ELLERSLIE RACES

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 75, 21 December 1937, Page 15

ELLERSLIE RACES

"The

• Barb.")

Cup and Railway a Puzzling Double FORM REVIEWED

(By

The two handicaps carrying for timi? respective distances the biggest stakes in New Zealand, the Auckland Cup and Railway, year after year attract great attention throughout the Dominion. Both events will be contested by go-Jrt fields and both bear an open appearance. Hawke's Bay stables have in tba past played a prominent part in both. but this season Padishah is the sole ro presentative in the Cup^ while Bou Braggie, Black Thread and Joviality, though, of course, possessing chancos. do not read a strong team.

Auckland Cup. Wild Chase and Argentic koad the acceptance list. Last season the former proved (jasily the best of our three year-olds, winning up to a mile and three-quarters, but even then he was by many critics not accepted as a true stayer. In the New Zealand Cup, with two lbs. more to carry than at Ellcr* lie, he ran a creditable second, .but in the Canterbury Cup, after threatening danger, weakened at the finish. Thatl he is a horse of class and very fit 'ajs readily admitted, but on the Ellerslie course t'wo miles may prove a biggev test of stamina than at Riccarton;! Anyhow, Sir Charles Clifford's fotr-r year-old horse must be given a fcr ward place in any summing up. Argentic, on the 8.11 mark, was uasuccessful under the same weight l»t the New Zenland Cup, but with 21b. more won the Metropolitan in convincmg manner. In the New Zealand Cup he was not favoured with the best of passages and in a field that was nol over-strong in staying material was seen finishing strongly in fifth position. Last season he ran second tu Cuddle in the Auckland Cup. He ceitainly reads dangerous.

Wotan is a Melbourne Cup winner, but since that big purprise has beei. disappointing to his owners and trainer. Not having won a race since and having won little of moment before he has not much to recommend him, though he has shown himself on thp one occasion to be a genuine stayer. Next on the list is Cerne Abbas, a . taue stayer if there ever was one. Last season her chief wins were attained in the Great Northern Oaks and St. Leger this year the first day of the C.J.C. meeting she outstaying the opposition in the New Zealand Cup and then tn the Metropolitan with 8.8, finishod strongly in third place behind Argentic and Cuddle. She now has but 51b. more than she carried successfully in the New Zealand Cup, and being a big mare, 8.1 reads well within her ability." It is also in her favour that she has proved herself able tq handle the Ellerslie right-handed course. She should go close to repeating the success ofScion, Fast Passage and Cuddle ln the "two Cups" double. Friesland was fonrth in the New Zealand Cup with 8.3, 51bs. more than he is now set to carry. In the big November event Silver Streak, a non-stay-er, was third, and at the finish outstaythe Taranaki entry. The second day at Riccarton Friesland won well the 10-furlongs Fendalton Handicap but this Friarsdale gelding has yet to provo his qualifications over sixteen. Jonathan has some splendid achievements to his credit and also this season has shown a return to form. Still, he has not shown the stamina one would like for a potential Auckland Cup winner. Last season under an extra 81bs. he finished well back. Mazir has won plenty of handicaps but not one as far as 12 furlongs. By a Lemberg horse from a Chief Ruler mare does not suggest wiat he canno» run out a solid two miles. But the fact remains that, except a fourth placing in the same event last December, hehas no credentials to help that conclasion. Knight of Australia now in his 10th year has won up to 12 furlongs and his breeding points to him being a stayer. A horse of his age has not yet won an Auckland Cup, but that is not to say that one never will. The son of Windbag reads dangerous on the 7.2 t mark. J Kelly won the G.N. St. Leger in the i Autumn of 1935, but since then has been disappointing. A free galloper and a hard puller, two miles may prove too far, despite his being a son of the stoutly bred Kilbroney. Fersen, a New Zealand Cup winner, but with subsequent performances that do not read encouraging, having won over the distanpe, may, however, tend to gain him some support. Gay Rose, , another of the seven-stone division, has a habit of popping up over various dis tances, but she has never been tried oyer two miles. On a course that is easy she might cause a surprise. Padisliah, the half-brother, by ChieJ Ruler, to Cuddle, winner of two Auck land Cups, has won up to 10 furlongs His form this season has been disappointing, and previous to that he was but a moderate Raepata has not the form to suggest a win here, but Shy, al'ter his brilliant finish to win over 11 furlongs in Wellington last October reads a possibility. Sinking Fund, . like anything else. might win, but cannot be recominendcd while The Buzzer's light weight is his chief recommendation, and he niiglit upset calculations by getting away with a big lead and stealing a march on th field. Speeulators will probably be infln onced by proved or indicated stayinv power, eo the favouirtes may h CERNE ABBAS, ARGENTIC, WTT.H CHASE or KNTGTIT OF AUSTRALIA The Railway Handicap. Paper Slipper, though one of thc best , of New Zealand 's sprinters has nnt

