ROTORUA FORM.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XVII, Issue 57, 18 February 1927, Page 2

ROTORUA FORM.

With the Taranaki, Dunedin and Poverty Bay meetings being got off at the same time, little attention has been paid here to the running at? Rotorua. In view of meetings io come m continuation of the South Auckland circuit the following cuttings from northern papers should be of interest. » » • One of the most consistent hacks in commission in these parts is Branson, who is trained by C. M hale at Matamata. This five-year-old bv Greyspear—Garston opened his winning account at Taumaiuuui. was in the money at . Waipa, scored again on the Taranaki circuit and won a race each dav at Rotorua. Although nothing out of the way ro look at Branson is a sturdy galloper who finishes on in very determined style. He will probably make nu next appearance at Te Aroha where he promises to give a good account of himself. e Glad Abbey, a six year old chestnut mare by Qum Abbey-Glad Eve showed some pace m her races at Rotorua. This member of J. T • 1 ut ; chen’s team promises to do better with further racing. * Ballachulish. who was returned a winner at Te Kuiti. was made favourite in each of two starts at Rotorua. bnut a third placing was the best he could do. The Kilboy—Matatune hack stays on fairly well. •> * • Serang was the medium of solid speculation in each of his starts at Rotorua but he was not equal to winning. With a more experienced rider, the Absurd—Moira Machree chestnut would have been very hard to beat. Alonsoa. one of the Catmint stock, is showing good form in her class. She beat all but Daytaro in the Hot Springs Handicap on the opening day at Rotorua. On the second day she won the Electric Handicap and finished fourth in the Ohinemutu Hack Handicap. * * w Pelham is back to form. The Thurnham —Pell gelding won the Arawa Park Handicap of seven furlongs and about 80 yards on the first day and the President’s Handicap of one mile on Monday at Rotorua. In the former event Pelham was lucky in gettinr a run on the inside at the turn for home, but on his next start, he went out well and never left the issue in doubt. He should continue to do well as he can handle a journey from live to ei"’ furlongs.

The Author, who brought off a big surprise by accountin ~ for the field in the Farewell Handicap at Rotorua, is trained at Opotiki in which territory lie is owned and has won races. The Author, who is an aged gelding by Wormwood — Royal Favourite gave the impression, when racing at Te Kuiti that his turn might not he far away.

Songbird’s half-sister Value beat some useful sprinters in the Waimangu Handicap at Rotorua. The five furlongs suited the Papei Money—Grey Linnet filly nicely ns sho ha s a useful turn of speed. She was prominent in her six furlong engagement on Monday hut eould not quite hold on and third was het position at the finish.

Kamehameha. after his running at tlie Takapuna meeting, was expected to show up at Rotorua, but, though he ran well during the middle stages, the nearest he got was a fourth and a third.

Lord Star nearly brought off a surprise in the Rotorua Cup when he came very fast in the closing stages and was onl~ a head away from Miss Vera. The Lord Multifid —Uranium gelding had been free from bleeding prior to the race, which probably accounted for his ability to display something of his true form. /

Some Lady is an improving hack. The Some Boy ll.—Sphinx mare was second at Te Kuiti and filled a similar position on Monday at Rotorua. In the latter engagement she kept that good hack. Branson, very busy and it was only over the last little piece of the six furlongs that she was conquered.

Rangatahi ran second to Branson in the Pohutu High Weight Handicap at Rotorua. When produced on the second dav in the Tarawera Handicap when Branson, the first day victor was out of the way. Rangatahi won nicely. The Monoform gelding will be in g<?od order when he commences jumping again.

Haerara. who was taken to Australia some time age and won races there, was produced for *', first time since his return at th v ? ■ torua meeting, and though he did •>.n get into the money, he looks as igh he will be more difficult to dispose of before long. The racing be had at 'Rotorua should improve him.

Spoony seemed to ease up somewhat iust before the finish of the Cup rnee at Rotorua in which event the Nassau—Cooing gqlding was third. It may have been that his pilot misjudged the finishing point, not very far from which there was n stnrtir-- barrier post. Spoons’ was started in the mile open event on Mondav, but the journey was too short for him.

New Moon has been a rather unlucky horse this season. He has started on nine occasions for two wins, three seconds rn<’ two thirds, while he has only been unplaced twice. New Moon is not very big. hut he is an honest Itit'o fellow and has run most consistently.

Air Queen returned to the winning list at Hotorua. The Flying King— Vanga mare did not have a very strong field opposed to her in the Geyser Hack Handicap. The fact that the distance was a mile caused doubts as to whether Air Queen would see it out but she answered all demands readily- On the second day Air Queen beat all but Rarangi in the Ohinemutu Hack Cup so that her form was consistent.

Miss Vera continues to race very consistently. She ran second in the Cup at Te Kuiti. It was the opinion of this writer (in the “Waikato Times”) that she would have changed positions with Day Guard if she had tackled the winner earlier on in the race than was asked of her. At Rotorua on Saturday the All Black — Jana mare again finished in resolute style and captured the principal part oi the stake. J. 'F. Tutclien has this member of his team in good fettle. At Rotorua Miss Egypt added another to this season’s list of successes when she captured the Mokoia Handicap and returned a nice urice. On Monday the Egypt—Pourparler mrrwas in third place in the Farewell Handicap. She keeps getting tier share of wins. DIVOTS, Dug by “The Delver.” First-day acceptances for Woodville are due on Monday next. Over bUO yearlings will go under the hammer at the Sydney bloodstock sales to be held at the Kandwick Easter meeting.

