GREAT NORTHERNS

Taranaki Daily News, 8 May 1930, Page 5

GREAT NORTHERNS

ALLOCATION OF WEIGHTS REVIEWED

PROBLEM GIVES FOOD FOR THOUGHT

PRECEDING MEETINGS MAY ASSIST

The Easter meeting saw the flat-racing season conclude and hurdle and steeplechase events at various gatherings heralded the approach of winter racing. Certainly no definite line was given bn the prospects for the big jumping events, the class horses being obviously short of work, but Star Comet and Omeo won their races impressively and are now included among the “possibles” for Northern and National honours.

Tn the past, the Egmont and Wanganui meetings have provided full dress rehearsals for the more important gatherings, but this month it is doubtful if anything approaching the class required for the long, tedious journeys over Ellerslie’s stiff course will be .seen in action to guide bettors. Auckland horses in other years have taken advantage of the May meetings, but the northern leppers are conspicuous by their absence this time, though Kawini, Glenstar and Prince Lu have been entered.

Of the contingent from the middle of the island, Horomea,'Airtight, Ponjola, Democratic, Maunga, Matu and Aurora Borealis will strip at Hawera to-day, but they are not a gdfrd. lot, Horomea and Airtight probably possessing the best credentials. At Wanganui next Thursday, Mister Gamp, Elicit, Red Fuchsia and Fabriano (South Island) will join this septette. Mister Gamp and Elicit are the best-known of these jumpers, but both are well cared Tor by the handicapper. However, their presence will add a certain ainount > of interest to the Wanganui meeting, which really-opens the jumping season, and upon how these two good horses shape in weak company will depend their prospects at Ellerslie next month.

In this issue I will deal ~w’tlu”the' Great Northern Hurdles field, and discuss the ’chasers next week. A nice prize of 1759 sovs. is allotted to the Great Northern Hurdles, and those who seek to win this stake are presented with an exacting test of two and a half miles over ten flights of hurdles. Very few “roughies” have won this race, though there have been many. sur-. prises, and winners have all proved the merit of their performance by ultimate successes against the best in the land,.

Handicapper F. J. McManemin , had little option but to place Mister Gamp at the top of the list, awarding the Bronzetti gelding 11.5 in a field of 34. The Australian bred hurdler won very comfortably last year, when lie .carried 9.13 in front of Roman Abbey and the veteran Kawini. However, it is surprising to find that the handicapper has decided upon Elysianor as a comarker, and I do not see where he finds the performances of the Bulls-owned gelding on a par with the winner of the Century and Great Northern Hurdles. Certainly Mister Gamp has many pounds the better of the deal. Red Fuchsia comes next and is entitled to his 11.0. He was a smart hurdler last season and ran an Australasian two-mile record. However, his connections seem keen to make a ’chaser of him and his efforts in this department leave the impression that he is not a natural steeplechaser. Comical and Nukumai were two fine hurdlers in their heydey, but steeplechasing did not come naturally to them and persistent efforts made to win over country spoilt them. Perhaps I may be ■mistaken, but Red Fuchsia has taken too long to"'prove his worth over big fences, and this may be detrimental to his hurdling ability.

Wedding March won this race three years ago, but his career has suffered so many interruptions that he has failed to do very much -since. However, there is no doubt about his class, though in his present condition he does not look likely to be able-to concede a pound to Elicit, who ran a good third in the Brighton Hurdles. Elicit is an im-, proving hurdler ..and his running at Wanganui will, no doubt, give a lead for the Great Northern Hurdles. With 10.6, 51bs. less, Siaosi has enough weight, and Wiltshire, on the same mark, would be better suited 'by the •bigger fences. However, lie is endowed with a -fair amount of pace and his sure jumping will stand him in good stead.

Bright -Land won some good rapes last season,., but the imported gelding ran his best races over, shorter courses, and Star Comet, who out-stayed the field In the Brighton Hurdles, looks a better proposition on the same mark. With 1-9.5, Star Comet has not been given a prohibitive weight, and the iSouth. Aucklander seems to ‘be one of the finds of the season. Mangani won the Grand National Hurdles with 9.2 and goes'up 131bs. to 10.1. He is only a pony- and the weight may worry him over the final stages. -Prince Lu raced well at Easter, but he is inclined to stop, and Pouri, who also has ’19.0, stays on better.

- 'Tbinpeius' really MidTib t -coma -Into- .tho public eye until he. strolled home in the Pakuranga Hunt Club Cup at the beginning of the season, and when the Lucullus gelding went on to win a steeplechase' at the Auckland, spring meeting and ran third in the Waikato -Hunt Club Steeplechase he became discussed as a likely candidate for the big winter races. Followers of form became even more interested when-the Ma'niapoto and Nolan Hack. Cups, two goodclass liigh-weights at Stratford, and .the Rotorua Cup were credited to A. P. Brady’s charge. With 9.13 in. this race, Pompeius promises to be one of .tho early favourites, and indeed there are few horses in this field that have proved so versatile in really good company. Roman Abbey carried Ost. when ho ran second to Mister Gamp last year, but Dick Hannon’s representative has not had much running this season and will not have the benefit of races at Hawera and Wanganui. However, this stable’s elect is always dangerous ■ in jumping events at Ellerslie. Old Kawini is there again. In 1926 he chased Landbird home and the following year was fourth behind Wedding March. * He did not start in 1928, but last year he ran a fair third with 10.6. Never a brilliant hurdler, the old chap can claim respect only on account of his safe jumping and honestness, and few will worry much about him this year. Glenstar is not badly handicapped with 9.9 and his performance at Hawera today will indicate whether he stands a chance in the big race. Though yet a maiden hurdler, Mr. McManemin is taking no risks with King’s Jest, but the well-bred ’King Mark gelding will need to fence -better than when I saw him at Napier... Nevertheless, ' the breeding is there and I do not doubt that King’s Jest will ulti- . matejy one of our best, hurdlers. Kauri Park (9.5) is solid over two miles, though he is not brilliant, but Omeo, Horomea and Aurora Borealis, who have a -pound the 'better of the deal, should all beat him. Taranaki’s (two best representatives in the raco are undoubtedly Omeo and Horomea, but I would 'bank on Omeo proving many pounds the better of . the pair over this course. I am not belittling Horomea by any i means and if Percy Johnson can keep her sound, she' will .win . .some good races this season. Steeplechasing may be her forte. A baker’s dozen are on the minimum, 'but they are poor “cattle,” and perhaps Glena Bay and Tiega may prove the best of the bunch. However, there is little, likelihood of their' offering much opposition, and the. majority of punters will.give them little thought. With nearly a month to go, a .lot can happen and, especially in jumping races, the betting market is liable to great fluctuations. On the weights, Mister Gamp, Elysianor, Red Fuchsia, Elicit, Star Comet, Mangani, Pouri, Pompeius, Roman Abbey, King’s Jest, Omeo and Horomea have all their quota of admirers, though I would fine this down further to Mister Gamp, Elicit, Pompius, Star Comet and Omeo., The acceptances are not due until May 23 and then the reduction of the field may do something to elucidate this annual important problem.