still a fair way back and it was not until he was favoured by an opening, entering the last furlong, that he became a source of danger. Bobby made a dash for the lead, and for a few strides Country Party was in jeopardy, and Bartie got up in the saddle and prepared to flog him home with the whip. It was touch and go. Bobby was at his top, and could not go any faster, despite the efforts of K. Cook, and Country Party was able to keep her head in front to the post, although he could not have lasted much longer.