Winners Are Well Hidden at Ellerslie

Manawatu Times, Volume 64, Issue 304, 26 December 1939, Page 5

Winners Are Well Hidden at Ellerslie

Catalogue Will Represent Awapuni in the Auckland Cup

Betting Will Be Win-and-Place

The Auckland summer meeting will open at Ellerslie to-day and it will be continued on Thursday and Monday and Tuesday of next week. The principal events on to-day’s programme are the Auckland Cup, the Great Northern Foal Stakes, and the Railway Handicap in which Disdain will represent Awapuni. The Great Northern Derby is run on the third day of the meeting. The betting at Ellerslie will be win-and-place.

There are 17 carded in the Auckland Cup field and although the race does not appear to be as open as the Manawatu Cup there is always the chance that one cf the unlikely candidates will upset all calculations. Last year it was Cheval de Volee which surprised and he is again an accepter. Catalogue is Awapuni's sole representative and ho will be entrusted with the support of this centre. Though he has not long been back from Australia, he is in tip-top racing condition. It is claimed he was making a winning run when interfered with in the Melbourne Cup and it would seem that his Williamson Cup jockey did not realise how good was the horse be was ri<i»ng. The fact that Catalogue lias gone up for the Cup can be taken t > mean that his connections are satisfied that his condition is right and that be must have a chance. Golden Sheila, u brilliant performer over middle distances this season, ricked herself at Te - Awamutu. King Key was third to Gladynev and Balinavar in the To Awajnutu Cup and the race should have improved him. He is by Baceful, by Martian from Bose Bed, by Stepniak from Madder, tho dam of All Bed, who won too Auckland Cup twice in succession. Rose Red was a full sister to All Bed. His dam, Rilmar, is by Marble Arch, the siro of the dams of previous Auckland Cup winner* —Te Kara and Cheval de Volee. Therefore King Key lacks nothing on the score of breeding so far as staying is concerned. Sly Fox ran a fair race in the Te Awamutu Cup, but tw> miles might find him out. Llangollen struck herself while training recently, but it was anticipated she would fulfil her Cup engagement. Fit and well, s’ao will have a host of friends. Koyevrus won the Mitchelson Cup last October and Balinavar'has been consistently in the money. Dictate was third in this Cup last year and h« was third in this year’s New Zealand Cup. He is reported to be well and The Cardinal, though well beaten in the Mitchelson Cup, ran a creditable fourth in the Te Awamutn Cup. Bonstar will be bracketed with Koyevrus and Fils de Vaals, with Cheval de Volee. Scotland, third to Cuddle and Argentic in the 1936 Cup, appeals most of the lightweights. Four that will te in demand appear to be Catalogue, King Key, Dictate and The Cardinal. There is a big field for the Bailway Haidicap. Suleiman, the topweight, did not impress at Te Awamutu. Orate and Paper Slipper can travel and so can Amigo, who has been galloping well at Wanganui. Disdain won this race last year and her recent galloping at Awapuni pointed to her being just about up to concert pitch. Our Jean and Bronwen are recent winners and Orelio, second to Beaulivre in the G.N. Guineas, will be bracketed. There is plenty of recent form in the lower half of the handicap but the favoured division is likely to include Disdain, Our Jean and the Orelio-Arvakur bracket.