SALUDOS WAS IMPRESSIVE

Chronicle (Levin), 17 December 1946, Page 6

SALUDOS WAS IMPRESSIVE

FORM AT OTAKI From a Manawatu Cup trial point of view, lio better performance was wituessed at the Otaki meeting on Saturday tliaii tliat registexed by Saludos in winning the sprint event, the Huia Handicap, . and the eaae in whieh the Salinagundi gelding trounced the opposition over the final stages points to hiiai bejng a better horse now than at any stage of his career. In the past Saludos has been a delieate horse to train, but he now looks much more solid and, as -he has proved that he is not lacking in stamina, his eliances must be regarded as seeond to none in the big event -thjs Saturday. Barrage's linishing effort from the rear in the Raukawa Handicap was very attractive, and in anotlier few strides he would have been the outright winner. He sullered a temporary lapse of forin at the New Zealand Cup pieeting, but the Trentham gelding 's latest ] sliowing gained him friends for Awapuni, on wliich course he has shown good form in the past. The Awapuni-trained lmperial is well on the way'to reach top class as a handicap performer, and his performanee iu the Raukawa Handicap under 8.9 was full of merit. Although he was favoured with a nice run throughout, he battlcd on very courageously at the iiuish wheu tackled by Barrage to whom he was conccding 151b'. 1 • The Ninlli Duke gelding is not cngaged on the opening day of the MaiiaWatu meeting, but iigures in the Louisson Memorial Handicap, of onc and a quarter mileSj 011 the middle day. Broielield was the unlucky ruimef in tlie main event on (Saturday and, after being badly placed in the early stages, he sull'ered a severe clieck at the tliree l'urlongs wlien Riverview came back ou liim. lt was not until well in the straight that he was able to work clear, and his linishing ell'ort into third was oue of Ihe featurcs of tho race. His latesl l'orm has been most consistent and. the Broiei'ort gelding is not likeiy to be without friends in t.he Manawatu Oup. Arco, wlio was preferred to his stablemate l Saludos in tho lluia Ilandicap, was far from disgraced in linishing sccond. He had a good deal of grouud to make up in the straight and liis linishing ell'ort is not likeiy to lose hiia any friends for his uiore important engagement tliis weelt. Ile is one that .,ui be boneJited by that outing,'

A surprisingly good effort went to the credit of Incline wlio, after. being many lengths in the rear at the three furlongs, iinished with a fine burst to be elose up behind the placed horses. Although he gave his usual trouble ai the • start, Beau le HaVre began fairly well and was always in the picture over the last half-mile to linish third in the sprint. The race will further improve him and it will be surprising if he does not earn a winning bracket ov.er the holidays. Haclt sprinters which appealed as likeiy improvers were Lady Burford and Malanui. The former was doing her best work over the final stages oi the Waitohu Haclt Handicap and a slightly longer joumey may flhd her showing to better advantage this week. The Trentham-trained Malanui, . who was only having his seeond start this term, was always prominent to linish fifth aaid is not likeiy to be at such long odds when next produced. He per formed well as two-year-old-last season and appears to be on the verge oi regaining that form. Follow Suit, a long-prlced winner at his only previous start, was noticed putting in. great work over the closing stages of tlie haclt sprint and conlirmed the impression that he is the makings of a more than useful galloper. Interest was centred iu the appearance of the English-bred King Tissa in the Kuku Maiden No. 1 and, on the strcngth of a private reputation, was backed down to favouritisni. He cer-ta-inly looked.the part, -but' any chauce he had was spoilt by his running very greenly throughout tho race. However, with further experieuce he is not likeiy to remain long amOng the rahks of nonwinners. * • ' AUCKLAND CUP FIELD Tliougk the original cntry of sixty for the £0000 Auckland Cup, to be run at Ellerslie on Boxing Day, was reduced to 110 when aeceptances were laken on Friday, unless there are several defections before race day, the field is likeiy to be one of the largest to Hue up in the big two-miler for many years. Most of the early favourites slood their ground, the ,-uiost notable withdrawals being Lord Chancellor, who won the race three years ago; liis stablemate Balgowan, who was considered by many to be undergoing a special preparation for the eveut, and the southerner Master Robin. Longsword, who was i'ourth last year with 9.2, is now topweiglit. Among the acceptors are the 19-1-1 winner, Foxwyn, and the winner and runucr-up iu the recent New Zealand

mQHR„ c o^cftt, . . , ,0'at^ricX, and, Langue d'Or respectively. lwo other southerners with stayiug credentials, Signal Officer and Thornbridge, first and seeond respectively in the one milc and a half Metropolitan Handicap at Riccarton last month, are also in the fiel-d. Others froni outside the.p.rovhice. who will tilt at the big prize Hot^ muz and Silver RQd/,^A,A-b^w^enfcfv'-is that of th'e -• 'thr eO;y%ai-ol['fl; 'Htegdl Praise, while a toucli of' va:riety-m leftt to the race by the presence of tlie Great Nortliern-Grand National Hurdles double winner Bramble Song.