GOLDFIELDS CUP

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 90, Issue 85, 12 April 1946, Page 6

GOLDFIELDS CUP

VERDANT MAY BE FAVOURITE AT THAMES

(Special) Auckland, April 11. If Verdant goes to the post for the Goldfields Cup at Thames on Saturday he should be a firm favourite after his easy win last week. A mile and a-quarter is a new journey for lhe speedy chestnut, but he was running on at the end of the mile last Saturday and the extra two furlongs on the turning Thames track should not trouble him.

Much interest, will be taken in the running of Royal Charter in the Goldfields Cup, for he has been a model of consistency since he started racing at Te Awamutu on December 15. In the intervening four months he has established the following record in eight starts:—l, 2,0, 1,2, 1,2, 3. That suggests that he will be good enough to give a splendid account of himself in his next few outings. It was also at Te Awamutu four months ago that Mr. Rosa scored his last win. He disappointed a little later at the Auckland summer meeting, but he went at least one goott race there. He has had time to freshen up in the interval and he should be able to show up in the Goldfields Cup. Other prospects in this event are Air Port (who will probably run here in preference to the hurdles), Good Bay, White Blaze, the improving Llanarth (a winner at. Whangarei), and, now that the tracks are easier, Betterman. However. Verdant’s brilliancy may be the decisive factor in the Goldfields Cup. FLYING HANDICAP Lord Luck, who claims an engagement in the Easter Handicap next week heads the list in the Flying Handicap at Thames and if he is to show up in the big mile at headquarters he can be expected to make a bold showing on Saturdav. He has 9.0, which is HJb more than he won with at Ellerslie in January, so it cannot be said that he is over-burd-ened. The danger on Saturday may be forthcoming from Cricket Ball, Zulu Boy and Jovial Hour. It is not a particularly strong field. Park Royal failed to run up to his last effort at Ellerslie (when he ran Cambria to a short head) in his open sprint engagement last week at Te Aroha, the company being too smart for him. The Takanini galloper seems to be nicely placed in the Borough Handicap at' Thames, run over seven furlongs, the same distance as when he beat all but Cambria. The field on Saturday is a weak one and if in anything like his best form Park Royal might not even be extended. Boswell Hill had not shown much form until he ran second to Our Bridge at Te Aroha last week, in the near-maiden handicap event. As that effort was quite good this horse should be a place proposition in the Trial Handicap on Saturday at Thames. As Boswell Hill finished strongly last Saturday he should be hard to beat in his division.

A hack that ran a surprisingly good race over a mile and a-quarter at Whangarei last Friday was Silver Chain, who was always prominent and then finished a x close third to Shepherd's Mate and Steppeland, which was quite good hack staying form, and incidentally paid a place dividend of nearly a score. On the second day at Whangarei, Silver Chain was heavily backed on the totalisator when his withdrawal was announced, and investments on him were refunded. It was subsequently disclosed that he had got out of his box on the course, or had been let out, and was later found a couple of miles away in the main street of Whangarei, window gazing. Silver Chain is engaged in the Trial at Thames and he may go well again, although this is only a six furlong affair.

Golden Shar went another good race at Te Aroha last week, finishing second to Chetsvorde, and she will be a hard filly to beat in the Tapu Hack at Thames. An interesting contest at this week’s meeting will be the Puriri Handicap, for maiden two and three-year-olds. Silver Lap is the outstanding acceptor with form among the older division. Ray’s Pal seems to be the best youngster; he ran a third and two seconds on the Taranaki circuit recently. Interest may be taken in another maiden two-year-old the good-looking Aylesbury, a Defaulter colt.