HANDICAPPER MUST BE PLEASED

NZ Truth, Issue 1207, 17 January 1929, Page 9

H ANDICAPPER MUST BE PLEASED

With Only Eight Dropping Out of The Wellington Cup, A Field of Twenty- three Is Left To Fight Issue

ORATRIX AND HOYLAKE ARE FANCIED

IT is true there is nothing engaged approaching the handicap calibre of the last two winners — Rapier and Star Stranger— -but there is engaged the last New Zealand Cup victor and the greatly boomed Hoylake and mid-dle-distance performers of such note. Though she failed to get nearer than eighth m the Auckland Cup and fourth m the. A.R.C. Handicap, that she was improving with racing was made evident when m the mile and a-quarter Grandstand Handicap on the final day up 'north she rushed from the absolute rear five furlongs from home to. within a head of the dead-heaters — Vertigern and Concentrate. The New Zealand Cup winner is certainly up 31bs. from that day, but provided she is kept up to solid toil from now on till Tuesday, it seems reasonable to suppose she will at least go near to keeping the family name on the records.' Her dam, Oratress, ran a deadheat with Kilmoon m the Trentham Cup of nine years back. Besides the prospects of Oratrix, her J supporters will have her bracketed companion, Concentrate, to help them. His improvement with racing at Ellerslie certainly points to the fact that his chance cannot be despised. Though Hoylake failed to run up to his boom at Ellerslie, he did finish fifth m the big Cup tip north which says something for the Metropolitan victor. ; He has been galloping well at Riccarton since going home. It may be that the going on Auckland Cup day was against him. The left-handed way round at Trentham will be more to his fancy.

It can be claimed for the Wellington Cup that it is the most popular mile and a-half handicap m the Dominion because it usually attracts the best from both Islands. Though neither of the two main place-fillers of the Auckland Cup will be- among the competitors at Trentham for the £1500 stake of Tuesday next, the team engaged should provide quite a thrilling contest.

Catkin's third m the Auckland Cup would' seem sound regarding his prospects, but his best deeds have" been on moist tracks mostly and it was that way last Boxing Day, while sixth was his best on the improved going m the A.R.C. Handicap. He would be a distinct selection if it chcinced to be soft, but on firm ground may not appeal to the same extent. Vertigern was well out of it m the mil® and a-half up north, but

his dead-heat with Concentrate next day gives him some show. Talisker's Auckland Cup placing was sixth, but he was near enough at the Wellington Cup distance not to be discarded entirely. Rapine, the last to win our Cup as a three-year-old, would make the others look cheap m his best form of other days, but such is hard to expect of him. Count Cavour was allowed to drop out m favor of his stable-companion, Amor, which has had sufficient racing 'iniiiiiiniiiHiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiuiiiiiiiiniiiiiiinn

to help him to stay on a reasonable journey. The son of Archery was started on each of the four days at Ellerslie m the hack class, always at the top of the handicaps. He registered one second, two thirds, and one fourth, and struck onlookers as a possibility for the future. Battle Colours does not always race up to expectations, but is a recent winner down south. Papatu has . been disappointing, but Wiggins has been reinstated on him, and this jock, has always got the best from Paul's charge. Pink Note, Set Sail and Joy Bird, second, third and fourth respectively to the mighty Star Stranger last year, all know the track and will be m the picture for sure. Royal Saxon may be one lightweight with distinct possibilities, as his Invercargill Cup victory foretells. . It has happened before that the Manawatu Cup winner has come on to victory at Trentham, and- thus Star Area will have supporters even m the improved class. The holiday victory of Historic will cause him to be considered among the hopefuls. White Fang's pace will make matters merry for a long way, while Yoma always is a possibility. Blimp, Teri and Rotor are all winners, but they do not appeal m a race of this class. - If Oratrix is kept right up to fast work till the day, it niay be. that three m the picture crossing the line will be: MURPHY'S BRACKET, - HOYLAKE.