Blue Seal, Winner At Otaki, Claims Engagements In Both Auckland And Manawatu Cups

Wanganui Chronicle, 13 December 1949, Page 3

Blue Seal, Winner At Otaki, Claims Engagements In Both Auckland And Manawatu Cups

(By “■

■KESTREL”)

Blue Seal, winner of the Baukawa Handicap at Otaki on Saturday, is one of the two dozen horses remaining in the Auckland Cup, to be run at Ellerslie next Monday week. Vice-Chancellor, the Te Awamutu Cup winner, is also in the big two-mile race at Ellerslie.

As Blue Seal is also in the Manawatu Cup, run at Awapuni next Saturday week, and as he is trained at Otaki the chances are that he will do his holiday racing nearer home, especially as the distance of the Manawatu Cup should be more to his liking. Probably a further line on Blue Seal's chances will be obtained in the President s Handicap at Levin next Saturday, for the Bulandsnar horse is one of the acceptors for that event, as also is Lord Manna, another with an Auckland Cup engagement. Throughout the running of the Raukawa Handicap last Saturday Blue Seal held a handy position in behind the leading division, but he had to be kept up to his task running across the top, where a couple of horses on the outside of him 'threatened to make his position awkward when the field straightened up.

A furlong off the post Imperial, Blue Seal, Outlook, Robin’s Reward and Golden Spa were fighting out the issue, with Robin’s Reward looking likely to come home at long odds. Blu'e Seal's run was well timed and he got home by a nose from Robin’s Reward, with Sly Gold, who came from several places back, beating Imperial by a nose for third money. Blue Seal made a good impression when he won the Rere Nikitin! Memorial at the September meeting al Otaki after being runner-up in the Ling Memorial Stakes on the iirct day. Thus he has a second and two | wins to his credit at Otaki, where he | is trained, and there should be more | good races ahead for the Bulandshar , four-year-old. Robin’s Reward ran another slashing race under <9.8, proving once 1 again that he is a force to be reckon- , ed with when fresh. He is expected ' to make an attempt to win his ser.vmd I Manawatu Cup next Saturday week,. and the chances are that he will be a greatly improved horse by then. Fur- , ther, the longer distance will be eminently to his liking. I Sly Gold came home strongly for . third money, but major prizes seem to elude the Sly Fox mare However, | her turn should not be far* off, | especially in provincial handicaps.: Sly Gold was near the tail of the field at the six furlongs and she must have covered a good deal of extra ground, especially as she had to come round 1 several horses when making her run 1 in the last two furlongs. As far as the Auckland Cup is con- 1 cerned, Lord Manna’s effort njust be ( considered satisfactory, though it was ( a disappointment for those on the j course who sent him out an each-way , favourite, though at a better price | than might be imagined. Fractious | prior to the start, Lord Manna was sent to stand behind the field. He got away well, but the large field making the slight bend before entering the straight the first time compelled him to take a rear position, probably ten or a dozen places behind the leading pair with a mile to go. Lord Manna improved his position along the back, but Broughton could not find an opening for him as the leaders set out on the dash to tne judge. Imperial went another solid race on a course for which he has shown a preference, but he weakened slightly in the final stages. The race shpuld do him a lot of good. The Missioner was bne of the rear division on the run out of the straight and he was still well back with half a mile to go. Like Lord Manna, hp could not find a place to go In the final furlong, but he was running on strongly just behind the placed horses at the finish. Golden Spa and. Outlook were prominent all the way and it was only the extra class of the placegetters that told Its tale at the finish. Ladv Minter, who was at long odds gave her supporters a bit of a thrill in her first essay in open company. She held the lead for just over a mile and was actually in front when the field turned for home. Then she {five it up, but it should not be long before she takes out in the higher class. The Sir Beau mare proved useful in hack company and Awapuni trainer J. J. Waller has generally shown marked ability in placing Ins charges.