WELLINGTON RACES

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 46, 10 March 1937, Page 8

WELLINGTON RACES

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Small Field in St. Leger FORM REVIEWED

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The Wellington Racing dub's autumn race meeting opens at Trentham tomorrow and will be continued on Saturday. The acceptances received are below the usbal number, but events bear a very open appearance and once again speculatorg at Trentham are in for a puzzling day. To-inorrow the St. Leger and the Thompson Handieap are ihe piincipal events, but unfortunately the classie will see perhaps only three in actioa. On Saturday the chief item of interest will be the North Island Cliallenge Stalces for two-year-olda and upwards, run over 7 furlongs at w.f.a., with penalties and allowances. Hawke's Bay will be represented at.the meeting by Wananga, Lady Wessex, Nelumbo, 0»ly One, Sir Nigel, Sansfoy and Lucullus Lad, and possibly Soho will be taken through for the second day, in which case he will be ridden by A. Jenkins in the Highweight. Following is a review of the fields:— 12.12.— RIMU HIGHWEIGHT, of £300; 13 mile.

In the mood, Eed Snn would make light of his 11.4 in thia field. Beau Gallante is in capital nick, though nevex impressive at a distance f urther than six furlongs on the fiat, should, witb his hurdle-racing experience, manage to see the ten furlongs out among thia lot. Spender won a slmilar race at Woodville over the same distance and, as the Lord Quex gelding is in the right form, he must be respected. Revival raced well at the last Trentham meeting, but at Woodville ran below that form. Brigadore would be better suited.with the hurdles up. Laggard has little to recommend him. Bumble might surprise, as he can gallop in private, but has yet to race up to it. Up 51bs_ for his Napier win, Wananga should go a fair race. Ten furlongs may be a little f ar for him, but should the pace be slow over the. first portion I the Oration gelding may win. Lady Wessex will .he all the better for hor last week's racing, and is a place prospect. Most money may be invested on BEAU GALLANTE, WANANGA and SPENDER. TRIAL PLATE, of £300; 6 furlongs. This race is for horses that have not won a races of the advertised value of £50 to the winner, so that, as Nelumbo's cheque at Napier eame to only £45, she is eligible to start. Bapa Waiata, who earned a like amount at Wairoa, is the only.other acceptor that has won a race. Others to show a little form are Southern Blood, Peacock and Gay Artist. Three that may appeal most to investors are PEACOCK, NELUMBO nad EAPA WAIATA. N.Z. ST. LEGER STAKES, of £400; 11 mile. Cerne Abbes was fourth in the G.N. Derby, being officially placed ahead of Martara. Mandamus ' ' also ran" in the same event and, as his form has not heen encouraging since, he hardly enters calculations. This leaves the contest, on paper, solely between Wild Chase and Martara These two three-year-olds have not "met, and the only line between the pair is to be found in the running of the G.N.- Derby' and the Wellington and Dunedin Cnps, all .run over 13 mile. In the Derby, at level weights, Essex was first and Martara fifth. In the Wellington Cup Essex, carrying 61bs. less than w.f.a., finished unplaced with the S.I, Tunneller in third positioh. In the Dunedin Cup Wild Chase, with 81hs. over vv.f.a., won convincingly irom Tunneller, so that to-morrow WILD CHASE will probahly carry more money than MaRTAEA, PACIFIC HANDICAP, of £500; 6 furlongs. This is a fine field of two-year-olds, and an interesting contest should result_ Haughty Winner won the Dunedin Champagne Stakes in easy manner from Royal fchief, who had previously downed the champioh youngster Francis Drake, in the G.N Foal Stakes, though a few days later beaten by him in the A.R.C. Eoyal Stakes. At 9.4 Eoyal Chief is ' now on the same mark as Haughty Winner. Smoke Screen is an interesting runner, as after Woodville many racing folk expressed an opinion that he would eventually prove the best of his age this season. However, taking a guide through his running unplaced in the Foal Stakes, he has yet to do something better to justify such an estimate. Top Row is handy, but not up to the best grade. Eelative can go very fast, while Crooning's running at Auckland gives Mr. T. H. Lowry 's Nigger Minstrel colt a chance despite the class of the opposition. Lazybones, another Nigger Minstrel colt, is held in high esteem down South. Althonglx also hailing from the Cutts' stablc, be will not be braeketed witb Haughty Winner. Oniy Oue. would kavo doue decidedly better at Napier than third had he managed to get away with his field, and his running tomorrow may prove that he was one of the unlucky ones last Thursday Screamer has pace but runs off the trade. Mother-in-law has the best credentials of the remainder. Thfee that should not lack for backing are HAUGHTY WINNER, ROYAL CHIEF and ONLY ONE. THOMPSON HANDICAP, of £750; 1 miio. Silver Ring is likely to be In need of a rousing gallop or two, as his trainer states that he has not been given any

