WANGANUI'S WINTER

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 131, 4 June 1937, Page 13

WANGANUI'S WINTER

EXCELLENT CARD

FORM FOR OPENING DAY

The Great Northerns at Ellerslie naturally hold pride of interest in the racing over the King's Birthday holiday, but racegoers at this end of the North Island will be equally concerned tomorrow with the opening day of the Wanganui Jockey Club's Meeting. The fields that have been secured for Wanganui are of good size and quality all round, though a couple of the jumping events are a shade light in numbers, and the task of finding the winners is not going to be easy, though form may in the end prove to have been the best line.

Real winter has not yet been experienced this year, but sufficient rain has fallen lately to assure an easy track tomorrow. The Wanganui course is of sandy formation under the surface, and it is rarely that the track there is anything like heavy.

The main attraction on the opening day will be the Century Hurdles. The Grandstand Steeplechase, though the acceptance is a shade disappointing, will also draw penty of interest, as it gives a clue to the more important Wanganui ■ Steeplechase next Wednesday. The betting will be under the singlepool system. The following is a review of the form:— • 12.0 I'UKUA HACK HURDLUSi £150; 1 mile and i/i furlongs. . Bed Manfred .11 2 Red Rufus ... 9 8 Hunting Queen 10 8 Petrarch ... 9 2 Ethlop 10 0 Kentucky Sons 9 0 After his successful debut at Foxton last weekend, Red Manfred may be installed favourite for the Purua Hack Hurdles. He will again have a track to suit him, but may find the opposition a lot stouter. Hunting Queen is one who will test him, for she is a hurdler of much promise on her. best displays. Ethiqp is likely to be improved with his Foxton run, and Petrarch is another who has proved his hurdling ability. A pair who should be in the money are Hunting Queen and Ethiop. 12.40 • . WINTER OATS, £200; 6 furlongs. Hen Bragglo .. 912 Solaria 8 2 Xotlum « 11 Hunting Lodge 8 It -. Gold Mission . 8 11 Collodion -8 0 Tonncrre ... S 6 Moatoa S 0 Though he has gone so rapidly up the scale in open class, Ben Braggie will- be one of the favoured runners forthe Winter. Oats. Gold Mission and Hunting Lodge are the most recently seasoned horses in the field, and Tonnerre is one capable of going well fresh, as all his breed do. Notium has been more or less a disappointment this season, and does not look too well : handicapped through Tonnerre. The public may prefer Ben Braggie and ..Tonnerre. , 1.20 ; ' CKXTUttY HURDLES,'£3SO; 2 miles . ,• - ■ and IU4 yards. Clarion Call ..11 i Contact 9 4 Hualorm ■ ;... 11l 3 Jolin Charles 9 2 Jouruct ..... 912 Sporting Sons 9 2 JTrigadore .. I) » Kud Rufus ... 9-0 Beau liallaDto 9 ti ' Clarion Call is expected to go a sound race in the Century Hurdles, but when the concessions.he has to make to the others are considered it is seen that his task is'going to. be far from easy. Two horses well in' at their:weight are Journct and John Charles; and Sporting Song and Beau Gallante are also not badly treated. Ruaform looked fit enough last Saturday to be capable of a good bid for his second Century, but Contact will need to improve on his Foxton form. The one who might upset is Brigadore, who is reported to be very well. Forward showings are promised from Journet '■ and John Charles.or. Brigadore. z.o JBALCOWKIE HACK 'HANDICAP. £173; 1 mile anil 110 yards. , Dictate ..."..'B 8 Maahanui' ... 8 S Brazen King . » 8- lialtcemore .. '8 2 Miriam ..... 9 1 Spender 8 2 Airing ../.. » 1 Kara 8 t Hunting Maid . 8 12 Naughty Lady Siegfried 811 . Marietta 8 0 Corowa 8 11 Cloudy Hay ..8 0 The Sandwich Koura ltua .. 8 0 SlaD 8 6 l'araliino 8 0 Betting is likely to take a fairly wide sweep in the Balgownie Hack Handicap, as there are so many form horses in' the field. Dictate is an unmeasured quantity, but his recent- form in the south has been good. Brazen King is a proved stayer who is always liable to be on hand at the close. A better form pair, however, may be Myriam and Airing, who have been racing well lately and are susceptible to still further improvement. Hunting Maid is another due to. return to the winners' list, but she may be better after still, another race. Maahariui, Galteemore, The Sandwich. Man, Gorowa, and Eara are others who will have followings. A likely pair may be Myriam and ■ Airing.

