PUBLIC WERE SHOWN LITTLE

NZ Truth, Issue 1237, 15 August 1929, Page 13

PUBLIC WERE SHOWN LITTLE

First D^Ev^tD^ Any JNew light ABERFELDY ONLY ONE TO SHOW PROMISE (From "N.Z. Truths Special CHristcliurch Representative). As a Grand National Hurdles trial, the Junipers' Flat, run at Riccarton on Tuesday, was; a disappointment, for of eiglit National Hurdles candidates only one, Aberfeldy, finished m the: money.

' •■.•-! •"■ ■•■ ■.■-:;' -■ ■ THE public went for Novar, Overhaul 1 and Horomea, mainly because of their proved performances oh the flat, but none of them looked like being, m the money. •: Aberfeldy gave trouble' at the post and was brought up Inside the starter? s cage. This gave 'him the best of- the start, and he ,got out and dodged the interference . which took place m the. rush for. positions. Those to suffer were Overhaul, P«rlo de Leon, Horomea and Lancer, while Novar, beginning from the outside, had to cover a good deal of extra ground. •Alf. Wright's pony; Fine Acre, almost made an exhibition' of the. field, and made them all carry their weight. Going down the ;back. he was' six lengths out from Horomea, which made .up a good deal of ground, while Troilus, Overhaul and Aberfeldy also improved their positions... •■•/.,■_ : : The pace, however, was too; good for all; but Aberfeldy and. he wore down the i Foxton horse; m the run home, •winning impressively" m 2.39, good 'time for .jumpers, considering that . they •were getting no assistance from tho track.- "v. ■■:'• Brightling, a moderate southerner, lost a good position across the top; but came again into third place, beating Horomea, . ' ■„.".,, Overhaul, the ruling favorite for theVNational Hurdles, went a -.good race for ten ; furlongs, but was. done with at the head of the straight. Alter getting the w,orst of the start he made up a goToSi ojeal .of ground .quickly, and this took its count when a little extra pace was required at ■-.the business end. However, .he looks an improved horse 1 since Tre'ntham, and he ; cannot be . discounted for his moderate showing, as he carried top, weight. Aberfeldy's. latest form was his third to .Town Bank and Waterlow m the Mayfipld ( Handicap .at Ashburton, when he ran a- solid ten furlongs, arid his win/ on.' Tuesday will gain him a lot of friends for the National Hurdles. ' '.' '■ •'■'■■ \*' - ■ *.': His inconsistency,' however; will tell against him, for he is notorious for letting -his people.. down when he is expepted to*do hia best. Were he to reproduce' Tuesday's form on Thursday he' would have to be taken into consideration. ,. , V ,.'. .... . •'■ Locarno' 'and; Novar were never near -the leading, division. "Alan .McDonald on LiocarnOj;; grot on -to the - heels of

something going out of the straight and-never picked up the ground he lost. Bert Ellis did not seem to 'be having a very enjoyable ride oh Novar, which was disinclined to do his best. Another piece of Interference occurred down the back stretch, near the six furlong post, where Lancer got it accidentally from Horomea and Overhaul, and had not pace to go on with it. ..._ ■.■■.' / ■; . ' ■ ._.'■ ; In his recent outings, Lancer has proved as tough a proposition as there is m the South Island, but- early, the pace had taken a good deal out of him and he finished well back m ninth place." ,■'■"■ '. - ; Atai'eriai which is not engaged m the National Hurdles, was probably worse served by the interference at the, start

and lived up to his reputation of being very ungenerous. With his customary laziness Perle de Leon was slow to settle down. - He made up a good bit of ground over the last half-mile, and was doing fairly : well at the finish. Recent schooling has brought. Horpmea into favor for the Hurdles and next to Aberfeldy she put up the best performance, of National candidates m Tuesday's race. She had to cover a good deal of extra grourid, and, though well back, fourth, she was finishing be§t of .the defeated division. '■ ; : [ .' „ Fine Acre, looks a good thing to win a hur.dle race before ithe meeting' closes as he stayed • "out every inch of the twelve furlongs at a surprisingly good pace for a'jumper.