CARNIVAL WEEK

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLV, Issue 21186, 5 November 1938, Page 18

CARNIVAL WEEK

Strong Fields in Cup and Stewards Prospects Discussed Originally known as the Canterbury Jockey Club Handicap, the big handicap of the season at Riccarton received its present imposing title in 1883. Mr M. Studholme’s Knottingley brought the prize for the C.J.C. Handicap to South Canterbury twice in succession at the beginning of the “seventies,” but since Tasman won the first Cup in 1883 no horse has succeeded more than once. As no previous winner is engaged in this year’s race there will be no change in that respect to-day. The highest weight carried by a Cup winner is Nightmarch’s 9.6, which was the limit allowed by the conditions of the race at the time. Mares have a rather poor record in the Melbourne' Cup, but they have made their mark in the Riccarton event, Fast Passage, Palantua, Steeton, Cuddle and Cerne Abbas having accounted for five of the last six Cups. No three-year-old is included in this year's Cup field, and few of this age have contested the race during recent years, but it is still remarkable that since the wonder colt Noctuiform cantered home in 1905, the nearest approach to a Cup win by a three-year-old was Indigo’s dead-heat with Warstep in 1914; and only four times during the last forty years has a three-year-old succeeded. The only grey horse to win a New Zealand Cup was Canteen, who finished ahead of Walriki and Achilles, and received the stake although his rider. J. McCombe, was disqualified for a year for interference. Canteen was subsequently sold to Sir Rupert Clarke for 3000gns„ but proved a failure in Victoria. Four-year-olds Prominent Four-year-olds claim the best record in the Cup, seventeen of that age having won during the last forty years. Five-year-olds have won ten times in that period. The smallest New Zealand Cup field has been eight, this number going to the post in 1889 (Tirailleur), 1891 (British Lion), and 1904 (Grand Rapids). There were only nine runners when Tangihou won in 1905. The biggest field paraded in 1908, when the silver-tailed horse Downfall collected the prize. The hottest favourite in a New Zealand Cup was Noctuiform, who paid £l/11/0 and subsequently returned £l/1/0 in the Derby and £l/2/0 in the Canterbury Cup. (At that time it was legal to publish dividends, the stupid prohibition now in force not being enacted till some years later). Noctuiform, who had just previously won the A.J.C. Derby by a “mile” had been sold to Mr J, Buchanan, a Scottish owner, for 5000gns., but it was a condition that delivery was not to be given until after the Cup meetings. Like many others sold to go abroad at a highprice, Noctuiform did not strike form in England. Some moderate horses have won the Cup, one of them being Star Rose. This gelding lives in memory, however. through his association with the Stewards’ winner Captain Shannon. A double totalisator was operated at Riccarton that season, and a Taranaki man (the sole supporter of the combination) received over £2OOO. Two dead-heats have been posted in the Cup—between Fulmen and Ideal in 1900, and between Warstep and Indigo in 1914. The owner with most Cup wins to his credit was the late G. G. Stead, who succeeded with Lochiel, Grand Rapids and Noctuiform. Strangely enough Mr Stead’s great racing rival Sir George Clifford was unsuccessful in Including a New Zealand Cup among his many hundreds of victories on the turf. No Hoodoo on Winner Marabou, Wotan, and The Trump, the last three Melbourne Cup winners, appear to have been “knocked” by their efforts in the big race, and a surprisinb number of New Zealand Cup victors have performed without distinction subsequently. Very often this has been due to more than adequate recognition of success in the Cup, rather than to the stress of the two-mile contest. Wolverine, British Lion, Rosefeldt, Impulse, Tirant d’Eau, Canteen, Grand Rapids, Star Rose, Frisco, Downfall, Bridge, Indigo, Tangihou, Ardenvhor. Oratress, Scion, Rouen, Sunart, Spearful, Fersen, and Cerne Abbas make a pretty formidable group of Cup winners which achieved little or no further distinction though one or two won over obstacles. Noctuiform, Vice-admiral, Royal Star, Chide, and one or two others raced well on later days of the Cup meeting, but were failures thereafter. It is this list which has created a widespread impression that it is bad business to run a horse in the Cup. Tire other side is too frequently overlooked. Tasman, Vanguayd, Spade Guinea, Lochiel, Manton; Tirailleur, Euroclydon, Seahorse, Fulmen, Tortulla, Sinapis, Warstep, Sasanof, Vagabond, The Banker, Count Cavour, Rapier, Oratrix, Nightmarch, Fast Passage, and Cuddle all carried on to inscribe their names on the scroll of winners of important handicaps or weight-for-age winners in New Zealand or Australia. They had the necessary class to ensure success; and recapitulation of their names is sufficient to dispel the idea that there is a Cup hoodoo.

