CUP CANDIDATES AT GORE

Southland Times, Issue 25501, 23 October 1944, Page 3

CUP CANDIDATES AT GORE

ACCEPTANCES AND PROSPECTS Six New Zealand Cup candidates will be seen in action at the Gore spring meeting. Three of them—Royal Lancer, Fair Trial and Sal’s Pal—will contest the President’s Handicap, and three others—First In, Aurora Australis and Alpine—are acceptors in other races. Their presence will give added interest to a fixture which marks the opening of the new racing season in Southland and is generally accepted in Otago and Southland as one of the most popular fixtures on the southern circuit.

Last year this meeting attracted a record crowd of racegoers from all over Otago and Southland, and gate and totalizator figures were returned which have rarely been bettered by any Southland club on one day. The record sum for Gore of £40,866/10/- was put through the totalizator. Whether that record will be equalled today remains to be seen, but judging by the interest which has been taken in the fixture there should be another big attendance. The club has made arrangements for the handling of a big crowd. The Railways Department has made the decision to stop trains at the racecourse and it is probable that many racegoers will take advantage of the convenience. The first race is timed to start at 12.30 p.m. and the last at 5.10 p.m. AN OPEN RACE The chances of several horses in the President’s Handicap have been freely canvassed, and the prospects are that one of the best races for the event will be seen. The issue is certainly very open, but speculators will probably confine their attention to horses in form or those who have shown improvement at recent meetings. They include Sal’s Pal and Fair Trial, who are likely to dispute favouritism, Royal Lancer, Good Cast and Doubleack. One other candidate, who has not raced this season, but who is reported to be in good shape, is Atreus, a horse who raced consistently well last season and several times on Southland tracks was the run-ner-up. Atreus may need a race, but he should be hard to beat if he is at his best.

Sal’s Pal is probably the most seasoned horse in the field. His second to Gulf Stream in the Winter Cup, fourth in the Islington Handicap, third in the Tally Ho Handicap and fourth in the Ranfurly Handicap in recent weeks give him a good recommendation which is not likely to be overlooked. His strongest opposition may come from Fair Trial, who was not at his best at Dunedin, Good Cast, a most promising promoted hack who has a Middle Park Plate to his credit, Atreus and Royal Lancer. The last-named is well again and he most likely will run a good race.

The open sprint is just as open _as the principal race and here again investors will probably rely on recent form to guide them in their quest for the winner. Silver Lily and First In are recent winners, and others likely to show up are Winning Flight, who raced well at Dunedin, Aurora Australis and Sister Sal. The favourites may be Silver Lily and Aurora Australis. Recent winners among the acceptors in other fields on the programme are Alpine, Red Prize and Jack o’ Lantern (Highweight), and Bonny Flight (Waimea). Horses placed at their last start include Listen In, St. Nattar, Lisheen, Doubleack, Lance Wing, Inscrutable, Carolyn, Larry Grattan, and Quite Happy. The following horses may race well:— PUKERAU HIGHWEIGHT HANDICAP.—AIpine, Jack o’ Lantern, Red Prize.

NOVICE HANDICAP.—St. Nattar, Lisheen, Listen In. BALFOUR TROT.—Larry Grattan, Turi Queen, Cumnock. PRESIDENT’S HANDICAP.-Sal’s Pal, Fair Trial, Atreus. WAIMEA HANDICAP. — Bonny Flight, Prize Ring, Girl Friend. STEWARDS’ HANDICAP.—SiIver Lily, Winning Flight, Aurora Australis. , OTAMA TROT.—Monagh Leagh, Quite Happy, Elation. FAREWELL HACK HANDICAP.— Benbecula, Lance Wing, Prize Ring.

THE ACCEPTANCES The acceptances are as follows:—

12.30 p.m.: PUKERAU HIGHWEIGHT HANDICAP, £225. Eight furlongs and a-half. —Royal Brief 10.1, Jack o’ Lantern 9.12, Alpine 9.11, Red Prize 9.9, Maharajah 9.8, Dearo 9.5, Atua Rere, Astros, Branxholm, Fuzzy Wuzzy, Nigger Miss, On Silver, Pride of Mossburn, Pocket Flash, Sumra 9.0. 1.10 p.m.: NOVICE HANDICAP, £2OO. Six furlongs.—Listen In 9.3, St Nattar 9.0, Salabond 8.10, Standby 8.7, Bath Slipper, Depth Charge, Eboness, Gold Lance, Irish Pal, Jay Bee, Kai Pai, Lisheen, Master Baffles, Miss Hula, Parallel, Plutocrat, Radiant Mora, St.

Quentin, Siegdown, Signal Officer, Starlee 8.0. Irish Coin was eliminated. 1.50 p.m.: BALFOUR TROT, £205. Class 3.43. One mile and a-half.—Arion Thorpe, Kandy Girl, Dame Rumour, Glenhead, Grattan Wave, Grelba, Larry Grattan, Lighthorne, Loyal Blue, Maurice Grey, Nursing Lady, Sandy Grey, Strathdon, Turi Queen, Understudy, Volo Bond It, Cumnock 48yds. Sovereign Queen and Victory Boy were eliminated.

2.39 p.m.: PRESIDENT’S HANDICAP, £4OO. One mile and a-quarter.—Royal Lancer 9.11, Fair Trial 8.9, Atreus 7.13, Hearth 7.13, Sal’s Pal 7.9, Royal Chorus 7.7, Doubleack 7.4, Nightcalm 7.4, Southern Sail 7.1, Night Lancer, Sir Saladin, Good Cast, ' Lancewing, Kohara 7.0. 3.10 p.m.:

WAIMEA HACK HANDICAP, £225. Six furlongs.—lnscrutable 9.7, Winning Flight 9.0, Filibeg 8.6, Bonny Flight 8.4, Green Note 8.2, Great Coon 7.13, Nigger Lad 7.12, Divorced 7.12, Listen In 7.11, Prize Ring 7.11, Girl Friend, Pink Gauntlet, Linloch 7.7. 3.50 p.m.: STEWARDS’ HANDICAP, £260. Six furlongs.—Lord Nuffield 9.3, Fleet Street 8.9, Sister Sal 8.8, Silver Lily 8.5, Hearth 8.0, Invulnerable 7.12, Aurora Australis 7.12, First In 7.11, Sing Sing 7.4, Night Lancer 7.2, Winning Flight 7.2, Lyndal 7.1. 4.30 p.m.:

OTAMA TROT, £250. Class 3.38. One mile and a-half.—Fancy Goods (T), Grattan Bells, Monagh Leagh, Rey Chimes, Sura Wave, Sylvia Direct, Trevathan It, Guy Zolock 24yds, Quite Happy 36, Elation 48, Liberty Bond 72. 5.10 p.m.: FAREWELL HACK HANDICAP, £235. Seven furlongs.—Carolyn 9.3, Lance Wing 8.13, Benbecula 8.11, Sal 8.5, Royal Brief 8.4, Jack o’Lantem 8.1, Dash o’ Dublin 8.0, Maharajah 7.12, Prize Ring 7.11, Red Hope, Girl Friend, Irish Coin, Battle Robe 7.7.