THOMPSON FIELD

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 146, 16 March 1939, Page 15

THOMPSON FIELD

Review Of Trentham Runners TAURANGI’S CHANCE Royal Chief, Trench Fight And Haughty Winner (By The Watcher. ) The announcement that Smoke Screen will not be a runner in the Thompson Handicap removes the horse who would probably have started favourite, and tu his absence there will be a change or opinion. It irs not easy to predict n just what the final public choice will be, as there are several with strong claims. Royal Chief lacks the usual requirement of a Thompson horse, ability to begin, but. on the other hand his definite class places him well among the possibilities, and if he is anywhere within striKing distance over the hist halt he will oc hard to shake off. A factor in his favour is that the going this year, what With the watering and the reccut rain, will have no sting in it, and Royal Chief hits out best on a track of this nature. He has not a prohibitive weight, and he may he good enough to overcome his slowness at the start. He has won over a mile in tlie Hazlett Memorial, but at weight-tor-age and in a small field Dungarvan s recent return to the winning list would entitle him to consideration, but he has since had a stoppage in his work and, though he is on the active list again, the shoulder soreness must have left some effect. Hi addition to this it may be doubted whether his recent form is so good as it was when be was previously at his best. Good Prospect. Trench Fight has many friends and it must be admitted that he will have to be considered a good prospect. He has a somewhat wayward tendency but inert is no doubt about his galloping ability, particularly over the mile journey. His form this season has not been quite up to his best, but be has lately been performing well on the tracks and he is entitled to be one of the favourites. Last season he beat The Bigot over a mile at Riccarton, giving him a stone, and he beat a better field two days later over the same distance, and he won the Christmas Handicap at Auckland carrying 9.0, in the course 'record time then of 1.36 2-o. inis season he has won only once, in the Jockey Club Handicap, in which he carried 91, and those unplaced included The Bigot, 81, who started favourite, and Dictate, 8.3. At his last start he was second to Queen of Song at Riccarton last month over a mile and a quarter carrying 8.6. Haughty Winner, who was third, had 8.11. In the Thompson Trench Fight goes up 21b., whereas Haughty Winner comes down 61b., a fairly good concession for a horse who won a double at Trentham in January. Gay Son has been rated 11b. below Taurangi on his weight-for-age scale. He has been anything but a consistent horse in many of his races. However, at his best he‘is a speedy galloper, and has the asset also of beginning brilliantly. Among his best efforts this season have been wins in the Great Northern Guineas, which he subsequently lost on action for boring, and wins over seven at Auckland, six at Eticcarton, and over middle distances at Woodville and Auckland, where he- beat Strctto at .weight-for-age in the King s Plate. That was hi B last success, but at Trentham in January he was second to Lady Montana in the Racing Club Handicap. He was unplaced the last day behind Haughty Winner over a mile and a quarter when joint favourite with Wild Chase. He was giving Haughty Winner 101 b. and now meets him 91b. better. I have heard it said that both Trench Fight and Haughty Winner are Well handicapped horses in the Thompson, but analysis of form and figures shows that, though it may appear so, the handicapper has also jet others in on similar terms. In other words, he has made a fair and impartial handicap. Good Record. Taurangi, according to the weight-for-age scale, has been allotted lib. more than Gay Son, which may be taken as an Indication that Mr. Coyle expects her to run prominently. She has not been overraced’ and it took her three starts to recover form when she won a double over six at Woodville in December. On the first day she unexpectedly beat her stablemate, Smoke Screen, and, though he was giving her two stone, it was a good performance. She won again the second day, overcoming difficulties in the running that made her performance even better than on the first The Christmas form of the horses she bc’at further enhanced the Woodville efforts. In her subsequent and last two races she has been second and third. She was second at Trentham in January, narrowly and somewhat unluckily beaten over six by Lady Ina, with Counterblast third. She carried 8.4 and gave Lady Ina 41b. and Counterblast 111 b. Counterblast won the third day and Lady Ina was third, so the form was proved. At her last start Taurangi ran third over seven a-t Bulls to Taitoru and Lady Ina. She was finishing onShe had 8.11. Lady Montana has winning form this season only at Marton and Trentham, and in each case beyond a mile. It would be unwise however, to say that she would not'run a good race in the Thompson Handicap. She met Haughty Winner at Trentham in January over ten furlongs at level weights, and only the judge could decide which of the pair had won. Haughty Winner now gives her 31b. In her recent races she has not run up to her best. Amigo is a three-year-old who will have to be treated with the greatest respect. In January Haughty Winner just got qp to beat him over a mile, and he was giving Haughty Winner 21b., so he now meets him 51b. better. He was fourth only in the Racing Club Handicap, but over six at Wanganui the first day he won with ease under 8.7, following an unlucky second over the same distance at Eginont. On the second day he was never able to hit out so well under 9.3, the race being won by Laughing Lass, who was in receipt of 131 b. In the Thompson she receives 111 b. The easing of the going should suit Amigo. Likes the Course. The Bigot runs his best races at Trentham and last January be was successfuj over a mile on the third day with 8.7 from Mea Mea 8.5 and Dungarvan 8.11 In the Thompson Handicap The Bigot is down 81b.. Mea Mea 111 b., and Dungarvan 11b. Laughing Lass was fourth

with 8.3, and she is down 121 b. The Bigot has since failed, and Laughing Lass has won, but over a mile journey when The Bigot will be allowed to run along and usfe his pace most backers will prefer his chance to that of his stable-mate. Mittie usually confines her efforts to shorter journeys, but she was fourth in a Winter Cup, which she should have won, and she has been a winner of good races over seven. At Bulls she faded out badly at the end of seven, but she was short of work and can be exeused. She gave Taurangi 21'b. there, and in the Thompson she comes in on 81b. better terms. If a surprise is in store Mittie might do it.

Dictate does not appeal very strongly ?is he is slow to find his feet, and his only success this season was at Banks Peninsula in November over a mile and a quarter. Mea Mea also, when she' won at Trentham in January over the distance and ran second, came from the back, and, though these horses cannot be dismissed altogether, their prospects of coming from behind a Thompson field do not look bright. Laughing Lass, on any form that she has shown, should be beaten by The Bigot, and though she ran well in January over tlie distance, she was not good enough. Any improvement that she has made will have to be substantial. Old Surrey has not run since the New Year and Cricket is out of his class. Wild Career has been showing winning form in the south, and South Islanders command respect at Trentham, but it is not Thompson class. Horses that appeal are Taurangi, Trench Fight. Royal Chief and Haughty Winner. Haughy Winner will definitely start in the Thompson if A. E. Ellis can do the weight.