CAN BE PASSED OVER

NZ Truth, Issue 1150, 15 December 1927, Page 11

CAN BE PASSED OVER

Two Gup Gandidates and Their Woodville Form

(From "N.Z. Truth's" Special Auckland Representative.)

-.. -■ Woodvttle spring form, so far as it concerns handicap horses with important engagements ahead*jj is usually looked for to, provide some guide, f ; i

AS a direct guide of Jate Years it has, however, proved a trap pure and simple. ' . -;■ In advancing for this argument, "N.Z; Truth" quotes the cases of Te Monanui in 1925 and Tanadees ; in 1926. . Both these' horses ; failed to reach eveiv minor placings in the Woodville Handicap in the years mentioned, yet Te Monanui goes straight on to the Ellerslie fixture, ran third in the Auck-' land Cup, and later on at the meeting captured the Racing Club Handicap, of one mile and a-half. As > for Tanadees, after registering his unplaced performance at Woodville, he did 'even better than Te Monanui; He came straight up from "Woodville and won the Auckland Cup. by. three -lengths from Count Cavour, with Te Monanui third. .■ :• Therefore it may prove unwise 'to; entirely dismiss for future consideration the prospects of both Grand Knight rind Bennanee, simply because that pair failed to show up .last week; In Grand Knight's case, he was saddled with, more poundage in the Woodville Handicap than either Te Monanui or Tanadees in their years. / Then the fact that he has won over

a mile and a-half with' 9.4 in 2.31 4/5 the Great Autumn of 1926—must claim him some consideration if he goes' to ' the post for the Auckland Cup with ,8;o. He certainly gave no real indication at Woodville that he was worthy of ' Auckland Cup consideration, but, as pointed out,' not be the first ' to make,wonderful improvement from Wooayille: "to. .Ellerslie.i As ;for 'BennaneeV-hiS'/<jQthard Memorial: form, of' last : week : hardly compared with his: prominent .'displays at the? Hew Zealand Cup fixture. It;must be pointedV;Out, however, that he .struck spme,;c'q : on the; "journey owing to being "ridden in - " behind, and getting mixed\up with the field.. :._ /; . .'.;...; . '. ; ; -i ' Perhaps it will be best to cut out Woodville.form;''ialtogeiher v when.assessing the future prospects of Grand Knight and Bennanee. : ' ' ' They will have less poundage in future handicaps and .may be caught in better mood than last ' week. There is not the slightest suggestion that either of the horse's mentioned were not doing their best at Wooidville. It is quite possible they were hot , caught, at .their real beat. , n