FORM REVIEW

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 560, 12 January 1929, Page 9

FORM REVIEW

trentham notes prospects for foxton AND WELLINGTON

(iioccial to TUB SUB} WELLINGTON', Thursday. . .yenis have fully done their ■ r ~ tirove how uncertain—gloriP» r ‘ “ c ‘ert ain those with unlimited «* 9 *y pall it —racing is. Just when nurs«> jy aS sociated with the turf hoDing that the holiday racing *®kl Held a reasonable profit the .her upset all calculations. On clance that might read as a mere > r> o rv of the speculators dilemma. ' It means that for the re!'.,«lnr summer fixtures and the early ' lia i meetings we aie not in the fusion of the guide to lorm which ilv is of considerable assistance at ". time of the year. However, it t be said that the form at ManaiDD° Marten and Wairarapa is not of '".‘a and interest in view of the aprh of the Foxton and Wellington “'iiine and that it will not have a Sderable bearing on speculation at gatherings* one of the most striking instances of Xd form was that of Gascony, who ' gs only start during the holidays, r ‘,i and comfortably defeated the Uer crack galloper, lleremoana. X. has gone off a little as his ‘" increased, but lie is still !e Xrce to be reckoned with, and he i been galloping so well on the Hatrack that his trainer, O. Cox, Y, t), e opinion that he would win ;’g, the pair met. Gascony went ht away from the big chestnut in middle stages of the race, and, Xch Reremoana finished strongly. ,'l-cony’s victory was comfortable and aisive. You can mark Gascony down beat" the best up to a mile this * From*now on tho Riccarton geHing whuoarch must be considered in the .gt handicap company. He is a pretty vod three-year-old —perhaps the best % this lean season—and he is a lot tter now than when he won the New 'aland Derby from a weak field in November. Had he been entered for •he Wellington Cup he would have ? ea one of the early favourites for ae race, but his trainer, apparently, is deemed it best not to set him too ’ever© a task at the present stage of •he season. He has been entered for ormt events at Trentham and also was weighted for the Foxton Cup. If 10 competes at Foxton he will not be without supporters, but in the company o be met there he will have plenty of weight to carry. If he does not go up in the weights before Easter, a ice like the Great Autumn Handicap ,aould suit him nicely. Not a Good Recommendation The maiden fields that were seen out were very weak, and too much notice hould not be take n of the success of the Te Arohu gelding. Black Maire, at Marton. Black Maire walked away with the Maiden on the first day, but was beaten in a poor field of hacks on the second day. He is a five-year-old, can hardly be expected to improve a gns t deal. Balloon, who was beaten at Marton, is still a maiden, and would be hard to beat could he begin better. I think he uld go very close to winning if raced nver seven furlongs instead of being ecd in five furlong and six furlong i vents. He is engaged at Foxton, and as he is likely to meet weak opposition and will be racing on his home rack, he is a probability. The failure of Equitant at Marton was puzzling to many who lost good money over her. It is understood she vas not quite herself at the time, so me allowance may be made for her. Cup Horses The Trentham gelding Historic has >me on a lot since the spring and is now a very useful handicap horse. He has been entered for the Wellington Cup, but a decision has not been arrived as to whether he or his stablemate, Panther, will contest the race. The present intention of the stable is not to send both to the post. I have an idea Panther might be the Cup ora* and that Historic will be reserved for a slightly shorter distance, but in any case much will depend ipon what their trainer thinks of the eights and how the two geldings shape in their preparations. Ruanui is fairly well just now, and a seven furlong race round a small track would find him very hard. He is »iree galloper, but not a good stayer. Mountain Heath has had enough riving for a while, without much sue-, r «s, and his trainer is sure to be easy on him j n the immediate future. Mountain Heath must have been very expensive to his connections. Probably he reappears he will be differently Placed.

.. °f the fittest horses entered for J 6 Wellington Cup is Star Area. More r*® likely the distance will be too ,4r * or him, but up to a mile and anuarter he is very useful. The soft •raeka for the time of tho year have een . in kis favour and have assisted in keeping sound.

Promising Hack “}*• **• B. Gaisford has a promising V,, ln Arikinui, who is by Chief was ° Celmisia, a mare who rf . a kood performer some seasons XjJ® ■ ® co^ours of the same owner. i U 1 ran a Becond at Otaki and v.ZL ,c ored a win at Tauherenikau. ani appearan ce will bo at Foxton, a 1116 opposition is not strong horded* succekMS mi «ht have to be wh?t*t apuni hurdler, Red Bank, rN.».7i as , trl showing improved form m „®" y ' 18 to be spelled lor a while •'•’ated* 1 *° allow a his kns* to be 'atlfand'v? below £ i:s best ut Mana ' &rton . but that did not a lot bettin » Public from staking ri*u t r rooney on him. If he comes but might make amends, Th * t Ch ? nces are he is over-rated. d*d ■ at tlle holiday meetings Butt Vigilance. She likes The Lord Qucx mare is io'ly r«.ji, e f seven furlongs and prob°n on* it, • rac ®d over that distance r th e Foxton meeting. Her rd tn d the turns make her i« , catc h» Particularly if the of [t I'oxton <s* * oft ’ as * the formation at for w Ure one oi the hacks entered Cup 3 Trentham event, the Douro he ra oed at the Wellington * ar t winter he created a kl v . SSIon by the manner in which tij* n L u couple of races, but since failed, and not much has

goes wen m , hlm for sorae time. He goes well in heavy ground, and if we have a, wet Cup meeting and he is at ail forward he is just the sort to take a lot of beating in a race like the P ™. Cup - Although he might be a little backward at the present moment, he could have two races at roxton and one at Trentham before contesting the big hack mile. Rapine Again _ When Ba*iine raced at Hastings at rvew lear he was making his first appearance since the autumn of 1927 He looked well and ran well, and there Is a possibility that he will come back. Aged horses do not often come back, but if Rapine does he should soon win a good handicap, as he is bv no means backward.

Desert Dad has been in work again for some time. He is a useful hack and when he strikes form he will win. As he has quite gone out of the boom it might pay to keep a lookout for return to his spring form, lhe Fordell mare, Thrift, is in pretty good form at present, and might pick up a race at Foxton. With a little luck she would have won one at Marton.

Staghunter did not return to Trentham* from Ellerslie, but went to Marton to be trained by F. C. F. McKay, who has trained a horse or two for Mr. Eric Riddiford for some time past and did well with Banjuke for him. McKay will have Royal Damon also, and if the chestnut shows any proficiency as a jumper he will be seen out over the obstacles this coming winter.