Editorial. WEIGHT-FOR-AGE RACES

Taranaki Daily News, 19 December 1930, Page 4

Editorial. WEIGHT-FOR-AGE RACES

■'" ■' ■' ' ' :■ . ' • ' ■ ' ■ ' .■' / . . The Christmas and New Year race meetings will give our oest horses another opportunity to emphasise their superiority at weight-for-age, or, as often happens, November form may be proved to be alt wrong, and fresh champions will rise up to supplant, those previously hailed as the best of the year. Ellerslie will be the principal “convincing ground,” arid it is pleasing to note that the lists of likely runners in the Great Northern Derby, the Great Northern Foal Stakes, and the Royal Stakes include practically all. the leading horses seen out at the Spring meetings, with the addition of several whose private form suggests that they may prove equal to making the tried and proven division do their best during the holidays. The Great Northern Derby, which is the'richestoziad oissep for gallopers in New Zealand, will be a race worth going a long ; way to see if Cylinder, Sargon, Paratoo, Praise, Chrysology,. Karapoti arid Miss Hastings go to the post, and while Cylinder’s feats will undoubtedly cause him to be the public’s first choice, Sargon’s performances in Australia canriot be overlooked, while more recently he has given New Zealanders a taste of his quality by winning the Alison Cup (one mile three furlongs and 40 yards), and defeating fair middle-distance horses like Corinax, True Blood, Eager Rose and Desert Glow. Paratoo shaped well over, a distance of ground at Riecarton in November, and has . built up nicely in the interval. Praise was clearly not herself when raced at the NSw Zealand Cup meeting, blit she won the Oaks -like a stayer, and should strip better at the end of this month.' Chrysology is brilliant, but not altogether reliable, and both Karapoti and Miss Hastings might be expected to offer some opposition if the going happened to be at all holding. There 'is, therefore, .every prospect of a fine race for .the blue riband, and if Cylinder can win both Derbies he will have proved himself without doubt the best three-year-old bf the year. Spring racing has introduced several very smart two-year-olds, and there seems every chance. of gbod ones like Da Priupee, Tea Chat, Chief Cook, Baroscope, Chief Jewel, Princess Bede and Movie-Star measuring strides in the Great Northern Foal Stakes.' The four first-named will all have good followings, and, a trial between the youngsters of the North and the South should be x full of interest. - The Royal Stakes is another Ellerslie event which Will rouse a great .deal of excitement, and there promises to be much speculation on the result of the meeting of first-class two and three-year-olds over a sprint course. Two-year-olds Will be rdpre- - sented by La Poupee, Tea Chat, Chief Cook, Baroscope, Hunt the Slipper, Chief Jewel and Princess Bede, and a comparison of Australian and New Zealand form will be made if all these go to the post. And, in addition, the presence of good three-year-olds such as Gesture, Awakeri; Autopay, Karapoti rind Praise inVests the contest with another vein ;of interest. The . Royal Stakes is always a very fine race, and this year’s promises to be no exception. The Manawatu Racing Club will also have its weight-for-age race, the Palmerston North Stakes, at Christmas, arid although a good monetary prize is offered, -the event usually suffers through clashing with Ellerslie. This year’s Palmerston North Stakes has only attracted a riiere handful of horses, the two-year-blds, the best of whom appear to be Esteem and King “ Colossus, being overshadowed by a, brace of fairly gopd five-year- • olds, Lady Quex and Consent. Both have won. at Weight-for-age, and although the recent form of Lady Quex has befen the more promising, the Fordell representative should give Taranaki’s crack; a good race. However, a good supporting programme should make amends for any disappoihtihent at the poor response of owners to Manawatu’s invitation to share a good prize. “Paritutu.”