SPORTING NOTES

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 60, Issue 4233, 19 January 1940, Page 5

SPORTING NOTES

THE THAMES MEETING. PROSPECTS FOR TO-MORROW’. (By “ Backwood.”) Good acceptances have been received for the first day of the Thames Jockey Club’s annual meeting, which will he held on the Parawai raceicourse bn Saturday and Monday. Only, two, Philcourt and Sacconc, failed to remain in the Goldfields Cup. Defections from the Flying Handicap are Orate, Konneta, and Gamos, leaving ten sprinters to contest a very open, race. The ? win-and-place system of betting will be used. Proceedings open with the Trial Handicap, six furlongs, and as the weights range from 8.5 to 8.12 it can be. seen that the class is very even—and by no means good. Merry Vaals, the top weight, may experience most opposition from Royal Fawkes, Hunter’s Night, True Measure and First Gold Money, with perhaps a preference for Hunter’s Night. Hqpalong heads the list in the Maramarua Hurdles, 13 furlongs, and if anything is to beat him it will probably be Inquisitor, a jumper with a good deal of pace. An interesting acceptor is Te Hai, a goodclass galloper on the flat, and if he can jump he should be in the final Struggle. Royal Abb and Dauber may improve, and the same can be said of Centaurus and Seneta, but Inquisitor and Hopalong look like being favourites.

There are some, fair sprinters in the Flying Handicap, six furlongs, with Maxam top weight at 8.3. Brazen Bold and Foxmond are a pair of good three-year-olds, and these may be slightly better supported on the totalisators than Maxam. The latter, with a favourable dispatch, will worry the best in the final hundred yards. The Thames Hack Cup is run over a little more than a mile, with Greek Queeh carrying No. 1 saddle-cloth. She is fairly good class, on what has been seen of-her this season, and if she is to be beaten it may be by Foxtoon or Trig Station, both of which have shown ability to run the distance. Clipper and Raepata Will also be fancied. King Rey is top weight in the Goldfields Cup, ten furlongs; he has 9.4 not a prohibitive weight for a horse of his quality. Namara and VeryGlad may be hardest to beat, while the best of the light weights should be Scotland and Bon Star. If Sunola is produced there will be solid backing, for this fellow is a brother to Round Up, and has been racing well over shorter distances. Namara will probably be favourite. The Furiri Handicap is a five-fur-long scramble, with Heroic Maid at the top of the list, followed by Biddy GirL winner of a division of the Waipa Plate last month. Nothing much has been done by any of the others, but Manei-oo and Gold Money Song are reputed to be better than they have shown on the race-track. Pocket Venus has 8.9 in the Borough Handicap, and, in form, he would be. very hard to dispose of. However,", the piek of the handicap appears t6.be Tosh, which was really good a couple of seasons ago, and should be able to dispose of this lot. Prince Rangi and M,on Acre also appeal as likely sorts, and there is always Erlick to create a surprise. Tosh, Prince Rangi, and Mon Acre appeal most.

The day’s racing concludes with the Tapu Hack Handicap, six furlongs, and the Te Awamutu-trained Ora King is top weight with 9.6—a fair burden. However, there are other speedy, olles engaged, including Penzance, May Song, Paxeno, and Sir Robiii. Tile latter is likely to be improved by recent racing, and though on the small side .this fellow is game. Penzance fnay be fancied in preference to Ora King and Paxeno. THOROUGHBRED YEARLINGS. . Special interest among Te Awamutu; and district sportsmen on. Wednesday centred in the thoroughbred yearling . sales at TrcHtham, for Mr Wj. Alexander,; a local sportsman, had a particularly fine brown colt to offer, was by imported Foxbridge from Rose Latour. That racing men were ■attracted by this fellow was -evident from- the fact that when bidding ceased the price was 700 guineas, the best offer of the morning. LatcT in the sale several others made better values, including one quitted . for 2000 guineas, but • Mr Alexander has every reason to be pleased With’ the price .for his colt. .

It will” be rbiiiembered that last veai- a cblt by Foxbridge from Rose Latour’s half-sister Rager, Rose, also offere dby Mir Alexander, made 600 guineas.-, . . "The only actual purchase for Te Awamutu district; at this year’s, sales was a bay filly by the Chief Ruler horse* Rulanut from Wake Up, a mare by Bezonian front Sqmnifprm. The price,was only 421 guineas, so if the juvenile develops class such as did the the'purchaser’s ( Mir .J, Sklenars) Gay Seton, she will be a cheap purchase;

Mr F. Rose, of Tirau, paid 100 guineas for a chestnut colt by imnorted’Theip from Saturation, which . was by imported. Lord Quex from the All” BFack"‘mai e Black Scotia. Mr Rvsc usually .has- his horses trained in Te Awamutu by Mr A. Cook, and. no doubt "the. Them yoiingster will find its racing education imparted from the same'quarters. ' Mr; Neviir” Souter, of Cambridge (who owns the winning two-year-old -Happicoat). paid 190 guineas for a brown filly bred in the Cambridge district. This was a rather neat youngster by Foxbridge from Air Lassie, which is by imported Romeo from Air Queen, a beautifully-bred . Australian mare formerly trained by the late Mr F. E, Loomb. Air Queen, bv the wav- is a sister to Mr E. H. Cucksey’s Flying Prince. A Tuakau sportsman, Mr A. Lapwcod. paid 25 guineas for a chestnut filly bv Lord Warden from Felicity Loo, which was by the Clanranald I horse Mlasterpiece from Olivine. This I youngster is a first foal, and her dam

never raced, but she comes from the same family as Nordenteldt, Ammon Ra, and other ffood ones. Mr A. Winder: of Hamilton, secured a Hunting Song—(Prickles eolt - • for 210 guineas, and Mr F. Ferrell,-« of Hamilton, bought a Baffles—JTrac- • trix filly for 90 guineas.