been set an easy task with 9.8. The last day at Riccarton, with 8.12, he easily won the Mombers, but a rise of lOlbs. looks like an extreme penalty for that success. However, when right, this brilliant Paper Money horse is not without prospeets even under this load. Golden Sheila has started only three times this season for two firsts and a second. She won at Auckland in the spring with 7.12 and then at Waikato meeting with 8.10, she came on the outside at the finish to win easily, so that on the 8.11 mark must now appeal. Ben Braggie failed at Riccarton twic^ but with a reduction in weight he may do better, though those two defeats have lost him many admirers who class" ed him in the first grade of sprinters. Peter Beckford at 8.6 has his full share of weight and, on Waikato form Golden Sheila should hold him safe.

The three-year-old Trilliarch has done fairly well this season, but has as yet failed to make the grade among the best. The 1935-36 season saw Rereatu one of New Zealand 's best sprinters, but of late he has not shown within 141bs. of that form. Royal Bachelor surprised by winning the Flying Handicap at Avondale, in the early spring with 7.2, but in a field nowhere near as strong as this, in^which he has been set to carry 7.10. Oratory has not shaped like a sprinter of class this season. She was beaten into second place at Hastings in a weak field, and the other day at Woodville went down to the mediocre Mata Hari. This mare might win, but her late form points to her having lost her brilliancy. Taking a line through Paper Slipper, Black Thread will have to be considered, as he ran second to that horse in the C.J.C. Members' Handicap and now meets him oa 121bs. better terms. Tray Bit possesses an abundance of speed and, should the track be on the soft Side, will have a good chance of making amends for last season 's Railway disappointment.

Lornacre .has not, in open company, run up to form expected, so needs to have improved to be given a "winning chance. Joviality has been most consistent this season, though he has failed aaiong the best sprinters. On a heavy track "As chance would be enhanced. Palustre must enter the argument, as in her nine starts this season she has been out of the money but once. Orate, though not recommended, cannot be altogether disregarded. Bachelor King was above the average last season as a two-year-old, and has two open flying events to his credit this season, so, on the minimum, looks a likely sort. Anion goes fast, but has hardly come up to expectations, still cannot be entirely counted out. Farland proved a good hack, anl in open company has alr^ady shaped well enough to suggest that a first-class race may come his way. Galilee in the Railway last year ; had 8.11, now she has the minimum — j and that's the official handicapper 's j opinion of her. Marie 's Acre is a ! speedy hack, but atf yet without form i suggestive of a Railway handicap winner. Stretto two seasons' back was a very brilliant two-year-old .but, barring an easy win at Te Awamutu last Saturday, has not shown anything approaching tEkt form since the summer of 1935. There will be wide differences of | opinion regarding this race, but form i may influence backers towards GOL- ! DEN SHEILA, BACHELOR KING, PAPER SLIPPER and BLACK THREAD.