NOTES AND COMMENTS

Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 77, 28 September 1933, Page 8

NOTES AND COMMENTS

(BT "KAiraATIBA.").

MAIDENS AT FOXTON

SEVERAL HORSES DUE OUT

FIRST HEAT LOOKS BEST

Several horses who will not be long in leaving the ranks of the pure novices have been accepted for the JMaidcn Stakes at Foxton on Saturday, and the necessary division of the race into two separate items will now give at least two of them an occasion to step out of the class. Very v- likely 'runners, appear "in both of Saturday's heats, but the luck appears to have been with those drawn iv the second diviTHE FIRST DIVISION. Among those in the first division are four at least who could well huve had their first success hoisted before now, and perhaps it will be from them that the winner of this heat will come. The quartet are Arctic Region, Acrelict, Maypay, and '.Tommy Atkins. • ,' Arctic Region, a five-year-old Aus-tralian-bred son of Snowfire (son of Pominern), was beaten only by Pheon at Marton a fortnight ago, and without that rival engaged he would have been an easy victor. He has shown more than ordinary jm«e in all his recent racing, and he hanga nn fairly well too. He was unlucky to strike such a slick one as Pheon at Marton,- and. he was unfortunate, too, at the 3?oxton Juno Meeting in' running up against Amyril, who went on to score so thoroughly at Trentham. At the Foxton VJuly Meeting he could do no better than fifth, but on that occasion he had to be pushed along early from an outside marble and the effort finally took its toll. With anything like a decent start on Saturday he should require a lot of beating. Aerelict's two thirds at Marton Avere also excellent performance?, especially as this five-year-old half-brother to speedy Deroolede and Bonidcer came" home in such resolute fashion on each occasion. He has required a Jot of patience in building him up, but, judged on his latest show? ings, 'there is likely to be reward before long for the care bestowed on him. Nearly twelve months ago he waa unlucky in a way not to open his winning account among the hacks at Feilding, for lie finished only a neck behind Gold Gleam, ■with Farmer, Aiguille, Minstrel Lad, and other useful ones behind him. May.pay, Autopay's four-year-old fullsister, ran only a fair race at Marton for her fifth, but the outing should have done her good, and she undoubtedly looks more golid now than she ever has previously. Her' best performance last season was probably in finishing ,second to Arena at Otaki, with many horses who subsequently won good races behind her. Tommy Atkins, a three-year-old chestnut gelding by Laekliam from the St. Felix mare Loyal Maid, is one of Mr.' T. C. Keeble's horses who is expected to improve this season. He has had only four starts, yet, his best effort being a third to Etiquette and Hawora at the Egmont■Wanganui Hunt Meeting; when it was the final pinch-that beat him, but he should have benefited with that experience and jnay.be a tougher proposition, to settle on Satin-day. . . Had the race not been divided it is probable that the winner would have come from this quartet, especially the first pair. Nevertheless these four do not quite cover all the possibilities in the heat, i'or two or three of the remainder, could quite well succeed without creating any unusual surprise. 1 Ono among them who requires some attention, is, the three-year-old chestnut full-brother to Lack named Lncktowii, who has not yet raced, though he had a

run down the straight at the last Foxton Meeting. Lacktown is by Lackham from the Archicstown mare Darktown, and he is held on lease from his breeder (Mr. W. T. Jewell, an official of the Foxton Club) by. Messrs T. B. Morris and J. Proctor, of Foxton. Another who; may possibly perform creditably is the Trentliam-truined thrcc-year-old'First View, who has lately been galloping well on the tracks, though on much heavier going than will prevail at Foxton. He is owned by the trainer H. J. Benge, and, even although he may not yet be up to Saturday's opposition, a tunrfor him should shortly arrive. Most of the others in the list have done somo racing. Colossal, a three-year-old gelding' by Colossus from the Avtumum; mare Autumna, is a. new one, being owned by the Foxton trainer F. J. Carmont. Waipiata (Waiau—Leola), Tupurangi (Lackham—Musical Moment), Bold Jim (Lackham—Railand), and Prostration (Lord Qucx—Termination, dam. ot Stanchion and Cessation) each appear to have raced only once previously. THE SECOND DIVISION.

The issue in the second division looks on paper to be rather more even, with Palm Queen, Aweketia, Hawora, and Prince Umberto holding decidedly the likeliest chances on what form has been revealed. Were Aweketia not in this heat one would

feel fairly safe in venturing that the time .will be slower than in the first heat. Palm Queen, who has been fourth, third, and fourth in turn in her three starts this season (she raced only once as a two-year-old last season), is a filly whose elevation to better class is probable before the season has far run its course. In all her races she has been running on well, and her effort on the final. day at • Wanganui in coming from the back to fourth after meeting early, ' quble was about the most impressive in .the race. She is a fullsister to Ruanui and a half-sister to The Thorn, two good performers, and at the present stage of her career she looks like proving a worthy relative. She may be the most serious contender for the honours

in this division. -'Aweketia, a four-year-old daughter of Humbug, has, not had much racing yet, but she carried along the maiden Held at Marton at a great bat till she reached the straight, where ho^rider-lost an iron and had to cease the effort. She might not

fhave won, for Pheon and Arctic-Kegion were closing on her on the home turn, but she showed quite enough brilliance to indicate a probable success in maiden class in the early season. Site was also a runner, at the Foxtou July Meeting, and on that occasion she ran on iv -the straight to finish next behind Pheon and Arctic Region in sixth place, so that there should not be any,serious doubt about her ability to stick. ! Hawora, a four-year-old daughter of Grand Knight, has been racing consistently for some time, but that is the best that can be said about her., At'the. Rangitikei Hunt Meeting in July she was beaten only a head in the maiden race and later ran third among the hacks, and at the Egmont-Wanganui Hunt Meeting a. month later she was beaten only by Etiquette in the maiden and by Spiral in the hack six. Then at Wanganui lust week she was running on solidly in fifth place each day. With siich a record in her last six starts she should be good;betting, and she. is certain to bo among' the favourites for her division.

Prince Umberto, a.four-year-old son of Gainscourt, has been left till, this season, and in the last two of foiir recent starts he has gone in "promising fashion, finishing not far behind the placed horses, on both occasions being'nearer the front at the end than at any btlier part. Ho carries the same colours as Chopin, and lie may develop into an equally solid performer. ■■ V

■\Vithout doubt; the most intcrestiiif; run--1 her in this heat the 'now -sii-yc'ar-Jold Zetes, tor whom' Mf. V. Piiddiford

paid 2400 guineas, still the record yearling price iv New Zealand, but whom he had Lo turn out almost as soon as .he was broken in owing to trouble in a leg. Alter three years among the hills this brother to Agrion was brought in again, and, following an operation on his throat to remedy a wind affliction, he was worked and has stood up to all tasks required of him. He is looking well now and has done enough work to be fit, but a race or two will undoubtedly improve him, especially as ho has yet to make the acquaintance of a. race crowd.

Among the others are a couple more who have not yet raced, these being Vestal Queen (Chief Ruler—Vcstalis, thus a full-sister to Okopua, whose colours she will carry) and Celeste (a six-year-old gelding by Sky Blue from the Sarto mare Sartosta, dam also of Autumn Dawn). Royal Passion (Royal Divorce— Philhpa) and Raparahara (Lackham— Truney) are also with little race experience.