Epsom Speed Tests

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 546, 26 December 1928, Page 12

Epsom Speed Tests

CLASSIC CUP FIELD High Graders in Rowe Trot SIX OTHER THRILLING CONTESTS

ALEXANDRA PARK at Christmas time has long been recognised as a wonderful rendezvous for tests of speed and stamina in which the best of the Dominion’s pacers and trotters annually compete. Many fine performances have been recorded at the Christmas carnival in past years while stirring and thrilling contests always form a large portion of the excellent sport provided by the Auckland Club. A glance at the fields engaged for to-morrow’s liberal bill of fare, which includes the Auckland Cup and Rowe Cup Handicap, is sufficient guarantee that the racing will be well up to, and may eclipse, the high standard already attained. 114 C INTRODUCTORY HANDICAP (Harness) Of £400; 4.50 limit; 2 miles B carbine .. Lt Twenty square-gaiters of fair '\\ Gold £tar . . Lt and promising l calibre have survived Etta Cole* .* \ 24 Spirit leT en . Lt the acceptance for this event, but Dolores ... 48 Kolmar ... L,t Dolores will not be a starter. Of King .... 60 Bingen Starr Lt the seven on the front line the Nelson Boy ! 72 t«- Christchurch representative, Com- Wild Lad . . 84 Anneal * * * mander Bingen, will find a good Pe *® r __. Sebtsca 24 following, and he may prove the R .,^ t L? irmey * .55 Some Jazz . 24 safest for the public. Others on this Mutu * 120 mark, however, in Kolmar, Gold Star and Billy Carbine have reasonable chances of success, while Roma Bingen only requires to repeat her latest track essays to have a rare chance of collecting a portion of the stake. There is an interesting lot on the next peg, and it is qui,te on the cards that the winner is concealed here. If Some Jazz was back to top form, what would beat him? Etta Cole perhaps, as she is a promising young trotter, possessing all the qualifications that go to make good ones. Despite the slight interruption last week in her work the filly will be hard to dispose of. If Bright Light has learned the art of staying on he will be a busybody all the way, while Anseline can finish like a bulldog. Appeal will no doubt need a race, but Sebisca has form in his favour. Further back Nelson Boy, if staying on, will be a tough proposition, but those at the rear of the handicap, solid trotters though they be, will find their task extremely difficult. Public opinion will favour: ETTA COLE and COMMANDER BINGEN 10 30 DECEMBER HANDICAP (Harness) Of £400; 3.27 limit; miles Maid the’ ’ Lt Fourteen promise to face the Bawldy Mountains . Lt starter in this heat, and there is a Locanda . . Lt Bingen King . Lt good class of improving pacers Great Peter . Lt - Lord Nepean . 3 2 Concertina . . Lt mence from the limit, but onlv one Glandore ... 12 Nelson , , , , . , Invader .... 24 McCormack Lt row J should be necessary, but Gold Dlal . . 24 Bankhead . . Lt good beginners will have the advan- Harvest Child 36 tag© when the tape is released. Horizon is a useful sort and if he can see the journey out to the bitter end must be cheeky. Ricardo is a possibility, while Concertina only needs to reproduce her last Epsom run to get a portion of the stake. Bankhead will be a good fancy, his Sydney run leaving the impression that the brother to Cardinal Logan is some speed merchant. Bingen King will make things merry for a good part of the journey, but may be lacking at the final pinch. Nelson McCormack will find the distance troublesome, and Bawldy Locanda must be in need of a race or two. Maid of the Mountains can scamper if in the humour, and Great Peter should be able in this company to make amends for past failures. If he cannot win here, he will be disrated in public estimation. Lord Nepean and Glandore are a pair that can add interest to such an item, while Invader is a pacer that will reach high society. If he handles the bends right, Donald’s charge will be in the picture at the finish. Gold Dial has to commence correctly and then she would have a royal chance, while Harvest Child has recent form to recommend him. Getting down to favouritism it points to: GREAT PETER and BANKHEAD 1 20 AUCKLAND TROTTING CUP (Harness) Of £2,200; 4.27 limit; 2 miles old*'jacket" This event, which is the principal Kohara .... 24 Padlock . 12 item on the monster card, and which Talaro .... 06 Cardinal * has drawn a high-class field of Prince Logan ... 12 pacers, with the addition of New Pointer . . - 06 Terence Zealand’s crack trotter, is dealt with Jewel r .* * * fully under a separate article. The T P l oin ’ * 15 PeteTwah .'. 24 Prospects of each competitor at re- peter Bingen .' 48 Imprint ... 24 viewed and in a contest that prom- Great Bingen 72 ises to be run true to label the public will find plenty of good material on which to speculate, and which should be capable of making a spectacular race. When the machine is finally adjusted fancies may be directed toward: PRINCE POINTER, GOLD JACKET, KOHARA O C PARNELL HANDICAP (Harness) Of £500; 4.34 limit; 2 miles Glideaway . . 24 Although only ten pacers are carded for this seconded*3 khd ary division contest, the evenness of the contestants Dunmore 12 makes it a difficult problem for backers to solve. GlideJean McElwyn 12 away, the solitary limit candidate, has excellent AusGoldman ... 32 tralian credentials and if acclimatised thoroughly, will Laplander . . 24 lead those behind her a lively dance. Lady Dunmore The Shrew . . 36 went a sound race at Hamilton quite recently, and is T?©* Abb* '* * S? sure to go a bit better now. Jean McElwyn is not looked Free Advice ! 36 upon generally as a genuine stayer, but she is getting Audacious . I 48 further on the journeys of late and her speed is assured. Goldman will prefer the shorter distance of the St. Heliers Handicap, but Laplander is one to be reckoned with, although his boring tactics will discount his prospects. Then come The Shrew, Free Advice, Taipare and The Abbey, and what a fine quartette it is. All sound, solid two-milers with recent winning performances to recommend them, and it will not be surprising to find the winner concealed here. The back-marker, Audacious, is not an unknown quantity by any means over this distance, and Aucklanders still remember his fine effort in the Cup a couple of seasons back when he finished second to Nelson Derby, and had the worst of the luck in the running. A little over 3 2 months ago O. Hooper’s pacer signalled his return to the game with a victory over two miles at Addington, and recently at Hutt Park he won over ten furlongs. When the public sort out the favourites the choice may be: FREE ADVICE and THE SHREW 2 SO GRANDSTAND HANDICAP (Harness) Of £4OO ; 4.40 limit; 2 miles Derby ei Lynn *Lt Fourteen pacers of good degree yds bhd Koniniwood . Lt are scheduled to appear in this Chimes . 12 Lady argument, with half the number off Rockburn . . 24 Barrington Lt the deep end. Of this lot Derby Lingfield ... 24 rat^jin Ut Lynn will find ready support and if Evelyn S i t she is more advanced in condition Locanda . . *4 Tony Victor '. Lt than ™hen last at Epsom she will joyßird .* ! 48 Reremai . . . Lt prove a stumbling block to those invader ... 48 who think the race is in safe keeping. Reremai is another that will be all the better for her race last month, and the Mangere mare will be in the picture, while Lady Barrington and Andover will assist in making the contest keen. Ribbonwood’s Last may do better at this journey as he has been coming at the right end of his races. If Hal Chimes is staying on there will be another one to take part in a hard drive to the wire, and then Lingfield, who is coming back to form, must be reckoned with. Evelyn Locanda won so nicely on her visit to the Otahuhu fixture, she is sure to command respect and Uncle Bert’s recent displays are bringing him again int<i public favour. Joy Bird can go fast and if she stays on will have a say, wlfce Invader is a genuine two-miler that has a rattling good finish. With plenty to choose from the majority may prefer: EVELYN LOCANDA and DERBY LYNN o a a ROWE TROTTING CUP (Harness) Of £1,000; 4.35 limit; 2 miles Tradesman . . Lt This handicap, which constitutes Bose Bingen . Lt _ Beatrice . . 4S Ngatira . . . Lt one of the most important events Trampfast . . 60 Tiger Salve . Lt f or the square-gaited fraternity in ‘ 5?, ' : : Lt the Dominion, has been dealt with Si Betty Moko . 12 specially under a separate heading. Peterwah . . 132 The best of the trotters in both Islands are engaged and there promises to be one of the finest exhibitions of trotting ever seen at the Park served up while this race is in progress. Like classy races of its kind the issue is always in doubt to the finish, and in this year’s contest speculators will be hard-pressed to make a selection of favourites, but will probably go for the: YOUNG BLAKE-ELZEAR Bracket, TIGER SALVE, NATIVE STAR . ST. HELIERS HANDICAP (Harness) 4.Z0 of £SOO ; 2.47 a limit; M miles Wharepiana . Lt Ten is again the main in this Dillon Huon . 24 yds bhd heat, and a rare lot of speedsters King Pointer . 24 Lady they are. Wharepiana has the end Dalmery ... 24 4lP'Bell° ie ' ‘ 12 to herself and providing she moves Native Prince 60 Goldman * 12 away at the signal will keep the j ackie Nelson Tasker 24 opposition busy right to the box. Audubon ... 60 Lady Dunmore has the speed, but does not always begin right, which will be fatal in such a field. All Bell has taken a fresh lease of life and will not disgrace himself in the select company, while ; mother past master in Goldman will play a prominent part in the proceedings. The fact that F. Gilchrist has elected to drive the winner of the Otahuhu second day saddle to-morrow in preference to Nelson Tasker, suggests Ihe is satisfied with the former's prospects. But the latter is in better shape than ever and his win at Epsom recently over this distance was full of merit

