COMMENT ON FORM

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 19769, 17 February 1927, Page 4

COMMENT ON FORM

ROUND THE TARANAKI CIRCUIT GENERAL JOTTINGS (By “EARLY BIRD.”) The form of the horses on the EgmonVTaranaki drcult ftirms the basis of an interesting review of the form of the horses there, while general topics complete a budget which makes good reading for racing folk.

For The Notebook, A useful sort of hack that may be worth making a note of is Quillfire. This horse has a very useful turn of speed, although hg has been unlucky in most of his recent outings. At New Plymouth last Saturday the Campfire gelding was saddled up for the final event, the hack sprint, and after getting out well he lost his position and was not at all well placed at the home turn. In the short straight he put in some good work, and was travelling much faster than anything else at the end, to finish in third place. He must have won with anything like a good run. A Useful Hurdler. Ardath, who scored at Foxton in his first outing over the sticks and paid a big dividend, was saddled up for the hurdle race at New Plymouth last Saturday, and he further impressed by the manner in which he scored in open company. He was never far away, and when he was taken to the front it was all over. Ardath is by Hallowmas from ; Rau Rau, and on his two showings over ’the sticks there are some more races [that he will pick up before he is called [upon to give the racing game best. He is owned by Mr S. R. Hammond, who races the steeplechaser Puwhcro, and is in the same stable that nowadays shelters Little River. Here are three nice jumpers for trainer Knapp to work on. Ardath will probably run in the hurdles on Saturday. How Passin’ Through Missed. It was distinctly unfortunate for the connections of Passin’ Through that they failed to get their Wanganui nominations through in time, the time having passed when they were received at the office of the Jockey Club. After running a good fourth in the hurdles at New Plymouth the first day, Little I River winning, it was obvious that he would go well on the second day, when there was over a furlong and a-half to cover.. There was a lot of money for him, and ho wound up a firm second fvourite to the ultimate winner, Ardath. Passin’ Through’s rider gave 'him plenty of time to find his feet over the first mile, and with half a mile to Igo he made a move, only to be knocked back. Then he appeared to be, hopelessly out of the race, when he came again, and finishing very gamely he ran on into second place. There should be some good hurdle and cross-country races for the black during the coming winter season. Lady Desmond at Nelson. Next week the Nelson meeting is to be held, and on this occasion it has additional interest to those at this end, for Lady Desitiond is down to compete. The Limond filly was allowed to forego her engagement in the open sprint at New Plymouth last Saturday, and if she takes on the Nelson trip she will have a number of friends in whichever races she is saddled up for. It is difficult to agree with the handicapper’s estimate of her ability to go a middle distance, and obviously he holds this opinion of her very strongly. In the open sprint event Mr Henrys has given the filly 8.8, while in the Cup, run over a mile and a-quarter, he has let her in on the minimum. There is a wide discrepancy here, and if her Nelson owner decides to take on the big event the filly will go well indeed. In either event, for that matter, she will take a lot of beating,. The Thorn’s Prospects. The injury he sustained to a leg previously while galloping did not heal sufficiently to enable The Thorn to take his place in the Taranaki Stakes last Saturday. One Tuesday last the Absurd gelding wtis galloped over a circuit at a strong thr«-quarter pace, and there are hopes that he will be able to run in the Autumn Handicap on Saturday. If he is not. then Mask will hlavc to carry the cardinal jacket for Mr G. M. Currie in this event. The Thorn has yet to score a win this season, and

should he go off the scone now It mean* that he may not be seen out lagain until the Easter meetings come round. At that time it is expected that W. Rayner will have his team at Ellerslie as usual. The Hawk’s Brilliancy. Prior to hast Saturday there wore nn doubt many who regarded The Hawk as nearing the end of his turf career, but they were thoroughly disillusioned when the Thirteenth Taranaki Stakes was over. The Martian gelding stripped ti picture of fitness, a ball of mWsclc, and he looked every bit as good as he had been early in his racing days. Certainly he exhibited little sign of old age, and to look at one would not pick him as la nine year-old. The Hawk began every bit as well as anything else last Saturday, and Reed promptly had him running along in second place to the turn for home, find when straightened up he went after the leader, the two-year-old Silver Mina. He got him, but it was a sharp tight be fore The Hawk obtained the mastery to score a head decision. It was a fine performance on his part, for he had to cover more ground than any of the others, and it was here that Reed ap peared to be taking a risk in keeping his mount on the outside of the young ster all the way, but his confidence was rewarded. The Hawk is to take his place in the Jackson Stakes field on Saturday afternoon, and his return tc form invests that popular sprint weight-for-age race with additional in tcrest. Great Taranaki Stakes Finish. The Taranaki Stakes, ns a race, was as good a one ns anybody could wish to see, with a sensation at the end to further thrill the onlookers. While The Hawk and “Silver Mine were fighting for supremacy Grand Knight could be seen coming on the outside and Reremoana was also making a desperate of fort on the rails. The latter did not carry out his finishing run to the end. but the imported horse was going great guns when, eighty yards from the post, a small dog ran out on to the course, too wide out to worry The Hawk and Silver Mino, but right in the path of Grand Knight. Bert. Morris was forced to check his mount, only slightly, but sufficient to deprive him of whatever chance ho had. and he was a length behind the winner when they flew past the judge. Perhaps Grand Knight would not have won in any case, but he would have been closer up to The Hawk. The check was received at the most vital stage of the contest, for Morris had timed his run well, -although the two in front of him were still going strong at the moment. Probably without the interference there would have been an even more exciting finish, with perhaps heads between The Hawk, Silver Mine and Grtind Knight. A Good Colt. The connections of Silver Mine, after the colt’s defeat at the hands of Melissa on the first day, were not too sanguine of their chances of beating the older horses in the Taranaki Stakes, and yet the colt nearly brought off a genuine surprise. He was the first to show out at the start, beginning better than usual, and he still had a bit in reserve when it came to sprinting home up the straight. It was something that he battled it right out to the bitter end. and evidenly lacks nothing in gamenes*. It is U pity that this youngster was not left in the Jackson Stakes to meet his opponents once again, together with the crack three-year-olds. The disappoint ment of the race was Reremoana. who flailed to justify his position as favour ite. He dwelt ever so slightly at the start, but he had the inside running nil lhe way behind the leader. At the bottom of the straight he made his last effort, and although he gtained a bit on the leaders it. was not to be compared with his form of the past. It is ton early as yet to write the Hallowmas gelding out, although one is on the skfr side in saying that he is not the horse he was two years ago.