TO-DAY'S RACING

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 175, 17 March 1932, Page 2

TO-DAY'S RACING

FIELDS REVIEWED PROSPECTS AT TRENTHAM AND OHINEMURI MEETINGS. SOME NOTABLE SPRINTERS. (Specially Written for the "Post" by "The Judge.") There will he two big race meetings on to-day, the Ohinemuri fixture at Paeroa and the Wellington meeting at Trentham, both concluding on Saturday. That at Paeroa will he the most interesting for northerners; there, excellent fields are engaged and promise wbll for some great racing. Backers' problems at Paeroa commence with the very first race, the Hur^les, for the majority of those engaged have shown some f orm of late, while there are a few to race in view of the forthcoming winter programmes. Luminary, Simeon, Standfast, Ruffles, Neil, Biform, Principal, Te Homai, and Sports King are just' a few that threaten to be right ip the limelight, and the horses with the most speed, added to fair jumping ability, will do best. In this respect, Luminary and Sports King appear to fill the bill, but Standfast and Simeon should nqt be far away from them at the finish. A very even lot of two-year-olds are engaged in the Karangahake Handicap, and the luck of the running will play no small part in deciding the issue, unless there are one or two extra smart ones among the few unknowns. Miss Lorraine, Foreign Money, Master Brierly, Welcome Lu, Jonathan, Hauwiri and the Greck Gold — Holly Lu bracket read the pick of them all, but when it comes to actual pace round the home bend, Welcome Lu may have it on Foreign Money, Master . Brierly and HaPwiri. The recent successes of Dark Marble at the Bay of Plenty meeting suggests that he is almost a good thing for the Novices' Handicap, for this is open to non-winners only at time of entry. Therefore Dark Marble should have it well on the remainder, and he is not even topweight with his, penalty. The most danger to him may come from Reviver (left at Pukekohe and then ran a great race to finish fourth, after being in front at the home turn), Chateau and Kanapa.

The Ohinemuri Cup. Eager Rose was left in the lists for the Ohinemuri Cup, so that leaves seventeen remaining in this race, comprising all the best handicap performers in the province. It is a large field, and this factor alone will cause Royal Doulton to go ont of favour somewhat. This mare has already contested this race three times, winning twice and being beaten half a head on the other occasion. She is in her best form now. Chief Joy, who went such a fine race in the hig go at Te Aroha, galloped brilliantly at Takanini on Tuesday morning and is going to be the hardest to beat. Royal Artist has been racing solidly, and he too showed up in the Te Aroha contest. Speedmint is in the same stable, but the former is preferred here. Antique, with all his weight, Taneriri, Puriri Park, King's Archer and King's Knave are others possessmg undoubted chances, so that it should he a fine contest, with the surprise element possibly upsetting all calculations. Chief Joy impresses most, over Royal Doulton, Royal Artist and King's Archer. Division Probabie. The 29 in the Komata Hack makes a division race almost certa'n, unless there are half a dozen scratchings, quite a unique occurrence these days. There is plenty of hack talent engaged, and to name the possibilities alone one would have to name about twenty horses. The recent form of the two topweights, L'Allegro and Karangapai, has been impressive, and they will be hard to beat in the first and second aivisions respectively if the race has to be divided. Imamint and Grand Talk are others that should be conspicuous. The sprint, the St. Patrick's Handicap, has attracted another royal field, with a regular galaxy of talent, It is going to be hard to differentiate between the eight on the first half of ; the list — Leitrim, High Comedy, Gay Lap, Refresher, Manawhenua, Gold Day and Orapa% Paganelli being overlooked because he does not appear to be so brilliant as in the past to cope with this opposition. The Awarere — Marechal bracket is likely, while on a soft track King Ford would be awlcward for the others. Tea Chat may be the surprise packet, but it really looks as if this time it will be the tui-n pf Gay Lap and Refresher, as against Orapai and Leitrim. It is a tricky event, with so many superb sprinters engaged. Of those in the McGuire Memorial Steeplechase, recent racing to fit them for this, the first cross-country event of the coming , jumping season, has been indulged in by Wiltshire, Nassock, -the southerner Pangolin (beat all but Just dn ddea in the Hurdles at Bulls reeently) and Airtight, while Spalpiko has got through plenty of work and schooling at home, and Town Beauty' has done well at Ellerslie. Foxhound represents the surprise faction, as he did this time last year, for he will be racing over his home course. The three best should be Airtight, Spalpiko and Nassock. The concluding race to-day is the Netherton High-Weight, and the fine finishing effort of Alloy in the Tauranga sprint indicates that he is endowed with speed sufficient to keep the opposition off, especially as he is a rare . stayer. Jalldy Karo is in winning form, and he and Bronze Tray may be the horses to keep Alloy up to his work. Wellington Prospects The fields at Trentham to-day for the opening of the Wellington Club's autumn meeting do not appear to be so good as hitherto, but they are interesting enough to promise good contests. , • • i Blacksmith has been racing consistently on the flat and over the sticks lately, and he ought to be good enough for the High-Weight crowd. Sailor's L'ove, Landmark and Taragona will help to mahe a race of it. A small field is left in the Trial Plate, and recent winners in Kalmuk and Morrath are eligible because the raees won were not worth £50 — a sign of the times surely. They are

