ELLERSLIE’S EASTER MILE

Taranaki Daily News, 23 March 1932, Page 10

ELLERSLIE’S EASTER MILE

GREAT FIELD OF GOOD HORSES.

PURIRI PARK HAS CREDENTIALS.

(By

“Hurry On.”)

Though the stake has fallen to half its former value, the Auckland Racing Club’s Easter Handicap is still the most valuable mile event in the Dominion, and no fewer than 25 horses have been paid up for in Saturday’s race. Two previous winners, Pegaway and Hunting Cry, are at the head of the list with 9.3 each. Pegaway won over this distance on Boxing Day and quite recently went a great race in the Cup at Te Aroha, but he would need to be at his best to beat this field. Hunting Cry with 51b less scored very decisively last year, and his <rood showing in the Thompson Handicap at Trentham. on Thursday indicates that he is coming back to form, Paganelli is staying on a lot better than before, and it must be. remembered that in 1929 he carried to victory in the Thompson Handicap the weight now allotted him, and among the field he defeated were Bright Glow, Pegaway, Rapier and Lysander. However, he does not usually show his best at Ellerslie. On the same mark, 8.10, is another Thompson winner, Silvermine, who won the Trentham event 12 months ago. In the past this weight would have been regarded as being a little more than this horse could carry successfully, but he has been able to master weight much better this season, and his chances are very bright. For a horse that won an Epsom Handicap with 8.1 Autopay is very well treated with 8.9, but this son of Paper Money has become mulish and unreliable. If caught in a geneious mood he would take a lot of beating. Lady Quex was regarded in a very favourable lio-ht when the weight came out, but her failure to fill a place in the Challenge Stakes on Saturday has rather dimmed the prospects of the mare. However, it must be remembered that she had had a hard race the first day and that here she will have Sib less to cairy. Her brilliancy from the tapes will be a big asset in this race. Leitrim won over a mile and a furlong at Paeroa on Saturday, arid this performance augurs well for his chances, but the son of Valkyrian will be meeting stronger opposition ‘ here. Arisus has won over the distance, but he has been off the scene for two months, and it takes a seasoned horse to win a race like this. If Golden Wings were to produce the form he showed when he defeated Bronze Eagle in the Great Northern Guineas in October, he would take no end of beating with 8.3 to carry, but his bad failure in Saturday's Challenge Stakes was not encouraging. Chrysology went a good race in the .Thompson, but is not likely to improve a great deal during the week. Before being sent over a distance Great Star was a ■ brilliant customer, who was second in a Railway Handicap. He seems to go his best races at Ellerslie, and may spring ; surprise. High Comedy has been winning lately, but his display in the King’s Plate at Christmas did not say much for his chances.of winning a mile race. Huntingdon has won over the distance, and with his speed out of the tapes, he is going to be a hard one to dispose of, especially as it is reported that he has improved a lot since racing at Pukekohe. Since he started his autumn racing at Takapuna in January Puriri Park has made 'steady progress, and his recent wins at To Aroha and Paeroa show very conclusively that he will soon be one of the best handicappers in the north. He is a good beginner, and at Paeroa showed that he can stay on. He has just the qualifications for a race of this description, and, all going well with him in the meanwhile, he would appear certain to be one of the favourites on the day. Manuwhenua failed badly at laeroa and apparently needs a wet track, and if he should strike conditions to his liking on the day will be there at the finish. Orapai has a very handy weight, and from the manner in which he ran out seven furlongs at the Taranaki meeting last month he might easily see out the mile. He is another whose early pace will enable him to take up a handy position in the early stages of the race. Pomp has failed so consistently of late that it comes rather as a surprise to find him paid up for. Chief Jewel has been running well of late, but may not possess quite the brilliancy necessary to succeed in a race like this. Fiji’s win at Trentham on Saturday draws attention to his chances as records prove that three-year-olds with lightweights are apt to be dangerous in big mile handicaps. Persham is another of the same age with a light weight, but he has never fulfilled the promise he showed in the spring. Chromadyne would have a chance should it happen to be wet, but King’s Archer, Lucky Alice, Sunny Sky and White Wings make little or no appeal. There is no 'doubt about the class of this field. Hunting Cry, Lady Quex, Silvermine, Leitrim, Great Star, Huntingdon, Puriri Park, Orapai and Fiji all ha°ve first-class chances, but, to narrow them down, Puriri Park, Huntingdon, Fiji and Hunting Cry are named.