PUKEKOHE MEETING

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 77, Issue 170, 20 July 1934, Page 4

PUKEKOHE MEETING

FRANKLIN POSSIBLES. FORM IN JUMPING RACES. AUCKLAND, July 19. The first two very interesting jumping contests at the Franklin Racing Club’s meeting at Pukekohe next Saturday is the Bombay Hurdles, in which recent competitors at Trentham and Grand National Hurdles entrants are engaged. The distance is a mile and five furlongs, and it will be a test over solid obstacles and on a track that will at least be soft. The topweight is the promising novice Havering, who at his first public attempt as a hurdler finished second to Silver Division at Te Awamutu last month. In that contest Havering, carrying 12.0, led into the straight by four or five lengths, and then his condition found him out, for it was his first race for many months. Allowing for reasonable improvement, plus a drop of 91b. in weight. Havering is a good prospect on Saturday, even allowing for the strong opposition. Cruachan went a good race in the Trentham Hurdles, and with 11.4 is nicely placed, for he won in the autumn with 11.11, when he defeated Callamart at Te Rapa. Prince of Orange is to have his final try-out for the Grand National Hurdles and if he shapes up to expectations he will be sent to Riccarton. His condition is very good and provided that reasonably good going is met with he will be a possibility in Saturday’s event. Snow Prince, Mia Stella, Carlaris, St. Ames, Solania, and Diversion are al! engaged in the Steeplechase later in the day, and of this sextet, Mia Stella, if started here, may be the pick. A promising hurdler is Ruling King, who was impressive at Ellerslie. On the second day of the Great Northern meeting, making his first appearance as a jumper, he went with Tudor right to the last fence and then finished fourth, and on the third day. he defeated Count Lendroff. Ruling King lyis a great chance here. Of the lighty-weighted division Groat Britain will attract a good deal of attention. He led for most of the way in the hurdle race at Te Awamutu, this being his first attempt as a hurdler. Dark Marble is to begin his hurdling career in this race, and he too will be watched closely, for he is the type. Hakanoa is a lively improver on Te Awamutu form, and Tenakoe continues to deceive with his good schooling. It is a splendid field, in which Havering, Cruachan, Prince of Orange, Ruling King and Great Britain are favoured. Big Steeples Field. For the first time, in history a steeplechase will be conducted on this course under totalisator rules. The acceptance of sixten is very encouraging to the club, and it would not be surprising if it proves to be as spectacular a contest as that staged by the Te Kuiti Club a couple of months back. Snow Prince was prominent throughout the Great Nqrthem Steeplechase, and he would have finished right up with the placed horses had he not been walked home the last few yards. He is a fine jumper and if he is all right—and they say he is—he will be hard to beat. Mia Stella arid Imperial Prince are unknown quantities over country, but as they are both good jumpers they should not be bothered by the obstacles at Pukekohe, for they will not be very difficult. Town Beauty has gone one or two fair races since his return in the autumn, and in one event in particular he was rather unlucky, that being at Ellerslie, where he fell three fences from home when travelling well. Wiltshire retains his jumping ability and most of his pace, and the flat, coun try will be all in his favour. His win at the Waipa meeting was promising, although the opposition was very poor. Lucess did not shape up to expectations either at Te Rapa or Ellerslie, but it is said that he has come on nicely since then, and if he is to stand a chance in his Riccarton engagements he will have to go near winning on Saturday. Carlaris jumps well and has been placed at Ellerslie over the hill. St. Warrigal is just as dashing a fencer as ever, and he weakened only at the end at the Waipa meeting, enabling Wiltshire to head him off. However. he is in the sere and yellow stage. St Ames showed improvement at To Rapa, and Golden Wedding has schooled satisfactorily at Ellerslie. The latter is very uncertain at the barrier, but if she gets away she will be in the picture, for she has a lot. of pace and was a good hurdler. Solanio is a possibility at the minimum, but Diversion and Luminary do not appeal. Grant’s Opal is a safe jumper, but devoid of pace, and Ruby Meteor is bablc to upset any field of jumpers if she takes it into her head to do her very best. Royal England is a novice of the right type. Taken all round, it is a splendid field, and one tftat should stage a contest well worth witnessing. Snow Prince, Town Beauty, Wiltshire, Lucess, Carlaris and Golden Wedding impress as [being about the ?>est of those engaged.