R. J. idcTavish is riding well just now. He steered five winners at Te Kuiti and a similar number at Rotorua, and was on. King’s Folly at Wanganui yesterday. * -r * A preliminary catalogue has been issued of the sale of Mi. W. J. Jorgensen’s horses in training that go under the hammer at Wellington on March 13. Mr. K. D. Duncan’s Paper Money -Peronilia tidy Frenzied Finance has been thrown out of work and will be sent to the stud. She won the Debutante Stakes at Wanganui in the spring, and had a couple of subsequent seconds to her credit. Something then went, wrong with her and she has not been raced since the Masterton spring meeting

Ruffles, who has been away from the racing scene for some weeks, has been entered for events at Te Aroha. • * * Seatown’s owner, Mr. J. Fredric, stated at Nev/ Plymouth that there was little amiss with the chestnut, and that later on he would be seen out again under silk. Mr. Frederic realises that a really good horse is worth looking aftff*. ♦ » #

The imported mare Glonxrum, who has been retired, started forty-seven times during her racing career. She won twenty races, was second thirteen times and third four, her stake earnings totalling £10,322.

The Lyttelton Plate, the two-year-old handicap at Riccarton to-morrow, should be an interesting event. Among the horses engaged are several promising youngsters who have not had a race yet. « « • The D.J.C. Champagne Stakes winner Jericho is enjoying a quiet time since he returned to Riccarton from Wingatui. He will have his next race on Easter Monday in the Canterbury Champagne Stakes, in which Agrion will thoroughly test his merits.

F. D. Jones has made a start to break in a couple of Mr. H. A. Knight’s yearlings whose careers are likely to arouse a good deal of interest. They are both geldings, one by Rossendale from Medley, dam of Ballymena and Limerick, and the other by Orby’s Pride from the Gluten mare Comely.

Mr. G. D. Greenwood has a good record in connection with the Middle Park Plate, which he has won on live occasions, twice with Gloaming, and one each with Emperador, Biplane and Pluto. He holds a very strong hand in to-morrow’s race, in which he has the crack two-year-old Agrion and the maiden three-year-old Autobiography. # # # Although only one actual first favourite, King’s Folly, won yesterday at Wanganui, the public did not allow any of the other dividend payers to make an extravagant return, none running into double figures. The best was that given by the hurdles winner Gold Peak, which, however, was only a few shillings better than Capitulation’s in the next race.

Capitulation is a seven'-year-old mare bv Panmure—Cease Fire that does not seem to have commenced racing until she was in her fifth year and whose only previous success in nearly two score of attempts was in a high-weight handicap at the last Manawatu summer meeting. She, however, ran a very close second to Wedding March in a like event at Trentham last month.

With a Pearce (W.R.C-) Handicap, a Metropolitan (C'.J.O.) Handicap, and then three successive West Coast Cups to her credit this season, the handicappers seem to have been some time in getting to the full galloping and staying capacity of t'Tf' four-year-old Kilbroney—Black Ada. mare Piuthair. For Wanganui yesterday Mr. Coyle, with the privi-

lege of rehandicapping her after her Taranaki success, evidently put her and Rapine on an equitable footing as she beat him by only a short head. But she seems to have had very decidedly the best of the rest of the field. We shall have to await a full description of the race before knowing where the actual merits lay between first and second, but in any ease it is very evident that in-Piu-thair Mr. R. A. McKenzie has one □f the best and most genuine of her sex that have raced tor some years in the Dominion,

Mr. J. D. Ormond’s five-year-old King Mark—Hoy gelding King’s Folly could scarcely have been expected to bo at his best at the Wellington summer meeting, as he was there having his first race after a. retirement ot nearly three years. He has evidently comb on well since then, as at Wanganui yesterday he beat a field a good hacks with three lengths to spare and in time that was only a fraction of a second longer than that put up by Civility in the open six furlong race. If an acceptor, it will be interesting to see how he shapes over the longer distance in the Okoia Hack Handicap to-morrow.

Civility yesterday fully confirmed the apparently tlatteringlaccounts of her track work that had geen coming through from Wanganui during the last week or two, lor she duly won the Flying Handicap in what 'is exceptionally last time for the race, it would therefore seem as it the view that she had lost some of her brilliancy was not very well based.

There would appear to be some confusion in telegraphic messages with regard to the placings in the race just mentioned. Both Press Association and private wires received yesterday afternoon put Benzora in second position, the P.A. dispatch giving Civility as winning by a neck, with The Hawk third, a jiead further back. Without any explanation, an overnight P.A. wire, received through the Napier morning paper, ignores Benzora and places The Hawk second a neck behind Civility, with Shirley third. From enquiry in generally well informed crcles we understand that, whatever may have happened afterwards. the second dividend was duly mid out on Benzora. Possibly during the day some explanation of the second P.A. wire may come to hand.