Canterbury Jockey Club Has Four Feature Events For Opening Day At Riccarton

Wanganui Chronicle, 4 November 1950, Page 7

Canterbury Jockey Club Has Four Feature Events For Opening Day At Riccarton

(By

“Kestrel”)

With the New Zealand Cup and the Stewards’ Handicap providing a major totalisator double, and the N.Z. Derby and the Welcome stakes catering for the three-year-olds and the juveniles respectively, the Canterbury Jockey Club has a quartet of feature events for the opening day of the big spring carnival at Riccarton

today. The £lO,OOO stake for the Centennial Cup has attracted the best handicappers in commission, and the calibre of the fields in the other events is in keeping with that for the big two-miler. Beaumaris, topweight for the New Zealand Cup, has a good horse's weight, as might be expected from his record last year, when he was the best of the three-year-olds and a leading stake-winner. He struck form early this season at Ashburton and proved in the Harcourt Stakes at Trentham that, in spite of his firstday defeat in the Wellington Handicap, he is in top condition for a searching test. He is a proved two-miler, having won the Wellington Cup last January, and even his failure in a gallop on Thursday will not dismay his supporters. Robin’s Reward has some sterling performances to his credit, and he was running on well enough at Trentham to suggest that he will take some beating, though he will have to concede weight to some up-and-coming handicappers. Royal Tan is another who has proved himself over two miles, having won the Wellington Cup in 1949, prior to which he had finished second to Beau le Havre in the New Zealand Cup. He is reported to be in good order but has not had such a searching preparation as is generally required of a Cup winner. Jamell is generally regarded as the main Southland prospect for Cup honours, and he gained many friends with a sound track effort over ten furlongs on Thursday morning. His successes last season were achieved against moderate opposition, but he carried 9.13 when he won the Members’ Handicap over a mile and a-quarter recently at Gore. Calibrate is on the same mark as Jamell, 8.7. If he were to reproduce his Ifcst form of last season, when he finished fourth in the Auckland Cup and won the W.R.C. Handicap and the Summer Handicap at Trentham, he would take a lot of beating. Pierre has shown his best form at distances in the vicinity of a mile, but he has staying blood on both sides of his pedigree. The Laird showed signs early this season of developing into one of the leading handicappers, but he lost caste by his failure on the opening day at Trentham, when he was probably in need of a race. He finished on better for third in the Watkins Handicap, behind Akbar and Prince Chat, but his form does not appeal as much as that of Renowned, Signify ana Coral Arc, though he comes from a family of great stayers.

Renowned was third in last year's New Zealand Cup and ran a sterling race to win the Wellington Racing Club Handicap three weeks ago. She is by Beaulivre from Cuddle, one of , the best mares of her day and a win- . ner of the New Zealand Cup as well ' as two Auckland Cups. Her owner has - Won the New Zealand Cup with Ora- . trix and Kevin as well as Cuddle. * Biassed has shown himself a solid . customer, his successes including the ' Winter Cup at Riccarton and the ' Masterton Handicap, the latter event over a mile and three furlongs. It would not be surprising to find him , running on at the finish of the two miles. Signify drew attention to her ability as a stayer when she won the Hawke’s Bay Cup last autumn after building up a good record in hack company. She was rather unlucky to be beaten in the Wainui Handicap at Trentham on the first day but made amends when she took the honours in the Pearce Handicap on the concluding day. Her connections are confident that she will make a bold bid for the New Zealand Cup. Coral Arc had two races at Ttentham, being second to Renowned in the Wellington Handicap, finishing from well back, and fourth in the weight-for-age Harcourt Stakes, placed in the Auckland and Wellington Cups two seasons ago, he appears to have thrown off the soreness which came against him last season. Paddy Joe, the sole Wanganui representative. has the Manawatu Winter Cup and the Foxton Cup to his credit, but at 7.12 he appears rather close to some better performed horses. I Night Owl was fifth in the New Zea- | land Cup last year but his form does not suggest that he will prove a strong contender today. Lord Revel has several good performances at Ellerslie to his credit and Kosher has won at Wingatui and Oamaru, but they can be regarded as only outside prospects. St. Bruno is a New Zealand Derby winner and has proved useful in winning the Riverton Cup twice. Langham has proved himself at a mile and a-half, having won the Wellington Racing Club Handicap in January of last year. On opening day of the recent Trentham meeting he finished third to Renowned and Coral Arc, but he would have to improve to be given a chance over two miles. Earldale has always been running on in his efforts, but like Night Rider and Valley Gold, who re-enter the field as the result of the scratching of Detention and Florida, seems outclassed. To reduce the twenty likely starters to half a dozen Beaumaris. Jamell. Calibrate, Renowned, Signify and Coral Arc may be selected, and of these Beaumaris, Coral Arc and Signify make most appeal. STEWARDS’ HANDICAP It is a strong field of sprinters that will line up for the Stewards’ Handicap, and as a proved horse over seven furlongs is preferred for the “straight six” at Riccarton Lord Moss may be installed favourite. Having his first race since he came back from a spell after a campaign in Australia, Lord Moss finished fourth in the Shorts Handicap at Trentham behind a trio of three-year-olds in The Unicorn. Ptolemy and Dark Courage. Improved by that race, he won the seven-fur-long Awatea Handicap on the second day. He is a brilliant beginner and has drawn a handy position at the barrier,

