Waverley Steeples Opening Of Season’s Big Jumping Events

Wanganui Chronicle, 30 April 1949, Page 7

Waverley Steeples Opening Of Season’s Big Jumping Events

With the Besley Memorial and the Wairoa Handicap as two open flat events and the Waverley Steeplechase and Westhohn Hurdles for the jumpers. the Waverley Racing Club has a varied card for patrons at the autumn meeting today. Keen interest will be displayed in the form, as the fixture serves as a curtain-raiser for the winter meetings on tnis coast, as well as providing the final autumn opportunity for horses which have been in action over the past weeks. Gay Rouen, winner of the Waverley Steeplechase three years ago, heads the list in the cross-country event today. Even with 11.0 he must be respected, for he is a proved jumper and is still young for a ’chaser. The seven-year-old Gay Boy gelding has not raced since the back end of last season, and orobably the race should do him a lot of good in view of the campaign ahead. Gaiety, another of Gay Boy’s progeny, was one of tne finds of last winter. winning four ’chases in a row, at Awapuni, Marton, New Plymouth and Hastings, before suffering defeat. This six-year-old mare, like the topweight, is only now resuming activit.es, but she will have to oe reckoned with.

Duality was a winner oxer hurdles at Otaki and Trentham early last season but has not shown much recent form. Voltage was a winner over the battens at the Wanganui meet.ng in February. Captain Jesse is from the same stables as Gay Rouen and has shown promising form. Odysseus was a hurdles winner at the Hawera autumn meeting. Old Joe won the Rangitikei Hunt Cup Steeplechase nearly two years ago. Midjoon, Cherry Grove and Malimmt nave snown promising form, but backers may rely on proved horses like Gaiety, Gay Rouen and Odysseus. If First Act could reproduce the form which he showed in the spring, including a win a Otaki, he would play a prominent part in the Westholm Hurdles. Foxland has a good record in hurdle races at Waveney, winning this race two years ago ana being runner-up to Specialist lasi year. Dawn March has winning iorm over hurdles at Feilding and Woodville to his credit and Odysseus (also in the Steeples) was a winner at Hawera. proved themselves ovex the big jumps, and Night Charm and Awaroa Stream have shaped like promising recru.ts. It looks as if Foxlanu, Dawn March and First Act may oe fancied.

Good recent form lias been shown by several of those engaged in the Besley Memorial, and probably the best is to the credit of the Wanganuitrained Hostess. After graduating from hack company with an impressive performance at Trentham the Revelation mare ran two sterling races at Feilding, being third to Loyal Bian and Avenger in the Feilding Cup and runner-up to Gay Stro'ler in the Gooabehere Memorial. Atomic shaped like an early improver at Feilding, where Lady Oratory also finished well for second to Faultina over seven furlongs. Though Mission did not show up in his one essay at Feilding he may be expected to show early improvement. Morotai generally does best on soft tracks, and other likely sorts include the promising promoted hack Arvastep, and the veteran Alright. Probably Hostess. Mission and Alright may be fancied. The Wairoa Handicap field is headed by The Pagan, whose form has been consistent. However, he has shown a tendency to bleed and may have to be taken on trust. The Te Rapatrained Ozami was an end-to-end winner of the Ngaere Handicap at the Stratford New Year meet.ng. Sir Royal was finishing on well for third at Hastings last Saturday. In Mangurakau the stable which now shelters The Pagan has a strong second string, as the Gynerium gelding has shown that he posseses a fine turn of speed. Good efforts may also be forthcoming from Black Beret, Celebration and the promoted hack War Admiral. Sir Royal, Ozami and The Pagan may appeal. The absence of Sweet Revenge, who will be racing at Hastings, robs the Ngutuwera Hack Cup ol one of its strongest contenders. The topweight, Early Bird, has some good place form to her credit this season, though the Leighon filly has not won since she scored’at New Plymouth nearly eighteen months ago. Best of the others may be Graeme’s Joy, Foveran, Lackagh and Restriction. Divisions will be avoided in the Kohi Hack Handicap, but it would appear that they cannot be avoided in the Symes Memorial Maiden. The track will be yielding after rain during the week, and the following may be fancied in their respective engagements:—

Westholm Hurdles.—Foxland. Dawn March, First Act Wairoa Handicap.—Sir Royal, Ozami The Pagan. Symes Memorial Maiden.—First Division :Papawhero, Lady Quick. Se-co-d Division: Mr. Moutoa, Footline. Kohi Hack Handicap.—White Diamond, Master McGrath, Graeme s Joy. Besley Memorial.v-Hostess. Mission. Alright. Waverley Steeplechase.—Gaiety. Gay Rouen, Odysseus. Ngutuwera Hack Cup.—Early Bird, Lackagh, Foveran. President’s Hack Handicap.—Miss Beau, General Rule, Bian Rouge.