HURDLE NOVICES

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 180, 17 August 1937, Page 11

HURDLE NOVICES

"Early

Bird".)

Appearance at Spring Meetings QUESTION OF JUMPING

(Special — From

AUCKLAND, Last Night. It was thought tliat there would be niany new recruits to the jumping garne entered for the Pakuranga fixture, but actiially the number of novices is not so big as anticipated, especially in the case of some horses that have revealed good flat form. In this category and engaged this week are Prince Colossus, Ballymoney and Lady Diana, and in addition to this trio there are some horses, pronounced failures on the flat, • are apparentiy to be given their last chance to make good over the stkks. " Plenty of schoolmg work has heen indulged in by Prince Colossus and in this respect he should he weil seasoned for early spring meetings. However, he has heen a bit slow in the up-take of what is required for racing over the battens. In Ks case it has been one of make haste slowly and it is probable fchat the sound foundation being laid will bring its own reward. Too often have novices been tried over hurdles in public without having heen schooled sufficiently, and1 tbey are usually a menace in a field. At the same time it can be said that most jumpers are born and not made, but it has very often kappened that real duffers in the initial stages of a jnmping careesr have turned out to be near-champions when settled down. A "Made" Hurdler. A case in point was Emancipation, not that he ever got into the championship class, but he did act as runnerup in a Great Northern Hurdles a few seasons back. At his first start over the sticks he finished more than a furlong behind the field, yet his trainer did his job well and he has ever since been a good jumper; with a good constitution to go with his fencing ability he would have made a name for himself. Of course, on the ather hand, a horse must taho a liking to the jumping business, otherwise he will be inclined to stick his toea in at the wrong time for his backers. Prince Colossus has all the attributes that go to make a successful jumper over bothi the low and high fences. He has the constitution, a lot of pace and what is more he is thoroughly at home in bad ground, and this is a big asset when the really worth-while hurdles and cross-country stakes are to be won

in mid-winter. If he is produced in the uear future — at Ellerslie, Avondale or Paeroa — his prospects of reaching high class will soon be seen. Prince Colossus should stand up to the test all right. Was Smart Hack Ballymoney was a smart galloper on the flat and he has not raoed for sometime. It was a pity that he was not persevered with before being put to burdling, for handled the right way he might have been able to win sprints, and he was getting more solid with age. He may be the right type to be a successful hurdler and with his pace he should lead his fields a merry dance on some of the more turning courses, such as that at Paeroa. Lady Diana was a smart hack over distances up to seven furlougs and she, too, may do all right, although little has been heard as to her ability, or lack of it. If she is started this week a better idea may be obtained. In any case it is pleasing to see that there are several recruits to jumping, for this branch needs strengthening, whereas on the flat there is likely to be a surfeit of horses in the province. Another novice that ought to do well is Tutor, a good staying hack. From Hunt to Northerns. Included in the Hunter' s Steeplechase entries at the Pakuranga fixture was Meadow King, and one presumes that this fellow is not to be confused with the grey trotter-pacer so well known to Auckland race-goers. In this class, too, it would seem as if practically all tlie novices are products of the hunting field. It will be remembered that it was from this class that many spiendid jumpers came from the north, notably Beau Cavalier and Glendowie, two horses that won the best cross-country events in thie land. On severel occasions, too, the hunters that have won the minor cross-country event at Pakuranga have come out again later in the day and also captured the Hunt Cup, so that on no occasion should this form be despised, even with so little known about the majority of\ the entrants. All Irish is a more recent case, while Irish Comet also comes in this category. It is like going for a 100 to 1 shot to try and name one hunter, • still a maiden, that may develop into something extra good over country in the hack and open classes, but on running at the Great Northern meeting Lochiel Lad may have a chance of doing somefhing in this connection before long if he fulfils early promise. His sliowing at Ellerslie in June was distinctly promising — fourth in the Hunt Club Hurdles and runner-up to All Irish in the Hunt Cup, added to which he is a half brother by Little England (who gets good jumping stock) to Irish Comet.