and as he appeared likely to improve still further he is the logical favourite. Voltaic generally runs solid races at Riccarton, where he should have won the Stewards’ Handicap a couple of years ago, but he has 9.4 and in spite of his forward display for third in the Pearce Handicap at Trentham he will find the task of conceding weight to some brilliant younger horses rather difficult. Castlebrae is capable of improving on his indifferent display at the Banks Peninsula meeting. Ptolemy was a winner at Hastings and then, in his only start at Trentham, was caught in the last stride by The Unicorn in the Shorts Handicap. As a three-year-old with 8.6 he appeals as a strong contender. Duvaals has some good form in the south to his credit, having won recently at Wyndham and Gore, and The Hob showed brilliance in winning at Motukarara last Saturday. Pastel proved herself a smart juvenile last season, but probably Infinity will be better supported, especially after her fine effort in winning at Bulls last Saturday in her first race since last April. Of the remainder Trinidad may make most appeal, but Lord Moss. Ptolemy and Infinity appear the most likely to fill the places. NEW ZEALAND DERBY The first major test of the season for the three-year-olds is provided in the New Zealand Derby, as it will be the first time that any of last season’s juveniles will be proved over a mile and a-half. Probably the stake of £3OOO accounts for the presence of several moderates in the field, but present indications are that there will be a dozen starters. Though Felicitous has not won a race since resuming this season he is likely to be favourite, as he has improved a ton since finishing second to Davey Jones in the Wanganui Guineas. He came from the tail of the field to extend Mainbrace at the finish of the Wellington Guineas, and he appeals as the most likely to run out the extra distance. Hutton proved himself a staying hack in winning a double at Trentham, and he may be the more likely of the pair carrying the Goosman jacket, as The Unicorn has yet to prove himself at a greater distance than a mile. My Hero won over a mile at Trentham but wa§ beaten into fourth place in the Guineas and would have to improve to turn the tables on those who finished in front of him.

Dark Courage, as the Dunedin Guineas winner, and Royal Man, who impressed over seven furlongs at Trentham, also have good chances. f, The only filly in the field, Zenith, scored a runaway win in the Desert Gold Stakes, and she has the pace to set te colts a task. Felicitous, Hutton and Royal Man may be te elect of backers. JUVENILES’ CLASSIC The field for the Welcome Stakes, one of the important “classic” events for the two-year-olds, is not as strong as the numbers suggest. However, three of the youngsters appear outstanding, these being Silence, wfio won the Wellesley Stakes after having scored earlier at Wingatui, Scorned, runner-up to Silence and a winner on the second day at Trentham, and Sinister, who was fourth in the Wellesley Stakes and third on the final day. Montana may prove best of the remainder. Large fields will line up for the Spring Nursery, the nine-furlong HagIley Hack Handicap, and the Riccarton Handicap, also over nine furlongs, and surprises may be sprung on investors. The track is reported to be in excellent order following rain earlier in the week, and the going should be good. Horses likely to be well supported include:— Suburban Highweight. —Coxswain, Bren Gun, Man o’ Kent. Spring Nursery.—Deploy, Poetical, Infanta. New Zealand Derby.—Felicitous, Hutton, Royal Man. New Zealand Cup. —Beaumaris, Coral Arc, Signify. Welcome Stakes.—Silence, Scorned, Sinister. Stewards’ Handicap.—Lord Moss, Ptolemy, Infinity. Hagley Handicap.—Admiral's Choice, Royal China. Whittaker. Riccarton Handicap.—Prince Defaulter, Great Way, Statesman. C.J.C. Scratchings CHRISTCHURCH, Last Night (PA) —Royaicille was scratched for the New Zealand Derby at 10.10 a.m. today. Stewards’ Handicap: Swayup, at 4.30 p.m. The scratching of Detention for the New Zealand Cup at 2 p.m. yesterday has enabled Valley Gold to take his place in the field. Night Rider has already been reinstated through the scratching of Florida. Night Rider will be ridden by M. H. Hillis. CHRISTCHURCH, Last Night (PA) ’ —Scratchings for the C.J.C. meeting ' include:— Spring Nursery: Novara. 10.50 a.m. N.Z. Derby: Arrowlea. 10.59 a.m. Stewards’ Handicap: High Spirits, ' 2.40 p.m. Suburban Highweight: Blue Star, 3 . D.m.