NORTHERN COMMENT

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 49, 20 November 1937, Page 19

NORTHERN COMMENT

Our Own CorreBpondent.)

Waikato Fixture Cdncludes on Monday , FRESH HORSES ENGAGED 1

(From

AUCKLAND, - This Day. ' For tbe first time for many years Ut ieast- there will be a steeplechase on Monday.'s programme at Te Hapa, and with a fine enbry list this shouid prove quite a diverting conte§t. Last Week's Rotorua winner, Adsum, is engaged, while it is aiso understood that Xangled is coming from Awapuni to compete. Another visitor will be Sjeepy-, conqueror of a good field in the Waikato Hunt Cup last inonth. High Sea, if produced in the Frankton Hack on Monday at Te Rapa, a race for near-maidens which has been extended to seven furlongs, sliould be m demand, for he has given evidence of running 011, and this big track will be very much in his favour. His stable mate, the two-year-old Brazilian, who showed considerable promise at Avondale a month ago, may be taken tlirough to Te Rapa on Monday to coiitest the . juvenile race. . That :sensational hurdle race at Ellerslie on the opening day of the Auckland spring meeting last month, when Lady Ruler won in remarkable fashion ai'ter • sevef al horses had crashed at thetwo last obstacies, is recalled by the appearance of Sporting Bong's name among those listed for Monday' s hurdles at Te Rapa. He declined to-day's engageiiient, for the extra distance on the second day is espected to suit him much better. Sporting Song was goiug great guns at Ellerslie when he fell at the second to last fence. Incidentally Lady Ruler met her fate while schoollng at Takanini this. week. Dark Sliadow, to have been a runner in to-day's sprint on his home track, is only engaged in the Hamilton Handicap, thq big event,-one mile, 011 Monday, aiid as * he was p'laced over this distance .at Ellerslie six weeks ago he tuay be a difficul^ proposition. It was at this meeting last year that Dark Shadow succes'sfully made the grade

between hack and open Compsnyj and Te Rapa reports indicate that he is in rare condition . A mile is Kxs favourito distance, ... « • FancfiBd at a Mile. Other. newcomera in the Hamilton Handicap on Mpnday whose presence in the field will stiniulate interest. are Golden Sheila, Gay Rpse, Suieiman, Crooning and Trilliarch, all of whom shouid be eapable-at a mile, and today's running will convey some. idea of their'litnesa. Trilljarch whb runiiing on at the end of the Great • Northerh Guiiieas, and Golden Sheila, 'too, will go a good. mile, and so thia>pair, at their possible position in tho handicap, may be the favourites. However,. the field is going to be lafgcj and beginniug kbility to take advantage of the straight' run of nearly foiir furlongs • will be'essentiali One of fhe biggest helds at Te Rapa bn Monday is going to be 'in thd Waikato, Haek Cup, another mile- eontest, tor no fe'Wer than 42 have been iiominated. Twelve lnonths ago tliis " event saw Quadroon and Philemup in a desperate struggle io dead-heat, and' tho latter is. engaged. He' lias nbt gone on as well as anticipated, abd he is to 'go Under the hammer oh Monday morning. At Paeroa; last month Fhiiemup revealed encouraging form, and again at Rotorua last week he was up handy at the turn, only to weaken.- Another interesting Hack Cup contehder is going to be Marie 7s Acre, who hhs had only f our races foT a first, a secOnd ahd a fourth. A hack that shouid be suited by tho big Te Rapa track is Raihier, who may be produced in the seven furlongs hack event at Te Rapa ori Mondky. J.ie0has won his only llrst placing to date at Whangarei, als'o a left-hanclod course, and in the' intorixn he has failed consistently ' right-h^nded, even i £ ' ho did finish fairly strongly to get placed at Avondale'* recently. Rainier has the pace,. and in eonie of his earlier outings his rider .found it difficult .to keep him on right-handed tracks, Not much has been sepii of Tonnoite of iate monihs, and it is obvious that the mishap he Inet with in the HailwayHandic'ap at Ellerslie last Boxing Day has something to answerriorj for ho has not got back to his best yet. He may be eeefl out at. Te Rapa on Mohda^, when' his .mission will be the open sprint. Tonnerre had. his last race at Cambridge on Labour Day, and after revealing his old speed for most of the journcy he failed to see it outf but h® shouid „be better conditioned oh Monday with aother month 's work to bring him along. At his best the Vaals gelding is a very fine tyjie of galloper. Alsd in tho same stable is Cheval de Volee, and he may also bd("br6ught out agaiix on Monday, for he is in the haek seven. Cheval de Yoloe was rather unlucKy to be beaten by Bass at Cambridge, for he had to come from well back erft after betting to the front very near the post he succumbed to a final challenger, but he will be. a much better horse next time out.