CHANCE AT WEIGHT

Evening Post, Volume CXXII, Issue 27, 31 July 1936, Page 13

CHANCE AT WEIGHT

VAL WATCH IN NATIONAL

(Special from "Early Bira.")

AUCKLAND, July 30. . Auckland representation at ■ .the urand National Meeting has never been large, and for the. carnival at Kiccarton opening on Tuesday week only four horses from the northern province will be competing. In addition ito candidates in the Grand National Hurdles and Winter Cup, Black Man ;is to go down for the Duke of Gloucester Cup, run on the middle day. Val Watch was in-splendid order |When she left Te Aroha on Monday and some idea of her ability will be gained when she contests the hurdle race at the Christchurch Hunt Club's Meeting on Saturday. On her Auckland showings she is. capable of winning any race, and as she is eaually at home in good and bad ground, she can be recommended strongly. There is no reason why she should not see out the National Hurdles, in which she will be carrying the lightest weight she has had for a considerable time. At the Takapuna Meeting just before Christmas this.mare carried 11.9 and won by eight lengths from King's A -cher. who was in receipt of 271b, and her Ellerslie efforts more recently were very encouraging. . It is asking a lot of a horse to win a Grand National Hurdles out in front all the way. Clarion Call nearly pulled' off the last Great Northern Hurdles in this way, however, and if he and Val Watch get out in front in the National there will be some thrills for the spectators. :■•■.•■

Adalene is a bit better now than she was twelve months ago, when she finished fourth in the Winter Cup, and her Trentham efforts indicated that she only had to have her share of luck in the running to be a dangerous competitor. She will have to produce all her brilliance, however, if she is to win the Winter' Cup. Agent is the local favourite for the big hurdles at Riccarton, and in view of the fact that he was not raced for twelve months prior to the recent Wellington Meeting his form there .was of great promise. He carries weight well and the 10.4 should not worry him, while, of course, he is a genuine stayer. It is interesting to note that when last handicapped together in the Auckland Province, on the second day of the Takapuna Meeting, when Val Watch recorded her win previously mentioned, she was set to carry 12.4 and Travelling Agent 11.4, so that with only a pound between them in the Grand National Hurdles the figures may be said to favour Val Watch, despite the latest improved form of Travelling Agent However, while .the former is easily the more spectacular performer, the backer who likes to play safe would rather eliminate the thrill and support something solid, in which category the Winter Hurdles winner figures.

Black Man showed good form in his early races this winter and then he failed at Ellerslie rather badly. He is a better horse than his northern running indicated, but is not an easy horse for an amateur rider to get the best out of. He may do better on a big course like Riccarton than he did on northern courses. . ■

Of the Auckland quartet for the Canterbury fixture, big horjes are held in the north that Travelling Agent and Val Watch will be found fighting it out at the finish of the Grand National Hurdles on Thursday week. Adalene may prove to be a good place prospect.