THE JUMPERS

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 83, 24 April 1937, Page 18

THE JUMPERS

Telegraph — Speeial

Lord Val and Black Marlin Shaping Well VALPEEN FOR EGMONT

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"Early-

Bird." AUCKLAND, Last Night. | Valpeen seems to £>e a light of other days, i£ his'form tlxis autumn is a good criterion. Nevertheless, he still jumps country like a champion and he may be aceorded a nomination on Monday night in the Egmont Steeplechase. He contested this event last year and was unplaced, being then at the top of the handicap with 12.7, and it is safe to say that he is a long way below carryi'ng thstt weight next month. Parqr.et has been entered for the handicap events at the meeting at Woodville at the end of the month. The Te Hapa maxe has .been a long time in returning to. the winning list, although some of her efforts of late have been really good. Her finishing effort to come from nearly last to be beaten by a nose at Paeroa last month by Round Up, with Galilee another nose baet, was brilliant. Parquet needs time to find her feet and the long Woodville straight may suit her, She will then probably go on to Hawera to Tace. 'Chasing at Woodville. It is interesting to note the fine entry received for the one steeplechase event of the Dannevirke fixture at Woodville, no less than flfteen being nominated. This speaks very well for the fields in future cross-country events, for this is a good representation, including as it does some proved hurdlers. The most interesting of the recruits may prove to be Royal Mimie and Sporting Song, recent winners .over the sticks. Tout. le Monde is being awaited by northemers for his next appearance as a hurdler, for when he won at his first start at Te Rapa a couple of months ago big things were predicted for him, and an unplaced effort a few days later at Te Aroha did not cause him to. lose much prestige. Recent reports indicate that he was schooling well with Eed Manfred and his next appearance may be at Hawera prior to going north to contest the valuable hurdle races at Te Rapa and Ellerslie. A Sanart Galloper. Grateful has not done a great deal since coming to Takanini to be trained, but he is in nice order now so that he should not take long to get into shape for coming handicap events, There is some talk of his being entered for Hawera, but more than likely he will be kept nearer home and compete at Te Rapa and Ellerslie. He raced at the former course last early-winter and he captured the mile handicap on the second day, so that apparently he is not averse to a soft track, for the going was slow on that occasion. Improvement in his jumping will be necessary befofe Tuaheahe can be expected to make good as a hurdler. He has been schooling at Te Awamutu, so that he is expected to he on hand at his home fixture next month. Tuaheahe has plenty of pace and can gtay, so that he should win a good stake over the battens before the season ends. His hurdling leaves Toom for improvement and this should be better as he gains in experieuce. The programme mapped out for this hack includes the fixtures at the Waikato and Auckland meetings. The manner in which Lord Val is doing his schooling suggests that he is going to be more than a possibility in this year's Great Northern Hurdles. He has had the benefit of a good spell and when he came back he had freshened up considerably, so that with plenty of work on the flat and over the sticks he will be well forward for the winter meetings. Te Rapa next month will see him and the racing there will give some idea of his . possibilities for the big meeting at Ellerslie. Last winter Lord Val shaped very pTomisingly among the hurdlers. Another good hurdler of alst winter who is also schooling well at headquarters is Black Marlin, winner of the Trentham Hurdles and rnnner-up in the Winter Hurdles at the last Wellington winter meeting. He and Lord Val are in the same stable, so this is going to mean that their trainer may be puzzled as to how to place them. However, they are racing in different ownership and so they may both run in the big hurdle races during the coming jumping period. The "veteran" Kiltowyn — he ig only seven years now — is sprinting like a two-year-old at Ellerslie and there aTe more unlikely things than that he will win a handicap during the winter months., He has never been at his bent in soft ground, but then he has not really been much tried, so with a drop in the class he may still come good again, A chance will be afforded him of showing the form he is in when he is paraded at Te Rapa next month, for ho is scheduled to take on the handicaps there.