TALK DAY.
OF THE By Sentinel.
THE N.Z ' CUP There- appears to be a general consensus of opinion that the handicap for the Now Zealand Cup wiil stand a fairly keen scrutiny without finding anything which lcoms out prominently as the prospective winner. The market gives further we'ght ro *h.it. idea because several horses, 'ncluding All Red, Master Soult, Sir Prize, Ballyheigh. and two or three others have been backed for a fair amount of money, and we n.re yet close on thre^ months before the field will line up for tha fray. Others again, not yet brought in to th market, ara considered to have winning chances, and will no doubt receive support if their work in the near future bears out the opinions of their pro wees formed on previous running. It is report"d that Zimmerman _is to be specially proparsd for the race (which probably means that he will b: kept in re-
eerve- for November), and if the stalwart son of Birkenihead is landed fit and well at the post he should give a good account of himself Zimmerman was a failure last season, but it must be remembered that his form as a four-year-old compares fairly well with that of All Red at the same* age. Many horses mies form for a few months through dentaJ trouble or other not very serious ailments, but come back like giants refreshed. Zimmerman was seen out in eight races during the past 12 months, but only ran into a place on two occasions. Ho was second with 9.6 to Swimming Belt in the Wellington Handicap, and occupied the same position behind Bobrikoff in the Auckland Plate. In .the last New Zealand Cup he gave Downfall 291b and Signor 231b, whilst Heorbhen, who ran second. -was in receipt of 431b. That is a fair amount of pound-age to give away, and now he meets Downfall on 221b, Heorthen on 201b, and Siignor on 221b better terni6. In the Auckland Cup he was conceding All Red 131b and Bobrikoff 71b, and now he meets that pair on 181b and 7lb better terms. Ac a four-year-old Zimmerman won the Jubilee Cup with 9.0 in lmin 41 3-sseo, the Auckland Oup wibh 8.4, the A.R.C. Handicap, one and a-half miles, with 9.3 in 2min 36 2-ssec, the Auckland Plate with 9.0 in 2min 37 4-ssec, and the. Great Autumn with 9.3 in 2min 40 3-ssec. In all these races he was running in fairly good fields, and his failures last v«ar may nqtf mean that he is yet a back numßer, whilst on top of that he has some poundage in his favour. It is to be hoped that Signor will train on amd be found fit and well at the post, as he is the only horse in the field who has proved hira^eK a genuine stayer ove-r a journey when carrying a big weight After winning the Canterbury Cup _in record time he ran second to Pendil in the Essendon Stakes, when giving away 131b. H© was third to tihe same horse in the Australian Cup, whem giving away 311b, and beater a head in the Champion Stakes in which Pendil was asrain h*is victor, but he beat a good colt in Trafalgar, who proved he was in form by previously winning tbo Loch Plate. TrafaJgar subsequently won the Sydney Cup, the A.J.C. Autumn Stakes, and the A.J.C. Plate. This form suggests that Signor i<s a trusty foe when dressed in his best. Master Soult and- Husbandman, were a pair of high-clasa three-year-oMs, and Downfall holds the honour of having won last yaar'6 race. California impressed the- writer as being a horse likely to stay, and reports speak well of his present form. The baJance o-f the field contains plenty of horses with fairly good credentials, and a liberal acceptance 6eems assured on Friday next.
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Otago Witness, Issue 2894, 1 September 1909, Page 54
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645TALK DAY. Otago Witness, Issue 2894, 1 September 1909, Page 54
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