WELLINGTON STEEPLES

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 77, Issue 157, 5 July 1934, Page 8

WELLINGTON STEEPLES

CROSSCOUNTRY AT TRENTHAM. i SOME OF THE CANDIDATES. (By “Kestrel.'’ For the Wellington Steeplechase, to be decided at Trentham on Tuesday oast, nine survived the acceptance on Monday night, and in spite of the fact •that the field does not compare so favourably in numbers with that thought likely from the list nominated, the prospects of a good display of -chasing must be held to be as bright a.ever. The majority of those remaining in have been seen in action at recent meetings, and the investing public will have a good deal of form to go on. The topweight, Billy Boy, despite the fact that his only win since his Grand National Steeples success of two years ago, has been the Brighton Hurdles at Ellerslie Easter 12 months back, was established in first position almost as a necessary consequence of his having run third with 11.8 and beaten both Oallamart (11.9) and Makeup (11.8) in the Winter Hurdles on the final day at Ellerslie. Although unplaced he also finished ahead of these opponents in the Great Northern, for which he had been sent out favourite, the result probably of his fourth two days previously in the Great Northern Hurdles. Two years ago Billy Boy won the Wellington Steeples with 11.3, 21b less than his present weight, but last year he could finish no nearer than a poor fifth m the field of eight. Next in order is Riotous, who ap-i pears likely to go out favourite, especi- i ally if he is judged on the weights allotted to his stablemates, Tudor and Callamart. who have dropped out in his favour. Riotous had his last race in the Kawhia Steeplechase, two miles,; at the Te Kuiti meeting in May, when, j as a good favourite, he just went down I by a neck to Valpeen, who earlier in fche day had been beaten three lengths by Tudor in the Maniapoto Hack and Hunters’ Steeplechase, run over the same distance, lu the Kawhia Steeples Riotous had 11.7 and Valpeen 9.12, a difference of 231 b; and in the Mauiapoto Steeples \ alpsen had 10.7 and i Tudor 9.10, a difference of 1111*. Re-1 iatively the difference in weighting be- . tween Riotous and Tudor at Te Kapa : (through the common link \ alpceu) . ■was therefore 341 b in Tudor’s favour. 1 At Trentham Riotous was set to receive Sib from his .stablemate, which placed Riotous on 421 b, or exactly three stone better terms with Tudor than they would have been if both had run in the same race at Te Rapa. It may be added that since he re- i Mimed racing at Ashhurst in January ’ Riotous has made eleven appearances j for six wins, three seconds, and a third —a very impressive record. His • wins, in fiheiu order, were the Okaiawa I Hurdles (10.3) at Egmont in Febru-I ary, the Okoke Hurdles (10.9) at j Taranaki a week later, the Franklin Hurdles (9.3) at Waikato in March, ; the Mangere {Steeples (10.10) at Ellers- | lie at Easter, the Egmont {Steeples' (.10.7) in May, and the Wanganui ' JSteeples (11.7) a week later. His single 1 fUirt since Wanganui was when Vai- i peen just l>eat him at Te Rapa. Com- i pared with Valpeen, Riotous comes in • «,t Trentham 161 b better than at Te ' Rapa for that neck defeat. Last year’s Grand National winner,: Thurina, has been under a cloud, but I latest reports are that he will lake his place in the field, the trouble being m. developing splint in his off foreleg. It is stated that this will not affect him seriously. His jumping ability will ensure that he will have many friend-. Among the remainder the most interesting candidates arc \ alpeeu (J 0.4 >. Patntahi (9.10), Copey (9.5). and \\ i Lshire (9.0). alpeen was the winner ♦f the Great Northern under 9.4, and be was second to Patutahi under 10.3 in the Winiter Steeples, but. E-Herslm form is not always too reliable at Trentham. Patutahi is relatively penalised only 21b more for his Winter Steeples win than Tudor was for his lees-Ihan-hack win on the final day at. Ellerslie (taking a line through the weight Patutahi was allotted iu Tudor’s race). Copey is a plugger who ran third and fourth ar. Ellerslie, his third iu the Great Northern with 21b more than he has now. \\ ilt shire was a recent winner again, and as dual Grand National winner he would require only to be net his old form to lake beating off the minimum. . Membo has had one success over the big obstacles, and his good form over hurdles indicates that he may be expected t-o do well for the South Island contingent. Further developments may be expected in the next few days, but the indications at present are that. Riotous. Valpeen and Billy Boy may be well supported. AT TRENTHAM COURSE IN GREAT ORDER It may safely be said that the steeplechase course at Trent ham has rarely been in such splendid order as it is at present. When inspected on Tuesday morning it showed practically uo effect whatever from the recent, heavy rain, and the main portion of lhe circuit promises to cut up very little whei it is used, writes Rangitua in the Evening Post. The present condition of the tracks, including the course proper, is a real credit to the attention that has been given them by the course superintendent, Mr. N. Hayley, arxl assistants. Mr. Hayley explained that he had kept the grass down by running sheep on the racks, and the result has been much improved drainage, as there is no soft spongy sole to hold fhe water. The tracks were swept and rolled over the week-end, and they are looking in beautiful order for the meeting. A slight ’change is to be made in the steeplechase circuit for next week’s meeting by moving the bush fence near ibe mile post to a position a couple of chains or so further on. This will bring horses almost on to the back stretch after the fence has been jumped, and so, it is hoped, will cause ’them to run straighter at the next fence, the sod wall, to whieh in the past they have been accustomed. to cut across at a sharp ang?e, causing congestion when several horses reach it together. It will be remembered that most of the mishaps in last year’t ♦Steeples were at the sod wall, which is not a really difficult jump at all in itself.