and what beats the Henderson horse should get the thick end Then on the same peg is Dillon Huon, who has speed to burn. King Pointer, a dashing pacer over any journey, and Dalmeny, who can tramp ten furlongs with the best when keyed up. The 24 yards lot present a formidable line and with boldman and Wharepiana will give the Shaw bracket, Native Prince and Jackie Audubon, something to do. Still they are a brilliant pair and when it comes to a final effort to reach the wire Jackie Audubon will stretch out with his determined dash. When the bells cease to tinkle the elect may be: NELSON TASKER and KING POINTER

AKARANA HANDICAP (Harness) Of £400; 2.50 limit; miles lanklfead iIA , • m p *? ers olour the card for this race, Bingen King . T.t which will bring the first day’s schedule to a close. Lord Nepean . Lt: Bankhead is nicely placed on the front line and if Dick Dillon . 12 Bryce’s pacer escapes a penalty earlier in the day he Daytime ... 12 will be in strong demand for this heat. Bingen King Stanmor»r hlld 2 U win be more suited by the shorter course, and Lord Luvan .\ 1 24 Nepean can go quick for ten furlongs. It is also a Glideaway . . Lt journey that will suit Dick Dillon and here he should have a reasonable chance of breaking his spell of outs. ‘Stanmoor has a good turn of speed and if he can be induced to use it to the best advantage will be handy at the end, but Daytime, who lias improved a great deal of late is just the sort to make things merry over this course. His last Epsom victory was a clear-cut one and his display in the Hamilton Cup was impressive. Luvan has been most consistent of late and will make those in front of her keep going to save getting their heels warmed, while Glideaway might prefer this to a two-mile bout. If Bankhead’s mark is altered the favourites may be: LUVAN and DAYTIME