THE TURF

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 20127, 21 April 1928, Page 4

THE TURF

AT TRENTHAM MARLBOROUGH FIXTURE. PROSPECTS FOR TO-DAY (By ‘•Kestrel”). Much as the centralisation of racing may be deplored by those who have the interests of the ‘‘sport of kings” at heart it must be admitted that it is a good thing for some of the country racing clubs that they are able to gain permission to hold a meeting at one of the metropolitan courses in order to place their finances on a sounder footing. Such is the case with the Marlborough Racing Club, which will stage the autumn meeting at the Trentham course of the Wellington Racing Club to-day and Monday. It is to be hoped that the result, proves the wisdom of the move, and if the fields engaged are any indication there should be a substantial surplus over the fixture. The first race, timed for 12 noon, is the FIRST HACK HURDLES. (Of 150 sovs; miles.) Panorama . . 10 13 Bonhomme . . 10 1 L'dy Passenger 10 6 Polyphemus .. 9 6 Modern . . . . 10 5 Whisogne . . 0 3 Vexatious . . 10 1 Olympic .. .. 9 8 Panorama appears to have the best credentials of the eight engaged and the Panmure gelding should be able to account for the improving Olympic and Vexatious. The next race is the NOVICE STAKES. (OC 130 sovs; six furlongs.) Atholspear Inflame Fair One Markmint Freeze Out Second Thought Handsome Tatrina Ima Rosebud Waihemo They are a very poor class even for an event of this kind and Tatrina, Freeze Out and Second Thought may run as well as anything else. Only a quintette are left to contest the RAILWAY HACK HANDICAP. (Of 150 sovs; one mile.) Holus Bolus . • 9 9 Court Jester S 9 Borsalene . . 9 3 Vexatious . . 8 3 Closefire . .. 9 2 Holus Bolus, an easy winner on the concluding day at Feilding, will perhaps find Closefire hardest to dispose of in the small field. Nine figure on the card for the WATERLEA CUP. (Of 300 sovs; 1% miles.) Joy Bird .. 8 11 Beaumont .. 7 9 Black Mint .. SR Vesperus . . 7 8 Oratrix .. .. 8 3 Twink . . .. 7 0 Kilmiss .. . . 8 2 Lady Gay .. 7 0 Ring Boy .. 7 12 •Toy Bird was stopping at the end of a mile on the first day at Awapuni but the class was infinitely superior to to-day’s field. Black Mint is to be the subject of litigation, though that may not prevent him from facing the starter and he should improve. Oratrix has several wins and minor places to her credit this season, but does not appeal. Kilmiss should bo hard to beat and of those below her Vesperus may be hardest to beat. Joy Bird, Kilmiss and Vesperus appeal most. There are ten two-year-olds engaged in the JUVENILE HANDICAP. (Of 150 sovs; five furlongs.) Flying Hero . 813 First Ruler .. 7 2 Royal Duke . . 8 3 Wet Paint . . 7 2 Tcheka .. .. 7 12 Dancing Star 7 2 Stanchion ~ 7 5 Roi de Vai . . 7 2 Clare 7 4 Mt. Shannon 7 2 Some of these were racing at the Wanganui spring meeting, since when they have performed indifferently. Flying Hero, Royal Duke and Wet Paint have the best claims for support. Easter form may be worth following in the OPAWA HACK HANDICAP. (Of 150 sovs; seven furlongs.) Panther .. .. 9 9 Kindle .. .. 7 I'3 Spearmiss .. 9 3 Maui . . . . 7 13 Vigilance ..9 0 Billion .. .. 713 Keddar .. .. 8 4 Exhibition .. 7 11 Borsalene .. 8 2 Fallow .. .. 7 11 Several winners during the Easter racing carnival are engaged and should be prominent. However, Keddar will be improved by his outing at Awapuni and he is preferred to Vigilance and Panther. The open sprint will be the next race, the AUTUMN HANDICAP. (Of 200 sovs; six furlongs.) Dobbin . . .. 9 0 Singlespear .. 7 9 Royal Ceres .. 8 6 Cosmetic .. .. 7 8 First Acre ..85 Cerf 76 Whenuanui .. 8 2 Quantum ... 7 5 Miss Pat .. 8 2 Kilperon . . . . 7 4 They are a fairly even lot of secondrate sprinters and the game little Miss Pat may be expected to repeat her Awapuni win and account for Kilperon and Royal Ceres. The concluding event is the BEAVEJi HACK HANDICAP. (Of 150 sovs; six furlongs.) Catkin .. .. 9 4 Little Queen 7 0 Helotis .. .. 813 Mark Mint .. 7 0 Vigilance .. 8 7 Arrow Boy .. 7 0 Rotowhero . . 8 5 Moutoa Wonder 7 0 Ek a 8 3 Vindication .. 7 0 Sky Bird .... 7 6 Jazzy 7 0 Par Money . - 7 6 The field engaged, thirteen, is the largest of the day and on the draw for positions at the post may have some bearing on the result. The pony performer, Moutoa Wonder, who secured a first and a second at Awapuni, showed up so well that he may bo able to account for Catkin and Sky Bird. NOTES AND COMMENTS By ‘‘Kestrel” With the Marlborough meeting at Trentham to-day and Monday, the Hawke’s Bay and South Canterbury fixtures next Friday and Saturday and the Waikato Racing Club’s autumn 1 gathering next Saturday and the following Monday :he curtain will fall on the autumn racing : eason and the stage will be set for the steeplechasers.

