JUMPING NOVICES

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 86, 28 April 1937, Page 14

JUMPING NOVICES

"Early

Black Marlin as 'Chaser NEW HURDLERS

i (By Telegraph— Special from

Bird.")

l AUCKLAND, Tueeday. The pessimists have had their say .isofar as the jumping season prospects .ro concerned, but already results .rove that there are going to be suffi.ient horses available for the wintei ■xtures. This is just as well, for' wit)i u doubling-up of meetings on Coronaton Day and King's Birthday holidays •lenty of horses will be required. On iie former date there will be rgcing al Hawera, Hastings, Otaki and Pukekohe, while on June 9 Auckland, Wanganui j and Napier will be raeing. I It is very satisfactory to see that jntriea received for jumping events in the immediate future are more than satisfactory. An entry of fifteen for the hack steeplechase event at Woodville was followed by 21 entrants at Pukekohe for the cross-country race and 25 in the hack hurdles, 60 tliat the outlook is still bright, for in the Auckland district many more are available, pius the expected addition of southern contingents for the bigger meetings. Fine Steoplechasers. True, the quality of the entrants at Pukekohe is more or less a doubtful prospect, if ,one omits Valpeen, Free Air, Windsor Lad and Electric Flash from the steeplechase. But, to offset the laek of proved class, there are some very promising reeruits in Black Marlin, Lucidus, Yalpaa, High Quality, and Lap Up, all of them good performers over the sticks. The rcmainder in this race represent failures on the flat, though that .should not be held against them, for they may include a future Great Northern victor. It has to be remembered that Beau Cavalier won the Great Northern Steeplechase, Wellington Steeplechase and Grand National Steeplechase, also the Great Northern Hurdles without having previously won on the flat. The position in regard to the hurdles at Pukekohe is shnilar to that in t|io .steeplechase. There are plenty of novicds and a good leaveuing of fair performers over the sticks, in the latter eategoxy being Emaneipation, Rua King, Spearcout and Lucidus, wliile interesting reeruits to hurdling are Jalldy Karo, Huntsman's Chorus, Leo Colossus, and Mungacre. One thing in favour of the novice hurdlers and cliasers' is tliat they do not mahe i the obstacles too still at Pukekohe, and this should be an c>iicouragetae::t to owners to complete their engage ments. Takou all round, willi rucipg over hurdles and country in the uear futu-u at Hastings, Woodville, '' Pukekohe,

Hawera, Otaki and Te Awamutu, results will be very interesting indeed, espeeially with the Waikato ahd Auckland meetings following cloeely. The fact that there are so many jumpers available may be accepted as the natural sequel to the greatly increased stakes offering for these clapses.