THE TURF

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 77, 26 December 1918, Page 6

THE TURF

TO-DAY'S RACING

MANAWATU CUP MEETING,

[Br G'jiiiNcor..]

Tho Mnnawatu Cup meeting, which opens to-day, promises to be quite up to the. standard of previous gatherings at Awapuni. The special train service will be found most convenient, and there is sure to be a large number present from all parts. The card is a good one, and big fields are down to compete 111 all the events. , The Trial Plate, which is,the opening event, will start at 11.30 a.m. Included in the field are Moutoa Tvanova, a lu'K sister to Sasanof, and Esperance, a fullbrother to another New Zealand Cup winner in Ardenvlior. This pair are sure to have manv admirers. : A field of twenty jumpers will compete in the Tokomaru Hurdles, one mile and three-quarters. 011 account of his good showing at Hawera Zola may be first choice, and if his old bleeding trouble does not come against him lie may snt the remainder a merry dance. He will be a better horse for the race he had at Esmoiit, when he beat a useful field pointless. Another 1>i«? field will contest tlie Gillies Hack Handicap. If Kipling. 9st. 31b., b reserved for this event-ami it looks as if he will be—lie will be well backed, as ho always shows up well in hack class. At Opaki he carried Bst. 81b., and Oratress was the only one able to extend him. He and the consistent Penury Eose niav share the machine honours. Tho Jtnnawat.u Gun has only got a field of ten, and Client, -Ist. 51b., is the rage with early backers. As the goinir will ba to his liking the toji-wmijht will have a lot in his favour. At Hicearfon lie was "allopinc as well as ever he. did nil tho tracks, but the course proper did not suit him. At Awanuni lie always shapes well, and will doubtless do so again todav. He is meeting Nobleman 011 Mill, better terms than last year, but the Mctlin"ton Cup winner, Ladogeur, and Rewl Pot" will nrobabl.v all be backward in condition, due" to th" want of a public outing. Detroit runs best when the pting is out of the ground, and the tail division is hardlv class enough. . The draw for barrier positions wilt affect the market on Juvenile. Handicap. as Hi ore is a very big field and Borne iiartieularly spendv youngsters 111 it. Affnctation, who led till within a short distance of the post iu the Welcome Stakes, will be favoured by the bend, and he may be the favourite. - First Salute. Sst. I?'U.. « the tonweight in the Tararua Hack Welter Handicap Since his winnini? effort at Biccarton he has been much talked of, end he is five to bo one of the fancied division to-d.iv. albeit he appears to have plenty of weight for a horse_ that, lias won a single race. Willys Knight and Army Service, who are at' the bottom of the handicap, are both useful over a distance of ground. The class engaged in the Fitzherbert Kamlicnp represents the l>°st form in tho Dominion. So far Crnes'us has not struck form this season, hut Parisian Diamond shaned well at Trentham and Riccarton. Inah won at Onaki and Trentham. and was close up in the Stewards' Handicap. 011 this form she should race well to-day. Another likely one is Torfreda, who is coming on with racing. Tho concluding event is the Grandstand Handican. and the lot encaged annears to be well weighed. All Over jaced well in the snring, and the bar geldine should bo suited by tli® distance to-day. Hydms, Multaine, and Elocution have all shown up in recent races.

THE AUCKLAND MATING. ' Tli© Auckland Cup is to he decided at EUerslie to-day. Since the appearance of the weights Kilmoon has been favourite, and his supporters regard his prospects very highly. He is an ont-and-<m f stayer, and his light impost will materially assist him to-day. All the best two-year-olds are engaged in the Foal Stakes, hut Surveyor and Warplane are reaarded as a bit better class than the. others. Lionskin, who has been doing a lot of good work at Riccarton. is cardpd to run in the Kobinsou Handicap, seven furlongs. ' The acceptors in the Grafton Hurdles include Waimai, whofii it may be mentioned has been galloping with the Cup candidates on the tracks. R. Hannon has three horses in the Railway Handicap, namely, King Lupin, Jtill o' Gowrie, and King Abbey. As the trio will be braaketed on the machine backers will probably send the Cambridge division to the post in the position of favourite. Hetaua has been doing such great track work that he may be given mo*t stfpport in the Nursery and Vagabond may be treated similarly in' the concluding' event, as his recent efforts show him to be coming back to form.