PAGE'S RAID AND FINDON

Chronicle (Levin), 1 August 1947, Page 6

PAGE'S RAID AND FINDON

L.M

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^ x FANCIES FOR GRAND NATIONAL MEETING T0M0RR0W

(SPECIAL— FROM

WELLINGTON, This Day. - The only race meeting carde.d for tomorrow isMhe . opening day of the Grand National Steeplechase fixture at Riccarton. The weather has been fine in Christchurch, during the week and the racing conditioirof the track should be in good winter order. The topic for discussion at present is how much Page's Raid will win the Grand National Steeples by and . can Soneri withstand the challenges o'f the. field and win her second successive Winter Cup. She is a very firm favourite. Her chief source of worry is expected to come from Findon and Sari. Judged by his magnificent performance last week I believe if Soneri is beaten Findon will be the horse to do it. Favourites for the three main events are: Paparua Handicap, Playtos, Frances, Lorna Leigh; G.N. Steeples, Page's Raid, Roman Ned, Spanish Main; Winter Cup, Soneri, Sari, Findon.

After last week's win Bravura will be a firm favourite for the Enfield Hack Steeplechase and will be a difficult horse to beat. Waihopi's two fndifferent performanees at the Christchurch Hunt meeting ean be taken lightly. He ' shcuid be seen in a much improved light tomorrow. The race Troytown had last week will be beneficial and this southerner looks like a winner at the meeting. Edward who was unlucky last week, will only need to repeat last week's juniping to worry the topweight. Of the others Fairyhouse and Ballyaggan read the best. The Cashmere Plate for maidens is very open, but a quartet that should show to advantage, judged on recent running, are Gold Medallion, Leadership, Liebestraum and Magnaform. But for a bad beginning in the Trial Plate at the Christchurch Hunt meeting, Gold Medallion would have been in the issue at the winning post. He looks very well and with better luck tomorrow should hold a good chance. Most of the field in the Jumpers' Flat are contenders for the Grand National Hurdles on the second day. Desert Trek has the fiecessary pace on the flat to hold this field, his most serious rivals bei'ng Prize Ring, Bay Robe, Battle Chief, Bcclamskee and Matapan. Recently Battle Chief beat a useful hack field in Ihe far south at long odds. He has the pace to keep the G.N. Hurdles favourite busy. The sprint, the Paparua Handicap, has drawn a strong field of f orm Tiorses and ' is open to a surprise. Trentham form points to Playtos, who will have the services of V/. J. Broughton, being the logical favourite. He is expected to race prominently. South Islanders hold great faith in Frances. She raced prominently at Trentham and must be respected. Lorna Leigh is another southerner that Ys expected to race prominently. Others with prospects are Al-Sirat, Whitley, Panope, Zealander, Kirkella, Lady Chips and Julius

Caesar. A lightweight with a good outsider's chance is Rival Chase. It is not a choice field in the ! Grand National Steeplechase. The firm favourite, Page's Raid, wiil lonly need to repeat his excellent performance of last week to win his first Grand Naiional. Roman Ned's good effort in the Wellington Steeplechase was more meritorious than many thought and his fumping clean and fast. A lightweight prospect is' Spanish Main who is coming back to his besc. .Surpeen is a grand stayer, but Red Glare and Spirillum may find the journey beyond them. If Town Survey is at his best he would be a good prospect, but might not be quite ready. Judged by his excellent performance in the hurdles at the Rangitikei Hunt meeting last week Flying Ace has come into strong favour for the Trial Hurdles. The Crofter is very fit and might be the favourite's upsetting factor. Kassai is well as also is Wa-ne, a likely southerner. The distance will trouble Duality, but Ruling Moment is always a prospect. Aldis Lamp reads the best of the oihers. All eyes v/ill be on Soneri in her attempt to win her successive Winter Cup. She has recovered from the slight lameness she showed early in the week and is now a "hot" favourite. However, with her 11.4 she has a'solid task ,and even if she fails in her mission she will still- be the recipient of the applaudits of the racing public of Christchurch — as she is, through her fine-. performances in the past at Riccarton regarded as, a public idol. The mare's most serious opponent will be Findon. The grey's effort in finishing third -in the Brabazon Handicap last week from the rear of the field wfien in the straight was a brilliant .performance. Five yards past the , pp.st he was only half a length b'ehind Soneri. If the mare is beatqii I .firmly believe Findon will be the horse to achieve the distinction. He is class over a rnile. Sari is another brght pros-

i pect and might also worry Soneri. This mare has improved out of sight and I would not be surprised to see Findon and her fight out iLe issue with Soneri ' with them. Howe, who will now be ridden by L. J. Ellis, has fully recovered from the "scare" • he received in the Whyte Handicap accident, and worked well at Riccarton yesterday. Trentham headquariers are confident Howe will beat the topweight. Pensacola has only to be in his best galloping mood to be in the picture. A- lightweight place prospect at- long-odds is Sahib.* The concludirig race, the Avonhead Hack Handicap should again see Copper Coin in a • galloping mood, but if Speeia'l Flight gets a better run than she experienced on the last day at Trentham she will worry the topweight out of • it. Ganjah is a definite prospect and others to be respected are Beechwood, Bobby Dazzler, Penetrate and Sandy's Pride. Although not produced at the Hunt meeting last week Royal Robe is said to be a "quiet tip" for the race. Horses expected to race prominently are : 10.32. — Enfield Hack Steeplechase (24 miles) — Bravura, Edward, Waihopi. 11.17, — Cashmere Plate (6 furlongs) — Magnaform, Liebestraum, 'Gold Medallion. . v ' 12.2. — Jumpers' 'Flat Handicap (14 miles) — Desert Trek, Prize Ring, Battle Chief. v 12.47. — Pararua Handicap (7 furlongs)' — Playtos, Lorna Leigh, Rival Cflase. 1.32. — Grand National Steeplechase (34 miles) — Page's Raid, Spanish Main, Roman Ned. 2.17. — 1 Trial Hack Hurdles (lf miles, 50 yds — Flying Ace, The Crofter, Wane. 3.2. — Winter Cup (1 mile) — Findon, Sari, Soneri. 3.47. — Avonhead Hack Handicap (1 mile) — Copper Coin, Special Flight, Royal Robe.