RACING NOTES AND FORM PROSPECTS

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 77, 21 November 1931, Page 2

RACING NOTES AND FORM PROSPECTS

Specially written for the "Post" by "The Judge." The only race meeting this week to , hold iuterest ' f or northern sportsmen .is that of the Levin Racing Club, which eventuates at Levin to-day. This course is a very trieky one, for it is all bends and it has been proved by costly experience that all horses cannot manage it and show their best paces. The fields usually are too big in the hack sprints, and this of course further tends to complicate matters. Probably because there is no cup trophy attached to the big race the usual cup eontest is designated as the Levin Handicap, but for all that the thirteen acceptors are up to the eustomary strength for this event, which, of course, holds pride of place on the programme. Panther, at the head of the list, is a long time winning, but at times forrn has been very good, hence his nin'e stone. " Habit, winner of the Marton Hancjicap last; month, is not a really good one over this journey, yet the oposition is by ; 110 means strong, and it is in her : favour that at Marton she came at the right end to down Count Palatine. • Tei-i'too has not done anything for. some time, although his last few ' outings have been promising, that is, priOr to biis trip to Sydiiey, when he : was tried out as a hurdler. Briar Root could not do better than . get f ourth to Habit at Marton, and' yet she Went on to win on the more roomy Hastings track. Briar. Root has not fulfilled her early promise, and she is getting On, but she must go well in this event. Malayan has a Trentham reputation and if he can stay will have a chance to prove himself here. Balloon and Royal Opera. The next horse on the Levin Handicap list is Balloon, whose last performance in handicap company was rather promising. Charmaline is a free goer and for her, this course will be very suitable, so that she ought to stay the journey. She raeed well at Carterton and Hastings, and when one remembers her1 performances last season (nineteen starts and only five times out of a place) it is surprising that she has not done better in her few starts this term. Monaloff has not done much lately, and Duellona shaped fairly well in her Trentham outing in good company. Royal Opera impresses as the type for an event of this type, and his forward running at Carterton indicates' that he is well. Royal Black was finishing on in the Marton Handicap, less than a length behind Habit and Count Palatine, and he appears to be the pick of the second half of the handicap. Spear Lad has been a long time proving how good lie is, his form having been in and out, mostly out. Rich Harvest completes an even field, in which the best inay prove to be Habit% Charmaline, Briar Root and Royal Black. McDonald Meniorial. The Levin sprint, the McDonald Memorial, has several second-rate ones engaged, and this tends to the view that it will be a very good eontest. Tobaccoland has been improving of late, while Fitzquex has not been running up to his best form. Acora can go fast under light imposts, and this is her chance. However, she will find one or two to go with her all the way Equitant and Trojan Melody being included among them. Malayan and Portrayers are other speedy sorts, but the issue really appears to lie between Acora, Equitant and- Tro-

jan Melody. - The other events will be contested by good fields, the opening race, the Maiden, being divided unless there are several scratchings. Haulbowline and In Vain (second division) and Granado and Park Acre (second division), have shown the best form to date. The Manakau Hurdles looks like being a struggle between Coon Song, Whisogne and Tonacre, while Thrasher's recent form pomts to him being hard for Gay Court and Grand Chaco to head off in the Weraroa Hack. There are two hack sprints, the Makomako and Hokio, s'x and five furlongs respeetively. In the former Sabatini, Arajean, Lady Court and Navaho appeal most, and in the final event, the shorter race, Interlocutor, the dual Waverley winner All Humbug, Acis and Haulbowline promise to comprise the dangerous division, In the Lake Hack Joie de Yal, Grand Jury and Zephyrus may be the best, for they can all stay on well.