Egmont Nominations. The nominations for the Egmont Racing Club’s winter meeting closed last night and the list shows that a very satisfactory response has been received from owners and trainers for the first steeplechase fixture of the year. Handicaps are due to make their appearance on Monday, April 30, and the acceptances will close on Friday, May 4. The Best Juvenile.

To Wanganui again goes the credit of having the best two-year-old of the season and the win recorded by Episode in the Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes on Wednesday was all the more gratifying because she is raced by her breeder, Mr G. M. Currie, of Koatanui. By Limond out of Homage, and so strikingly marked that she is a conspicuous figure in any field, the brilliant filly should add further laurels to her account, when she next races, which will be probably in the Wanganui Guineas, the first three-year-old “clasic” of next season. Kiosk’s Half-Sister.

Among the starters in the Clovcrlea Nursery at Awapuni was Just So, who claims relationship to those brilliant, sprinters Kiosk and Mireusc-ta. By Chief Ruler out of Rosie Desmond this two-year-old was having her first race and of course could not be expected to have much chance .gainst her more experienced opponents, but the fact that she handled herself well on the journey should lend encouragement to the expectation that Just So will make a name for herself next season that will do credit to her relations. Support for Limosa.

The support accorded Limosa in the Tamatete Handicap at Awapuni was such that, although the Limond mare was sixth in order of favouritism, only £169 separated her and Mandane on the totalisator. She ran a good race after six furlongs had been covered, up to which distance she had been kept in the rear of the field, which comprised ten runners. It was too much to expect her to win from this position after the turn for home was reached but she put in some telling work on the outside of the field to finish alongside Vivo and Mask, just behind Crown Area, who was placed fourth. It was quite a creditable effort. Mask Does Well.

Mask rau two good races at Awapuni and proved that he is as good a handicap performer as he has been claimed to be by track watchers. In the Awapuni Gold Cup Mask finished on well to cut Hynanna out of third money, though of course neither he nor Hynanna had much chance against the two weight-for-age cracks, Star Stranger and Satrap. On Thursday the son of Limond and Cowl was top-weight for the Tamatete Handicap, giving the eventual winner, Mandane, 191bs, and even then he was not disgraced for, after being in the first three for a mile, he was finishing on well in the bunch just behind the first four. Mask has won five races this season, including two at the Ellerslie Easter fixture.

Mandane Makes Amends. Mandane did not suffer any ill effects by her racing at the Easter fixture at Ellerslie and was turned out in great nick at Awapuni by the Fordell trainer, F. Tilley. She was the elect of backers in the Prince of Wales Handicap on Wednesday and ran a good race, though the distance, nine furlongs, and the torrid pace did not suit her, but she finished in sixth berth behind Royal Damon and Treshani, with not a great margin separating her from the winner. On Thursday she was again favourite in the principal handicap but was never further back than third and, taking the lead v the turn for home, she was able to hold off Hynanna’s strong challenge to win by half a length. This made the Panmure mare’s third success this season.

The “Brigadier” Surprises. The win j ecorded by Brigadier Bill in the Karcre Hurdles at Awapuni on the opening day was a decided surprise to the public judging by the dividend attached to his success, though it is stated that his owner had a “pony” on the All Red gelding. No doubt the fact that the Brigadier’s usual pilot, Alan McDonald, was on Royal Heather, while his brother Alis■ter rode the topweight, had a IoY to do with the price but there can be no doubting the merit of the win. Brigadier Bill was a winner at, any stage and it was a difficult matter to keep the winning margin down to a reasonable distance. He is in great form for the winter season. Well-bred “Pony.”

The four-year-old gelding Moutoa Wonder, who wou the opening event at Awapuni <n Wednesday, starting at a long price, and followed this up by rununing second to Moa Bird the next day, is a trifle on the small side but he is good. Being by Kilbroney out of Sasanof’s sister Moutoa IvauOva, it is no wonder that he has grit and he should do better still before he is much older. Moutoa Wonder was a winner at the Sydney pony meetings last spring when his owner-trainer A. D. Webster made a successful invasion of New South Wales.

Gold Light’s Breeding. A correspondent desires information regarding the breeding of Gold Light, the mare raced by Mr W. T. Hazlett some years ago and who dead-heated with Enthusiasm in the New Zealand Oaks Stakes in 1922. Gold Light was out of the imported English mare Simper, dam of Affectation, Razzle Dazzle and Beacon Light r.mong others, while the sire of Mr Hazlett’s game little mare was Hymettus.

Spying Out the Land. J. M. Cameron, the New Zealand owner-trainer, who had a sharp and serious attack of double pneumonia when he was in Sydney last spring, was an interested spectator at Randwick at the Easter fixture, states the Sydney Sun. His many friends were ideased to see him looking so well, he having thoroughly recovered his health. Mr Cameron, while enjoying a recuperative holiday, is doubtless spying out the land in the interests of his small team. He docs not often come to Sydney without any horses, but The Hawk and Goshawk had a fairly busy summer, during which they both won a couple of races in New Zealand. Cameron hopes to be in Sydney again with horses next spring. Mollison’s Future.

If present intentions are adhered to an unusual programme has been mapped out for the champion two-year-old of this season in Australia. Mr Pearce’s present idea is that Mollison shall not be entered in Juno for any of the important sprin • handicaps, but ho reserved for the set weight and vr.f.a. events. Thus he will avoid the hurly-

burly of the Melbourne Cup, the win- | ning of which seems to have thrown a 1 pall over the futures of so many gallant horses.