LIKELY N.Z. CUP FIELD

Southland Times, Issue 23946, 12 October 1939, Page 12

LIKELY N.Z. CUP FIELD

GRAND MOGUL PAST HIS BEST WINDSOR LASS EQUALS SPRINT RECORD A payment for the New Zealand Cup is due today. Winton Juvenile Stakes Nominations for the Winton Juvenile Stakes, 1941, close on October 30. Back Numbers Grand Mogul and King’s Warrior both raced at New Brighton as though they were past their best. Not a Popular Win The success of Timworthy in the Centenary Handicap at New Brighton on Saturday did not find favour with a section of the crowd, who made a slight demonstration on his return to the enclosure. A Record In winning the Beach Handicap at New Brighton in 2min 36 l-ssec Windsor Lass equalled the New Zealand record held by Roi I’Or and Harold Logan. Blair Athol established new figures when he fiinished second in 2min 34 2-ssec, and Icevus stepped 2min 34 3-ssec.

A Farcical Affair The contest for the New Brighton Challenge Stakes at the New Brighton Trotting Club’s meeting on Saturday was farcical, comments a Christchurch writer. Those competent to judge hold that a repetition of the tactics employed would soon deprive classic events of

all interest. Ordnance was first away, and no matter how slow his driver wished to go, the remainder of the field was content to trail him. The first mile was a mere crawl, the watch reading 2min 30sec. From that point there was a rush for the lead, and when it came to a sprint, Three Tens outclassed his opponents, and won easily. Three Tens is a grand type, of gelding, owned by Mr E. F. C. Hinds, who bred him, and he is certain to develop into a high-grade performer. This was his first win, but he had previously recorded three seconds in classic events. He turned the tables on Sir Julien, which won the Juvenile Stakes and the New Zealand Sapling Stakes. Durability gained his first placing in a race for horses of his age by defeating Gallant Chief for third place.

New Zealand Cup Prospects With the exclusion of Donald Dhu from the New Zealand Cup, 20 horses are still eligible for the big race in November and, with the programme committee determined that the race shall be worthy of the stake offered and contested by only the best horses in New Zealand, it is now set the unenviable task of reducing the field to a safety number, comments The Press, Christchurch. The race is really for horses that can do 4min 25sec or better; but the committee has realized that all the best horses are not assessed on these marks and has provided for the nomination of horses assessed at 4min 26sec or 4min 27sec and in the conditions governing the race has also made the following proviso:—“Notwithstanding payments for nominations and acceptances having been made the committee reserves the right to select the horses which shall go to the post, the selections to be made immediately after final payments have been made.” The conditions also advise owners of 4mm 26sec and 4min 27sec class horses to nominate in other races on the same day for which such horses are eligible. If general opinion is to be taken as a guide owners of other than 4min 26sec and 4min 27sec class horses would be well advised to nominate for other races for all weeding out may not be done among the slower class horses. Several that have earned 4min 25sec and better marks may be among the discards on the day of final payments. The New Brighton Trotting Club's meeting on Saturday provided the first guide for the committee, and while Donald Dhu’s only serious contender at the finish was Renown’s Best it is hard to reason why on form Bonny Azure, Grand Mogul, King’s Warrior, and Cantata should not be seriously considered as deletions from an unwieldy field. Our Globe can hardly be admitted in preference to several New Zealand horses, although on his running at the championships he appears to be of good class. The Oamaiu Trotting Club’s meeting will provide the opportunity for several horses to substantiate their claims for inclusion in the Cup; but in what will probably be a field of 12 or 13 horses the following are likely to be eligible when the weeding out process is complete:— Lawn Derby, Parisienne, Lucky Jack, King’s Play, Blair Athol, Fine Art, Plutus, Ironside, Marsceres, Pot Luck, and Gallant Knight with one or two more selections to make up a field of ideal size. The selection of the field is left in the hands of the committee of the club and the task is not one to be sought after.