TRENTHAM HOPES

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 140, 30 June 1937, Page 13

TRENTHAM HOPES

(Special — From "Early Bird".

... Form of Northerners Reviewed MERIAL BEST NOW

AUUJVIiAJNJJ, Tms uay. Quite a number of horses were seen out at the; Waipa meeting last Saturday tliat were entered for the forthcoming Wellington fixture, and their form was interesting in view of this fact. Three of them were winners, Engfi, Gay Rebel, and Besiege, and some of them were placed, so that they gave practical evidence of being in form. Gay Rebel is not engaged on the opening day at Trentham, but he is expected to be on hand for the second and third days, his principal mission being the Parliamentary Handicap, an event for which he is well suited. However, that can be dealt with later. Ghang, who is engaged in the minor steeplechase on Tuesday next, was always prominent in the same class last Saturday, following on a good showing a week earlier at Tauranga, which would account for his favouritism. Had he fenced better this time he might have won, but as it was his mistakes proved costly, for they took a lot out of him and he was only hanging on for second place at the finish. Chang comes from the noted mudlark family of Paddon and White Comet, so that he should be in his element next week. Booklaw, who contested the same race as Chang last week, did not show any form at all. Lucidus, also in this class next week, made a bold showing in the Park Steeplechase on Saturday, and while he has a good bit of weight he ought to be prominent on Tuesday. However, at the weights, Chang may take beating. Besiege won the haclc eight and ahalf furlongs last Saturday in the rain and heavy ground under 9.7, so with a couple of pounds less, and six furlongs to cover, lie should not be out of it. He is a rapidly-improving gelding, and a good weight-carrier apparently. His opponents last week were of poor class, yet his finishing effort was impressive, for he did not appear to be all out at the end of a strong finishing run; he should again be in the money next week. Ellanui, also in the hack sprint next Tuesday, was in the same race as Besiege, and she went nicely to get second; the two pounds clifference in his favour may not bring them together, however. It is in favour of Ellanui that she is on ihe improve. Below Good Form. Boughal and Count Rousilldn contested the Orakau Hurdks last week and the form of neither was not good enough to warrant the trip to Trentham. The former showed his usual torrent of speed, and then was collared before a mile had been coveredj and that was the end of him. Unless in the hands of a very experienced rider — as was the case when he won at Hawera some weeks agOT— Boughal will find it hard to win where the class is good and the ground bad. Count Eousillon was fourth in the race last Saturday, some ten lengths away from the winner, so that he, .too, will be required to improve a whole lot to get place on Tuesday. It is alwayg advisable to remember, however, that Trentham and Te Awamutu tracks are vastly differ* ent, and that a horse unable to go at the latter place may be bfttter suited on the larger track. Merial, engaged in the sp»nta next week, is going to carry a lot of Auckland support, for while she was beaten into fourth place- last Saturday over seveu furlongs she looked as if she could be improved a bit. Her win at Ellerslie was so striking that she is regarded as something extra good for the Wellington meeting. Mastei Musk, a fair sort of hurdler, is 'nicely placed in the Trentham Hurdles if he can only get his dash baek, in which case he would be a hard horse to beat, He took on the steeples last week, aftei giving inglorious schooling displays and he went a fair race. However, his dislike to schooling over the steeple' chase fences there might have un settled him, and so one is reluctant tc include him among the hurdles prob ables.

While Grateful was unsighted in the Woodstock Staltes, Enge, the second of the Whyte Handicap nominees to race last week, was suceessful over seven furlongs, and is, therefore, well in line to make a bold showing next week. He was always handily placed on Saturday, and he won very comfort,ably at the end. Incidentally, Enge once again illustrated the old saying that the bigger the field the bigger the ccrtainty. On the figures in the Whyte Handicap, however, Enge lias none the best of it through Bootherang, for on the final day at Ellerslie the latter was conceding the northerner 51b. on the handicap. Bootnerang was travelling ! fast in fourth place at the post, while Enge was down the track, sj now that 1 .Enge has to give the Trentham galt loper a couple of pounds the disadvane tage of half a stone will not assist j him, Armacottrt's Olaims. I There was a persistent advocacy for > the claims of Artiiacourt in the WoodI stoek Stakes last Saturday, and thereJ fore it was by no meafis surprising to I' find her first favourite each way. She was last early and then ran round the field smartly to be Up in tlnrd place, ithree llOfses out. Shb Stopped a bit in the final ftirlong and a-half to finish f sixth, a place witliout any merit, for I the fourth horse was separated by P plenty'of daylight from the trio that I stagod such a liectic fliilsh. Armacourt I ts rclativfily better at a mile than ten y furlongs, and so if takCn to Trentham

for the open mile she may be better placed. To sum them up, however, so far as Te Awamutu ruuning was concerned the horees whose T'Tentham prospectB were really enhanced were very few. They were: Merial, Tudor, Besiege and Chang. Enge would have to be included were not the Whyte Handicap figures, through Boomerang at least, very uiuch against him.