Keen Sport

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 640, 17 April 1929, Page 12

Keen Sport

WHANGAREI'S POPULAR FIXTURE

Prospects For To-Morrow

OXCE again the sporting fraternity' will be trekking northward this week, their objective being the autumn fixture at Whangarei to-morrow and on Saturday of the popular Whangarei Racing Club. The splendid programme for the opening forms the subject of “Early Bird's” review. The acceptances' are good and promise very keen racing.

In one or two events the fields are on the small side, but the horses that have made the acceptance payment are almost certain to start.

The principal event, the Mclnnes Memorial Handicap, has a very good class engaged, with the eventual winner well concealed. It is quite on the cards that Wenday will be the public fancy, for her Avondale running shows that she is fast coming back to that form that enabled’ her to do so well during the midsummer and early autumn meetings, a' mishap on the training track causing her to be put aside for a time.

The open sprint, too, is not going to be an easy race to win, let alone pick, for the quality is good. Of those that are left in this contest any one of three or four may be sent out favourite. Indeed, this state of affairs pertains in the majority of the eight events carded, and there should be spirited speculation. The course was this morning reported to be in excellent order, so that with fine weather a success should be recorded. The management of these Northern meetings needs little recommendation, visitors especially being in a position to appreciate the efforts made on their behalf. For the convenience of Auckland sportsmen a special train leaves Auckland at 6 a.m. and Newmarket at 6.10 a.m. on Thursday and Saturday for the Whangarei racecourse, and is scheduled to leave Whangarei on the return at 5.51 o’clock each • evening. A review of the programme follows: Trial Stakes The opening event has attracted easily the biggest field of the day, and it should be a spirited contest, for several of the 17 engaged have recently shown some form. Among these could be named Bluespear, Camp Prince. The Dansant, Haviland, Gold Lily, Land Measure and Korean Pearl. Early speed is sure to tell, and therefore, bearing this in mind, those that are entitled to the position of favourites may bo HAVILAND CAMP PRINCE Portland Hack Handicap There is a nice field of a dozen en■iuged in the Portland Hack, but the position is rather complicated by the fact that some of the most promising sorts are engaged later in the afternoon. Two that are in mind are British King and Brilliant Light, and also hailing from the latter’s stable is Sea Cob, which suggests that Brilliant Light may be kept for later in the day. Big 'Bertha, Sunny Morn, Gay Cockade, Measurer and Palmares are others engaged that have chances. BIG BERTHA may be the public fancy in the event of this pair not starting: BRITISH KING BRILLIANT LIGHT Mclnnes Memorial Handicap The principal event to-morrow, the Mclnnes Memorial Handicap, with its even field of nine runners should make for an interesting contest. Branson finished last in both his Avondale essays, and will have to improve a lot to win. Thursby would be better fancied on a soft track, and Hipo is preferred if allowed to take his chance in the last race. Wenday reads very well indeed, and her two good races at Avondale lend colour to the view that sho is fast getting back to that form of tho early autumn; to appreciate her efforts it is only necessary to mention that from the late spring till the early autumn she started 12 times and was not out of a place, winning four times being second on five occasions and third three times. If that is not consistency then the writer has yet to learn the meaning of the word. Schorr can be fancied on the strength of his two promising showings at Rotorua a couple of nv . ‘lis ago. Le Choucas is lightly weighted and should win if in anything like his proper form Ti Tree, in the same stable, raced well enough to put her into the reckoning. Glenstar may be bothered a bit by the journey, although on the small track he might see it out. Hakanoa, too, may weaken over the last bit, although lie has only to stay to be a possibility. Summed up, it is quite probable that the punters will plump for WENDAY TI TREE Northland Hack Hurdles The hurdle event is confined to seven acceptors, and on the face of it the . two top-weights, Ned Kelly and Odin, look like having the issue to themj selves. However, the course is a bit tricky for the jumpers, and the speedy • Golden Wedding, after her Avondale experience, may improve sufficiently to be hard to beat. Bayly Damon, Illingar and Michael are novices, of whom Illingar is preferred, and the field is completed by Just Quietly, who gives his best displays on the Whangarei course. It is hard to choose between ODIN NED KELLY Stewards’ Handicap The open sprint, the Stewards’ Hand;cap, has a nice field of 10 remaining, and with one or two newcomers who have not been seen in action of late the position becomes a bit complicated from the point of view of backers. Subdivision raced prominently at Avondale, but Te Monanui has been off the scene for some time, although his party have a good horse to launch a surprise witll The Begum can do

