NEW ZEALAND CUP TO-MORROW AT

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 36, 5 November 1937, Page 15

NEW ZEALAND CUP TO-MORROW AT

(Special — From "Early Bird.")

CHRISTCHURCH CLASS IN BIG RACE Cerne Abbas or Queen of Song FIELDS REVIEWED.

Once again New Zealand Cup time is at hand, and after the very exciting contest for this week's Melbourne Cup the Cup spirit should be highly developed. The Canterbury Jockey Club spring meeting opens at Riccarton tomorrow, and will be continued on the following Monday, Wednesday and Saturday. The course will be very fast unlpss rain eomes, and the all-electric totalisator (including indicator) will be run under the win and place system. Tomorrow 's big events are the New Zealand Cup, Stewards ' Handicap, and Welcome Stakes, while the Derby is run on Monday, the Oaks and the Canterbury Gupi on Wednesday and Metro.politan Handicap on the final day. It is conceded that the class in-the New Zealand Cup to-morrow is not perhaps up to the best standard^ although infinitely better than last year's field. Wild Chase, last season'a best three-year-old after Gallio jetired from the scene, heads the list and with a pound under weight-for-age he is set a very severe task. A few that should get the distance are Argentic, Queen of Song, Friesland, Lowenberg, Hunting Cat, Cerne Abbas*,' Uazoor, Small Boy^ Sunee, Boomerang and Might. Argentic hus been placed at two miles, and Queen of Song was fourth in last year's Melbourne Cup. This pair, together with Cerne Abbae, Hunting Cat, Small Boy and Sunee, appeal most, but the final decisi.on goes in favour of Cerne Abbas. Reduced Field. The Stewards' Handicap looks like being the s'mallest field for years. Of Jhe dozen left in Ben Braggie, Oratory, Alma, Laughing Lass, Brunhilde and Gold Boa are much fancied. It is po3Bible that weight of South Island money will cause Alma io. go out favourite aud there is no doubt that she is a •brilliant sprinter. Ben Braggie has a good horse's weight now and he 'will be well tried out, but Oratory is up to her weight. To sum up the Stewards' Handicap the issue is narrowed down as boing between Oratory and Ben Braggie. A very fine field is that engaged in the Welcome Stakes and there semes no reason to' go past the Wellesley Stakes winner Gay Son, who is ' good. Taurangi, Protector, Compensate, Ortyx and Raeburn are some that may keep him, going all the way. It Is not often that such au outstandirrg proposition is offered at a.big metropolitan as The Bigot in the Spring Plate, for the" special scale of weights' brings the- whole field close to him; in fact on the-figures he is quite a stone hnd a-half better off, so what is to head him at the finishf John Charles (Hurdles), Cocksure or Moonraker (Linwood Handicap), Parquet ( Apprentices Handicap), ^ and Stnoke Screen "(Riccarton Handicap)

should go well in ihe other raCes tomorrow. The Riccarton Handicap can generally be won by a* three-year-old and is a useful guide to the Derby run on the second day, Monday. The Classics. The Derby on Monday ought to soe ltoyal Chief agaiu in the ascendant over Smoke Screen and The Crooner, unless the latter, who looks a stayOr, has improved cnnsiderably since " Trentham. In the raiddle distance handicap on the same day Enge should race prominently. On Wednesday Brunhilde will' be difficult to head og in the Oaks, and Royal Chief will again be there in the Canterbury- Cup the" same afternoon, unless a Dorby surprise suggests otherwiso'. The following should show up in their engageme'nts to-morrow: — SPRING BEUSH HURDLES: John Charles, Red Sun, Solwit. SPRING PLATE: The Bigot, Nightdress, Lickein. LINWOOD HANDICAP: Cocksure or Moonraker, Lady Montana, Miracle. NEW ZEALAND CTJP: Cerne Abbas, Queen of Songj Sniall Boy. WELCOME STAKES: Gay Son, Taurangi, Protector* APPRENTICES' HANDICAP: Par- ' quet, Owlsgleam, Lickom. STEWARDS' HANDICAP; Ben Braggie, Oratory, Alma. - RICCARTON HANDICAP: Smoke Screen, Pukeko, Big Dook.