Christmas Meetings Open Tomorrow

Chronicle (Levin), 20 December 1946, Page 6

Christmas Meetings Open Tomorrow

L.M

.M.)

(SPECIAL— FROM

WELLINGTON, This Day. Tomorrow will see the opening 6f the Christmas holiday fixtures when the Manawatu Racing Club will conduct the first day of its three days meeting at Awapuni. Large fields are engaged and it has been found necessary to provide divisions for the Maiden Plate and . the Gillies Hack Handicap. Otaki form distinctly points to Saiudos being a pronounced favourite for the Manawatu Cup. Being a good stayer and having ihe assistance of a skilful jockey like W. J. Broughton in the saddle his prospects are exceptionally bright. The stable will also have a good second string in Broiefield. The pair will not be bracketed on the totalisator. In the open sprint Da Vinci has come into strong public favour, but in the middle of the weights Specialist catches the eye as a good prospect. He is very fit and has ' been recording smart times in his sprint trials. Acceptances for the Ohinemuri single day meeting at Paeroa are so large for this najiow track that it has been found necessary to provide divisions for five of the events, but there is a likelihood that divisions in the Netherton Hack Handicap and the Thames Valley Hack Cup might be avoided. In the south there will be the Kurow fixture at Oamaru and the New Brighton Trots.

Win and place betting will operate at all meetings. Following is a brief review of tlie fields at Awapuni: That good jumper Red Glare heads the field in the Tokomaru Hurdles and even with 11.8 he is assured of solid support. Mynet, Hasten, Mary Jo, Greek Dancer and Fuzzy Wuzzy all hold good prospects. Prior to racing on the flat; at Otaki Fuzzy Wuzzy had beenj giving attractive schooling efforts ; at Awapuni and is a distinct light- I weight prospect. The Maiden Plate will be run in divisions. Cinerous has been racing prominently but unluckily and success should not be far off. He has a chance in the ftrst division. Afton Water did not enjoy the best of the run at Otaki and might get a better chance tomorrow. Homespun, Commercial and Beguile are! the best of the others. In the sec- I ond division Alumnus, Centennial Pride, Matara and Coronara hoid] the best prospects.

The Nursery Handicap is open! with five good form prospects in Full of Fun, Bell Anita, Langspiel, J Blithe Spirit and Treneere. Of : ohese Full of Fun and Langspiel hold the best prospects on recent| form, but Belle Anita is rcported to J be greatly improved since slie last' appeared in public. I cxpect the i Anita Foe filly to give a good account. of herself. ! Form is well disclosed in the; Tararua Hack Handicap. Tortago j won well in a close finish at Otaki j and is still handily weiglitcd to hold j lanother winning chance here, despite the fact it is a much stronger field with such good form horses as Clyde Bridge, Winning Ticket, Newel Post, Griffin, Czarina and St. Hilton engaged. Taking a line through his casy success in the seven furlong sprint at Otaki last week Saluctos reads a bright prospect in the Manawatu Cup. Strongest opposition will come from Financial. Longsword, ! Broiefield and Barrege. The open sprint. tli» Fitzherberti Handicap, is a problem race for1 patrons with such a strong field of form horses. Da Vinci is the class sprinter, but he may be troubled by his impost. In ihe middle of the weights there is that smart sprinter j Specialist, who is handily placsd to Isucceed. Being very fit I expeet

Specialist to be one of the hardest ou oeat. Others with good, prospects are Beau le Havre, Julius Caesar, Zealander and Lady Nahleen. Tanith, the form horse of the field, Prefa, unlucky in his last start, Trig Point, Lady B'urford and Revivre appear the select in the first division of the Gillies Hack Handicap, while the best in the second division are Mercian Lad, Craven, The Denbigh and Indian Sky. An excellent field of middle distance handicappers will contest the concluding event, the Grandstand Handicap, in which Tremello is handily weighted. He is very fit. Other good prospects are Gay Stroller, Stony Broke, Cramond Bay, and Nanaaki while it will be interesting to see how Matador shapes in this field. Hawke's Bayites like his chance.