RACING

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 13, 6 April 1927, Page 6

RACING

(By

“EARLY BIRD.”)

Not for Auckland Both Shirley and King’s Folly, who have been paid up for in the Great Easter Handicap, have been entered for minor events at the Canterbury Jockey Club’s autumn fixture on Easter Monday and Tuesday. The North Island will be porly represented at the Riccarton meeting. A Strong Hand Mr. Rod. McKenzie, who has been picking up a few cups of late with Piuthair, holds a good hand in the Great Autumn Handicap with Piuthair and Clarinda. Both may face the starter, although Clarinda has been entered for the Feilding fixture also, but as she figures in two other races at Riccarton it is more than probable that she will accompany her stablemate South. Preliminary Run Tanadees and First Acre, who are in the Great Autumn Handicap at Riccarton, are down to compete in the Autumn Handicap at Masterton tomorrow. This event is run over ten furlongs, and it will serve as a good try-out. As the Autumn Handicap is worth but £250 in all the winner will not have to put up a penalty if he runs in the big Riccarton long-distance event. A Useful Sprinter Sun Up was very light in condition when he went into work a few weeks ago. He has built up nicely and he may be ready for a race before the end of the season. Sun Up ran Reremoana to a head in the Easter Handicap at Ellerslie. Altered Programme A noticeable alteration has been made by the C.J.C. in its programme of events for the forthcoming Easter meeting in the cutting out of the hurdles events. The Kildare Handicap, to be run over a mile and a-quarter, will take the place of the Kildare Hurdles on the first day, and the Peerswick Hurdles will be substituted by the Peerswick Handicap, of nine furlongs, on the second day. Grown Up The two-year-old Martarma, by Martian from Per Arraa, has grown into a fine upstanding thoroughbred, and has shown promising form in recent track essays. In spite of being under F. Christmas’s tuition for close on 12 months, he ha 3 not yet been asked to race, as his owner desired every opportunity being given him to mature. He figures in the Challenge Stakes to be decided at the C.J.C. Autumn meeting at Easter, and he may make his racing debut in this event. Lucky—and Unlucky An Otago owner anxious to purchase Laughing Prince at the Wellington bloodstock sales, held recently, commissioned a friend who was making the trip to Wellington to buy the horse for him. But the would-be commissioner was delayed on his way to the sale and when he arrived he found the horse had been sold. Mr. Duncan, who bought Laughing Prince, may still have purchased the gelding against the Otago owner, but it is safe to assume that he would have had to pay considerably more for him. Easy One For Agrion The C.J.C. Champagne Stakes looks comparatively easy for Agrion. Mr. Greenwood’s Limond—Waterwings colt has trained on nicely since he last raced, and he is not likely to be seriously taxed to finish in front. Eulalie is still engaged, but she has not done a great deal of work and she is not likely to sport silk on the day. Nincompoop and Countersign will be opposed to Agrion in the Challenge Stakes, but although they will offer more serious opposition than he will encounter in the other classic, he should still be In front at the finish.