SPORTING NOTES

Chronicle (Levin), 21 November 1946, Page 6

SPORTING NOTES

FINE FIELD TO CONTEST NEW ZEALAND CUP Tlie 64th New Zealand Cup will be decided on tlie opening dav of the C.J.C. meeting on iSaturday. There are 24 aCPeptors and the contest loolcs oue of the most open iii recent years. Ilorses from all parts of the Doininion are engjjiged and there is a fund of widely-scattered form whicli makes the eojnparison of respective porfofmances a real problem. Oue of tlie latest developments in pre-post discussions was the reported lameness during Ihe week of the topweiglit Oolden Rouvenir. Ilowever. he featnred in the star gallop witli the other Cup horses Chung Chong and Signal OtHcer at Riccarton on Tuesday niorning, and the report of his condition afterwards was very reassuring. The consistent failure of the horses placed at the top of the handicap does not niake the task of (xolden Souvenir anything like an easy oue, though it is in his favour that, unlike nianv other horses given pride of place, he has not passed his best. In his endeavour to equal Nightmarch 's feat of carrying 9.6 and to establish a record of being the only liorse to, win the Cup twiee. tlie grand staving son of T.ang Bian- is sure to go to the post oue of the bestbncked candidates. Bv his slashing trial in winning tlie Manchester Handicap at Feilding. Longsword has advanced most in favour during the last few days, and there is no denying the fact that witli S.S he is not badly treated, wiien it is considered that he' carried 9.6 into fifth plaee last year, and followed this up bv running fourth in the Aucfcland Cup \fith 9.2. His connections make no secret of the fact tliat they regard liini a lietter liorse at this stage than he was last year. Ile will be ridden by W, J. Broughton, who has been assoeiatcd witli him in most of his important races. Indications are that the Auckland challengor Chung Chong will be the favourife on the day, He is a stayer and proved his worth by linishing second to Golden Souvenir in tlie Victory Cup, though later he was out of the pieture at the linish of the Auck' land Cup last year. Chung Chong proved that he is at the peak of his form by winning tlie Alison Cup at the beginning of the month, while previous to thnt lie annexed the Avondale Cup. No attention need be paid to his deieals this year as they wero over sprint dislances. As he has tlie handy irnpost >f 8.0 it will ind be tlie weiglit that will beat him. IIo will be ridden by C. Ilughes and wiU Jack nothing on Ihe score of horseniaimhip. Strong Possibilities The hope of the far south will be Signal Ollicer, who has the reputalion of being oue of the best horses produced there. He was responsible for a very solid trial' wlien lie won at Gore recent lv and carried the steadier of 9.11. Signal Ollicer, Jike Golden Souvenir, is a live-year-old. Last year he had a strong following for the Cup, but lameness overtook him a few days before the race and he was unable to face the starter. Ilff is a inastcr of weight and, altiiough untested over the distance, should niu it out solidly. For sonie timo good judgcs at Riccarton have Jiecn hailing Tliornbridge as ihe likely Cup winner. Although he could only linish fourth in the Wellington Handicap at Awapuni last month. little uotice is being taken of that ellort as his trainer has alvvays hcld a poor opinion of the ability of the Foxliridge gclding to gallop iii mud. Tliornbridge has 7.7 and, with a background of winning form up to a mile and a lialf, his chance cannot be taken lightly as lie looks certain to improve further and now works up to spccd more smartly. Tlie locallv-trained Langue d 'Or has no form so far this season, but cueh race has worlced an smprovement in him. He is oue of the proved stayers, running third in the New Zealand Victory Cup with 7.13 and second to Golden Souvenir in the Wellington Cup with 8.0. This time he has 8.3 and may again be found giving a good account of himself. He satisfied his trainer ('. •f. Thomson in his .tinui gallops- prior to departing for the.foirth. ...t ' •' . lf- tlie track isjt'asy .'tltfew leuu towards Y Tr^'fc ■ who; have recent ^winning • forni'' u'niler these conditions and have deiinitely shown tlieir ability to stav. They might easily cause a minor surprise. The race is full of possiliilities, but those who are niaking most appoal at this stage are Chung Chong, Tliornbridge and Longsword.