AUCKLAND SUMMER MEETING.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19269, 5 January 1931, Page 12

AUCKLAND SUMMER MEETING.

Some Notes On The Form.

(Special to the “Star.”) . AUCKLAND, January 3. The hurdlers seen at Ellerslie were not a very good lot, with the exception of Mister Gamp, Glenstar and Luminary, who each performed well under heavy weights. Mister Gamp only contested one race, the New Year Hurdle Handicap, and with 11.13 he won well from Luminary, who had made the pace all the way till the straight was reached. This was his first success at Ellerslie since he won the Great Northern Hurdle Handicap eighteen months ago, and it was the first time he had secured first money since his success in the big event here. He won at Wanganui in the spring but lost some lead on the way and could not draw the weight. Glenstar put up his best performance to date when he accounted for the Grafton Hurdle Handicap. He was soon in front and led all the way. Glenstar, like Mister Gamp, was unfortunate in his previous outing, for his rider could not draw the weight after he won at the Waikato spring meeting and he was disqualified. When racing on the second day he fell and injured himself, and it will be some little time before he is seen out again. Although Luminary failed to win a race at the meeting, the Day Comet gelding put up a couple of good performances, being second in each start. He still displayed a tendency to run down his fences but, apart from this, his jumping was first-class. A journey of two miles appears to be a little too far for him, but in his present condition it would take a good hurdler to beat him up to a mile and threequarters. as he is a very free goer. Claremore won a double at the spring meeting at Ellerslie, but he was not asked to contest hurdle races again till the recent Auckland meeting. He was top weight in the Grafton Hurdles on the first day and finished •third, while he won the Ponsonby Hudles on the second day. He was started again on Friday but ran very poorly, being a long way back during the greater part of the race. Evidently the two hard races he had had on the previous days of the meeting told on him. Master Lu, who had previously raced successfully over the steeplechase course at Ellerslie, contested three hurdle events at the meeting. On the second day he fell early, while in the New Year Hurdle Handicap he finished sixth. On Friday, when the going was more yielding, owing to rain, than on the previous days, he won easily, and on that performance the Spalpeen gelding should win further races, particularly in the winter. Ammon Ra was easily the best two-year-old seen out at Hie meeting, and the half-brother to Prodice has only to go on the right way to make a class three-year-old next season. He has only had three races, and after getting beaten into second place in his first effort, he accounted for the Great Northern Foal Stakes and the Royal Stakes. In the former event he was lying fourth when the four furlong post was reached, and took charge in the straight, but La Poupee came at him and when shaken up responded nicely to score by three-quarters of a length. In the Royal Stakes he was well back when two furlongs had been covered, but he was handy at the straight entrance, La Poupee being alongside him. Movie Star, who was in front half-way down the straight, was soon settled by Ammon Ra and La Poupee, the pair still being together. A great race saw Ammon Ra stay on the better to get the decision by a neck. It was a good, game effort, and there is no doubt that he is a very high-class youngster. Dr Milsom, his owner, offered him for sale at the Trentham sales last January, but he was passed at 450 gs. He has now won 1485 so vs. La Poupee has raced most consistently this season and has been rather unlucky in striking one just a bit better in her last few races. She finished third in the Debutante Stakes at Wanganui, and afterwards won the Welcome Stakes at Ellerslie and the Wellesley Stakes at Trentham, but she was beaten by a head by Tea Chat in the Welcome Stakes at Riccarton. Her next effort was in the Foal Stakes at Ellerslie, when Ammon Ra beat her by three-quarters of a length, while he was a neck in front of her in the Royal Stakes. La Poupee is a good filly and is the best of her sex racing in the two-year-old ranks to-day. Movie Star won the Breeders’ Plate in Sydney, and had his first start in New’ Zealand in the Great Northern Foal Stakes at Ellerslie. He had every chance, for he was in a handy position when the turn was reached, but he failed to stay on. With a furlong shorter to go in the Criterion Handicap, on the second day, he won well, but in the Royal Stakes, after being one of the leaders till well into the straight, he again failed to go on, and was beaten into fourth place. It looks as though a journey of five furlongs is his limit just now. There is no doubt that Movie Star possesses plenty of speed, and he will be heard of again before long. Royal Baby, who won the Midsummer Handicap, had previously two placings to her credit, a third at Riccarton and a second at Woodville. She was sore when she arrived here, and she was not started on the first two days of the meeting. She showed a lot of speed :'n her race, being in front before a furlong had been covered, and she stayed there to the finish, running out the six furlongs impressively. She is a sister to Royal Ruler, who showed good form as a two-year-old last season.

