ELLERSLIE RACES

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 117, 3 June 1937, Page 13

ELLERSLIE RACES

"The Barb. ' ')

The Great Northern Meeting FIRST DAY'S PRQSPECTS

(By

The 1937 Great Northern meeting opens on Saturday when a most interesting programme will be run, there being two steepleehases and two hurdle races. Only those who have witnessed a steeplechase at Ellerslie can realise what a picturesque sight it provides, and indeed it would be difficult to find in the wA-ld a prettier raeing view than a cross-country event at Ellerslie. Again the fields will set speculators severe taeks in trying to piek winners. The betting will be on the single pool system. The most important Saturday events are the Cornwall Handicap and the Great Northern 'Hurdles, while on Wednesday the G.N. Steeplechase will be the attraction and on the followung Saturday .the meeting will conclude. Following is a review of Saturday 's fields: — GREENLANE STEEPLECHASE. N About 2J miles. Pango by his second in the Coronation Hurdles at Te Rapa draws attention to 'his chances here. He is a dashing fencer and should be at the height of racing condition by now. Lucidus ran a second at the same meeting over the big fences, but there is no Ijne as to Emaneipation 's present condition. Hluminagh and Kinkje are both fine fencers, with the former already a winner at Ellerslie. Sajint Musk. after his fine winning effort at the Waikato meeting, was at once proclaimed one that should win important races. London is a tried old fencer but lacks brilliance and Sky Pilot is expgcted to improve on his third' at Te Rapa to Saint Musk and Lucidus. Of the otbers Gascyne may do best. Most monev may be forthcoming for SAINT MUSK, PANGO and ILLTJMINAGH. 7 % JERVOIS HANDICAP. 7 furlongs. Ab usual, a big field will go to thb ppst in thia hack event but, unlike most years, it will not have to be run for in divisions. Saturday 's field containB quite a few promdsing young racers, including Surella (a winner each day at Egmont, on the second occasxon in opea class), Grand City, Black Musk, Tip Toes, Philemup, Valspear, Small Boy, Keno, Pirate Eang (reported to be galloping exceptionally well at Te Hapa), i'ar Land, Gay Rebel and Bass. AH the'se are recent winners, so that ihe public will have som.ething to do here. Perhaps the pxiwe f ancies will be TIP TOES, PIRATE E3NG and SURELLA. • PENROSE HURDLES. I| mile. Spearcourt has already proved hiniself, while his win in the big Waikato nurdies qualilies Collision for a favourite po&ition, more so as he has been giving fine exhibitions at Ellerslie since. Gay Broney has but little experience but is Bhaping well in schooling, while other promising young hurdles eugaged are High Star, Keith Lu, Red Eox and Huntsman's Chorus. The public opiuion may f a^our COLLISION, SPEARCOURT and HUNTSMAN'S CHORUS. GREAT NORTHERN HURDLES. 2i miles. Jolly Beggar has 11.13 and has fully earned his weight, as he has already two National Hurdle Races to his credit. The highest weight carried to victory eince this race has beeu run over the present distanco was 11.5, by Mako Up four years ago. Jolly Beggar has a sqrious task ahead, but so have the others to beat him, more especially if the track is at all firm. Erination was disappointing at Te Rapa, buc should not be condemned on one poor showing. Sandy Dix has not been at the game a great length of time, but he has seldom been out of a place in his half-score or (so of starts over the battens. Royal Limond will be running on at the finish when others are tirlng but is to-day scarcely a liurdles proposition. Prince of Orange was a surprise winner last year, but only beeause half. the field fell. High Quality is above the average hurdle horse and, on the 9,9 mark, must be a serious -consideration. Lap Up is scarcely fancied over the distance, but Roxy ds one that can be relied upon to eee it out and will not surprise if successful. Master Musk has. no credentiale for this company, while Modern Maid on public form will not be found fim'shing too ptrongly. Tout le Monde might but, being a coniimed "iffcr, " is ono that does not pay to follow. Lprd Val ever since the weights appeared has beoji the favourite and, having won at Te Rapa, has not lost his popularity. He revels in. the mud and on breeding should run out the distance. Pahu may be paesed over in favour of otlier lightweights in Hu'skie and Black Marlin, the latter a fioe fencer, a proved stayer and a jnudlark, It is no easy matter to sort out the wheat from the chalf but, when the sifting is done, three that may appeal to machine patrons are BLACN MARLIN, LORD VAL and JOLLY BEGGAR. CORNWALL HANDICAP. 11 mile. King Rey has earned his 9.4 and, despite this impost, will be one of the toughest, more especially if the going is fairly sound. Seotland has only to strike his Ellerslie form last summer to be in great demand. He was very unluclcy the second day at Te Rapa and was written of as a certaintv beaten, though he was only fourth. Gay Rose won both the big handicaps at the Waikato meeting, but is now up among he better class in weight. Tooley Gtreat, winner of the last A.R.C. Easter Handicap, revels in tsofl going. Gnite-

i'ul and Knight of Australia, on form, will scarcely be rushod. Royal Dance is being spoken of as a possibility, but he failed over a mile at Te Rapa. Royal Appellaut, at his best, would certainly be the pick of the handicap. His recent track form has not been exactly encouraging but, being lazy, little notice may be taken of that and his party give him a first-class chance. Day Wind is a possibility but can scarcely be reeommended on recent performances. Then come a trio, Dark Shadow, Horowhenua and Armacourt, that will have many: friends, as the first-Damed is a proved ten-furlong horse, while Horowhenua is galloping weli and will be bracketed with Tooley Street. Armacourt is a mare that has won on all kinds of going and form points to her being one of the hard ones. Of the light-weights the chances of Enge and Tradesman will not escape notice. Most tote money may be ventured on SCOTLAND, TRADESMAN and tho TOOLEY STREET-HOBO-WHENUA braoket. HUNTER S ' HURDLES. 2 miles. This event will probably interest the public less than any other on Saturday. •The favourite may come from ROYAL NATION, ALL IRISH and CYNICAL KID. MEMBERS ' HANDICAP. 6 furlongs. Whirling is good but has not won for the last two months. Peter Beckford proved himself capable of handling heavy tracks when he won in his one start at the Waikato meeting, but, for a horse of his performances, 9.7 reads a little fiattering to the Hastingsowned gelding. Mata Hani is another mudlark, but she too appears to have more than her share of "puddinV Black Thread put up a fine performanee at Te Rapa when he dead-heated for second in behind Peter Beckford, for the Gisborne gelding drew No. 16 at the barrier and had to make up a lot of ground at the start to gain anything like a winning position, so was working hard from go to whoa. Greek Gold will have a track to his liking, but so he did at Hawera when made favourite to finish fourth in a five-horse Tace. Adalene, with but 6lbs. above the minimum, a mare that won the last A.R.C. Railway Handicap, must be considered leniently treated. Surella, Prince Acre, Paso Robles, Kilonsoa and5 Versant, of the light-weights, are all possib'ilities. Recovery may be looked for from BLACK THREAD, ADALENE and PETER BECKFORD.