FIELDS IN REVIEW

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 153, 2 December 1938, Page 15

FIELDS IN REVIEW

MOST ISSUES VERY OPEN

Though the fields for the Otaki Maori! Summer Meeting tomorrow are somewhat light in most events, the acceptance was a very satisfactory one on the nominations received. In each of the three years since this meeting was instituted the fields have been on the small side, but the racing itself has always been interestingly contested. There is the material for keen racing again this year. Considering the size of the fields, it has been surprising what useful dividends have been returned at Otaki in December. The favourites have had a fair innings, but each year there have also been upsets to reward the more fortunate. In 1935 two favourites and three second favourites succeeded, but there were also eighth and sixth favourite winners. In 1936 three favourites and three second favourites scored, with a seventh and a fourth favourite as the turn-ups. Last year there were four favourite winners, but surprises in the two open events, the main event going to the eighth favourite. Trentham stables will be strongly represented as usual tomorrow. The centre has not been producing its usual number of winners this season, but it promises to improve its score at Otaki. The course is in splendid order. Benefited by the rain on Tuesday, the track is like a lawn. The Otaki racecourse is within easy range of Wellington by road and by rail. For rail patrons, reduced fares are available on special train leaving Wellington at 9.5 a.m. and on ordinary trains leaving at 8.30 and 10.15 a.m. Trains also leave Palmerston North for Otaki at 7.12 and 9.30 a.m., the latter a special train. The betting will be under the singlepool system. TWO OPEN EVENTS. , There is a field of nine for the Rere Nikitini Memorial Stakes, including the recent open winners Play On and Meamea. Play On, following his facile victory at Levin, is assured of favouritism, and though he has gone up 131b he will have the benefit of a larger apprentice allowance if still ridden by I. Howe, who could use only 21b of the 71b he was entitled to claim at Levin. Galteemore. who ran second at Levin and also at Feilding, now comes in at 81b better on carded weights, but he was beaten by all that at Levin. Meamea has won only up to seven furlongs, but he might get a mile and a quarter, and, unless Dorado imprives a lot on Levin form, he appeals as the likelier of the stable pair. Of the recruits from the hacks, Accomplice, a winner last start at I Trentham, looks a better prospect than Amatory, and she might also be too good for Cricket, Good Sun, and Silver River." In the Waiorongomai Handicap the form pair are Mittie and Lady Montana. Mittie has been twice successful recently, and though she failed under 9.0 at Feilding she is a mare who should not be troubled by average weights. Lady Montana, with three seconds at Trentham and Riccarton in a line prior to a miss on the final day in the south, is the member of this field who is due for the win. The others, excepting Omarere, all have form this season to back up their claims. Royal Star II has done a lot of solid work since his return from Riccarton. HACK PROSPECTS. There are four hack flat events. With a strong rider aboard, Sigurd is likely to be favourite for whatever race he contests. In the Pukekaraka Handicap formidable opposition would come from Punarua, Sporting Gift, Lady Lyric, and Mother-in-Law; but in the Otaki Handicap his task would appear to be much easier, as only War Cloud has recent form, though Ruling Spi and Drachma are posssible im The VRahui Hack Handicap should be a good betting race, with Earl Colossus the likely favourite over Tom-Tom and Twenty Grand. TomTom has run several good race 3, but she has as yet failed to break her maiden status and she did not handle the Otaki track well in October, when she contested the maiden event. Twenty Grand has improved a lot lately in his work. . There is some speedy material m the Rekereke Hack Handicap. Hunter s Eve and White Lady, the latter winner of the corresponding event in October,

