TRENTHAM FORM UNDER REVIEW

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 497, 29 October 1928, Page 10

TRENTHAM FORM UNDER REVIEW

BEARING ON RICCARTON HORSES FOR CONSIDERATION (Special to THE SUN) WELLINGTON, Saturday. In all probability it will be found that the form at the recent Wellington spring meeting will have more bearing on the New Zealand Cup meeting than any of the fixtures which preceded it. It provided one of the last outings before the Canterbury gathering, and the racing was held under such excellent conditions that the form might prove more reliable than usual. One thing noticeable is that Oratrix, who did not race here, has jumped to favouritism for the New Zealand Cup. This is because Star Stranger lost a number of friends through his failure in the Harcourt Cup. The Kilbroney mare is doing well, and will go South at the beginning of next week. The tendency to go off Star Stranger is not unanimous, as some attribute his defeat to the slow pace at which the race was run. lam of the opinion that Star Stranger will be a very fit horse on Cup day, all going well with him in the meantime, and that too much notice should not be taken of his defeat by Rapier and Laughing Prince. Had he been able to get to the front in that race and cracked on the pace, he would have made the task of the others very much harder. He was just a trifle above himself on the day, and the race should put him right for the Cup.

Beacon Light One of the most interesting New Zealand Cup candidates is Beacon Light. He has done ample work, and he finished fourth in the Wellington Handicap, a mile and three furlongs, on the first day of the meeting, but came home last in the Harcourt Cup, after making most of the running. Whatever happens to him in the Cup, he will only have to keep sound to go away from Riccarton with some of the stake money in his possession. Cimabue is to go South on Monday to contest the Stewards’ Handicap. The brilliant Leighton gelding is freshening up since his return from Sydney and should need only a few gallops to enable him to give a fine account of himself in the big sprint. When The Hawk made his appearance on the first day at Trentham he looked very burly, but he ran a good race in the Shorts Handicap, and was giving cheek a couple of furlongs from home. With a little condition he would have been very troublesome. Next day he did not do so well, but he is a possibility in the Stewards Handicap. Crown Area had only one race at the meeting, and in that he showed that he is well forward. As he had not done much work h© was not started on the second day, but he is a sure starter in the Stewards’, and is going to be one of the best backed. His pilot is to be R. S. Bagby, who is riding as well as ever he did. Booster was much improved by the race he had on the first day, and on the second day ran a sterling race in the open six-furlong event. However, his running seemed to be a trifle below the form required to win the big sprint at Riccarton. Bright Glow has done a fair amount of work, and is going to be very confidently supported by the Taranaki contingent. She is brilliant when at her best, and is expected to touch her best form in time for the Canterbury meeting. Can Sprint Too It is hard to say how Goshawk will go as a sprinter, but probably he will get beaten if he is started in the Stewards’. All the same he would be a very dangerous horse if the luck of the race went his way, and he happened to catch the jump out and com© on to the course proper with the leaders. He would certainly be a bother to thern in the run home. White Fang’s form here was bad. He had galloped brilliantly on the tracks, but in his race in the Shorts Handicap he did not stay more than four furlongs, and that will not do at Riccarton. Arrow Lad is a useful, solid little fellow, but perhaps not up to the standard required for a Stewards’ Handicap, and he might be reserved for something easier. Staghunter is too much of a puzzle to discuss seriously at present. Consent will be well backed in certain quarters, as big money was won over his Shorts Handicap victory. He is a very useful sort, but does not appear to be top elassOne who might go better than he did at Trentham is Chelone, who was a warm favourite in the six-furlong race on the second day, and cut up badly after being one of the leaders two furlongs from home. Clielon© had not done much work before coming to Trentham, and there is a suspicion that his race in the mile event on the first day adversely affected him. and that he will do better at Riccarton than he did here. Will Moa Bird Run? Whether Moa Bird will run or not. I do not know, as she cut herself badly while galloping at Trentham the dav betore the races. If she starts she will probably be ridden by IL N Wiggins.

Gamecock was carrying a lot of condition when he raced on the first day of the Wellington meeting, but the race took a good deal of it off him and he stripped much better on the second day. He should be fairly fit next time he faces the starter. If Admiral Drake goes South for any of the two-year-old races he snould not be entirely overlooked. H© registered a rather good performance on the second day, whefi he came from a Jong way back into second place, .lust behind Pass Book and Equitant, b© is a rapidly-improving sort. Clever did not do well on the Trentham trip, and her chance on tlie second day was ruined at the rise at the barrier. She may not be seen out lor a while again, but in the interim between the Wellington meeting and prov nGXt a PPeui'unco she should im-

Soirose strikes company a little below that which she encounteied at Trentham. she will como home with the prize money. One sure to improve among the T hac * s ls Rabbi, Mr. Corry's readv'Tet 01 *,, t He Is not thoroughly J et, but seems a. prettv sroncl sort, and might win very shortly. nrirUT h °'^ d up for a while whej, the raci t i Trenth^ ra ’ and as he needed the lace he can be looked out for at Riccarton, where he might run into meeting 6y before the conclusion of the

Reremoana ran so well over six furongs here that a seven-furlong race m th u ? 't ry near future should find knocking at the door. ’ The two races Royal Duke had at Trentham will wind him up nicelv Riccarton'£ e t ble , to d ° Riccaiton. He has lost none of his

Mundane came under the snotiio-in by the finishTng w-fn- i vas responsible for in the rmt » andica P' turn should

in nSI might make an appearance m open company at Fuccarton He ®.° T y'° ll among the hacks here witi hi s - s ? owln P in the higher sphere will be interesting. ™ "