Manawatu Hunt Cup Field At Awapuni Tomorrow May Provide Interesting Contest

Wanganui Chronicle, 21 July 1950, Page 2

Manawatu Hunt Cup Field At Awapuni Tomorrow May Provide Interesting Contest

(By

“Kestrel”

Though ten of them are on the minimum and only one of the seventeen acceptors is to carry more than 9.11. the field for -the Manawatu Hunt Cup at Awapuni tomorrow should prove one of the most interesting contests at the Manawatu Hunt Club’s annual totalisator meeting.

The big steeplechase is saiidwiehed in between the two events which constitute the totalisator double, the Tararua Hack Handicap and the President’s Handicap.

Probably when the field lines up at the barrier tomorrow there may be n few defections, as Betterboy is engaged in the Ladies’ Bracelet and Newel Post, Tussoek, Bayraz, Manawanui, Ercoupe and Lartique are also ifi the Kennels Hack Steeplechase, the second race. It is, however, not unusual for a horse to line up for both these events, and five years ago Vaiky’s Boy won this double. Form in the Hunt Clip Steeples should prove valuable as a guide ih the circuit which follows tomorrow’s fixture, as there will be hunt meetings in succession at Marton, Hastings (two days), and New Plymouth (t.wo days) on the successive Saturdays. Topweight tomorrow is Christopher Wren, who carries the colours of the club's patron, Mr L. H. Collinson, Christopher Wren won the Grandstand Steeplechase at Wanganui and was runner-up to a better than average ’chaser in Master Patrick in the Wanganui Steeplechase. Since then he has lost caste Somewhat through falling a't the Manawatu winter meeting and again at Hastings, but if the pace is not too solid he should give a better account Of himself here.

Precious Metal showed usefuj form on the flat, and over hurdles last spring, when raced Olid trained by Mr T. Stewart, Waverley. Since then he has been acquired by Mr K. McK. Duncan, ait astute judge of a jumper, who has not raced him at a totalisator meeting. However, Precious Metal was third to Hemokai and Black Salve in the Tally-Ho Steeples at the Eg-mon't-Wanganui Hunt Club’s point-to-point meeting last month. He was the early leader, and as his condition should have improved since then he should be ih the picture.

Betterboy raced at the Napier Park meeting early last month and finished second to The Scotchman in the hack steeples. On the second day he fell and Was remounted to finish fourth. Betterboy was fifth in the Andrew Kay Steeples at Te Awamutu, and as his ownertrainer, Mr Harvey Evans, of Paeroa, specialises in jumpers, he must be respected.

The best performance over the country to the credit of Newel Post was his second to Bandmaster in the Mangarawa Steeples at Woodville early in May. Bulaselle was a winner over hurdles at the Wanganui spring meeting, and his th’rd placing behind Aratoro and Hinewaka in the Hack and Hunters' Steeples on the same course early last month suggested that he should make good as a 'chaser. Middoon won over hurdles at the Wanganui winter meeting and RangitahUa won the Sherwood Point-tO noint Steeplechase at the Dannevirke HUnt Club's fixture lart week

There may be others on the minimum who will show up, including Golden Realm and Norfolk Boy, but the favourite division should include Christopher Wren, Bulaselle and Precious Metal.