HAWERA TRACK NOTES

Taranaki Daily News, 16 August 1934, Page 12

HAWERA TRACK NOTES

BIG TEAM FOR HUNT MEETING.

DEATH OF MR. ROBERT HICKS.

(By

“Childers.”)

' Present indications point to Hawera stables being very strongly represented at the combined hunt meeting at New Plymouth, for no less than 23 horses from the South Taranaki training centre figure among the nominations. Of these 21 have been entered for events both days, the remaining two having been nominated for the second day only. Compared with last year. a large increase is to be noted, for on that occasion only 11 horses were taken to the Taranaki Hunt Club meeting and one to the Egmont-Wanganui Hunt Club fixture. There seems to be every possibility that all of the large Hawera contingent will fulfill their engagements, and should this happen it will be a record representation at both meetings on the part of Hawera trainers. Flower Bag left ybSterday for Auckland, where he will compete at the Pakuranga Hunt meeting on Saturday. He claims engagements in both the maiden hunters’ event and the Pakuranga Hunt Cup, but the former will probably be his mission. However, it is quite on the cards that he will start in both races, for that the winning of this double is by no means an impossible feat was clearly proved by Valpeen, who did it last year. Flower Bag’s prospects look exceedingly bright, for his schooling efforts since coming to Hawera have been most impressive and his previous form in point-to-point events has been particularly good. He will be ridden by the ex-Hawera horseman B. Sullivan.

H. Mills has physicked his pair, Richfield and Autumn Leaf, consequently both have been eased up for a couple of days. Neither is in at New Plymouth, but they are fairly well forward and will be ready to race in a very short time. Autumn Leaf has not done as much fast work as his half-brother but will probably start galloping any time now. His progress is being watched with interest by regular attenders of the Hawera tracks, as he displayed marked promise when sprinted in the autumn. Friesland has been showing great pace in his efforts of late over short courses. For three furlongs or under he is the speediest galloper in work at Hawera, with the exception of The Tiger, who, of course, is regarded as one of the fastest beginners in the Dominion. Whether Friesland will go much further than three furlongs or half a mile is a different matter; to date he has shown an inclination to stop veiy quickly at the end of his gallops. However, he has only to stay reasonably well to take a power of beating in any hack field over five or six furlongs. Stanchion has been turned out for a while until he fully recovers from the lameness which has affected him of late. Crennatown is improving steadily, his last couple of gallops being of a most pleasing nature. ' The big Archiestown gelding would be all the better for a face, as he is not of the type which may be produced at their best by track work alone. On this account he may not be as seasoned as the majority of the entrants for the hunters’ flat events at New Plymouth. Nevertheless he should make a good showing. Crennatown has jumped well in the hunting field, so it seems likely that if he shows any trace of his former galloping ability when raced at New Plymouth his owner-train-er, Mr. F. Walker, will give him a trial as a hurdler.

There has been very little schooling during the past week owing to the absence of suitable riders. Next week should find the situation relieved, for in addition to I. Tucker and N. Trillo, who will be there after the conclusion of tin Grand National meeting, the Waikato hurdle horseman A. Gilmer is also expected to arrive at the week-end. A surprise absentee from the list of the hunt meeting nominations' was Silver Wings, who is in fine trim and would have been a fancied candidate had she raced. However, the Tea Tray filly will probably be raced at Wanganui next month, for she will need an outing, or two previously if she is to contest her spring classic and weight-for-age engagements. Because of the schooling he has done recently many people are inclined .to regard Harvest Moon’s entry, in the Weraroa Scurry at New Plymouth merely as a “preparation” race. This should not be the case, for although he has had only three starts on the flat so far Harvest Moon has shown pace in each, and if he takes his place in the Scurry he should be one of the hardest to beat. The death of the well-known Hawera sportsman Mr. R. Hicks will be widely regretted by the Taranaki racing public, for he has been one of the pioneers of racing in the province. Throughout the last. 50 years he has seldom been without one or two horses racing, most of which he has bred himself. During that period he was represented by smart performers in Smilax, Complex, Styrax, Bisox and Carfex. Bisox was the most successful of these, for besides many other victories she was successful in the Avondale and Winter Cups and the Parliamentary Handicap. Everyone is familiar with the performances of Carfex, t who has been a consistent winner in good company for the past two seasons. Many other winners of lesser credentials than those already mentioned have carried the unusual white, green creeper colours of the late Mr. Hicks. A rather peculiar feature in the naming of his horses was that in almost every . case /'. “x” was the final letter of the name. For the last 40 years Mr. Hicks has been a steward of the Egmont Racing Club. Throughout the last 26 years J. Brown has been his trainer.