ON THE TURF

Wanganui Chronicle, 1 July 1948, Page 3

ON THE TURF

BY

"KESTREL."

WHYTE HANDICAP RANKS AS BIG WINTER MILE

Field For Saturday Will Present Problem For Trentham Backers

Ranking as one of the most important, flat handicaps of the winter racing campaign, the Whyte Handicap at Trentham on Saturday has attracted, as might be expected, probably the best field of milers in commission. The stake of £2250 is one which would have been considered generous for a race like the New Zealand Cup a decade ago, but nowadays thousand-pounder - are so numerous that the Whyte Handicap does not excite more than passing comment.

Twelve montns ago there was a capacity field in the Whyte Handicap, as was the case when acceptances closed for this year’s event, and the big field of 28 was the cause of one of the most sen sational falls in New Zealand racing With half the distance covered trouble occurred in which there were involved eleven horses, including the favouriu Howe, and several other welJbacked horses. It is to be hoped that this year’s Whyte Handicap is not attended by a similar unfortunate occurrence.

When acceptances were taken last Thursday for the first day of the meeting 30 remained in the Whyte Hancicap after five horses had been eliminated, the safety number for the mile l-anier being exceeded. Since then Bronstar, who has been under a cloud, and Findon, who disappointed at Hastings on Saturday, have been withdrawn, leaving 28 engaged. It is still too large a field for comfort, and backers who accept a short price would be ill advised. Last year's winner, Fortune’s Smile, returned close on a score, and the other placegetters. Citation. Vailev Boy and Hot Pursuit, were at even longer prices.

Carrying No. 1 saddlecloth on Saturday will be Howe, who has 9.13, which is 91b more than he had last year. On that occasion he was handily placed when he fell, and on subsequent performances it appeared as if, out for the mishap, he might have made a run which would have carried him to victory. Howe was then a three-year-old whose seven successes had included the Wanganui and Wellington Guineas (at Awapuni), the Wellington Stakes and the Anniversary Handicap at Trentham, and he had also been second in the N.Z. Derby and the G.N. Derby.

This season he finished second to Soneri in the Winter Cup and to Julius Caesar in the August Handicap at Riccarton, and later won the Riccarton Handicap and the Jockey Club Handicap at the C.J.C. spring meeting. Howe finished first in the sensational Auckland Cup last Boxing Day hut lost the prize on the charge of interference, hut there was some compensation for his connections when he won the Summer Cup. He has been off the scene for some time, but on his recent track work at Trentham he appears to be forward enough to run the race of his career, and the chances are that he will be the public elect in Saturday’s mile. DA VINCI BRILLIANT Da Vinci, who has scored some brilliant wins at Trentham. has had only a couple ol races this season since he returned from a campaign in Australia. He ran a splendid halfmile in heavy going after the last race at Hastings on Saturday, cutting out the distance easily in 52sec.. and veteran trainer J. M. Cameron should be satisfied with the condition of the St. Boswells horse. Since he came up from the South Island Wild Note has worked his way high up into the handicaps. He was a winner at Trentham last January and finished second to Frances over a mile at the March meeting. Wild Note’s success over seven furlongs at the redent Awapuni meeting suggested that he is back to his best

form, and the only disadvantage in the Whyte Handicap appears to be his wide barrier position.

Few of the horses engaged can have had such a strenuous season as Dark Arrow, who has contested 28 races already. Yet the Nightly gelding is in great fettle and only recently, at the Dunedin winter meeting, he won the Birthday and Provincial Handicaps. Stilly the distance of the Parliamentary Handicap may suit him better.

Desert Girl is another Riceartontrained contestant who is no stranger to Trentham, where she won the seven-furlong Suburban Handicap in March, and still another from Riccarton is Indian Dawn, winner of the Summer Handicap at the Wellington summer meeting. ,

Robin Leigh is an Aucklander with an attractive record, having won three times and securing places on the four other occasions in 23 starts this season. However, another from that quarter in Cowper may make more appeal. This Mr. Standfast gelding only resumed racing late in the autumn, but he was fourth in Double Chance's division in the York Handicap at Ellerslie. Since arriving at Trentham he has made a good impression on track-watcnem.

Recent winners in provincial company in High Order and Mercian Lad must be give good chances if there is likely to be an upset, and Brown Derby has previously won at Trentham.

Probably the best of the northern contingent will be Lyn Vaa’.s, stablemate of Valley Boy and winner of a division of the Cornwall Handicap. Twelve months ago Lynn Vaa’s sprang a surprise at Trentham when she won the Onslow Handicap at long adds, and visitors who display a liking for the course are generally hard to beat at this meeting. In the minor places behind Lyn Vaals last year were Zealander and Playtos, who are again engaged on

Saturday. Both are improvers and probably Playtos will make more appeal. TRAFALGAR DAY Because he has built up an impressive record of four wins in his four most recent starts, Trafalgar Day will come in for a great deai of attention as he is handily placed with 8.6. He had an effortless win in open company in the seven-furlong Stewards’ Handicap at Awapuni, and good judges are prepared to see him rise to even greater heights. Trafalgar Day will probably be one of the best supported candidates on Saturday. Distinction went well at Hastings until his condition gave out last Saturday, but he may not yet be strung up sufficiently for a strong effort over a mile. Ballinagh, as a winner at Hastings on Saturday, must make an appeal, though the indications are that he will be better suited by the H furlongs of the Parliamentary Handicap. Special Flight has been pleasing in her track essays recently. She has previously been a wirner at Trentham and is just the type to run out a fast, mile under her light impost. Best, of the remainder may be the Aucklander Wonder Boy, a recent winner up north, and the South Islander Broie, unlucky last Saturday at Ashburton and nreviously a winner at Trentham, having shared first place i n the Douro Handicap at the summer meeting. In such a large field fancies are likely to take a fairly wide range, and f.part from Howe. Trafalgar Day and Wild Note, there are a dozen who might be fancied, for places at. any rate. It is one of the most open mile handicaps to be staged, for many years.