LKANDSTAND STEEPLECHASE, £330

ThCx Grandstand Steeplechase would be an easy race to win with Royal Banquet out of the running. If Royal Banquet starts and jumps better than he sometimes does, he must take a power of ..beating after, his fine effort on the flat at. Foxton. Riotous and Sporting Song (if reserved) will both be suited by the country, and Riotous, back at his best, might be the hard one. Provided the • others stand up Bonnie Rollox is doubtful at the disstance, and under the weight. Platter is an improver. A fancied pair may be Royal Banquet and Riotous.

K.MIMRE HANDICAP, £2DO: 1 mile and a distance. Krlosland ... 9 9 Master Norval . 7 0 Taitoru $ 13 Sir Nigel ... 7 9 Vukeko 8 11 lielpar ..... 7 8 'riser flnln ... S !) 1,0 Crand ... 7 8 Gay Boy- ' ... 8 8 • Jtoyal .Banquet ■ 7 8 lied Manfred . X 4 Davistock ... 7 S Mandamus .. 11) Solaria 7 7 international . 7 11

The Empire Handicap will be a keen betting race. Perhaps Keipar, after his good winning effort at Foxton, will be seized on by form followers, and as he sticks well he must be hard to catch under his light impost. Mandamus, International, and Le Grand are other prospects among the seven stones, and stout opposition will come from Taitoru and Pukeko higher up the list. Friesland, despite his weight, has also to be kept on side;' and Red Manfred or Royal Banquet, if started here, would command notice as well. Gay Boy will have to improve on Foxton running, but he is one who does this on occasions. A favoured pair may be Reipar and Mandamus.

BOROUGH HACK HANDICAP, £130; 0 furlongs. Dictate 9 9 Kara 8 5 Flying C*lef . 9 6 Te Hula ... 8 3 Taro ......'. 8 8 Ra.ce Call ... 8 2 Afrlnz 9 4 Paraklno ... 8 0 Winsome Lv . 8 13 Captain Treville 8 0 Dawning Light 8 10 Fleeting Arrow 8 0 Ngatlralilrl ..85 River Feale .. 8.0 Itotoma 8 5 Malibu 8 0 Jlaahanul ... 8 5 Fair Isle 8 0

The four at the top of the list in the Borough Hack Handicap have all recently been showing excellent form, and both Flying Chief and Taro are certain to be warmly supported. Winsome Lv, Rotoma, and Maahanui are others due for early success, and Dawning Light, Malibu. Parakino, and Fleeting Arrow are all possible improvers. Ngatirahiri and Eara are speedy, but they disappoint rather too often Uo be commended. The main money promises to be lodged on Flying Chief and Taro,

stlra" ano [wood."

GAY BOY IS WELL

AWAPUNI'S WANGANUI HAND

(Special to the "Evening Post.")

PALMERSTON N., This Day.

' Awapuni stables are fairly well represented at Wanganui, and horses from this centre will be saddled up for all except the Century Hurdles. The course proper, with the flags well out, was available for yesterday's final work, but the going was a bit greasy after rain overnight. Gay Boy, who'is an acceptor for the Empire Handicap but who did not figure in some of the published lists, was sprinted three furlongs, and he moved very attractively. He will be ridden by S. Wilson. His stablemate. Round Score, who comes in on the second day, was given a similar task, and he, also, galloped freely. Cloudy Bay sprinted six furlongs in lmin 26 2-ssec, going along nicely throughout. She figures among the acceptors for the Balgownie Hack Handicap. • Hunting Lodge and Dawning Light were partners over five furlongs and there was not much in it at the finish after Dawning Light had set the pace. The time was lmin 8 4-ssec. Hunting Lodge is in the Winter Oats and Dawning Light is in the Borough Hack Handicap, in which she will be ridden by S. Anderson. Anderson will also be on Eara in the hack distance event.

Petrarch and Riotous, with light boys up, were companions over a mile and they recorded even time for the first three furlongs. The pace was then increased a bit and they covered the last six furlongs in lmin 27 3-ssec. Manawatu (A. McDonald) worked nicely over a mile, and although he was not after time, he moved smoothly to cut the last three out in 43sec. He pulled up well. Hirangi (J. Chaplin) scampered over five furlongs in lmin lOsec, and it was quite an attractive effort on the part of Miss Pango's brother.

tiotous .... 10 12 liloghall (porting Song ft 11 I'latter .... 9 0 .... 0 0