Good Fields for Popular Ashhurst Meeting To-day

Manawatu Times, Volume 62, Issue 18, 22 January 1937, Page 4

Good Fields for Popular Ashhurst Meeting To-day

Holiday Fixture Will Attract Wide-spread Interest Belting System is Single-pool The Ashhurat-Pohangiiia Racing Club's popular annual meeting will be held on the Ashhurst racecourse to-day, and if the weather remains fint, as it is at time of writing, there should he a wonderfully gopd attendance. The course is in perfect order and with fine fields accepted patrons are assured of an interesting day’s racing. The first event is timed to start at noon and the betting, with the dividend indicator, will be conducted under the single pool system.

The Hurdles lias drawn a field of ; eight and two of them, Taura Lad and Rioghail are bracketed. The top-weight is Blue Tiger, whose recent form suggests that he will be one of the popular picks to-day. Midacre, County Willonyx and Rioghail are others with a claim TS respect, for Midacre was second to Beau Gall ante at Otaki, and Count Willonyx and Rioghail both ran well at Marton. To reduce it to three, the public may go most solidly for Blue Tiger, Count Willonyx and Midacre. The second on the programme is the Pohangina Handicap, the open sprint, and the acceptors number seven. Royal Secret won at the New Plymouth Christmas meeting and 9.0 should not stop her as she has proved herself a weight-carrier. Land Tax and Lavina are in receipt of 151bs. from Royal Secret, and they are likely to make good showings to-day. The same applies to Notium, who won at New Plymouth less than a month ago. Hunting Lodge and Bodyline look well and it would not surprise Awapuni track watchers if they finished with the first bunch home. Porotiti is another that has indicated an. early return to form. The issue is very open and a good price should be available about anything. The favourites may be Royal Secret, Lavina, Notiuin. The Ivomako Hack, over six furlongs, is next in order on the card and it has attracted a field of nine. Lifeguard has pride of place with 9.0 and he must be given a show after his form at Marton where he won with 8.5 and was beaten into second place- by Lady Ina wflen carrying '9.35. Reipar, First Chapter, Royal Minstrel, Royal Record and Lady Cheval are without recent placed performances, but Mister Quex and Diamond Cutter are recent winners, while Mohua has been in the money. There is material for a good race and tTireo likely to be in demand are Lifeguard, Mohua and Diamond Cutter. There are ten acceptors for the Ashhurst Cup and a close and excittfng finish is indicated. Grand Jury, winner of a Wellington Cup and winner of the Ashhurst Cup iu 1932, is top-weight and in view of his win at Feilding and placed performances at Awapuni and Marton, he will have plenty of friends to-day. Orac, from Frankton Junction, has been given 8.9, and his recent performances suggest that he will have to be considered to-day. He was said to have been unlucky at Tauherenikau. Full Throttle won at Awapuni and at Tauherenikau and he looks as if he is all the better for his recent racing. Master Cyklon beat a weak field at Hastings and Davisfcock showed a return to form at New Plymouth. Round Score has been working well and he looks well, also Pango, who won the Christinas Handicap at Awapuni, the hurdles at Marton. His recent form has been consistently good and he will bo well fancied to-day. Ingenuity appears the likeliest of the others. Three that will be well backed are Grand Jury, Pango and Orac.

Following the Cup will be run the Novice Stakes for which there are 12 carded. Among those that have shown ability to gallop are Trimden, Mabaanui, Gironde, Silent Acre, Wee Lap, Ruenzori and Grolden Enterprise and the favourites may be Mahaanui, Golden Enterprise, Gironde. Another splendid field has been carded for the Manawatu Gorge Hack Cup and the betting will be well spread. Master Cyklon claims a prior engagement in .the Cup, but may be reserved for this race. Red Sand was second to Clessamor, the daughter of Cleasanta, at New Plymouth, and he should be all the better for his holiday racing. Lucullus Lad and Waipiro are recent winners, though both ran disappointingly at Awapuni. Galshot’s recent form has been good, also that of Hamarin and Cloudy Bay, while Maestro, if he is on hand, will have plenty of admirers for he was second to Lady Ina in the Trentham Highweight. Acron may make most appeal of the others. The issue is open but solid support seems assured for Maestro, Hamarin and Gaisfion. There are a dozen horses carded for the Siberia Hack, the 5-furlong flutter, and the punters are offered a wide choice. First Chapter, Mister Quex, Royal Record, Golden Enterprise and Wee Lap have prior engagements. Of the newcomers, Eagle ’s Eye, Tycoon and Helios have been in the money recently. The best backed horses may be Mister Quex, Tycoon, Eagle’s Eye. The programme will be conceded with the Raumai Handicap, an open event over seven furlongs and eight of the eleven horses carded are accepted for races earlier in the day. Among the newcomers are Mustang and Brazen King, both of whom have good recent form. The field is likely to be reduced a bit by starting time, but among fhose which will find favour are Orac, Mustang and. Brazen King.

THE ACCEPTANCES.

12.0HACK HURDLES of _ £ 100; li miles. Midaere .3 13 Miss Willonyx 9 S Kitty'' Quinn* | 0 12.40POHANGINA HANDICAP (open), of Royal Secret 9 0 Hunting Lavina 7 13 JPorotiti 7 7 1.206 furlongs. Reipar 8 5 Royal Record 7 7 Royal Minstrel 7 10 7 7 2.0li miles. Orac 8 9 Pango 7 13 Master Cyklon 8 4 Ingenuity 7 9 2.45NOVICE STAKES, of_£100; 6 furlongs. Puroto 8 7 Golden Mahaanui 8 7 Scooter 8 7 Gironde Silent Acre 8 7 8 7 Peach. King fl2 S.30£170; 8& furlongs. Red Sand_ _ S 9 Cloudy JBay 7 8 Waipiro 8 6 Laconic 7 7 Reipar 8 i Aoron 7 7 4.155 furlongs. Eagle’s J3ye 8 2 Golden Royal Record 7 9 I-Ielios^ 7 7 All Spirit 7 8 Golden Sheen 7 7 5.07 furlongs. Mustang 8 4 Hunting Lodge 7 13 Brazen King 7 12 Calshot 7 7 Sanguine King 8 2