MANAWATU DOUBLE

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 73, 18 December 1937, Page 19

MANAWATU DOUBLE

Tiger Gciiii and Laughing Lass Favourites FORM REVIEWED (Spccial to Herald-Tribunc.) WELLINGTON, Last Niglit. Ainong tke early faneiea for tne Manawatu Cup to be ruii at Awapuni on Monday week is tlie Hawlte's Bay r6presentative Tiger Gain, wiio succeeded in the event in 1933. A big problem always at the Manawatu meeting on Boxing Day, is the difficulty in obtaining experienced riders, due to most of the leading members of the profession taking Jart at Ellerslie. For that reason free goers like Tiger Gain, who is not a difiicult horse to ride, are usually in demand for a race like the Manawdtu Cup. More' over the course favours horses whieh may not be true stayers. When Tiger Gain stalled off the brllliant challenge of Brazen Iving in the Manchester Handicap at Feilding, he fought out the firial furlong much mote eolidly than he usually does. It is hts usual custom to run himself right oui to the end of his races and have little lef t for the finish, but at Feilding the reverse was the case. Catalogue will have to depehd tipon his class in the Cup, for he has no forni at a mile and a-half to aeslst him. Moreover, one canhot get away froni the brilliance of his win in the Joekey Club Handicap at Riccarton. The distance of that race was only a mile, but Catalogue won it so impressiveiy that tio inust be kept on side in any event he coiitests. A Sonnd. Stayer. Master Brierly is a sound stayer, biit usually drifts in the early part of his races tihd the Straight at Awapuni is hki-dly long ehough for a horse of kib type to make fuli use of his etamina. f'or all that he i? not badly weighted at S.1U. King Key has shown no forni so far this season, but he has been working well and if iavoured with o. soft frtick he probably would make his prfesence felt. Hazoor is a horse likely to run well. He is better than his Otaki form would suggest. Lowenberg has been working well in company ivith FrieSland at Ha trera,. and whatever the latter does at Waipa to-mdrrow a line can be takou tkiough him as to Lowenberg 's Maaaitatu chanccs. , Gay Boy is racihg into forin. He is anbther free goef who ivill most likely adopt the^role of paceinaker in which case it will improve the prospects of Tiger Gain;" if he is able to hop out and trail the Awapuni horse. But if Gay Hoy is faneied, there miist be support also for Gay Hunter, whose defeat of Gay Boy at Otaki was tho result of a sustained elfort from tkti three furlongs post to the judge. In the lightly-weighted division 'r&t, Bigot would be . the best prospect providing a suitable rider can be seeured at the weight. He is not an easy horse to ride. Brazen King failed miserably at Otaki after & very good elfort at Feilding, and it would be unwisw Write him oll for oue defeat. He is a sound stayer. Soho aild Terry are othci lightweight prospects^ particularly Soho, who raced well on the ctiilcliiding day at Woodville, Godd Class Sprinters. The Fitzherbert Handicap, the second leg of the Manawatu double, coutains a mimber of class sprinters. Ben Braggie,- at latest advice is to tace at Auckland which leaves impasto tcp weight. The High Art gelding na* shown no fCCent forin, but Aucklanders speak hopefully of his chai^ces. Hebham has done notbing of note sfnce winning at Wanganui at tne beginning of tho season. His track work of late encouraggs the belief that ne about to return to form and if he etriltes his best at Awapuni he wOiiid be the pick of the handicap with 8.6. Joviality was a little sore at Woodville, but the easy conditions ruling since the rain should enable him tc:> rocover qnickJy. Laughing Lass has worked well at Awapilni with Oratory during the past few weeks and sho is likely to be the favOurite on thg day. Pakanui and Mata Hari are both in forrii, and Lady Ina is ereating a good impression with her appearanco and her work at Awapuni. 'Mata Hari is also engaged at Waipukurau. Ifc was a brilliant pieee of riding on W. J. Brougnton's part which enabled her to defcat Oratory a*t Woodville, and sbo may not ettjoy stieli dn advahtagd on Boxing Day. Haughty Winner is expected by southern critics to regain touch with his form on his North Island trip. He has not won since he succeedod in the Dunedin Guineas in the early spring. iViidflower is likely to compete in the nine furlong race in proference to the six. Tiger Gain and Master Brierly in the Cup, and Laughing Lass, Debham and Lady Ina in the Fitzherbert, are the ruling fancies for the Manawatu double at present.