To-day’s Field The acceptors are as follows: Argeptlc 9.0 (G. H. Humphries) Willie Win ... 8.12 (A. E. Ellis) Padishah 8 6 (P. Atkins) Wotan 8 5 <P. Burgess) The Buzzer ... 8.3 (B. H. Morris) Arctic King ... 8.1 (S. Wilson) Siegmund .... 7.11 ( ) Malagigi .... 7.10 (H. N. Wiggins) Sly Fox 7.10 (J. Mclnally) Tidewaiter .... 7.5 A. C. Messervey) Milford 7.5 (G. Barclay) Boomerang ... 7 4 (A. C. Bennett) Mungatoon ... 7.3 (M. Caddy) Valantua 7.0 (C. T. Wilson) Cape Gabo .... 7.0 ( > Happy Landing 7.0 ( ) Cricket 7 0 ( ) Rousseau 7.0 (A. Messervey)

An Open Race There is plenty of staying form to be assessed in making a selection for to-day’s race. Argentic is a proved performer in distance races but 9.0 and nine years will probably prove a bar to success. Last November Willie Win was runner-up to The Trump in the Melbourne Cup, but his subsequent form was disappointing. Padishah, half-brother to Cuddle, recently scored an easy victory in the Grand National Hurdles, but he will meet opposition of a different type to-day. A better guide to his prospects is afforded by his second in the Wellington Cup with 8.6, and that gives him a good chance. Since Wotan’s sensational surprise in the 1936 Melbourne Cup, his only success has been a minor one, at Feilding, but his stamina would be an asset in a fast run race. Wotan still holds the New Zealand and Australian record of 3.211. The Buzzer's last win was in the Auckland Cup with 7.6, racing right-handed, and his later form has not been encouraging. Still, his chance seems to be highly assessed in the north. Arctic King captured the last Great Autumn, and runs his best races at Riccarton. On a heavy track he might be a distinctly dangerous candidate. Siegmund is not a generous customer, and will have to improve on recent performances if he is to win. Malagigi has won the last two handicaps over a mile and a half in the North Island, and had he not failed at Motukarara he would have been in high favour. Sly Fox has been one of the finds of the season, and in spite of his impulsiveness and his penalty many admirers expect him to credit Hunting Song with his first two-mile win. Tidewaiter’s stocks have slumped since his dileats at Trentham, but there was a lot of merit in his Avondale Cup victory. Milford is useful up to a mile and a quarter, but is an unknown quantity at two miles. Still, his prospects appear to be brighter than most of those below him in the weights of whom the best may be Happy Landing. The place-getters may be Malagigi, The Buzzer, Padishah. Fancied Horses Brush Hurdles— Mount Vai, Flashlight, Silver Sight. Spring Plate— Disdain, Beaupartir. Linwood Handicap— Phalanx, Lord Cavendish, Rebellion. New Zealand Cup— Malagigi, The Buzzer, Padishah. Welcome Stakes— Beaulivre, Nora Gregor, Dark Flight. Apprentices’ Handicap— Auctor, Nereus, Thermidor. Stewards’ Handicap— CounterblastPaper Slipper, Rebel Mate. Gay Chou. Riccarton Handicap— Wild Chase, Lady Montana, Nightwings. * To-day’s card is:—