fast work for three months. Paper Slipper (8.11) is a brililant three-year-old, and he needs to be to win over a mile with this weight. Friesland (8.6) has won in the last three elforts, so that this "Aussie" bred entrant must be very hard to bear, more especially as he has never been better and a mile is his best distance. Lowenberg may not bo quite brilliant enough to win, however a moderate 8.4 should influence some money his way. Travenna is a good miler and, if the course should be heavy, then this Tractor gelding is one to be on. Plato is not in the least fahcied on Woodville or Bulls form, but a mile has always been his pet distance. Big Dook (8.1) is fit, and over a mile on this .weight mark, the Gisborne gelding is going to be one of the toughest. Chief Ranger is a horse that cannot be altogether disregarded, although a Thompson may he beyond his class. Epris (7.13) has been taken a risk with by the handicapper in being awarded but 61bs_ above the minimum, for he is some "good over a mile. Arctic King may not make this grade, but a soft track will be to his liking. Haut Monde (7.10) and Debham £7.9) are a pair of good milers, and either may upset the apple-cart. Of the minimum-weighted division Brazen King and Alby may do best, as Sir Nigel's form at Napier Park lost him many previous admirers for this mile event. Should the going be heavy TRAYENNA may be the best backed, but under normal conditions the f avourite may come from BRAZEN KING, FRIESLAND and PAPER SLIPPER. TINAKORI HANDICAP^ of £300; 7 furlongs. Gay Hunter was very unlucky at -Napier Park, and 9.2 should not stop him here. Terry and Earl Colossus are useful hacks, while Sandhedrin is Tacing consistently, as also is the Bulls winner, Old Surrey, who has won in his last two starts. The Bigot is likely, but so far is not racing up to track efforts. Imposture, Alunga and Onllodion have to be considered, • at most favour may be shown for GAY HUNTER, OLD SURREY and THE BIGOT.

RAILWAY HANDICAP, of £450; 6 furlongs. At the last Wellington fixture, Gold Roa skittled the sprinters. He went off colour a little at Dunedin, but, freshened up again, is now said to be back to best form, as will be required, with 9.5 to carry. This Balboa mare is at home on any going_ Dungarvan has been racing over middle distances of late, but has always been able to sprint fast, and the straight six furlongs will suit* hira. " Emissary strongly appeals on the 8.8. mark. Laughing Lass failed among the moderates at Bulls, but not infrequently horses get beaten at small meetings to come out later and win in "Town Hall ' ' class. Knockfin is smart, and on the 8.5 mark must not be overlooked. Karl will scarcely be fancied on this straight course. Acceptable has no recent form, but Deficit raced well on his recent trip to the Waikato. Flammarion is greatly fancied from Woodville, his training centre, and will carry shekels from the border tow'n. Maybe six furlongs will be a little short for Sansfoy. What will be better backed than EMISSARY, GOLD BOA and FLAMMARION? SILVERSTREAM HANDICAP, . of £300; one mile. Roaming won at his last start, Riccarton. Lucullus Lad is at his favourite distance, and is one of the form horses. Another that is about back lo his best is Catalogue. Stratosphere raced well on his last trip to Trentham. Lady Siegfried is consistent Of the others Sea'Wrack may do best It is a very open race, and perhaps the heaviest investments will be carried by CATALOGUE, ROAMING and LADY SIEGFRIED.