Wanganui Guineas Contest Expected To Provide Spring Meeting Highlight

Wanganui Chronicle, 9 September 1950, Page 7

Wanganui Guineas Contest Expected To Provide Spring Meeting Highlight

(By “Kestrel”) Classic contests invariably have an attraction for followers of the turf, and that to be staged today, when the Wanganui Jockey -tub will present the contest for the Wanganui Guineas ribbon, should be the feature of the concluding day of the spring meeting.

Supporting the Guineas contest is an attractive programme, ' with the Marangai Handicap and the Owen Handicap as the two ] open races, and in spite of the J clash with Carterton fields all j round are of satisfactory dimen- ’ sions. Two colts stand out in the field of nine for the Guineas. Both are by the Hyperion horse Neptune and both were bred at Mr. J. G. Alexander s Cranleigh Stud. Davey Jones carries Mr. Alexander's colours, and Felicitous is raced by Mr. J. P. O’Brien, of Dunedin, who purchased the colt at the 1949 sales. Davey Jones is out of Celebrity, dam also of winners in Celebration, Champagne and Illustrious. Felicitous is a first foal from the imported Limelight mare Cheney, who did not race, being intended for stud. Davey Jones has already this season drawn pointed attention to his chances, for his two starts have resulted in a second, narrowly beaten by The Laird in the Robinson Handicap at Foxton, and a win in effortless fashion in the Flying Handicap here last Saturday. Last season he had four races for three wins and a second before being put aside because of a foot injury. Felicitous, on the other hand, has not raced since last April, and that will be rated as a serious disadvantage, though trainer L. Dulieu appears to be confident that his charge will extend Davey Jones. Last season Felicitous contested eleven races for five wins and four minor placings, finishing up the season with successess in the Champagne Stakes and the Challenge Stakes at Riccarton. As he defeated Ballochmyle, one of the best milers in the Dominion, in the Challenge Stakes, there could be no doubt : about his ability. As between the two Neptune colts, the deciding factor may be the forward condition of Davey Jones. Of the seven horses engaged, Huia’s Guest, Coralline and Robin Glen are acceptors in other races and their■ connections may elect to leave a tilt; at classic honours till later on. Beau Chief has had one race only. Boleigh won the Kaiwaiwai Juvenile at the Wairarapa meeting last New Year. Britovite had two wins last season, in a division of the Juvenile Handicap at Woodville and in the Himatangi Handicap at Awapuni. In addition he ■ had several placings. Robin Glen had i two wins at Hastings last spring. Subject had four races for two seconds. | Coralline had nine races and was placed in the last six of them. ' The form of these runners might be i satisfactory for hack races but they | do not appear to be in the class of Davey Jones and Felicitous. THE BIGGIE HANDICAP I Principal handicap event and first j “leg” of the totalisator double is the Higgle Handicap, run over the same distance as the Marangai Handicap last Saturday. Of the place getters in the Marangai only Kippo (winner) and Foxtavia (fourth) are again engaged, and on first-day form Kippo should win again, though he has gone up 91b. He covered a good deal of extra ground last Saturday, and in a smaller field today he should be in a handy position for the final stages. He is the perfect example of the "horses for courses” axiom, as his six wins hav been scored on this course. Foxtavia had a good deal of leeway to make up three furlongs from home in the Marangai, and with a little better luck in the running he should be in the money today. King’s Ransom was confidently supported in the Marangai and was not disgraced in finishing fifth. It was his first race over a distance since resuming and he was somewhat hampered through being required to race along the rails for a portion of the journey. He appeared susceptible to improvement and the race should have that effect. Gay Gordon was another Marangai Handicap runner who appeared as if he would be improved by racing. He was ninth at the finish but not so far back as to discourage his supporters from following their investments. Bar Garrette, Hostess. Dandy Ninth, Sly Robin and Red Ruler are capable of showing improvement, tut backers | may rely on Kippo, Foxtavia and King’s Ransom. THE OPEN SPRINTERS Hunting Fort (third) is the only Flying Handicap place-getter engaged in the Owen Handicap. He was at the head of those chasing Davey Jones over the final furlong till he was cut out of second place, at lucrative odds, by Angell. Very little improvement would be required to enable him to notch a winning bracket, and he proved possession of plenty of speed in his hack successes. Voltaic finished well back in the Flying Handicap, and Paddy Joe was another who -failed to show up till near the finish, but Phalamint ran a good race after covering extra ground, and he should not be long in returning to the winning list. Lay-by was responsible for the fast pace set last Saturday, and he may stick on better today. He is a free runner out in front and does best when allowed his own rules. Ot the newcomers Nakura will be having his first race in the current term. Last season he showed that he was entitled to rank with the best sprinters, and even with 9.5 he must be respected. Mallow and Sir Royal were winners at New Plymouth, but the first-named failed to show up last Saturday. Impulsive is a three-year-old with a light weight, always dangerous in a sprint handicap. Phalamint and Lay-by may account for Nakura. MOUTOA HACK HANDICAP Second "leg” of the double is again the hack distance event, the Moutoa Hack Handicap, and the chances are that Clear View, who eventually secured last Saturday's verdict on a reversal of placings, will carry on to complete the double again. He was hampered for room over the final stages in the Putiki Hack Handicap, and in a smaller field today his chances today appear brighter. Wave Crest was finishing on strongly in fourth place over a mile last Saturday, and the Neptune mare appears to be in line for an early success.

Speckles was fourth in the Putiki Hack, and Zala was almost on terms with him. Action is capable of running out this distance, as he won over a mile and a-quarter at Awapuni last autumn. Diversion and the three-year-old Massa may be best of the remainder, but Clear View, Wave Crest and Action make the strongest appeal. Track conditions today may be somewhat similar to those which obtained last Saturday, as the going is fairly certain to be dead after rain during the week. However, it will not be actually heavy unless there is a downpour, of which there appears little danger. Horses likely to be in the money today include:— Gonville Hack Hurdles.—Broiesome, Rappel, Delinquent. Apprentices’ Hack Handicap.—Lord Kenneth, Condine, Tokena. Trial Hack Handicap.—First Division: Good News, Admiral’s Lady. Second Division: Meg, Robin Glen. Higgie Handicap.—Kippo, Foxtavia, King’s Ransom. Wanganui Guineas.—Davey Jones, > Felicitous, Britovite. Moutoa Hack Handicap.—Clear View, Wave Crest, Action. Owen Handicap.—Phalamint, Lay-by, Nakura. Spring Hack Handicap—Treasure Fox, Lord Cranleigh, Leighdine.