KEEN CONTEST LIKELY IN PROVINCES BIGGEST HURDLE RACE

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 243, 3 June 1932, Page 2

KEEN CONTEST LIKELY IN PROVINCES BIGGEST HURDLE RACE

NUKUMAI FOR THE MUD , MAKE UP-LAND MARK BRACKET WILL bOMINATE BIG FIELD ' In his review of tlie "Great Northern race meeting which opens to-day in Auckland "The Judge," the "Morning Post's^ special turf writer, deals with every event of this important winter earnival and indicates from his knowledge of form, how the horses may be expected to show up. "There is every reason to expect that the course will be very heavy for the opening of the meeting, While if rain falls in the final 24 hours prior to the racing commencing, the turf will become sodden. ..The fields for to-day are excellent, and afe most of the events are conceded to be quite open, the sport promises to be very interesting.

Jervois Handicap. j The first item on the card for this j morning is the Jervois Handicap, first division, in which those to" co'me in for most support are Beacon Fire, Lord Val, Princess Bede, Ruby Dawn, Lyrical, Lady Spy, Glenrata, Koyal Gallant, Ruling King," Catch'em, and Dark Marble, and of this bunch the hardest to beat will be Princess Bede and Beacon Fire, with Puby Dawn and Lady Spy fair prospects. Grseen Lane Steeplechase. It is in the Green Lane Steeplechase that there will be much the smallest field of the day, only eight paying up, but as there were but nine entries this was "not unexpected. Claremore is called upon to give away liimps of weight all round but he should be able to do it. This race, however, may serve a purpose, and tune him right up for the bigger steeplechase the next day. Nassock is a fine stayer and may threaten danger. Jen has only to complete the course to he possessed of a good chance, and Apache and Carlaris are possibilities. It looks like Claremore, NaSsock, Jen ;. and Carlaris fighting it out. Jervois — Second Division. The second division of the Jervois Handicap Is the third event on the programme, and on paper this appears to be much stronger than the first division. Woodfull stands out, and Imamirit ,too, se'ems to have a second to none chance if she is sent for this in preference to the Cornwall Handicap. Not far behind this pair could be named Gay Court, Seneschal, and Holly Holm, while fair sorts are Alpina, Teels and a possible surprise paeket from Avondale in Top Light. The first mentioned quintette are fancied as named. Penrose Hack Hurdles. There is a large field engaged in the Penrose Hack Hurdles, a race that is going to take some winning. Chuachan has a lot of weight now and that may bring him back to the others. He is a free goer and that will not help him. Paddon is a find, and if started here in preference to the big Hurdles he will be one of the hardest to beat. Neil is always a possibility, and Balloon, if he had experience of the reverse way of jumping would have to be seriously coiisidered. Patutahi is handily placed for a horse that beat all but the winner of the Brighton Hurdles last Easter. Arch Eagle is a good jumper and so is Biform, whose performances over this course are worth remembering. Fernden is like Balloon, and this pair may he harder to beat on the second and third days. Appledore is a tearaway typa, and on the other side of the list are St. Ames, Sports King, High Commissioner, Arcade and Full Measure. The issue appears to lie betwaen Biform, Paddon, Cruachan and Neil, with Full Measure holding a really good chance on his brilliant schooling. The Big Hurdles. After the hack jumpers have been disposed of, the way is paved for the big event of the day, the Great Northern Hurdles, which has 20 acceptor*, a number that may Be reduced to

