PLENTY GOOD RACING BY KORRY!

Stratford Evening Post, Volume I, Issue 257, 8 October 1931, Page 7

PLENTY GOOD RACING BY KORRY!

Maori Fixture at Otaki Draws Fine Fields WINNERS WELL CONCEALED IN ALMOST ALL EVENTS

(B3 r "Sir Oracle.")

WHAT promises to be by no means an easy meeting for the speculating public is the opening day of the Otaki Maori Racing Club's Spring fixture at Otaki to-mor,row. Without exception, the fields carded are of an even nature, with the winners well concealed.

Napier Running Indicates Hurdles Form Kapiti Hack Hurdles, of £9O; 11 miles.—-Warzone 10.9, Hani Gold 10. G, Kaokaoroa 9.4, Coon Song 9.4, Okapua 9.4, Autumn Dawn 9.0, Reflecto 9.0, Doe 9.0, Gambler 9.0, Modestrian 9.0, Gueress 9.0, Spanish Prince 9.0, Manuiri 9.9. The hurdling form shown at Napier Park last week should prove substantially correct lor Otaki. Manuiri and Warzone, which disputed the honours at the Hawke's Bay fixture, are a couple of perfect fencers with a good turn of pace. Manuiri is a particularly promising hurdling recruit, while Warzone is so consistent as to be seldom out of the money. Coon Song showed at Wanganui that he is likely to pipe a winning tune at any time. There are others with chances, but Manuiri, Warzone and Coon Song appeal. Division Likely in Maiden Plate

jection 8.0, Fiji 8.0, Acis 8.0, Patearoa 7.9, Dick Whittington 7.7, Beaconsfield 7.7, Pass On 7.7. Mr. Russell Grace's candidate in the hack sprint, Fiji, scored his initial victory on the Otaki course in June, and should have an excellent chance of repeating the performance tomorrow. Fiji's reputed speed is in reality not mere reputation. Leisure is a worthy sprint opponent for almost any hack in the land, and Na- i valio, Projection, Golden Shadow and Acis are also speed in their class. The hest of them may he Fiji, Leisure and Navaho. Laughing Prince Heads Fine Sprint Field Waitawa Handicap, of £120; G furlongs.—Laughing Prince 10.0, Cimabue 9.2, Great Charter 8.4, Knollmere 8.3, Aston 8.1, Fitzquex 7.11, Acora 7.9, Manifesto 7.9, Portray 7.G, Tobaccoland 7.3, Trojan Melody 7.2. Trainer-jockey L. G. Morris proved j at Ellerslie that his stable is in great fettle by the successes of Cadland and Consent. But the stable champion is still reckoned to be Laughing Prince, which is billed to make his return in the Waitawa open sprint. Even though burdened with lOst, Laughing Prince looks to have the race in his keeping, as at Wangauui I last February, after mouths of the j "oats of idleness," he carried 9st 131 b ! to win over six furlongs in linin 13 l-ssec —a performance that denoted a champion. Knollmere is undoubtedly a sprinter well out of the ordinary, while Acora and Aston have the early j speed to aid them on this course. On ! a heavy track, Tobaccoland and Fitzquex should be the danger to the topweight. Laughing Prince, Knollmere and Tobaccoland appeal most. Where Surprise is Possible Taumanuka Hack Handicap, of £9O; 1 mile and 55 yards.—Tahorna I 9.9, Royal Black 9.8, Spearful 9.5, i Merry Melody 8.10, Johneen 8.8, Gran i Chaco 8.3, Auckland Gas 8.0, Shootist 8.0, Thrasher 8.0, Pikete 8.0, Okapua 8.0. The material for a possible surprise is carded in the hack mile and a distance race. Royal Black and Spearful are both fit horses, with fairly late good form to recommend them. ! Mr. J. J. Corry's representative, Johneen, should be a decir.c- source of danger, even though fresh up. Merry Melody is like the modern flapper—sometimes fast, but often unreliable; but Tahorna will need to be only near! best form to relish the return to hack ! company. Thrasher is a horse with a j reputation, and must be respected. Those who saw Gran Chaco at Wanga-' nui would not be at all surprised at ' his victory. .Most of the candidates i have'chances, but "Sir Oracle" fav-! ours Tahorna, Spearful and Johneen. If Knollmere be Reserved, Puzzle May be Solved ! Kereihi Roera Handicap, of £120; 7 furlongs.—Knollmere 9.9, Count I Palatine 9.3, Maui 9.0, Playground! 8.10, Moa Bird 8.8, Imateagirl 8.4, Duellona 8.2, Royal Game 8.0, Rich Harvest 8.0, Dainty Ways 8.0, Full Mark 8.0. ;g|3s With most of the competitors having their first outings of the flat season, the concluding open seven furlong event is rather a puzzle. Should Knollmere be reserved, then it seems a puzzle easily solved; but in his absence all sorts of questions crop up. For instance, Playground fairly and squarely mowed down Autopay over seven furlongs at Trentham last autumn, and Autopay lias lately carried off the prized Epsom mile at Randwick! Moa Bird sprinted Goshawk home at the late Napier Park; fixture —and it takes speed to do that! Duellona and Imateagirl are other likely sorts. However, the vote I goes to Knollmere (if reserved), Play-1 ground and Moa Bird. J