12.2 p.m. SPRING BRUSH HURDLES, Of £300; IS miles Iddo 11 9 Mount Vai 9 7 Silver Sight 10 ’.3 Round Score 9 6 Top Rank 10 10' Glenvane 9 5 Flashlight 9 13 Redolent 9 3 Sunee 9 12 Metal Bird 9 0 Superex 9 9 Sir Rosenor 9 0 12.37 p.m. SPRING PLATE, o £350 ; 1 mile Lord Gay Parade 7 7 Nuffield 8 2 Disdain 7 2 Wagner 8 2 Kilrobe 7 2 Beaupartir 7 7 Lady Rosette 7 2 1.22 p.m. LINWOOD HANDICAP, Of E300; 7 furlongs Foxlove 8 10 Great Phalanx 8 7 Bramble 7 10 Sparkle 8 6 Night Hawk 7 9 Auctor 8 6 Maroha 7 8 Lady Chat 8 6 Miss Bluff 7 7 Stralghtdel 8 5 Great Flight 7 7 Trebor 8 4 Rebellion 7 7 Lord Tora Koura 7 7 Cavendish 8 3 Triple Cone 7 r Thermidor 8 3 Attractive Miracle 8 2 Note 7 7 Lofty 8 0 Great Baby 7 7 Sigurd 7 12 Tantivy 7 7 2.7 p.m. NEW ZEALAND CUP, Of £2000 ; 2 miles Argentic 9 0 Milford 7 5 Willie Win 8 12 Boomerang 7 4 Padishah 8 6 Mungatoon 7 3 Wotan 8 5 Valantua 7 0 The Buzzer 8 3 Cape Gabo 7 0 Arctic King 8 1 Happy Siegmund 7 11 Landing 7 0 Malagigi 7 10 Cricket 7 0 Sly Fox 7 10 Rousseau 7 0 Tidewaiter 7 0 2.52 p.m. WELCOME STAKES, Of £750; 5 furlongs Beau Livre 8 5 Moorsotis 8 5 Dark Flight 8 5 Military Maid 8 0 Gold Salute 8 5 Nora Gregor 8 0 Master Winning Hotspur 8 5 Rival 8 0 Moneymore 8 5 3.32 p.m. APPRENTICES’ HANDICAP O £300 ; 1 mile Passaform 8 9 Glenacre 7 8 Nereus 8 9 Plumage 7 7 Genogil 8 8 Scuffle 7 7 Auctor 8 5 Hinerawe 7 7 Rustem 8 3 Master Thermidor 8 2 Dingle 7 7 Lady Prime Middleham 8 1 Quality 7 i Gillie 7 10 Saki i 7 Great Chirp 7 / Bramble 7 9 Romarin 7 7 Flame Queen 7 9 4.17 p.m. STEWARDS' HANDICAP, Of £800; 6 furlongs Gay Chou 9 2 Racecall 7 12 Kinnoull 9 1 Counterblast 7 10 Silver Streak 8 13 Triune 7 7 Rebel Mate 8 10 Rakahanga 7 6 Paper Slipper 8 6 Janet Gaynor 7 5 Alunga 8 5 Cocksure 7 5 Gay Son 8 5 Land Raid 7 3 Peter Fightcalm 7 0 Beckford 8 ! Lady Leigh 7 0 Surmount 8 1 5.2 p.m. RICCARTOh HANDICAP, Of £350; 9 furlongs Wild Chase 9 4 Viking 7 11 Sovereign The MasLady 8 7 querader 7 7 Lady Happy Night 7 7 Montana 8 3 Rabble 7 7 Waitaka 7 12 Dunstan 7 7 Night Wines 7 12