about 14 or 15 by starting time, for several horses left in are ofherwis'e engaged. At the head of the list is that formidable bracket, Make Up and Laridrhark, both of whom possess undeniahl's chances, with all their weight. Prince Lu has been scratched. Then there is that gallant veteran Nukumai, who is looking as well as ever in spite of his 14 years. If ths track is waterlogged he is the hors? to select ahead of everything elseLuminary is sticking on much better now and will run a good race. High Pitch was highly thougl^t of this time twelve months ago and he may just Iack the conditlon to beat the more seasoned performers. Easterly is 100 per cent. better than when she failed so miserably in this event last year, for she had two starts ovelv hurdles -at the meeting for two falls. It may be a djfferent tale this time if she has forgotten her previous experiences and is harhouring no prejudice against the course aiid hurdlfes. Callam'art, as the winner of last y ear's Grand Hational Hurdles, miist b'e respected for he is not at all badly treated and he stays for a week. His recent racing over the Bigger fences might not have impaired his hurdling aBility. Paris does not impress,' bjtt he' stays. Advance Cahip is a di'stihct possiBility, for he is a stayer too. Claremore is lightly weighted and if ready would Be' diflicult. Lucess was second last year and is agaxh likely to be in the running.- FulT'Mark is hnidhg Ihe fancied' lightxyeights and Be sBouid stay, and he schooied Briljiantly on .tHiesday, But as Jie has not been over the Ellerslie' Obstaeles he is

up against it. So was King's Jest when he won! Nassock is also in the Green Lane Steeplechase and if reserved for this will outstay many of those weighted above him. Incidentally, Nassock, Lucess and Luminary hail from the same stable. Kawainga has had an interrupted preparation and she may not be able to stick out the tiring com test. Paddon, Fernden and Balloon are also in the preceding race, and it is said that the first mentioned will run in this; he has a luxury weight. if only he was seasoned. The Great Northern Hurdles is going to be a wonderful race and at first glance the Corry bracket, Make Up and Landmark, appear to dominate the situation. Indeed, the only factor that may tell against them is that ever the final furling if there is anything alongside of them with a light weight it is going to be difficuh for them to shake off any challenge. However, they are chosen to do the job right, and next best may be Full Mark, Callamart and Standfast., with Luminary and Advance Camp fair prospects. On the Flat. The Cornwall Handicap field has fallen considerably below expectations. for outside of Historic and Arikira it is sadly lacking in class. The former is a great horse under weight, but the mud may eheck him, and Arikira will have a fine prospect if 'the going is not too bad. Little Doubt reads the pick of the field — indeed, he is regarded as the best thing of the day —and unless he goes hack to his times of unreliability it is hard to see him getting beaten. True Shaft has not been brought from Riccarton for nothing, and it will be remembered that he beat Autopay after the latter had won the Great Easter. King's Archer should improve after Te Rapa running, and Sunny Sky looks in fine order. Motere in the past has not fancied had ground and Vandyke is very well, but he has to be got away from the barrier to have a -chance. On the others, Protomint, Gay Cockade. Bronze Tray and Imamint are prei'erred. It is probable that the best next. to Little Doubt will be King's Archer and Sunny Sky. with Bronze Trav a good outsider.

Hunt Club Hurdles. In the past the Hunt Club Hurdles has seen a lot of mishaps. but on this occasion there are some good jumpers engaged, in Town Beauty, Royal Visitor, Cat-i-m.es, General Lu, Royal Reign, Haakon, Thespis, and Clontarf Bill, so the list of fallen may not be so heavy on this occasion. It is likely that the favourite division will come from Town Beauty, Royal Visitor, Cat-i-mes and Haakon. The concluding event on Friday is the sprint, the Members' Handicap, and there are several good niudlarks here to choose from. "Huntingdon has not been doing his work right of late, and therefore he will have to be overlooked. Consent has a lot of weight and Silvermine should hold him safe, Tradesman is now getting up with the good sprinters and others may he preferred, although the mud brings them together. Refresher is due and he is very well. Gold Money may not be forward enough; she has won this race for the past two years. Tf there is much mud, the Chrornadyne is the one to have his side, and it may be wise to overlook his Te Rapa failure. Manawhenua has come on fast of late and he is a possibility on his latest trials. The Tiger is an. interesting acceptor and he will show up. There are other good ones engaged but those mentioned appear to hold the best chances. Silvermine and Refresher are liked most, with Chromadyne and The Tiger next best. Of course if conditions are terribly bad Chromadyne can be substituted for all the others, for he glories in the mud. The Great Northern Steeplechase is to be run on the second day, Saturday, and it is improbable that the position m connection with this contest will undergo material alteration after the first day's racing. The order in which they are fancied is Copey, the Make Up-Landmark bracket, Claremore, and Nukumai.