NORTHERN FORM

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 9, 26 January 1937, Page 10

NORTHERN FORM

-Own Oorrespondent.)

' Early Bird")

First Day Candidates At Takapau REVIEW 0F FIELDS

(By Telegraph—

(•By 4

AUCKLAND, Jan. 25. 'Another duel is pending between Mazir and Royal Appellant, entries for the Takapuna Cup at Ellerslie next Friday. The last timo these ' gallopers met was at level weights, 8.12; in the Summer Cup on the second day of the Auckland ' meeting, when they rau a dead-heat. Mazir did not have a good run that day, due to heing rather sluggish in the early part of his races. On Friday they again meet on equal terms as to weight, hut each with 2lb. more. Dragon Moth, the promising filly who won the two-year-old race on Derby Day at Ellerslie, is to have her next outing at the Takapuna fixture. The half-sister to Puss Moth and Fox Moth has had only one raec to date and, going on the way she finished from the back on that oecasion, she must be conceded a hright future. The Te Awamutu. owner-trainer A. Rowan is keeping his horses — Cheval, de Volee, Tonnerre, Musquil, and the maiden Nugget — at New Plymouth. Some of them will race at Wanganui, New Plymouth and Hawera over the coming three week-ends, and it is probable Tonnerre may be tried over a middle distance in the 10 furlong Egmont Cup on February n. The Vaals gelding went a fine race over a mile in the last Auckland Easter Handicap, finishing fifth. Cheval de Yolee may on the same date contest the £250 Nolan Haek Cup. Impasto and Triune, the two best sprinters in the province now that Namakia has left for Australia, have both been entered for the Takapuna fixture and, as the class is just . bit below top-hole, they will have chances of extending their reeord. Impasto won at the last Takapuna meeting with 9.7, but the grade was not very high on that oecasion. STAYING THREE-YEAR-OLD. Quadroon is engaged in the two Haek Plate events at Ellerslie next Friday jand Saturday. He has also been nominated for the principal event, run over 1 J mile, on the latter day, so it is evident that he- is not underrated by his trainer. His fine finishing effort into third place in the Great Northern Derby pointed to the son of Nigger Minstrel being a stayer and apparently he is to be given, a chanee to prove it. Quadroon should pick up a good stake in the autumn and there will be plenty of opportunities offering on the provincial circuit. Mention -of the- Auckland cireuit brings to mind that the stakes for the many meetings in the autumn and early winter have soarcd to an extont unthought of twelve months ago. Oue has only to point out the rich prizes to be won duxing the next eight week-ends, the principal race if the fixture attached being in each instance as follows, commeneing with the Takapuna J oekey Club, its cup stake being worth £500; then on conseeutive Saturdays we have the Haek Cup of £220 at Matamata, practically a haek meeting, the Rotorua Cup, £370; Waikato Cup,.£500; Herries Meinorial Cup, Te Ari ha, £1000; Franklin Cup, £400; Ohinemun Cup, £600; and Tauranga Cup, £350. This brings one to the Easter racing the following Saturday. It is pleasing to see that this increase in stake money is becoming almost general, and it is probable that the Taranaki and Egmont Cups, worth £450 and £400 respectively, will attraet horses from this provinee, for these stakes have the call over Matamata and Eortorua on corresponding dates. TAKAPUNA CUP PROSPECT.

Dark Shadow failed in his two engagemenst at the Auckland summer meeting, prio'r to whieh he had scored in the Waikato and Te Awamutu Cups, ieading all the way. He piilled too bard in the Auckland Cup, and his second appearance ' on heavy ground saw him get a very roeky run on the fence. He is engaged in the Takapuna Cup and indications suggest that he will be very hard to beat even although he is now getting up in the weights. A mile and a quarter seems to be Dark Shadow's best distance, so he looks like being a prime fancy in the Takapuna Cup. A horse claiming two engagements on the opening day of the Takapuna fixture is Sweet Itose ,whose form in the past couple of months has been very encouraging indeed. She won « haek plate at the last Takapuna meeting two months ago and then, in her next start, came from well back to finish a good fourth in Tonnerre 's race at Te Awamutu. She won the Christmas Handicap on Boxing Day at Ellerslie and later shaped well in the sprints, so that slio ought to be able to hold he - own in the immediate future. She is in both Cup and sprint at Takapuna aud the luttcr eveut may be mo*-o to her liidng.