AUCKLAND CUP FORM REVIEWED.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18644, 22 December 1928, Page 6

AUCKLAND CUP FORM REVIEWED.

PROSPECTS FOR FIRST DAY OF BIG MEETING. (By MARTIAN ) The Auckland Racing Club's four-day summer meeting will commence on Boxing Day, and be continued on December 28. January 1 and 2. Big stakes are offered by the northern club, which appeal to owners and trainers all over the Dominion, with the result that practically all the best horses are engaged, the fields invariably being very large. The principal attraction on the first day is the Auckland Cup, while the Great Northern; Foal .Stakes and the Railway Handicap are two very important events in which interest will be keen. Proceedings will open with the Queen’s Plate, in which a number of Derby candidates are due to appear. Last year Martarma accounted for this event and on the third day he annexed the big three-year-old event. About half the field are engaged in the Derby and the form displayed will be of interest. Of the non-Derby candidates, Amor is a good representative from Riccarton, while Komak has form to recommend him. Cashier will be the hardest to beat. Ilis form to date is worth recording. The Paper Money gelding in seven starts has recorded three wins, two seconds and a third. His last appearance was his second to N’ightmarch in the New Zealand Derby. Moorgas has been working well, and his third in the New Zealand Derby points to his chance. Cashier appeals most, but Komak and Moorgas should be close up. The two-year-old cracks are down to meet in the Great Northern Foal Stakes, and the race will create a lot of interest. Supremacy and Honour will be the favourites, and the race between these unbeaten juveniles will be worth going a long way to see. The former won the Avondale Stakes m great style-, and followed this up by winning the Welcome Stakes at the Auckland spring meeting very easily. Honour, in his only spreadeagled the field in the Welcome Stakes at the Canterbury Jockey Club’s metropolitan meeting. Others with form in their favour are Ceremony, Gold Tinge and Speed Light. Honour, who is much improved since racing at Riccarton, and Supremacy and Ceremony, may finish in that order. The last-named created a favourable impression -when he strolled home in the Oroua Nursery at Feilding. A big field is engaged in the Robinson Handicap, and there is plenty of room for a surprise. Vallar, the top weight, has a lot of useful form to recommend him, and he will be well backed. Philippic is in good order now after his racing at Riccarton, and he should give a good account of hirnself. Then there is High Falulin . whose third in the Avondale Guineas is good enough to dispose of this field. Te Money appeals most of the lightweights, but Vallar. High Faluttri and Philippic should provide the winner. The Cup. The Auckland Cup next comes up for decision and a stirring race should l>e witnessed. Count Favour, who holds pride of place with Laughing Prince with 8.12. is just about back to his best form, and he will go a great race. “ The Count ” has a consistent record in the ('up. having filled second place in the last three contests, and he is due for a winning turn. lie has now been dropped 71b on his last year’s eifort, and if success comes his way he will get a rousing reception. The form he displayed at the Canterbury Jockey Club’s Cup meeting pointed to his being almost cherry-ripe for his Boxing Day engagement. The Solferino gelding’s chances are certainly bright. Laughing Prince is very popular in the North Island. His form this season is a great improvement on last, and he has indicated that the journey will not trouble him. He has a hard task in front of him though to beat Count Cavour. now that he is back to form, at equal weights. Mfisk (8.5) has been in the money on several occasions since the new season commenced, but he has not done anything that would point to his beating some of the others over two miles. Oratrix’s record is well known, and her New Zealand Cup success points to h**r again being very hard to beat, even with 121 b more on her back. She will have the services of Roy Reed in the saddle, and that fact alone, apart from her fitness, will bring her strong support. Gcs hawk (7.13) is spoken of as an uniikely starter, but if he goes to the post his form entitles him to respect. Vertigem (7.13). who hails from the same stable as Talisker (7.4) appears to be the better stayer, and with his handy weight may spring a surprise. Iloylake (7.11) carried 7.0 into third place in the New Zealand Cup, and 8.0 when he won the Metropolitan Handicap. He now meets Oratrix on lib better terms, on the New Zealand Cup weights, and with a stronger horseman aboard, the tussle between these two will be worth going a long way to see. The Englishbred horee is likely to be favourite, but this writer expects the mare to beat him again. Transformer (7.6) is in good form, but the distance will probably find him wanting. Corinax (7.4) is the most popular light-weight, and the Australian-bred gelding is sure to race well. Desert Glow (7.0) has only to strike a heavy track to be dangerous. To sum up, the winner should come from: ORATRIX. HOYLAKE. COUNT CAVOUR. The hurdlers will now take a hand in the Grafton Hurdles. Wharnoliffe has not raced for some time, but he is in good form and has excellent prospects of capturing a race at the meeting. Beaumont has recent form in his favour, but with only 9.11 Ripon Abbey is going to be the hardest to beat. Mangaini and Pouri will have friends, especially the latter, who is nicely seasoned. Railway Handicap. A great field of sprinters will line up for the. Railway Handicap. Aussie (9.9) and Awarere (8.12) will be coupled, and in view of their brilliant form recently they are bound to be a well-backed bracket. Aussie demonstrated his great brilliancy by carrying 10.6 to victory at the \Vaipa meeting last Saturday, and although the field he beat then is not to be compared with this, with 91b lest, on his back he is going to be a tough customer. Awarere won this event twelve months ago. and he has already proved that he still retains his exceptional speed. Paganelli (9.3) will have many warm admirers. In three starts he has had a second and two wins and this form entitles him to the greatest respect. Oimabue (8.12) did not show up in the Feilding Stakes, won by Paganclli, but not much notice need be taken of that form, which was too bad to be true. A repetition of his Criterion Handicap form would see him getting some of the money. Silvermine (8.12). winner of the Stewards’ Handicap. has Sib more to carry, but he is a great sprinter and is one of the fav ourites. Crown Area (8.10) would appeal more over a bit more ground than six furlongs, but he was unlucky in the Stewards’. Lvsander (8.6) is coming back to form, but he is up against a tough lot with much more reliable form. The Hawk (S 3) was a poor third