Puki Maiden Plate, of £75; special weights; G furlongs. First Division. —Bright Song, Matin Chimes, Miss Energetic, Pikete, Valrewa, Lyrical, Tegucigalpa, Celeste, Coy, Fairwind, King Thoraond, St. Roger, Alpinist, Miladi, Sanguine King. Second Division. —Kotahi, Eka, Pojesse, Lady Makere, Shootist. Zephyrus, Royal Orense, Autumn Dawn, Guerestor, Lakaday, Foulwind. Acorn, Weather Step, Chief Line, The Mirror. Unless scratching considerably reduce the field carded for the Maiden event, divisions will be unavoidable, in which case additional stake money will be added to allow of first, second and third place money being paid in each division. Thus each division will become actually a separate race. Hailing as she does from Mr. J. J. Corry's leading stable, and already having shown a good turn of speed, Miladi may prove a fast enough "lady" in the first division to fake catching by Valrewa and St. Roger.

Zephyrus will only need to have retained a portion of his autumn promise to take a power of beating in the second division. Shootist is a seasoned runner which should "crack it" some day soon, and Acorn is reckoned a promising sort. In the event of there not being a division, Miladi, Zephyrus and Shootist appeal. Nightmare—then Joy Katihiku Hack Handicap, of £9O; 7 furlongs.—Nightmare 9.4, Acmil 8.0, Saltpot 8.2, Appledore 8.0, Easterly 7.12, AITOWZone 7.5, Eminent 7.5, Movietone 7..'!, Flakewhite 7.0, Flower 7.0, Joie de Val 7.0, Pompadour 7.0. As Nightmare will be racing over

a favourite distance, and looks superior class, it is difficult to sort out one to beat Mr. Collinson's representative in the hack "seven." Acmil should improve as the result of his Napier Park outing. Flakewhite is a "boomed" horse which has yet to proveh is worth, but Eminent can "cut out" a fast seven furlongs. Nightmare, Eminent and Acmil are most liked. May Rest Between Top-weights Ling Memorial Stakes, of £150; 1] miles.-—Merry Damon 9.2, Mahora 8.9, Panther 8.8, Ephialtes 8.0, Pahu 7.G, Black Mint 7.2, Sight. Draft 7.0.

Mahora won on this same course at the June fixture, and so did Ephialtes. Of the pair, Mahoro appears to have made the more improvement in the interim —in fact, the Whyte Memorial winner has given evidence of of being a quality performer. Mahora should take considerable beating in the Ling Memorial Stakes, but Merry Damon is class enough to dispute the issue. Mahora, Merry Damon and Ephialtes look the likely place-getters. Speedy Hack Sprinters Pahiko Hack Handicap, of £9O; (V furlongs.—Leisure 9.0, Golden Shadow 8.12, Navaho 5.7, Green Patch 8.3, Pro-