Te Rapa Form

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 492, 23 October 1928, Page 10

Te Rapa Form

AN INTERESTING SURVEY

THE acceptances uinl prospects for tlie concluding day's racing to-morrow of the Waikato spring fixture will be found on the late news page. Below is given a comprehensive survey of Saturday’s form at Te Rapa, which will be found of general interest in view of to-morrow’s programme.

Mangani made no mistake when he won tho Wairnai Hurdles on Saturday. He looked well, was frisky at the barrier, and was always in a good position. Pie waited on the leaders to the turn and then was clear at the final fence, scoring from there comfortably. He gave N. Syme his first ride and first win. Stormy looked like a good thing beaten on Saturday, and all for the want of a more experienced horseman. Giving it in that Mangani won easily, Stormy finished from the back from the last fence and beat all but the winner. His jumping was indifferent, and he was still in the ruck at the last obstacle. But his pace should have won for him. . j There was sonic good money for Master Holey in the Hurdles on Saturday, and he finished third, coming on the scene over the last couple of furlongs. He, too, was not very judiciously handled. Rahepoto ran his best race for some time to get fourth. Outside of the first four horses in the Wairnai Hurdles on Saturday, Gala Day made a fair first appearance, and so too did Berinthia, -who went well while her condition lasted. The latter is trained by Albert Jackson, who, by tho way, has recently been given Luminary to train. Ripon Abbey was a false favourite for the hurdles on Saturday, if one can say so on his running, for he was always in the van and petered out over the last quarter of a mile. Bourn sported a bad leg, to cover up which there was so much cotton wool under the bandage that Waikato chemists must now be facing a shortage. Bourn was well placed half a mile from home and then retired. Foreign Fancy made amends for her Marton and Wanganui failures bv winning the first division of the Trial on Saturday. She was always in the limelight, but had to be ridden out to bea,t The Jack Jumper, who put in a. good finishing effort. Foreign Fancy failed badly at Cambridge yesterday. Becalmed was in an apparently hopeless position turning tor home in the first division of the Trial, but her rider did not make any great effort to catch the leaders in the straight, although the half-sister to Stormy finished third. Becalmed may not be so good as her relative, but she should not be long in catching a race. Rose Arch showed at the back-end of last season that she has pace, and she was prominent in the first division of the Trial on Saturday, fading out over the last bit and finishing fourth /She contested the hurdles at Cambridge yesterday. One noticed finishing strongly in this heat was Valuation, who may do better next time out. Of the others. Kingsland (who shook hisvider off at the barrier and bolted) and Patere. the latter being a half-brother by Quin Abbey to Merry Singer and Musical look likely ones. Two rank outsiders in Indolent and Te Ngeru dead-heated in the second division of the Trial. The former was nicely placed behind the leaders at the home turn, and when they ran off the course he shot through on the inner, this enabling him to divide the stake. On the other hand, Te Ngeru came from a long way back, and although he did not finish straight he got up on the post to share the honours. Another outsider in Arcade filled the minor placing to the dead-heaters, he, too, was going strongly as they passed the post. His was a good performance. for he was drawn wide out, whereas the dead-heaters were close in to the rails. When Black Maire and Red Lion (the favourite) led the second division of the Trial into the straight it looked as if U.ey would fight it out, but both appeared to be tiring. Black Maire carted the favourtie out wide, and this spoiled any chance either had. The former finished fourth, and on a smaller course both he and Red Lion ought to do better. The performers Ossian, Nulli Secundus and Glena Bay showed sufficient pace in the Trial to lead one to expect them to get on the winning list round the country circuit before the season comes to a close. Nulli Secundus in particular impressed. He races in the same colours as Star Comet, and is a three-year-old gelding by Day Comet from the Field Battery mare The W'hip. Love Call created a favourable impression when she contested the Avondale Stakes, and with Flying Prince out of the Tamahere Stakes field on Saturday the Romeo gelding was made favourite. She won well, coming away in the straight and holding Awamutu comfortably over the final furlong. Love Call is from Lassie Thurnham, a half-sister to Lorna Doon, Master Doon and other fair performers. Many people seem to have heard a lot about the speed posesssed by Awamutu, for the King Lupin gelding was nearly as well backed as Love Call on Saturday. He ran a good race, too, after being a bit slow to find his feet, but he never looked like beating the favourite, although that outing should work a vast improvement in his condition. A youngster that might have provided a more interesting finish in the Tamahere Stakes was Valstreet. who came in third. He lost a good deal of ground at the start and was in front at the end of a furlong. In the straight he was all over the course, and this did not assist him. He is a nice looking gelding by Valkyrian from Queen Street. Gay Duke had been spoken of as a fair sort of two-year-old, but he did not show up in the Tamahere Stakes. It was his first race, and perhaps he found it a bit strange. He is a halfbrother to Hypnotic. A fine big youngster in Dalston, a half-brother by Chief Ruler to Stormy and Becalmed, got very badly away, a,nd so it was impossible to get in a line on him. However, he looks as if he might be good. There was a fair measure of support for Gigolo in the Tamahere Stakes, but the money was left at the post, for the gelding got caught in the tapes and lost many lengths. He is a good-