liked as named, with Chief Clerk and Goy possibilities on this big track. Peter Jackson dominates the situation in the classic, the New Zealand St. Leger, for his win over eleven furlongs over a good handicap field was clear cut, and he will stay the mile and three-quarters better than any of his opponents. He will probably be at odds on. View Halloo reads next best, with King Colossus and Fast Passage modelately fancied over the long journey, despite the immediate past failures of the Colossus gelding. Other Events The Pacific Handicap has drawn a great lot of two-year-olds, the only good ones missing being Tea Trader and Silver Ring. Qf Mrs. McDonald's trio — Inflation, La Moderne and Chief Marionette — there may be a disposition to favour the last named, who is well treated in view of her recent form, and she is not penalised for her Napier success. She is a rare stayer, and the almost straight six will be a lot in her favour. Her meeting with her Napier conqueror, Courtyard, a good youngster too, is not the least interesting aspect of the race. Head Lady is brilliant too, and there are Gaine Carrington, Midinette, the speedy Hilary, Might, aind Copper

King. It#is difficult to sort out what will be the actual favourite, but Chief Marionette, Heady Lady, Gaine Carrington and Courtyard should not he far out of it. The Thompson Handicap has drawn an even field. Cadland is a great miler, and he will need to be to concede Hunting Cry weight, for the latter is well treated and, if right, must he hard to beat. Gay Crest will go well, and Arrow Lad manages to win frequently. Cricket Bat is a good three-year-old, with a good chance, and Jaloux and Arikira have been consistent of late. Chrysology is the type for an event of this description, for he has brilliancy and his win at Greenmeadows over ten furlongs in- , d;cates that he is sticking on better. Awaken is a distinct possibility if she can keep her early position, and High Falutin' and Pomp can both go a merry mile. At the weights, Hunting Cry appeals very much, especially if he is lucky enough to strike a wet track, but with the possibility of a firm turf, Chrysology is preferred, with Hunting Cry better than Cricket Bat and Cadland. Azalia and Red Sun appeal a good deal in the Silverstream Handicap, especially if the former does not take on the earlier classic. Winsome Hind and Landmark may be next best. Karapoti and Huntingdon are expected to be missing from the Railway Handicap field, so that rather clears the way for the other good ones. There is still plenty of sprint talent left, notably Lady Quex, Autopay, Silvermine, Golden wings, Arvada and Korokio. It will not he a big field at the finish, with Silvermine preferred to Golden Wings, Lady Quex and Autopay. The concluding race at Trentham today is the Tinakori Hack, with Normandy, Miladi and The Quorn likely to he the pick, with Eminent best of the remainder. Normandy is well treated after his promising Te Aroha form, where he ran two splendid seconds.