Wellington's Head-liner At Hutt Park

NZ Truth, Issue 1207, 17 January 1929, Page 11

Wellington's Head-liner At Hutt Park

AFTER THE GOLD CUP

King Pointer Has Big Chance of Heading Them

HIS GREAT IMPROVEMENT THIS SEASON

(By "The Toff")

Among the choicest plums m the light-harness basket is tne New Zealand Gold Cup of 750- soys., which will be decided at Wellington on Saturday.

ACCORDING to his past showings on the Petone course Acre should be nearer last than first, and unless Audacious is going to stage a remarkable come-back the winner probably will hail from the rear division. The most over-boomed two-miler m the race is Tom Thumb. He is very brilliant, and his people expect him to improve m stamina. Age should mend that defect m Tom Thumb's make-up, for last season he was only two furlongs shy of seeing out a two -mile journey. He had a race at Addington on January 2, where he filled third berth m a mile and a-quarter. Provided the pace over the first mile is. round about 2.18 on Saturday, Tom Thumb may take a hand m the argument at the finish. At Addington m August, Loch Moigh won a two-mile race m a conspicuous manner, his time on that occasion being 4.29 1/5. He is an improving pacer and a real stayer. Then oh the same mark is Pageant, which strolled home m. the Park Handicap at Addington on January 2. That was over two miles. The going that day suited him admirably, and should the track be soft at Petone, Pageant will go a big race. Remember, he prefers a soft, or a heavy course and the more mud the better.

Up Hawkes Bay way The Shrew is heralded as a world beater. Her win m the big two-mile event at Hamilton m 4.29 1/5 endorses the big opinion formed of her capabilities. But how is she going to beat King Pointer? He won m his usual clever style at Auckland, and if m good shape, he will go close to collecting the Gold Cup' on Saturday. ( At Auckland he beat Free Advice, where they met on level terms. Since then Free Advice has won the Summer Cup m the northern city, for which success she .has to concede 12yds. to King Pointer at Petone. On Auckland form King Pointer should finish m front of Free Advice. The most dangerous horse m the race undoubtedly will be Logan Park, and the slower the first mile is run the better he will like it. His phenomenal effort over ten furlongs at the last meeting at Wellington is still m the minds of punters. He is not a natural stayer, but he has so much speed that he should be able to dawdle over the first mile and. ahalf, and come home singing m the straight. Wet or fine, Tomklnson's bracket will be difficult to beat; It looks like: Tomkinson's elect, Hooper's elect.