WANGANUI FORM

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 150, 18 February 1932, Page 6

WANGANUI FORM

"Judge.")

SOME CLASS HORSES

PROSPECTS REVIEWED FOR TO-DAY'S MEETING.

(Written for the "Post" by the

Quite good fields will he seen out at the Wanganui Jockey Club's summer meeting, opening to-day and finishing on Saturday. This turning track is more in favour? of the brilliant horses than the horses endowed with sheer stamina, and its sandy turf furnishes rather tricky going unless a horse is able to handle it. The opening event, the Westmere. Hurdles, will see a newcomer in Tunbridge giving the Taranaki . forrn horses, Royal Acre and Whisogne, something to do to head him off, his recent racing on the flat having prepared him well for his jumping programme. Imported Davidstock is one of those hacks likely ,to develop quickly into a handicap performer, so that his showing in the Maiden Race will be invested with considerable interest. Master Arausio went' well to get second to Sastrugi at Ashhurst and was accounted a bit unlucky, and Morrath ran two seconds at Pahiatua. They are fancied as written. Juvenile Handicap. Hampden likes matters all his own wayNn a race, and he may get it in the Juvenile Handicap, for on that turning course he ought to be able to get clear early. Miss Cavendish fulfilled Hawera promise by winning last week, and she looks the danger to the topweight. The braclcet Fur-long-Paioneone may be capable of launching a surprise. Arikira won both the Egmont and Taranaki Cups and on his easy wins in those events, it is certain that he is one of our most improved horses. He is now soaring in the weights, but his winning form has been good. On the same mark now with him is King Clossus, and this three-year-old would be preferred to Arikira, but there is the chance that he might want a race. Mahora will be all the better for his two runs at Pahiatua, while High Falutin' is to make a reappearance and should go well. Joie de Val is not too consistent, but she is better than her Taranaki form indicated. Gibraltar's engagement has been cancelled, in view of Te Rapa and Te Aroha engagements. Grand Jury and Shrewd are much improved, the form er being preferred at a difference of three pounds, although Shrewd's seconds at Hawera to Arikira and Silvermine now read good form. Arikira and King Colossus are the most favoured pair, with Mahora, Shrewd and Grand Jury possessing chances in what is a very open race. The Victory Hack. Manawatu was a very unlucky horse in both his Pahiatua outings and handled better he should run a good race in the Victory Hack. The Taranaki pair, Bon Eve and Attentive will meet once more; they sticlc on well. Then there are Thrasher and Earthquake, who are capable over this distance. It is not an easy race, but perhaps Manawatu will make amends for recent unexpected defeats and finish in front of Bon Eve, Attentive and Thrasher.. An Improved Horse. The Tiger has improved as a result of his recent racing, so that with all his weight he is not out of the Petre Hack, and in addition the turning track will be in his favour. Haulbowline, Hystride and Captain Dan will be on hand to fight it out if anything happens to The Tiger on the trip. Four of the best sprinters in the land will take on the Flying Handicap. Cadland and Laughing Prince, who will be bracketed in both this race and the Jackson Stakes on Saturday if started, head the list, and they ought to account now for the penalised Lady Quex Runting Cry is improving all the time and he nray be the danger. View Halloo and Pomp have chances, but the class may be too good for chem. The bracket, Hunting Cry and Lady Quex may dispute the issue. Fhe Handicapper's Tip. Shrewd observers of racing form and figures are generally on the look out for what is known as the handiaapper's tip. These students are furnished with a direct tip in the big race at Te Rapa this week-end, in the •ase of the three-year-old Gibraltar. Over the past week, the big Lackham gelding has come under the attention rf three different handicappers, Messrs. J. E. Henrys, II. Coyle and W. Russell. First of all Mr. Coyle placed Chopin and Gibraltar on the same mark (8st) over a mile and a quarter at Wanganui. A day later Mr. Russell gave Chopin 7.13 and Gibral;ar 7.11 in the Waikato event, and now '.his week Mr. Henrys at Woodville olaces Gibraltar on 8.6 and Chopin on 7.11, the latter horse in the meantime having run badly at New Plymouth. Even taking into consideration the hitervening Taranaki form, it appears that Chopin has been harshly treated when compared with Gibraltar, especially at Te Rapa, and it is more than iikely that Mr. Henrys has got their relative strengths better than his fellow handicappers. Gibraltar, after beating Peter Jackson over the Ellerslie mile, won a hack race of nearly nine furlongs at Marton in the spring with 9.5, making no race of it, and then a few days later won the Waverley Cup with 7.13. The horse was then sent to the New Zealand Cup fixture and was expected to make a bold showing in the N.Z. Derby. On the first day at Riccarton he was second to King ColossusJ their weights being 8.11 and 8.4. After this, Gibraltar went very sore and his subsequent unplaced form at Riccarton could he ignored. All the Worst of It.

Gibraltar was spelled afterwards, and he only made his reappearance at New Plymouth last week, when he finished third in the High-Weight efter covering a lot of ground. Seeing that Gibraltar has been let into the Storey Memorial Cup with the light weight of 7.11, he has a golden cpportunity of scoring. Ilowever, he cannot be at 'his best yet, and perhaps his preparation has been planned wtih designs on the valuable race at Te Aroha the following week. In any case, Gibraltar would not require to be at his very best to beat the moderates that would be likely to oppose him at Te Rapa. His impost is 61b under weight-for-age, and outside

of the original top weight, Pegaway 10.0, the field handicapped was not of the best. In being set to concede Gibraltar a stone above the weight-for-age scale, Pegaway was given all the xttavcI* rvT if ■*'