RACING NOTES AND FORM PROSPECTS

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 65, 7 November 1931, Page 6

RACING NOTES AND FORM PROSPECTS

Specially written for the "Post" , hy "The Judge." j To-day's big race, the New Zealand Cup, has lost a lot of its former glory, especially in the eyes of northerners, although no doubt to South Island people it is very nearly the same as ever. The stake is down to a bare four-figure dimension, a sign of the times. There are sixteen left in the two-mile contest, and only five I hail from the North Island. Taken all round, it is a poor field, and that very fact indicates that the topweight, Gay Crest, is not going to experience I a good deal of solid opposition. I However, when one remembers Gay Crest's performance in the Auckland I Qup, when he bored right across Motere, and added to this is the fact that he was again responsible for a lot of interference both days at Trentham, there is at least a bit of uncertainty attached to his prospects, both in the running and probably subsequently in the committee room. IniJ deed, if Gay Crest behaved at Treni- tham as he is reported to have done, it is a wonder that he is not harredApart from this, Gay Crest should ■ not find a great deal of difficulty in carrying his stiff weight to victory. | Some Likely Stayers. Kahikatoa is a good sort, yet to be proved good enough at two miles, but his comparatively light weight may induce him to sticX on. However, there will be a disposition to favour more likely stayers. Under this category certainly come Compris and probably also Mount Boa, Ja- _ j loux and Cessation. The first named s was engaged in the Melbourne Cup, TI] and it was thought that such a genu- | ine stayer would have had a chance I in last Tuesday's big contest at FleI' mington. Mount Boa has been rac- ! ing well, and Cessation has been run- ' I ning at the finish of her races. Ja- 1 j loux is a possibility if he is in the j mood, his win last Saturday pointing j j to his forward condition. It really ! looks as if this .year's New Zealand 1 Cup will be fought out between Com- { pris, Mount Boa, Cessation and Gay [ Crest, with Jaloux as a lightweight , II possibility. j Stewards' Handicap. There are two most interesting fea- ! tures of the Steward's Handicap, the j big sprint this afternoon. First there | is the presence of the. A.J.C. Epsom j Handicap winner, Autopay, and the strength of the three-year-olds, not- || ably Golden Wings and Croupier. Autopay ran well on the other side | under big weights, and in being with- | in a stone of him Golden Wings has j been set a real horse's task. How- | ever, he is good, his brilliarit per- | formance in the Great Northern Gui1 1 neas making an indelible impression. j He might beat Croupier, not forget- | ting the fact that the latter is in reI ceipt of nine pounds. | Form to-day may give a good guide | to the Derby on Monday, for the | three-year-olds with classic engageI ments the first day include such as I Gibraltar, King Colossus, Cricket Bat, I Fij'I, Gallant Fox, Peter Jackson, ■: Gay Court, Nightguard (Phar Laps' " brother) , Golden Wings and Croupier. The present Derby fancies are Gibraltar, Cricket Bat (if all right) and View Halloo. The fact that Cricket Bat was knocked from pillar to post and in addition was galloped on and then finished fourth in the Wellington Handicap recently demonstrated that he was a good three-year-old. It will be unfortunate if this injury prevents him from being seen at his best in the Derby, and therefore his run in the big sprint this afternoon will be closely watched to see if he has made a complete recoveryDerby Proposition. On the manner in which King Colossus was running on at the finish of the Great Northern Guineas last month, many immediately sorted him out as a likely Derby proposition. In the former race Gibraltar was well behind him, but it is more than probable that when next they meet the Taranaki gelding will put iUwell over the chestnut. If ever a guide were needed, then the C.J.C.'s astute handicapper, Mr. J. E. Henrys, has given J some idea of how he measures up Gibraltar, whom he sets to concede half a stone to King Colossus in the nine furlongs Riccarton Handicap to-day. These Have Chances. Space does not permit of a detailed review of the fields in the various events. Sufficient to say that the f ollowing have chances in their contests to-day at Riccarton : — Spring Hurdles. — Landmark, Lancer and Captain's Gift. Spring Plate. — Gibraltar, Fiji and Peter Jackson. Linwood Handicap. — Peter Jackson, Chief Cook and Sharp Thorn. New Zealand Cup. — Compris, Mount Boa, and Gay Crest. Welcome Stakes. — Inflation, Lack and WealthApprentices' Handicap. — Ben Hur, Fast Passage, and Barbacan. Stewards' Handicap. — Golden Wings, Croupier-Kozan bracket, and Palermo. Riccarton Handicap. — Gibraltar, King Colossus and Desert Song. N.Z. Derby (run Monday). — Gibraltar, View Halloo and Cricket Bat.