AT THE WAIKATO MEETING

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 115, 18 May 1939, Page 4

AT THE WAIKATO MEETING

POINTERS FOR TE RAPA

COMMENT ON RECENT FORM \ (Special to ‘‘Chronicle.”) AUCKLAND, May 17. It is hoped to avoid a division in the hack sprint at Te Rapa next Saturday, but if this has to bo divided it will be treated as one race for butting purposes. The open sprint has already been arranged to be run as two races, with the totalisator open on each division. It is several years since an open six furlongs event had to be divided. Tosh failed to give of his best on the Hawera trip. He was unlucky on the opening day, being checked mere than once in the running, but his failure on the second day suggested ' that he had lost form temporarily. II._• is engaged at his home course next week-end and as lie will get the track conditions to his liking—easy to sol; —he may reveal improvement. He is in the first division of the sprint at Te Rapa. All Irish was given a race in thej; hurdle event at the Franklin meeting last Saturday week but he failed to show up iVi that contest, the last pace set by some of the light weights having him scratching in the early part. All Irish was running on at the end and he should have derived considerable benefit from his run, although he may not be forward enough as yet to give weight and a beating to the Te Rapa Steeplechase Held on Saturday. Back to Sprinting. The disappointing sprinter Amon is back to short racing after having been tried over a middle distance. He did not get many chances io prove himself at a mile and a-quarter. Perhaps his best effort was in the big event at Whangarci last month, when he was always in the first Hight and finally finished fourth in the ‘-vent won by Tooley Street in a good finish. Anion is to lake on me second division of the Waikato spxint and this course ought to suit him. One of the best hacks in the district, it seemed that Balinavar s entry into open handicap class had been too long delayed, for when lie did get promotion he soon made his presence felt. A third in the Ohincmuri Cup was quickly iOilowed by success in the Tauranga Cup, and then came his peak performance in winning the President’s Handicap at Ehcisne on Easter Saturday. Balinavar is engaged in the big handicap at 'i'e Rapa on Saturday and he is nicely placed to extend his record. Chance for Brazilian. After Brazilian won noth open sprints at Whangarei in rather easy fashion it was oovious that, despite the weakness of the opposition at mat meeting, he would not take long to reach the highest class. Now lie is to receive the opportunity to prove himself in the top grade, for he is engaged in the first division o; the WaiKato sprint. His chances are enhanced now that the big field has been divided, and as the conditions will be somewhat similar to the heavy track experienced at Whangarej he has a line show. Advices from Cambridge indicate that Pyrenees is doing wed and he is expected to produce some of his be.st form in the near future. He is engaged in the hurdle races al the Waikato fixture and as he is still down in the weights he would only need to be right to give to give the opposition a very haru race. He is also in the Great Northern Hurdles and Steeplechase and in those events his chances aie not negligible, for he has won at Ellerslie anu this in itself is a recommendation. A winner over the Ellerslie course also Js Rozel, who is down to run in the minor steeplechase at Te Kapa on Saturday next. She is in a. nice position in the handicaps at present to make a bold showing in whatever class she takes on anu it would not be surprising io find her right in the thick of it on Saturday. Sue has already won twice this season and as she is a line jumper she looks a good proposition in coming events both a:, i'e Rapa and Ellerslie, for she is free- j ly engaged in the cross-country events at headquarters. RIDERS AT TE RAPA Riding engagements announced for the Waikato Racing Club's winter meeting at Te Rapa on Saturday and Monday are:— L. H. Clifford. Vaalstar, Bachelor King. G. Gilchrist.—Jonathan, Aero King. R. J. Sargeant. —Prival, Summary. i M. Ritchie.—Electric Spear, Electric Flash. J. F. Fergus.— Rozel, Royal Dance. N. Watson.— Bells of Bow, Bryce Street. H. N. Wiggins.—Valmint (second day). C. Bruce.—Land Girl. OTAKI MEETING RESULT OF INQUIRY INCIDENT LAST SUMMER The following statement was issued by the Otaki Maori Racing Club at the conclusion of its meeting on Saturday:— The judicial committee resumed the inquiry into the reason of Barrabas falling in the Maiden Race at the . summer meeting, when S. Wilson suffered severe injuries, and heard a statement from Wilson, who gave evidence. The committee found: “That Barrabas got on the heels of a ’ horse in front and fell, and that no rider was at fault. In the opinion of the committee the fact that Wilson's arm was not strong following on the accident he suffered in Christchurch, and the further fact that Barrabas was a hard puller, were conI tributing factors to the horse falling.’' M. Lane was fine £2 for not scratching Solaria, R. Gregory was fined £2 . for not scratching Tycoon, and A. E. Glading was fined £1 for having wrong colours on Sergia. > P. Burgess, on Master Hector, broke . a leather during the running of the . steeplechase and the horse was pulled up. There was no fault apparent in the gear.