RAILWAY SPEEDSTERS

Taranaki Daily News, 19 December 1930, Page 4

RAILWAY SPEEDSTERS

HUNTING CRY FANCIED PUBLIC LIKE CHROMADYNE MOST. RACE FAVOURS LIGHTWEIGHTS. At present the bulk of the antepost bettors incline to regard Chromadyrie as unbeatable for the Railway Handicap, and, while the Quin Abbey gelding is Something out of the ordinary, his task will be made a difficult one by many sprinters whose capabilities have been more fully proven. And then there is the question of weight to consider. The Railway Handicap un- • doubtedly favours the light-weights, and since 1918 only Silver Link and Reremoana have succeeded with over eight stone. - ?

Toxeuma and Pegaway share the honour of topweight, each being called upon to shoulder a stiff burden of 9.6. These two great geldings are masters .of weight, but their burdens are imposing and they will be called upon to perform exceedingly difficult tasks. Of the pair, I should favour the prospects of Pegaway, but in this race they are set to do something beyond their powers. Cimabue is the only other weighted above Ost., but the allotment seems complimentary inasmuch as the Leighton gelding lias slipped badly during the past 12 months and has scarcely a shadow of his former brilliancy. ■ Next comes Hunting Cry. with a good horse’s poundage—B.l2. He made the Epsom Handicap winner Cathmkr look cherip in Sydney, and last week he won with his ears pricked, at Woodville. Of course, the latter performance .does not make him look a better proposition, but it serves to show that he is fit and well. Twelve months ago he won this race, the/King’s Plate and the Derby and was narrowly beaten in the Royal Stakes. There is no doubt,that he is exceptionally good when in form and it does not. look as if the handicapper has been unduly harsh with him. — . There has been a fairly substantial bricking for Supremacy, but at Feilding he had a “hunted” look and his second to Lady'Quex was too weak to warrant this confidentemove. Silvermine is also on (he ‘B.B mark and it miist be remembered that he has a second and third in this rrice to his credit. In heavy going he would stand a great chance and, if racing over middle-distances has not seriously impaired his brilliancy, he should again run well. Consent will probably race at Manawatu, and Awarere, who won in 1927, is hot really high class. The. handicapper has taken a big risk with Paganelli in dropping this once great sprinter to 8.5, but his allotment may be sound, for Paganelli has slipped. very badly since last autumn. Next comes the public’s choice—Chromadyne. The Quin Abbey gelding has raced only twice in open cphipany, but he has won with such ridiculous ease that it would seem that he is something out of the ordinary. Many of his early admirers would have liked to have seen him race at Te' Awrimutu on Saturday, but there is no report Of his having gone amiss, and in the poet he has always raced Well when fresh. .

the fact that Gray will ride Hunting Day has brought him into favour, and Gesture is also entitled to consideration, but neither reads half as well as Karapoti, who has done all that has been Asked of him this- season. He beat Cylinder in the Guineas and has won two spriht races since then, his defeat of Pegaway on-Saturday being particularly good. Karapoti 8.7 then arid in the Railway he drops 91b to 7.12. It is a handy weight arid the General Latour gelding should be one of the hardest to beat. Autopay, Leitrim, White Fang and White Wings are all on the . saihe mark, but Autopay and White Wings have-the best , form this. Season and one must necessarily consider the Stewards’ Handicap winner the better of the pair. , Nothing has been working better at Hawera than that smart filly Awaken. She represents good class and gets in with a handy weight. Arrow' Lad, though wonderfully consistent, is scarcely up to this class, but Praise is capable of doing great things arid sefems to be bank to form again. However, a longer'distance should suit her better. Lucy Rose is an “iffer” and Valldr’s form at Sydney has not been good. Great Star is miles below the form he showed last season in running second to Hunting Cry and will not be in such demand this time. Love Song, Hard Words and Refresher all have 7.4, but they would all do better in weaker company. Staghunter gets in wpll. and' it may be the Australian-bred gelding will be one likely to surprise. That exhausts those above the minimum, and half the field is left on the 7st mark. Royal Parade, Honiton, King Ford, Courtesy, Royal Ruler,l Royal Tea, Sir Kay and Tenterden have all won fair sprint races, but a long stretch Of imagination is required to pick the winner coming from the seven-stone division. . , At this, stage the race looks like being a very difficult one to pick, but the problem may be elucidated to some extent after the acceptances to-morrbw night. However, form warrants the inclusion of Pegaway, Hunting Cry, Silvermine, AwarCre, Paganelli, Chromadyne, Karapoti, Hunting Day, Autopay and Awaken in the dangerous division, and, indeed, it is difficult po see the winner coming from any other quarter. To fine the field down further, the quartette I would select to play prominent parts would be HUNTING CRY CHROMADYNE KARAPOTI ALEXANDER BRACKET.