WANGANUI.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1244, 19 February 1914, Page 16

WANGANUI.

Flying Handicap Prospects —A Promising Hurdler—Messrs. Alison’s Quartette at Wanganui—Notes oh Cup Horses —improvements io Wanganui Course—Minor Events at Approaching Meeting Discussed. (.From Our Wanganui Correspondent.; WANGANUI, February 16, I understand that Postillion is lame, and has done practically no work since running at Trentham. If this is correct he is unlikely to be a starter in the Flying at the Wanganui meeting. As a result of his recent win at Riccarton Sauci is the popular pick for the Flying here, but Bon Reve and Gipsy Belle are also much fancied. Provided Sunbird could be depended upon to gallop up to her best track form I would look to her to go very close to landing this event, as she is very fast and has only 6.10 to carry. Still, on form, Sauci certainly appears entitled to the position, even with the 71b. penalty he will have to carry. However, he is engaged at Dunedin this week, and his running there should serve to give a better idea as to what he is really capable of. In any case there are several great gallopers in the mg sprint here which may be relied upon to thoroughly test Sauci. Postillion may not be a starter, but Bon Reve, Rewi Poto, Gipsy Belle, Ermengarde, Patronale and two or three others will make up a field from which the winner will take a lot of sorting out. If Aruake keeps sound he should not be long in winning a race over hurdles. In his essays over the schooling battens he has so far jumped remarkably well, and as he can both stay and gallop fast he should do well as a hurdler. St. Gate is another which has been giving good displays over the hurdles on the track, and up to a mile or so he is very fast over the obstacles. It remains to be seen whether he will stay on over the hurdles any better than on the fiat, where a mile always seems to be his limit. Of the pair, Aruake appears most likely to be a success over the hurdles, and he should be really good at the game. Tiresome, Allegation, Ruffy' and Centenary have arrived here to fulfil their engagements at the Wanganui meeting. The two former are looking in splendid nick, and the better of the pair should go near landing the Cup. In spite of her failures at the Taranaki meeting, Tiresome is still as good a fancy as anything for the big event. It appears she had a rough trip down from Onehunga, and this probably prevented her from showing her best form at New Plymouth. Her connections are said to be very confident of winning here again, and apparently they think she is better at the weights than Allegation, though there are quite a number of shrewd judges who are picking Allegation to run a better race than Tiresome, It will thus be seen that Mr. Alison must have an excellent chance of landing the Cup with two such good ones to bear the chocolate and red livery. Reports to hand credit Sea Pink with doing excellent work on the track at Hastings, and he is greatly fancied in certain quarters for the Cup here. Bon Reve is also said to be going in his best style, and his. prospects in the Flying are highly thought of. Bon Ton and Thrax will be racing at Dunedin this week, and it will be interesting to see how they shape in view of their Wanganui Cup engagements. Victory for either of the pair at Dunedin would mean that Mr. G. Morse would review the winner’s weight here, but in the case of Bon Ton he would not in any case be asked to carry much more than he has now, viz., 9.0. A horse which may have an outside chance in the Cup here is Braeburn, who is in at 6.10. He will be racing at Woodville this week, and it will be interesting to see how he shapes. Leonta is understood to be doing good work at Fordell, and is very fit. He is a better horse than might be imagined by his running at Hawera, but his chance in the Cup depends greatly upon how he is ridden. If he is handled with good judgment he will not be far away at the finish. Since the spring meeting some improvements have been made to the Wanganui course, including the banking up of the top bend, which has been saucerised, and this should improve the going there very much. Previously there was a rise at the

six-furlong post, but this has been levelled off and a threerfeet cutting made, thus making the track level at this point. This will make considerable difference, especially in the six-furlong events, as the horses will now have a better footing than before, and there should not be so much difficulty in getting the fields away on even terms.

The Rangitikei Racing Club is installing a new silent totalisator for its annual meeting, and Mr. George Spriggens has been appointed to take charge. of itjs management on the 25th and 26th March next. Nominations for the meeting close on Tuesday, the 24th inst.

The Signor filly which is engaged in the Juvenile Handicap here is in F. Tilley’s stable. She has been named Orotocal, and it is said she has been galloping in very pleasing style lately. Tannhauser, who looked to be well treated in the Wanganui Cup, is reported to have gone amiss, but whether the trouble is serious enough to prevent him starting here is not known. If he goes to the post the son of Martian must have a big chance on his Metropolitan Handicap form, as he won that event in fine style with 8.2 on his back in 2.34 3-5, which, together with his Dunedin Cup win last year, shows that he can go the mile and a-half journey, and the extra quarter of a mile here should not stop him.

H. Eva, the Hawera owner-trainer, has a couple of exceptionally line two-year-olds in training in Miss Fisher (Maniapoto—-Dear Dolly) and Shandon Bells (by Campfire—. Sister Frances). The former has not been up long, but is a 'fine stamp of a filly, while Shandon Bells is a very promising looking youngster. She is a half-sister to Lady Menschikoff, and is engaged in the Juvenile Handicap here.

The recent rains have benefited the Wanganui Jockey Club’s course very much, and it is now looking lovely. The tracks are in splendid order, and the going should be of the very best description next week. Everything points to the meeting being a big success from every point of view. The weights for the minor events at the Wanganui meeting show evidence of careful compilation by Mr. Geo. Morse, and he will probably have the satisfaction of seeing good fields contest the various events. The acceptances are not due until Friday next, after which backers will be able to form a better idea as to the probable winners. In the meantime it may be said that the Petre Hack, six furlongs, bears a very open aspect. Bertrada (9.7) has a big burden, and Paoli (9.2), Vocation (8.13), Histoirette (7.13), Tiora (7.5) and His Eminence (7.0) look more attractive. The two latter will be amongst the winners very soon. In the Wiritoa Hack, eight and ahalf furlongs, Wild Lupin (9.6) has a big weight, but he has earned it all. Canute (9.0) will probably run better here than he did at New Plymouth, and will take some beating. Di Gama (8.7) is nicely weighted, and so is Square Deal (8.0). The latter has not shown his best form recently, but if he strips well here next week will prove that he is a worthy son of his famous sire. Record (7.8) is a consistently good horse, and may have to be reckoned with, as he is very fit.

In the big hurdles, Bercola (11.2) is being picked out as likely to run well. The top weight, Sandy Paul (12.3), is such a great stayer that he must have a chance, while of the others Kurnalpi (10.3) reads as well as anything. There is not a very select lot in the Hack Hurdles, and the top weight, Merrimax (11.1), is not over-burdened in such a field. Aruake (9.6) has only got to jump well to be very dangerous. There is plenty of material for a capital race in the Stewards’ Handicap, in which Emperador (9.6) heads the list. Even with that weight he should run well. Of the others, Patronale 8.1, Allegation 8.1, Byron 8.0, Cheddar 7.11, Rewi Poto 7.4, and Austin 6.12 all appear to be likely to have something to say in the settlement of the event. Sauci is at. the head of affairs in the Juvenile Handicap, but he will probably be kept for the Flying Handicap. With Sauci out of the way, Rencontre will probably be made favourite, but Shandon Bells is expected to make a good showing. Emperador, Rencontre, Historiette and Canute arrived here on Friday, and are all looking well, particularly Emperador and Canute.