TO-MORROW’S EVENTS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 88, Issue 35, 11 February 1944, Page 6

TO-MORROW’S EVENTS

THREE MEETINGS IN THE NORTH Racing interests will be served in the north this week-end with the Rotorua Racing Club’s annual meeting at Matamata and the big trotting meeting at Auckland. There will also be the Wairoa Racing Club’s annual meeting, for which good acceptances have been received in spite of travel restrictions. The fields for the Rotorua meeting are really good, the poorest being the Cup, which has drawn ten acceptors, nine of which are on the 7st. mark. Splendid fields are carded for the Auckland trots, at which a number of Canterbury competitors will add interest. The Rotorua meeting will benefit from the fact that racing took place on the same course (Matamata) last week. Many of the horses which competed at that meeting will again be on hand, with several newcomers also engaged. The first and second horses in the Matamata Cup. Raurimu and Corot, have accepted for the Rotorua Cup. Raurimu has gone up nine pounds and Corot will have a pound less to carry. Beau Leon, whose only outing this season was in the Devonport Handicap at the recent Auckland meeting, will carry No. 1 saddle cloth. Though he has not had a win since he won the Auckland Racing Club’s Handicap over two years ago it is expected that his class will ensure him being well up at the finish. La Fillette, who finished just behind the place-getters last Saturday, comes in at the same weight, and many expect her to show improvement. Centennial has yet to open his winning account this season and the same applies to Sir Cameron. The latter’s wins have been few and far between, but he is always liable to spring a surprise as did at Avondale over twelve months ago. Betterman has had a deal of racing and his form had been fairly consistent, even if it has only brought minor placings. The form of Billy Peach has only been moderate this season, though he finished well to gain second place to Poutatau at Awapuni. It is over a year since he won a race, and on that occasion he paid a sensational dividend. Embroider has shaped well in her last three starts. She ran fourth in the Stratford Cup and on the second day of the Stratford meeting won a sprint impressively. Fortune’s Smile won the Trial Plate at Thames and later finished fourth in the Douro Handicao at the recent Trentham meeting. Raurimu, La Fillette, Corot and Embroider appear the pick of the field.