in the Feilding Stakes, and he does not appear to be too sound, judging from reports. Bright Glow (8.2) has lib less than she carried into third place in the Stewards’ Handicap, in which she was slow to move off. and with 91b the better of the weights she should beat Silvermine. Nancy Lee, Consent and White Wings are three light weights capable of supplying the winner. The public are set a hard task, but the winner should come from: BRIGHT GLOW A U SSIE-A W A R E R E CIMABUE. Riccarton has a good sort in Desert Song in the Nurses Handicap, and the stake should come to Christchurch. Love Call and Cymon have northern form in their favour. A number of Derby candidates will also be seen out in the Christmas Handicap, inchiding among others, Perception, Red Heckle, Prodice, and Concentrate. This quartette are up against such good ones as Royal Doulton, Flying Juliet, and Pegaway and the form will be watched closely. Perception is reported to have done well since he arrived from Australia, while Red Heckle’s form cannot be overlooked. ELLERSLIE GALLOPS. Per Press Association. AUCKLAND, December 22. The weather was fine and the going good for Ellerslie track work this morning on the course proper nearly three trestles out. Honour finished in front of Philippic over four furlongs in 50 2-ssec. Silvermine was several lengths ahead of Bright Glow at the end of five furlongs in lmin 4 3-ssec. Catkin was slightly better than Briar Root over six furlongs in lmin 20sec. Lomint was half a length better than Sir Russfell at the finish of seven furlongs in lmin 31 l-ssec. Ceremony ran four furlongs in 49 3-sscc. Tea Queen and Optimistic did an easy four furlongs in 53sec. Speed Light galloped five furlongs in lmin 7sec. Talisker and Perception ran ten furlongs in 2min 16 4-ssee, the former pleasing. Corinax, Papatu, Hoylake, and Goshawk finished as named at the end of ten furlongs in 2min 14 4-ssec, the last round taking 2min 5 3-ssec. Jolly Money was better than Archeno over five furlongs in lmin 6 2-osec. Pure Tea ran home four furlongs in 50 3-ssec. Lady’s Boy and Taneriri were on terms at the end of six furlongs in lmin 22 4-ssec. Gold Tinge beat Royal Flower and Kinross over six furlongs in lmin 20 2Toxeuma and Vertigern were together at the end of seven furlongs in lmin 32 4-ssec. Desert Song and Xorval Tea did five furlongs in lmin 7 2-osec from a standing start. Sleepy Sol was a shade better than Golden Wedding over seven furlongs in lmin 31 3-ssec. Cashier beat Tcheka over a mile in lmin .44 4-ssec! - Staghunter was going as well as Cimabue over half a mile, covered in 49 2-osec. Lvsander was slightly ahead of Awarere at the finish of five furlongs in lmin 3 2-ssec. Amor and Wharnclift’e were on terms in running the last seven furlongs in lmin 38sec. Hyde Park was ahead of Modest Boy over a mile in lmin 47 4-ssec. The Hawk and White Fang ran five furlongs in .lmin 6sec together. Oratrix and Concentrate" galloped a round in 2min 16 3-ssec, cantering for. the first portion and taking lmin 36sec for the last seven furlongs. Crown Area and Moorgas. who were joined by Court Jester at the six furlong post, ran seven furlongs in lmin 36 l-ssec. Laughing Prince easily beat Transformer over ten furlongs in 2min 15sec, the last round being run in 2min 4 3C ount Cavour was better than Mask over a round’ in 2min 4 4-ssec. Aussie gave Just Nell a start and a beating over rive furlongs in lmin 3sec. doing it comfortably. Red Heckle and Zeuxis were on terms at the end of seven furlones in lmin 33 3-ssec. Bennie ran four furlongs in 51 4-ssec. Metullus and High Falutin’ ran six furlongs in lmin 19 2-s'sec. Consent did six furlongs in lmin 17 4- the best of the morning. Desert Glow and Prodice ran ten furlongs in 2min 16sec, the last round taking 2min 6sec. Gemlight and Praetor ran four furlongs in 49 4-ssec. Good Boy ran six furlongs in lmin 20 3 ssec. Subdivision went five furlongs in lmin 4sec. Arikitoa and Air King did a similar gallop in lmin 6 l-ssec. , - Flying Prince and Awamutu went four furlongs in 51 l-ssec. Cvbele ran seven furlongs in lmin 37sec. Lady Cintra ran six furlongs in lmin 21 25s ec. The jumpers Beaumont (Garrett) Harbour View (Olive), and Bizarro (M Govern), finished in that order after a good display over four hurdles Mangsm (M’Govern)- and Clockwork (Burgess), shaped well in a similar task. Royal Form (M’Govern) and Uralla (Driscoll) jumped four hurdles s&fely. IMPRINT INJURED. (Special to the “Star.”) AUCKLAND, December 22. Imprint, who was brought up by J. Bryce on Thursday, cut one of his hocks and was not out on the track this morning. He may not start in the Trotting Cup. SCRATCHINGS. Per Press Association. PALMERSTON N., Dec. 22. Scratchings for the Manawatu meeting are: The Warden (Tararua Hack), Royal Duke, Civility (Palmerston Stakes), Seamstress (all engagements.