ELLERSLIE FIXTURE

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 59, 25 March 1937, Page 8

ELLERSLIE FIXTURE

"Early Bird")

Prospects For Saturday's Racing FIELDS BIG AND SMALL

(By Telegrapli — Special from

AUCKLAND, Tbis Day.* The autumn fixtur© pt tlxe Auckland K&cing Glub to be lield at Ellerslie on Easter Sa^arday and Monday, is going to be niost successful in every l'espect, lor the fields for the opening day are such as to ensure plenty of keen racing on the two days. At a glance.it is seeu that the acceptances are rather lopsided, with very big fields jn the three main fiat hanaicaps, a"nd jn the. cass of the other five races competition will be confined to a jtew horses. However, there should be two-dividend ' fields throughout next Saturday, for the club still adheres to the old betting system. The record Easter Handicap field of 27 runners 11 years ago will be almost equalled on tliis occasion, although with many horses claiming dual engagements on Saturday there may not be more than a coupl© of dozen starters ) and that is severaf too many to ensur© every hcrse receiving a .good .pas-. sage. Martara, recently sold at a' big price, is in the two big handicaps, and soinething definite as to his fulfilling his engagements may be learned shortiy. In the meantime he is expected to be very difficult to head. off if he goes to the post, for indications at time of writing are that the cours© will be tast, which suits him best. f. Number With Chances So far as the Easter Handicap is concerned, a baker's dozen that can be sorted out, apart frqm the three-year-old mentioned, are Triune, lloyal Appellant, Lady Kyra, Tray Bit, Lornacre, Golden Sheila, Royal Dance, vVhirling, Adalene, Shy, Kilonso, Galilee and Haut Monde, and this list must of necessity omit good gallopers like | Impasto, King Bey, Tybalt, Dark Shadow, Sweet Rose, Parquet, Round Up and Tooley Street. It is a real problem to find th© winner out of this ibunch, but preference may be expressed for Royal Appellant and the three-year-old filly Golden Sheila; the former because he is brilliant at a mile, was last year's winner of this event, he galloped briiliantly last Saturday, and finally becausa he is handily weighted ; and the filly is fancied because she too reads very well placed, for she has 51b under weight-for-age, whereas last Boxing Day sbe finished a very close fourth in th© Raxlway Handicap with 6lb over wedght-for-age, the concession of lllb making her prospects very appealing. This pair, and Martara, if started, must receiv© every consideration. Martara also comes into th© picture in the opening event, the President's Handicap, for he should go even better over the Ellerslie ten furlongs than at Trentham, always provided that he can run along th© rail and not bor© out as he did to his disadvantage in the Great Northern Derby. Other likely favouriites in the opening race are Master Brierly, Mazir, Scotland, Lagoon, Sinking Fund, Gay Talkie, Knight of Australia, Kelly, Armacourt (if the track is wet or heavy), and Loombination, not to > mention one or two lighifcweights who are favoured most over the Ellerslie ten furlongs. Francis Drake will still carry the cionfidenee o.f the majority of investors m the Champagn© Stakes, while once again Smoke Screen may be his most dangerous opponent. The best youngsters locally are Bachelor King, Elanage and Huntingmore, and they may not be up to the claBs of the two southern visitors. Outstanding Performers High Quality and Huskie may be the hardest to beat in the Brighton Hurdles, and Irish Comet must run well ijx the Mangere Steeplechase after his two solid eft'orts at Paeroa. The speedy Wildflower may be able to manage the distance of the Onslow Stakes with all her weight, and of the host oi possibilities in the Eden Hack mile Jack Tar may be one of the most likely. Ther© will be a few brackets in the Easter Handicap, these being: — Whirling and Star Artist; Dark Shadow and Prince Aere ; Sweet Rose and Round Up; Parquet and Tosh; Tooley Street and Valspear. In addition to these Booklaw and Mio will be coupled in the Brighton Hurdles. , Starting times are: — 12.4, President's Handicap. 12.44: Oaks. 1.29: Hurdles. 2.19: Easter Handicap. 2.59: Champagne Stakes: 3.39: Steeplechase. 4-19 : Onslow Handicap. 5.4 : Eden Handicap. • Th© fonn biorses engaged on Saturday are ihe following. — President's Handicap. — Martara or Maxir, Gay Talkie, Scotland. G. N, Oaks. — Cerne Abbas, Rulette, Laughing Lass. Brighton Hurdles — High Quality. Huskie, Sandy Dix. Easter Handicap. — Martara or Royal Appellant. Goldeo Sheila, Triune. G. N. Champagne Stakes. — Francis Drake, Smoke Screen. Elanage Mangere Steeplechase. — Irish Comet, Erination, Onslow Stakes. — YYildtiower, Barricade,- Royal Bachelor. E(lcn Handicap.— Jack Tar, Ringshot V alamito.