better than on the first day at Avondale, and is a likely customer here. Melissa, too, has plenty of pace, and her winning effort at Opunake over Bonogne and Benzora was a creditable achievement, quite good enough to elevate her to the position of favourite in to-morrow’s race. Lorient 11. is a bit too sluggish for this distance, but Lucy Rose is a distinct possibility. So, too, is Tea Time, who should come up nice and fresh for this job, which is not beyond him. Glenstar is a possibility, but it is quite on the cai'ds that the stable will rely on Lucy Rose, leaving Glenstar to take on the principal handicap. Chelone showed a flash of form at Avondale, and if back to form would probably win. Then there is British King, who if reserved would not disgrace himself. It is an open event, but most money should be forthcoming for THE BEGUM SUBDIVISION Settlers’ Handicap The Settlers’ Handicap is a race confined to horses trained in the district, so not a great deal is known as to their condition. Three that arc fairly fast are Welcome Home, Gazerin and Bluespear, and the last-mentioned is in' the Trial, so that the result of that will show if he has any chance. Perhaps the actual machine fancies may be GAZERIN WELCOME HOME Maungatapere Hack Handicap This is a rather disappointing field of seven, but at least five of them have the credentials. Envoy has the best form of the lot, for he defeated a splendid field at Ellerslie a fortnight ago. Bulolo failed badly at Avondale recently after leading into the straight, and he compounded so quickly that he could not have been right. He may

improve sufficiently to show up here. Brilliant Light will be suited by the small field, and if re- ~rved should take some beating. The * mof Grand Tea has not been of the uest. although it would not be wise to dismiss him altogether, for his win last month was full of merit. Haviland is fast enough to stand a chance if reserved, but of Exalted and Cynique one is not optimistic. It would not occasion surprise if favouritism were disputed by ENVOY BULOLO Waipu Handicap Of the 10 remaining in, no less than half claim prior engagements, but the field should not dwindle to less than seven runners, which would be just enough. Those engaged earlier arc Hipo, Lo Choucas. Schorr (all in tho big race), British King and Right and Left, and of the fresh ones there are Owairaka. Serang, Barometer Sle ; p> Sol and The Thorn. Perhaps the tavourites will be OWAIRAKA THE THORN The latest advices from Whangarei, received this morning, state that tnc weather is fine. Haviland is to run in the Trial and Exalted m tne Settlers', so this will probably leave a five-horse field in the Maungatapere Hack. For to-morrow’s racing there have been announced the following RIDING ENGAGEMENTS H. Goldfinch. —Sea Cob, r I i Tree, Lorient 11, Brilliant Light and Le Choucas. K. Gill. — Envoy. Camp Prince, Serang, Schorr and Blue Bonnet. R. McTavish. —Palmares, The Thorn, Welcome Home and Branson. E. Ludlow. — Bulolo. C. Goulsbro. —Melissa. Viburnum, Owairaka, Hipo and The Dansant. L. Manson. —Gay Cockade. E. Tuohey. —Haviland (Trikl). J. W. Chandler. —Glenstar and Lucy Rose. O. Mcl nally.— Big Bertha. A. McGregor.— Right and Left and Just Qu^tly. E. A. Keesing. —Thursby and Sleepy • Sol. S. Bryce. —Chelone. W. Gough.— Merry Mason. P. Brady.— Wenday. J. Tierney.— Legation. D. Gunn. —Exalted. E. Warner. —Odin. L. Husband.—Golden Wedding E. Stanway. —Ned Kelly: