AUCKLAND TOPICS.

Otago Witness, Issue 4029, 2 June 1931, Page 55

AUCKLAND TOPICS.

By Digger. Since his arrival at Ellerslie, Carinthea has greatly pleased the track watchers, his display over four - hurdles on Tuesday being a very good one, and he is now'a good fancy for the hurdles, although the fact that he baulked when tried over the country has caused his stock to slump in connection with the steeplechase. Perle de Leon has reached the scene of action in good condition. He does not seem to possess his former speed, but he is a good stayer that should run well in both Northerns, and as he has previously shown that he can jump the Ellerslie country, he might be'particularly danger- ■ ous in the steeplechase. Apache won well on the second day at Te Kuiti, and he raced like a stayer. He will need to show a little improvement in his jumping to succeed at Ellerslie, but he. has all the other requirements of a Great Northern winner. The sprinter Puriri Park met with an injury during the week, but he is very forward in condition, and his trainer ex- • pects to have him right on June 3. If he runs up to his track form he will get a shake at the meeting. Havering forcibly demonstrated at the Te Kuiti meeting that he can travel 10 furlongs really well and also that he is at the top o fhis form. Strangely enough he was allowed to drop out of the Cornwall Handicap, but he will be a very solid fancy in the big handicaps on later days of the Ellerslie meeting. The crack two-year-olds Ammon Ra and Bronze Eagle have both resumed work at Takanini. They are a picture of good health, and both are likely to be prepared for an Australian spring campaign. No hack at Ellerslie has worked more consistently well than Catoma, who has held his own in most of his work with the Cornwall candidate Taneriri. Catoma is at his best in heavy ground, and if he fails to win during the week track watchers will be greatly Gay Tap continues to add to his winning record. At Te Awamutu he ran away with a hack race and left the impression that he is well above the ordinary. All going well with Taneriri, H. Rama will start that horse in the Cornwall and Manawhenua in the Members’ Handicap. Both, have worked in excellent fashion, and Taneriri seems to be improving with every gallop. Among the novice ’chasers none has been schooling better than Dark Prince, who opened his winning account at Paeroa. He is now a better conditioned horse than at that time, and he has the advantage of having frequently schooled over the local country. Little class is represented in hunters’ events at Ellerslie, and on the .Te Rapa form of Te Homai Cook’s charge should be very hard to beat in events for this class at Ellerslie. King Ford won easily on both days at Te Awamutu. He is a very brilliant hack, but it is questionable if he is a stayer. He will have the best support at Ellerslie, where competition in his class will be very keen. Lucess is reported quite fit at Cambridge. He has always looked like a good horse, and is expected to make a bold bid in both Northerns. He has yet to prove himself a real stayer, but he has done really -well this season, and should develop into a really first-class steeplechaser. Since his brilliant school over the Ellerslie country Claremore has come into favour for the Great Northerns, and if his final work is equally good he will be one of the favourites for each leg of the double. He is bred to stay, and has already shown himself a good hurdler. That good mudlark Gold Money continues to do her work pleasingly, and she is in demand for handicaps at the June meeting. She seems to be losing a little of her initial brilliancy and may in future shine over longer journeys than six furlongs. The speedy Hard Words, who has been sore during the autumn, has proved untrainable for the present, and he has been turned out.