GRATEFUL AMISS

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 134, 3 December 1938, Page 22

GRATEFUL AMISS

HOT BOX CAUSING ANXIETY

(Special to the "Evening Post.")

TAKANINI, December 2. Grateful broke down during the running of the big handicap on the second day of the Auckland Meeting, and as he has suffered a recurrence of his former trouble, it is more than likely that the last has been seen of the Raceful gelding for some considerable time. He won on the second day of the Avondale Meeting and is a useful handicapper, who would probably have enjoyed a very successful season had all gone well with him.

The Great Northern Guineas winner, Hot Box, is under a cloud, having developed an ailment on ths morning of the first day of the Auckland Meeting, which subsequently led to his withdrawal from the Alison Cup field. He was a fancied candidate for this event, but his continued absence from activity since last Saturday points to the fact that his Christmas programme may be affected. It is to be hoped that he makes a speedy recovery as he would lend a lot of interest to the three-year-old classic events to be decided at the Christmas Meeting, as he had always given the impression that he would develop into a stayer, and one of the most likely northerners to have provided oppositio. to the crack southerner Defaulter.

Another to suffer soreness is the improving hack Dauber, who pulled up lame after contesting the hack mile on Monday, in which he ran third to Bronze Trail and High Sea. When he had cooled off, Dauber's case looked a bad one, but he is making improvement, and his absence from training is not expected to be a lengthy one. The three-year-old Royevrus confirmed the good impression he created earlier in the season by decisively winning the Pupuke Plate at Ellerslie on Monday, and the manner in which he disposed of the task makes -his absence from the classic events regrettable, as he has proved one of the best of his age in the north. He ran fifth in his first attempt at open handicap company over ten furlongs at Te Rapa recently, and it is reasonable to expect the Surveyor gelding to be found a winner in this class in the near future.

One of the most disappointing three-year-olds so far this season has been Pocket Venus, who, as yet, has not shown anything like the form that has been expected of her. Confidently expected to quickly earn promotion from the maiden ranks, she has failed to materialise in any of her starts this term. Possibly the soreness which restricted her preparation after the Paeroa Meeting may be advanced as an excuse for her failures, but her form has not been in keeping with the promise she showed last season as a two-year-old.

Up to now, Lady Fox, the half-sister to Gay Blonde and others, has"'failed to reveal any form in public, but on Monday at Ellerslie she ran her best race to date, and possibly the racing she has had is benefiting her, and some improvement can now reasonably be expected.