NOTES AND COMMENTS

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 134, 3 December 1929, Page 8

NOTES AND COMMENTS

(BY '•VEDETTE.")

The Auckland Handicaps. As expected, iv framing his -weights for the Auckland Cup, the club's haudicapper- has made a bid for both Nightmarch and Chide, but his effort has been nullified now by the sale of Chide to go to Australia. The direct result has been a flattering handicap, and other proved horses have come in with luxurious weights. For instance, it is a long time since Star Stranger has been in a distance handicap at under 9 stone, and at 8.12 he will be selected as one of the early picks. Similarly, Historic, Pegaway, Paquito, and In the Shade are all nicely placed at several pounds under weights they would have received in an ordinary handicap. Paquito, on his second -r,o Nightmarch with 8.5 in the Melbourne Cup, with only 8.1 at Ellerslie has been very well treated. Similarly. In the Shade carried 7.11% to Chides 7.4 in the Naw Zealand Cup and finished second. Concentrate at 7.10 looks very handily placed. Corinax and Vertigern have also luxurious weights. The half of the field on the 7-stone mark would make a good handicap all by themselves. It is safe to say that with Nightmarch and Chide out of the race Mr. M'Manemin would have framed on a totally different scale. On the recognised assumption that the best New Zealand form is better than the best Australian, Nightmarch, if he' goes to Ellarslie, has the job in front of him to concede 121b to Star Stranger, 231b to Paquiio, 251b to In the Shade, and 311b to Vertigern. This is the quartet who appeal at this stage. The Railway Handicap, as usual, presents a formidable obstacle. Of those at the top Silver Paper, if he was trained to his best, would be an outstanding first choice with 8.11. Toxeuma, 8.8, for a good class galloper appears to have a pound or so the best of it. Havering 8.1, Lady Quex 8J), Ceremony 7.8, Great Star 7.7, and Hunting Cry 7.5 are all good gallopers who cannot be passed by. The lengthy list of those with 7 stone include quite a number of possibilities, and as in the Cup, if tiiey comprised an entry for a separate race would probably have a 281b range, Leitrim no doubt is the best of them. Th« Sale of Chide.

News of Chides sale to Mr. T. C. Trautvrsm, of Sydney, was reported in Australia yesterday, and the price, according to a Press Association cablegram received, is 6000 guineas and some contingencies. This makes, the sale a great one for New Zealand, bnt.it may not be a record, as stated. Chides leaves for Sydney by the Marama" onL Friday. The sale came as a surprise, for.G. Murray Aynsley had stood firm against, many tempting offers, but at the price qjuoted it is not surprising that lie decided to quit his good galloper. The next meeting of Nightmarch and Chide may now be a. tit-bit for Sydneyites at Jtandft-iek at Kaster. It is to be hoped that Mr. Trautwein has better fortune with Chide than he had with his last high-priced New Zealauder, Runnymede, ■who has been an abject failure in Australia.' Mr.-T-rautwein is a hotel proprietor m Sydney, and won the Metropolitan in 1916 with Quinologiet. Another Son of Paladin. Mention •of the stile of Chide recalls the ie.c.t that at FeilcGng yesterday Mr J J. Cony, the owner of Rabbi, also by Paladin, was approached several times by a commissioner who has unloaded a forge number of horses recently on to Australians. A good four-figure sum was mentioned ns the price of Rabbi, but until last night Mr. Corry was not inclined to sell. Limerick's Real Holiday. Wheirit was arranged to have Limerick blistered and turned out on his owner's property, the original idea was to spell him for a couple of months and then to get him ready for autumn racing, provided he; would stand. This programme has been revised m an important detail. His trainer^ F. D. Jones, states that Mr. H. A. Knight's <:hampion will have a complete rest for twelve months. This is his first real spell since being broken in. At the end of that period he will be put into training again and prepared for the following autumn. Only time can tell ■whether Limerick will come back thoroughly sound after his spell, but the policy thnt has been decided on certainly provides the best prospects.