AWAPUNI CUP

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 151, 22 March 1939, Page 17

AWAPUNI CUP

Six Three-Year-Olds Engaged NOTES AND COMMENTS Interesting Opinion Of Defaulter (By The Watcher.) Three-year-olds have iron only two Awapuni Gold Cups since Coniinendation’s success in 1927. They are Greek Shepherd and Wild Chase in 1936 and 1937 respectively. Those of that age hold a strong hand in this year's field, with six of the acceptors out of 10, and as they include Beaupartir, Peerless and Taurangi, the older horses will be well tested. Beaupartir will no doubt be the favourite, and taking a line through Peerless, should give Royal Chief a hard task.

Handicap Form. There is a good field in the King George Handicap at Awapuni .on Friday, and on recent form the likeliest above 8.0 is the recent Taranaki winner Play On. The seven-stone and over division comprises several with prospects, but taking a line through Peerless, Dainty Sue should run prominently, though without doubt Peerless was an improved filly at Wellington.

The Sprinters. The J. M. Johnston 51 emorial has fined down to seven, and on Wellington form the choice of backers w.ill probably be Laughing Lass, who ran such a good race in the Thompson Handicap. Her stiffest opposition would appear likely to come from Rakahanga and Florence Mills. Trainers’ Plans.

F. D. Jones took Royal Chief, Settlement and Prudent Prince to Alanawatu. Lady Leigh and sloorsotis have gone home. C. -McCarthy intended to race Haughty Winner and Improvident at Awapuni, but as they did not accept they probably returned home.

Auckland Trainer Injured. Painful injuries, which necessitated the amputation of a finger, were received by the Ellerslie trainer W- Kirk, when unloading Royal Mess-age from the horse float '■after returning from the Ohineinuti Jockey Club's meeting. The horse was being'led from the float when she pulled back and the lead became twisted round her trainer's hand.

A Plunge Missed. E. Connolly bought Tetreen. a Western Australian horse, for £2000; on March 7. A few hours later he backed it to win

£3500 in the Bourke Handicap at Flemington. In a desperate finish Tetreen was beaten by half a head, by Micawber. His chance wae spoiled through being bored off by Glentor. Defaulter is Good.

Read what Billy Lappin, Sydney’s leading apprentice, thinks of Defaulter, the ehampion New Zealand colt, on whom he’s riding “work.” “He's a beauty!” says young Bill. “He’s a lazy cove at first, and I have to urge him along to get him going properly, but once he finds out what is required of him he bowls along, and it takes me a while to stop him. I can sense his strength and power as he stretches out down the straight. They say his style resembles that of Phar Lap, and I don’t doubt that. Once he starts he wants to go for a week.” Asked whether he would like to be riding Defaulter in his races, Lappin replied “I’ll say I would!”

Now In Sydney. The Paladin gelding Malagigi is nog in Sydney.

Defaulter's Sydney Cup Weight. Defaulter at 8.12 has 21b. over w.f.a. in the Sydney Cup. In the opinion of “Pilot” he has by no means been handicapped out of it. and he places him first on his list of preliminary selections.

Wliich Was Best? J. Pike, who rode Phar Lap in many of his races, will not have it that Ajax could beat the other at any distance beyond six furlongs, even if he could at that distance. “No one will ever know what times Phar Lap, could have registered had he been allowed to jump away from the barrier and been ridden right out all the way,” avers Pike. An old-timer, who regards Carbine as the greatest ever, on reading what Pike had to say concerning Phar Lap, wrote as follows: — “Let Ajax come to Sydney at Easter, win the Autumn Stakes, one mile and a half, on the fiist day; the Sydney Cup, two miles, with 81b. over weight-for-age, on the second day; the All-Aged Stakes, one mile,- and the Cumberland Stakes, one mile and three-quarters, both on the third day; and the A.J.C. Plate, tw r o miles and a quarter, ou the fourth day. That was what Carbine did as a four-year-old, and no other horse before or since—not even the phenomenal Phar Lap—could do; and until Ajax proves he can do it, he is not to be mentioned in the same breath as Carbine for versatility.”

English Flat Season Opens. The Lincolnshire Handicap, one of the early events of the flat racing season in England, will be run today, the distance being one mile,. Top-weight was the five-year-old Hot Bun 11, owmed and trained by Mr. 11. G. Blagrave, but soon after the weights were announced, Daily Bread, whose impost was 7.8, was favourite. Others whose chances were fancied were Domaha, 8.10. who, after being badly drawn finished a close third to the French horses. Helleniqua and Khasnadar, in the Cambridgeshire, and Zoltan, who defeated- Daily Bread at York last summer,

subsequent to winning the Esher Cup at Sando_wn Park. Zaimis, runner-up in the Lincolnshire last year under 7.11, w T on two races later in four starts, and was assessed this year at 8.6.

Answers to Correspondents. “Curious.” Turakina : £2/18/-. “Indebted,” W’anganui: (1) £l9/6/6. (2) £2/15/6. (3) £3/15/-. (4) £l/7/6. “Anxious”: Taumau was not a starter at Taranaki. ~ “K.T.,” IVanganui: £5/0/6. “Interested,” Lower Hutt: Taumau ran fourth in the hurdle race at Rangitikei. "Form,” Paremata: (1) £4/8/6. (2) £3/15/-. (3) £B/9/-. (4) £3/4/6. (5) £2/8/6. “Urgent,” Levin: (1) £2/7/6; £1 12/67 (2) £3/4/6; £l/8/6. (3) £l/9/-. .(4) £B/6/-, “Lucky,” IVanganui: (1) £2/15/6. (2) £2/7/-. “Constant Reader.” Island Bay: (1) £l2/2/6. (2) £2/9/6. (3) £2/6/-. (4) £l/13/-. “Stiff,” Wellington: (1) £2/18/-. (2) £2/8/-. (3) £l/17/6. “sliler,” Wanganui: World’s mile records are: Pacing, 1.55; trotting, 1.55} ; galloping, 1.34 2-s—all held in America.