Saturday’s Running Reviewed

looking youngster by Paper Money from Jolly Gay, by Prince Meriwee from Jolie Pille. It seems safe to assume that a large number of those at Te Rapa on Saturday were holding off Corinax for the second day, for it was the general opinion that he would be all the better for one more race into him. Therefore when he outstayed Valkon in a strenuous tussle over the final furlong there were many who regretted relying on their own judgment. Corinax was turned out in great order, and he was ridden a fine race. He was never further back than fifth in the Waikato Cup. and was third into the home stretch, and obviously going really well. He put in a determined run from here and wore Valkon down to beat him a neck. It was a fine performance, and with the Magpie gelding all the better for that race he should be a difficult proposition in future handicaps. * * * Valkon ran up to expectations, and he was perhaps a bit unlucky to be beaten so narrowly. Soon after the start he was in a bad position, and going out of the straight he was three horses out and near the end of the field. Ho moved up along the back stretch and without covering unnecessary ground ran up second and was with Queen Arch in front as they swung across the top. He failed to withstand Corinax’s challenge, but nevertheless he did not go under without a fight. Had Valkon got as good a run in the early part as the winner the result might have been different. Queen Arch, too, was not too well served in the early stages of the Waikato Cup, and it looked as if she was made a bit too much use of afterwards. She was first to turn for home, and then she stopped quickly, being kept going to capture third money, being three lengths behind the winner. A mile would suit this mare better than ten furlongs. Catkin was not ridden a very good race in the Waikato Pup, and at the end he was galloping well in fourth place. He was nicely placed for the first six furlongs, and when the field bunched prior to crossing the top he seemed to get lost in the shuffle. This was not his form, and perhaps he will do better very shortly. At any rate it was good judgment to leave him here

and not ask him to chase Goshawk After the first four horses in the Waikato Cup there was a big gap back to Mint Leaf, Desert Glow. Tidal and Te Kara, who were bunched. No excuses coukl be made for them. Tidal might have been rushed too much to get a position early. Te Kara was always at the tail of the field, but when he did get a run on the inner from the three furlong peg he failed to make much impression. The conditions should have suited him admirably. King Smock looked a picture when he was sent out for the Waikato Cup, and he went a good race for a mile. This horse has a rare liking for Te Rapa, and if he is engaged to-morrow his admirers and believers in the horses-for-courses maxim have every encouragement to be on his side. Papatu and Transformer were complete failures in the Cup, the former being in the picture for a mile. A walk-in start is not always fair to all the horses in a race, and this was never better exemplified than in the Cambridge Handicap on Saturday. Nancy Lee drew tlie ace, and when the barrier flew up she was quickly in front, obtaining practically a flying start. Afterwards she was steadied, only to collar the leaders at the bottom of the straight and she then came on to win rather easily. In fact, she was not off the bit over the last half furlong. It looked as if she could have won without getting such an advantage at the start. It was pleasing to see Ballymoy II showing a glimpse of form once more, and one can believe that there is still hope of the daughter of Sonning returning to her best. She was handy all the way. but it was not until the last bit that she commenced the run that finally carried her into a dividend a clear length behind Nancy Lee. Apparently the big course suited her, but it is certain that it assisted her to get up second. Nobody wanted to be on Pcgaway in the sprint, and he ,was at a royal price. Ho was always in the middle of the field, and once straightened up for the run home he was putting in some good ones, and failed by a head only to to collar Ballymoy II for second money. Pegaway is already in good nick, and with another race into him he will

bo able to hold his own in the handi cap events between liis and the Sir summer meetings. * Te a Time had every chance in the Waikato sprint on Saturdav f or h» I" V 1? V ; m cr ° ssi "S top an<l was lust to turn for home. X’ancy Lee soon got to him, however, and the Tea Tray gelding was well beaten being fourth, in a line with Macroom' The latter incidentally put up a race. She was last half a mile from home, but she finished with determine tion and was close to the placed horses at the finish. Her turn cannot be far The disappointment of the Cam bridge Handicap on Saturday was the failure of Kingfield to pay a dividend, and it would occasion no surprise were he to do better at an early date. He was second to the home turn, but he did not relish his task, and his rider did not knock him about over the last bit. The conditions suited Kingfield but on his running he appeared to be short of a gallop. # o Speechless sprang a bit of a surprise when she won the Hautapu Hack, in which she was at a nice price. Her rider rode a waiting race, and then when he asked the daughter of Demosthenes to go on and win she quickly collared the tiring Lady's Boy. For some time Speechless has been troubled with muscle soreness, and it was proposed to retire her to the stud. Apparently the trouble worked off after being warmed up, and her good form may result in her being kept to the race track. If the Hautapu Hack had been four furlongs the hot favourite. Lady’s Boy. would have won by the proverbial street, but as it happened to be seven furlongs he was second, tiring badly over the last furlong. It was hard luck for the stable, for at the half mile the favourite was doing it nicely and looked a certainty, whereas the opposition was being kept up to it to prevent him getting away too far. Abbey Queen showed a lot of early speed in the Hautapu Hack, but she failed to run it out. She did better at Cambridge yesterday, and was only collared in the straight by the greatly improved Leitrim, who is at last going to fulfil the promise shown last season. Abbey Queen is likely to do better later on, and on the country circuit she should more than pay her way.