Racing Bits and Turf Tattle

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 92, 9 December 1931, Page 7

Racing Bits and Turf Tattle

The Judge.

Specially Written for the "Post"

by

There will be plenty of runners in evidence at the opening of the Woodville meeting to-day, for the acceptances all round are quite good. The form of those engaged has been pretty well- disclosed, so that the well backed horses seem likely to hold' their own. Several of the better performers are being given their final outing prior to going to Ellerslie for the Auckland Cup fixture. Manuiri was unlucky at Feilding, and he should go an improved race in the Manga-atua Hurdles. Prineess Elizabeth seems to be definitely on the upgrade, and Royal Songster went well enough at Feilding to suggest that he has a chance and may eventually make a good jumper. Tunbridge, Royal Black, Coon Song, Whisogne, Arrowhead and The Sun are more or less favoured, but one comes baclc to the first mentioned trio in the final summing up. The Riccarton form of Beason Fire suggests that he ought to be good enough for the opposition in the Trial Plate with danger likely to come from Pukepapa, who was unlucky at Levin. Chief Clerk, TigCrism, Flakewhite are others that will get some support, with the first pair carrying the most money. The . South Islanders, Gay Crest, Compris and Desert Song, will play a prominent part in the big event, the Bolton Handicap, although it is expected that the lastnamed will be reserved for the shorter race later in the day. The Feilding Cup winner, King Colossus, may prove to be a hard horse to beat, for his latest success was meritorious. Pewa, Full Mark. Spear Lad and Esteem are lightweight

possibilities. However, those m the first part of the handicap promise to hold their own, with King Colossus, Gay Crest and Compris fancied in that order, and Spear Lad the best of the others. If started, Desert Song and Gay Crest will be coupled. Pillow Fight will be expected to take out the Nursery Handicap, his two seconds and a win in his three outings to date indicating that he is good all right. Tout le Mond raced

well at Riccarton, and Prineess Bell ■ has a chance to prove that her Hast- : ings victory over the topweight was 1 ; no fluke. These three will carry most ! • support, with. Marais perhaps best ' of the remainder. There will not be a* big field in the Oete Handicap, the Consistent Aston heading the list. He now has a solid weight, but he is a big horse and will go well. However, he will have some- j thing to do to head off the brilliant three-year-old filly Korokio, who is ( a class performeh now that she is at her very best. Curie will again go well, and a change of luck will see him right in the firing line. Royal Routine showed form at Feilding and will not be neglected, and there are possibilities about Great Charter, Ridgemount and the southerner, Royal Baby. Prehaps the pick of the field , will be Korokio, Aston and Curie. j The hack sprint, the Mangarawa I Hack, has drawn a disappointing j field, and it is not going to be a difficult race to win. Gay Court may be the actual first fancy, with Lady Court, Chief Savage, Golden Shadow and Rotation next best supported, probably in that order. The largest field of the day will take on the middle distance hack, the Whariti Handicap, and Feilding and Levin form speaks well for the chances of Fairway, Beaconsfield and Saltpot. This trio rather stand out of their form, and Fairway is a most promising sort, possessing size and substance and being endowed with stamina and pace. The curtain rings down on the Borough Handicap. The issue appears to lie between Desert Song, Chief Cook and Moa Bird, with Teller and Maui as the surprise elements engaged. Under the weight-for-age scale — and that ought to be a good guide — a horse should improve 51b from four to five years of age over two miles. This important fact is taken cognisance of by some handicapppers, but not all, and apparently the Auckland weight adjuster practically ignores it. Take the case of Motere, winner of the last Auckland Cup, carrying 7.0. For the same race next Boxing Day he has gone up olb only, which is a slight penalty to pay for his success, plus the fact that no allowance has been made for improvement as indicated by the weight-for-age scale. Motere has failed to get in the money since his Auckland Cup victory, but that ought not to be taken much notice of, for there are only two two-mile races ha the Dominion, and Motere's form last Boxing Day suggested that he was nothing if not a stayer, best at two miles. Taking these factors into consideration, it can be said that Motere has been let in the Auckland Cup at about half a stone too light. He has ran a couple of fine races this season, in the Mitchelson Cup and the Waikato Cup, aaid with two or three other runs he ought to saddle up in tip-top condition for the big Ellerslie contest on Boxing Day. On, the figures, Motere is entitled to be a firm favourite for the Auckland Cup. Although Gay Crest was actuaily first past the post in the last Auckland Cup, it was generally considered that without interference from. the southerner Motere would have won. Gay Crest was then giving Motere one pound only, but this time there is 231b between them. Of course, Gay Crest, unlike the Te Awanmtu representative, has done well in the , interim, but this very factor suggests that the form of Motere -in def eating ■him last Boxing Day was more valu-

able than considered at the time, the distance of two miles always being considered. Although the forward running of Admiral Drake into second place in the New Zealand Cup, coming on top of his success at Trentham over 11 furlongs, indicat :d that the progeny of Chief Ruler had every reason to be considered as fair stayers, that fact has not uncluly impressed the Auckland handieanper, for he has let Eaglet in the Auckland Cup at 7.1. This fine performer has to be taken on trust over the journey, but with such a light ir nost it is more than possible that sLj would be able to go two miles. At Takapuna recently she started off the Alison Cup handicap with- 9.6 and was not accepted for, even after she had taken out the Waikato Cup with 8.13. It was pretty generally eonceded that one of the unlucky runners in the New Zealand Cup was Jalouw This gelding figures on the same mark as Eaglet in the Auckland Cup, and I he is going to be one of the early fancies for the Ellerslie two-miler on Boxing Day. Jaloux takes a bit of riding, and it is not very easy to get a good boy at that weight, but if fairly well served by the pilot on the day, Jaloux at long last might be found winning a good handicap, In addition to the Auckland Cup, the A.R.C. Haaidicap, run on New Year's ! Day over a mile and a half, will suit i him. Although not regarded as a good betting proposition, Jaloux must be taken into consideration for his Ellerslie engagements. ' The handicaps for the Auckland ' Cup reveal some rather drastic re- ; versals of opinion on the part of the ^ handieapper. For the Mitchelson Cup, run at Ellerslie two anonths back, it was stated in these columns that My Own with nine stone had been badly treated. Now she is in the Auckland Cup with 7.11, and at ! that impost she meets the following ! horses on better terms, thus: Historic 101b, Motere 131b, and Prince Val Olb, Taneriri's weight is interesting too. He had 8.10 in the Mitchelson Cup and is now down to 7.3, a drop of a stone and a half, whereas His-

fcoric, whose form over "two miles has not been impressive, is down only half a stone. If only Taneriri could stay, which he might do under his light impost. With the appearance of the handicaps for the big Auckland double, Cup and Railway, the following horses are sorted out in eaeh event as possessing undeniable chances: — Cup. — Motere, Compris, Jaloux, Admiral Drake. Railway. — Golden Wings, Hunting Cry, Supremaey, Croupier.