LIKELY YOUNGSTER

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 186, 24 August 1937, Page 11

LIKELY YOUNGSTER

"Early Bird").

Te Hero, Son of Heroic, Shows Form ELLERSLIE PARADE

fSpeeial — From

ATJ0KLAND, Last Night. Although tEe Avondale Stalces, tlie first two-vear-old elassic of the' season, is just short of a month ahead, northern racegoers consider thev already know tlie winner. This is Te Hero, the aptlynamed youngster by the leading Australian sire, Heroic, out of that one-time good mare Prodice, who is a half-sister to the hrilliant racehorse Ammon Ea. For once again has this family come into the limelight, for Te Hero holds out promise of being really go6d. Of course there may be other visiting youngsters who will threaten the colt from Te Awamutu, for last season it will be remembered that the visiting youngsters scooped the pool, through the ageney of such fine two-vear-olds as Royal Chief, Francis Drake and Smoke Screen. But in the absence of anything np to this standard from southern centres, Te Hero ought to extend the record of provincial horses in the Avondale Stakes. That much was gleaned from the parade of two-year-olds at Ellerslie last Saturday afternoon, between the third and fourth events at the Pakuranga meeting. Seven were carded in the • correcl book for the parade, but strangely enongh instead of there being a seratching or two no less than ten two-year-olds put in an appearance. Hitherto the ground has been very bad at this race meeting, and consequently not many owners have availed themselves of the opportunity to gallop their youngsters before the public. On Saturday the turf was nice and easy, no worse, and so the conditions underfoot were considered ideal for an unofficial test and introduction of the young thoroughbred to the raeeeourse and a race-day atmosphere, a vastly different thing to the peace and quiet of ordinary galloping mornings. More than half the field were not ■ready for serious business, and when it is remembered that the intitial elassic was four months ahead, this failure to have their youngsters pretty well forward was understandable. In the case of Te Hero and Nordie Song, however, and also Christopher Bobin, it was apparent that these youngsters had come to hand early without being hurried in their preparation, and so may be expCcted to play their part in the early two-year-old races. Not that Te Hero is as fit as hands can make him; he, too, is o'pen to considerable improvement, yet he should be well advanced by Avondale Stakes time.' When He Flew. - • The parade, #whieh comprised a barrier start from* the mile-and-a-half post to the judge's box, a short three furlongs, resulted in Nordie Song finishing with a neck advantage over Te Hero, with the others fairly well back, although naturally not much notice could be taken of that. Nordie Song was being kicked up to his task to finish in front. Te Hero's rider let the colt's head loose at the half-distance, and he shot right out in a few strides before being checked again, when Nordie Song headed him. That little burst was sufficient for those that could appreciate it. Nordie Song is a compactly-built colt, with plenty of room left for furnishing, and like all the Hunting Song's he is a plain looker. His dam is Nordica, of whose many progeny Cohesion, by Polydamon, was the only performer of any consequenee, and perhaps Noric Song will be at least the second best, for he may pick up a handieap during the season. His dam is by Martian out of Grand Opera, by Gipsy Grand from Ilma, daughter of Stepniak and Banee Nuna, by St. George from Watersprite, by Traducer from Waterwitch, by Camden from the JKing Topi mare Mermaidt There is some rich blood in this pedigree, so Nordie Song has something to live up to. Room For Improvement. That Te Hero should be so forward was rather surprising, for the track at Te Awamutu, usually a good winter course, has suft'ered in common with other provincial courses as a result of a very wet winter, the let-up in the rain having been recorded for the past fortnight only. Probably the colt came to hand early, and several short sprints enabled him to play his part so well last Saturday. There is still room for a lot of improvement in Te Hero, and he impresses as likely to be one of the best of his age this season, unless he goes ofl: as so many do. However, he is trained by A. Cook, and he knows what is required. The

colt is a bay, well built and furnished proportionately, and he is owned by Mr. J. Hollier, who has ra.eed many horses without possessing a really good one; apparently his turn has come at last. Both Nordie Song - and Te Hero are engaged in the Avondale Stakes, forfeits for whiek fall due this week. Much had been heard of the two-year-old Christopher Bobin colt Sir Bobin, trained at Takanini, and when paraded he revealed himself as a eompact brown or blaek colt, a ball of musele, and very perky indeed. He showed some pace early in the sprint, and was then allowed to take it easily. He, too, is forward, and on the day the impression he created was only second to that made by Te Hero. • InteTest was taken in Easter Heir, Ihe bay colt by The Buzzard from Easter Belle, and a 1 brother to that fine galloper The Buz8 zard. In this colt Mr. W. H. Maria has I another Australian-bro ^ horse that pro- ■ xnises to follow in the footsteps of his I other overseas performers in Triune, 1 Velicipede and Airam. Eastern Heir was backward, and another month's work will work wonders. Another not quite ready and who

should do well later on was Phildale, by Philamor from Lunette (dam of Erndale). There did not appear to be anything outstanding about the other youngsters paraded, and • one can reserve judgment upon them until they begin to take racing shape.