promise to be favourites, but Sporting Gift and Nelumbo are two others who should show up and Great Legion is likely to have been improved by his outing at Feilding last Monday. SMALL HURDLE FIELD. In the Puketoi Hack Hurdles, which has attracted a field of only six, the favourite will probably be the Levin winner, Porotiti, who has class to stand by him now that he has struck winning form at the game. Erebus and Royal Record, however, will both have plenty of supporters, and Otaki ran well enough on the flat at Levin to hold a chance off the minimum, though he has still to open his jumping account. The biggest field of the day will parade in the Manuao Maiden Plate, and the draw may be a factor to consider in this event, though Colfort was winner from wide out in a still bigger field in October. One who will be well backed is Yours Truly, who will be having his first start this ■ season but made promising showings at Trentham last July. The Ring, who was second at Napier Park recently, and the elect of T. R. George's hand (Daregain, Lady Baron, and the two-year-old Counter Lunch), White Rajah. Pursuit, Barabbas, and Beauly are others who might make creditable showings. Whie Rajah carries the same colours as Punarua, who was second in October. Yours Truly hails from the same stable as Punarua. Colfort's stable is not represented, but A. Jenkins, who rode him a couple of months ago, is likely to be on White Rajah tomorrow. FORM AND CARD. The following horses are likely to command support:— Puketoi Hack Hurdles—Porotiti and Erebus. Manuao Maiden Plate —Yours Truly and The Ring or White Rajah. Pukekaraka Hack Handicap—Sigurd, if absent, Punarua and Lady Lyric. Rere Nikitini Memorial StakesPlay On and Accomplice. Otaki Hack Handicap—Sigurd and Ruling, Spi. Waiorongomai Handicap — Lady Montana and Royal Star 11. Rahui Hack Handicap—Earl Colossus and Tom-Tom or Twenty Grand. Rekereke Hack Handicap—White Lady and Hunter's Eve. The card is as follows:— 12.15 PUKETOI HACK HUBDLE HANDICAP. £150; 1% miles. ErebU3 11 0 Linguist .... 9 9 Porotiti 10 5 Sir Nigel ...» 9 4 RoyaJ Record 912 Otaki ...... 9 0 12.55 MANUAO MAIDEN PLATE, £100; 6 furlongs. Golden Garter . 8 7 White Rajah .. 8 7 Golden Hawk . 8 7 Richelieu Pearl 8 1 Dame Flora ..8 7 Mitigation ... 8 7 Baron Bold ... 8 7 All Blood .... 8 J Bisect ...... 8 7 Cherokee .... 8 • Beauly 8 7 The Ring .... 8 7 liarabbas .... 8 7 Yours Truly ..8 7 Daregain '.... 8 7 Pursuit 8 7 Dunbeatb .... 8 7 Heliozoa .... 8 7 Lady Baron ... 8 7 Counter Luncb 8 0 Speedfast .... 8 7 1.40 PUKEKARAKA HACK HANDICAP. £110: 6 furlongs. Sporting Gift 9 3 Mother-in-Sigurd 8 4 Law 7 12 Punarua .... 8 4 Lady Lyric ..7 9 Ruling Spi .... 8 1 Day Mist .... 7 7 Acrobat .... 7 12 Lady Baron .. 7 7 2.20 RERE NIKITINI MEMORIAL STAKES, £250; Wi. miles. Play On .... 8 8 Dorado 7 8 Galteemore 8 5 Accomplice .. 7 7 Meamea .... 8 4 Good Sun .... 7 3 Cricket .... 8 1 Silver River ..7 0 Amatory .... 7 8 3.0 OTAKI HACK HANDICAP, £110: 7 furlong 3. Sigurd .... 9 0 Dunbeath .... 7 9 Ruling Spi ..8 11 Drachma .... 7 9 War Cloud .. 8 4 Quimper .... 7 9 Larwood .... 8 4 3.45 WAIORONGOMAI HANDICAP, £150; 7 furlongs. Mittie 9 1 Royal Star II .. 7 7 Alunga ...... 8 12 Lone Raider .. 7 7 Lady Montana 8 4 Export 7 0 Aureus 7 7 Omarere, .... 7 0 *4.25 RAHUI HACK HANDICAP, £110: 1 mile and 1 furlong. • Earl Colossus . 9 0 Twenty Grand 7 8 Spender .... 8 3 Dancing Flame 7 8 Tom-Tom .. 7 10 The Ring .... 7 7 Sunbeam .... 7 10 Whetuma >; . 7 7 Larwood .... 7 8 5.10 REKEKEKE HACK HANDICAP, £ 110; 5 furlongs. Sporting Gift 9 2 Great Legion .. 713 Nelumbo .... 813 Day. Mist .... 7 7 Hunter's Eve . 8 10 Bourmond ..7 7 Conversion ... 8 7 Pursuit .... T 7 j White Lady .. 8 6