Hunt the Slipper, a grandson of Golden Slipper, who won the Champagne Stakes and the Challenge Stakes at Riccarton in her first two efforts.

accounted for the Nursery Handicap on the first day at Ellerslie. He jumped away smartly, and soon had charge, never afterwards being headed. This was his only appearance at the meeting. and, judging by the manner in which he won, he should score again shortl}’. He is one of A. D. Webster’s team, and he won the Byron Moore Stakes at the Melbourne Cup meeting in November. The three-year-old Bavacre ran well at the meeting. In the Queen’s Plate he began smartly, and hit the front before a couple of furlongs had been covered, staying on to score in easy fashion. Bayacre was saddled up for the Newmarket Handicap, the open sprint event on the third day. He drew an outside position, and did not get away well, but when he got into his stride he quickly ran up to the leaders, and Lady Quex was the only one to beat him at the finish. This effort was a very impressive one, seeing that the time, lmin 12 l-ssec, created a new record for the course. Bayacre is worth keeping in mind for future big sprint events. Nightmarch failed to show up in the Auckland Cup. He was well back as the field passed the seven furlpng post, and tried to go through on the rails, but was disappointed, and from that time onwards never looked a possibility. In the King’s Plate he made another very poor showing, being one of the last to finish. In the Clifford Piate on Friday he was quickly in front, and stayed there throughout. The others made little effort to press him until the last couple of furlongs, but Nightmarch easily held them off. It was a disappointing race, as the pace was very slow throughout, Nightmarch having matters all his own way. Karapoti was easily the best three-year-old seen out at the meeting. He did not get away well in the Railway Handicap, but he finished right up behind the placed horses. In the King’s Plate he hopped away in front, and was never afterwards headed, equalling the New Zealand record for a mile! In the Derby he made the running all the way with the exception of a brief interval between the seven and six furlong posts, where Chrysology headed him, but he soon reversed the positions. Cylinder made an effort to catch him about three furlongs from home, and also again in the straight, but Karapoti had no difficulty in holding him off. Both of Karapoti’s wins were most convincing, and he is now entitled to rank as the best three-year-old in the Dominion. He has met Cylinder on three occasions this season—Great Northern Guineas, King’s Plate and Great Northern Derby—and has beaten him each time. Cylinder had previously been looked upon as the best of his. age in New Zealand, for he had accounted for the Wanganui and Avondale Guineas, the New Zealand Derby and the Stead Gold Cup, in which he had beaten Nightmarch. Gay Crest proved himself to be one of the best handicap horses seen out at the meeting. He was first past the post in the Auckland Cup, but interference with Motere a few yards from the judge caused the positions to be reversed. Even if he had kept straight Motere would have beaten him, and the decision was a fair one. In the Racing Club Handicap, on the second day. Gay Crest was one of the pacemakers practically all the way, and he had no difficulty in winning. Gay Crest is now at the. top of his form, and he should be hard to beat in coming engagements, particularly if started at the Wellington meeting at the end of the month. Corinax had his first racing this season at the Takapuna spring meeting, and he showed then that it would not be long before he was again on the winning list. At the Auckland meeting he ran a great race in the Auckland Racing Club Handicap, only being beaten by Gay Crest at the finish. On Friday he was saddled up for the Grandstand Handicap, and, after lying in a handy position to the straight, he put in a great finishing run, which completely silenced the opposition Corinax is now at his best, and he should take no end of beating in distance races during the next few months. Hunting Cry established a new’ record at Ellerslie when he won the Railway Handicap, for he is the, only horse to win the event twice. lie also ran a great race in the King’s Plate, but he had to be content with second place behind Karapoti, who ran the mile in record time for the Dominion. His owner expected him to wdn the Grandstand Handicap on Friday, but he found the 9.5 he had to carry a little bit too much for him on the soft track. Unless present intentions are altered. Hunting Cry will be given a let-up for a few weeks. One of the biggest disappointments of the meeting was Chromadyne, w’ho, previous to this fixture, had won five races on end, including the Shorts Handicap at Ellerslie in the spring. In the Railway Handicap he was never prominent, and he finished well back. On the second day he had every chance, but again failed, while on the third day he jumped away smartly in the Newmarket Handicap, and, after being one of the leaders into the straight, was again beaten out of a place. He looked particularly well when he arrived at Ellerslie, and the only excuse that can b£ pffered is that the company was a bit too good for him. Royal Tea, who had to be destroyed as the result of breaking a fetlock at the Auckland meeting on Friday, when contesting the Goodwood Handicap, was going well at the time and looked like being very hard to beat. This horse showed a lot of speed as a two-year-old. winning here and in Australia, but mishaps have prevented him from showing his best for some time past. In his last few races he demonstrated that he was returning to form again, and it was bad luck for his owner to lose him at a stage when he looked like repaying the patience expended upon him.

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