RACING NOTES

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 282, 23 July 1932, Page 6

RACING NOTES

'Canard")

RICCARTON TO-DAY INTERESTING TRY-GUT FOR COMING GRAND NATION AL GISBORNE PROSPECTS

(Notes by" '

The only meeting of intarest to-day is the combined meeting of the Hororata, Amberley and Christchurch Hunt Glubs, to be stageu at Riccarton. This will also serve as an interesting try-oufc for ihe horses engaged at the Grand National fixture on this course on August "9, 11 and 13. The fields for this afternoon are rather good all round, and with a few of the horses engaged having shown glimpses of form at last weelc's Wellington meeting, the interest will be ehhanoed, while, of coorse, the Trentham form •ought to be followed, for the class there was mnch above that due to Le in competition this afternoon. . Horses that will be among those heavily supported in their engagements to-day are the following, the starting timos also being given: — 1.30 — Novice Stakes: Topthorn, Pacify and Porloek. 2.15 — Combined Handicap: Craigavon, Nightflyer, and Water Polo. 2.50 — Homeby Steeplechase: Royal Reign, Apaehe anu Caliiam. 3.30 — Raeecourse Hill Handicap: Adelphi, Ringing Cheer and Ranelagh. 5. 5 — Hororata Handicap: Red Royal, Monastic and Locksley. The second and last races are events for trotters, which havo filled well. One of the nmst entertaining events on this afternoon's card is the Homeby Steeplechase, which has attracted an exceedingly interesting field and as a contest it is full of possibilities. It is hard to separate Calham, Lancer, Apache, Deportmenc, Eresh Breeze, and Royal Reign, while yet another, Oriflamb, is a recent winner over. country. Royal Reign was taken to the recent Great Northern meeting and was 'axpected to go well over the hill there, but she was unlucky, being a bit green for such strenuous contests. She improved considerably, running fourth at Trentham the first day, beat all but -Okopua the second outing and on the final day was third to Nukumai and Town Beauty. If the Taranaki mare can handle the stifi* country this afternoon, she must be given an outstanding chance. Promising Royal Jleign is the only Nortii island jumper engaged in the crosscountry event. Apache shaped promisingly in lii ■ two engagenients ov'er the Ellerslie hill and was being awaited the last day by shrewd judges bu. he went amiss and was not produeed. He schooled nicely over the Riccarton country the other morning and so n. should make it interesting. Calham is an aecomplished i'encer, while Lancer is regarded as a "siiter" by soucnern critics. Fresh Breeze and Deportment are otii.rs with strong prospects, but all the same it is likely that Royal Reign and Apache will be the best on the day. Quite a number of Winter Cup canaidates are engaged in the Racecours..Hill Handicap. Adelphi impressed by his outings r.t Trentham, where he finished right up in eaeh start and he is susceptible to considerable improve- ' mont on those shov.ings. Ringing Cheer is highly regarded in the sou.h, and Ranelagh, whose form at Trentham was much below expectations, will commana coas.aerable support. This trio are fancied most, but if it should happen to be heavy going Water Powcr may come into lur own. A couple of good stayers figure u the Combined Handicap, the middle distance event, which is for haeks only. They are Cruigavon and Nightfiyer. Ihe well bred Water Polo, a three-year-^ld by Pombal from Waterwings dam of Agrion and Wnite Wings), is reported to be coini^g along nicely in his preparation. This trio appeal most of the eleven engaged. HORSES AT GISBORNE. Horses from the Auckland province are always to be respected during tlie winter, when they travel to outside race meetings. At the recent W ellington meeting they seored five v/ins and innumerable placings with a limited representation. At Gisborne next w.eek the Auckland stables will again he stroq'gly represented, for no less than nine horses were shipped for the East Coact centre this week. Princess Star was to go 011 to Gisborne direct from Trentham. Monetize, who had a rather sensational trip to the recent Nap.ar Park meeting, was taken across direct to Gisborne. He is engaged in the hurdles the first day and is booked to contest the cross-country event the second day. With J. MeRae in the saddle he ought to be hard to beat to-day week. The Auckland owner, Mr. Wer.zl Schollum, has a strong team for the Gisborne fixture in Princess Star. St. Ames and Heiium. It is a long tims since the last-named showc-d form, for he is of the plugging type. The other pair ought to earn more than mer ■ expenses. J. L. Gray's pair for Gisborne are Lady Vane and Foulwind. The former won her last visit to this centre and is working sufficiently well at present to hold out hopes that she will add to her record. Foulwind looks well and although one eannot be toc optimistic about this maiden, the Takanini representative may spring a surprise. Cat-i-mes earlier this season held out big hopes of developing into a good hurdler, but to date he has yet to score a win of any sort. He is numbered among the contingent foi Gisborne and if he runa up to his besi trials he may get a win, although the opposition in the hurdles events next week will not he wealc. Quite the reverse, for there are several good performers carded. A Strong Team Probably the strongest team from; Auckland to perform at Gisborne next! week will be that owned by J. Buchan-i an, who trains his own horses. His trio eomprises Hawthorn, Good Idea ' and the jumper Neil. All are in ex-

cellent fettle and should earn more chan one first stake on the trip. There is not much of Good Idea, but shi has speed and is a rare stickor. Hawthorn ran third to Puss Moth and Seneschal at the last Great Northern meeting. so that on that form he icads extra gnod for the class at Gisborne. Hawthorn by the way holds "he record for the sinallest dividend returned this s ?ason, for he paid a small sum for a dead heat for second. the holders of five shiiling tickets received less than a quarter of their investment as their sliare of the pool. Neil is an ideal jumper, his drawback being that he is a bit on the sluggish side. He is a eapable performer over the battens and reads particularly well in the hurdles at Gisborne. On the second day he may be given a spin over the bigger fences, at which he is no novice, albeit he seems to lack the class of • Monetize, who will he one of his main opponents. It is in favour of all of Buchanan's horses that they are much at home in bad ground. MARTON WINNERS. It was not surprising to find Tranquility returned as the winner of the Maiden at Marton last Wednesday, lor he had shown plenty of pace in his first outing, which was on the same course three months earlier. Tranquility is a rising four-year-old by Cingalese from Restful and belongs to Mr. H. McManaway, who has had a good run with Habit. There is plenty of size about the latest Maiden winner and he should be a better horse with time. Another horse that will be well served with time is Sigma, Mr. T. A. Duncan's two-year-old by Psychology from War Scare. When he was given his first race at Marton three months back he did not appear to know what it was all about and he was left flatfooted at the start. He was subsequently backed to win the Maiden at Otaki last month, but he failed to get in the money, and he was favourite again at Marton last Wednesday. Later on he may perform up to his breeding. Tangiroa, who ran a sicond and a first at Marton this week, showed a bit of pace when raced at Egmont at the winter meeting. He had nofching to beat at Marton, but the fact that he won should encourage the hope that he will be up to winning bett;r stakes next season. He is a six-year-old now, so that there is not time for a vast amount of improvement. Tangiroa is Potoa from Monoghan. Showing Improvement For some time Henry of Navarre has been showing improvement in his hurdle racing. On the middle day at Trentham last week he gave baclters of Pahu a fright by joining hina in the van at the last fence, where he weakened. On the last day he won really well, and taken on the Marton this week he shouldered his 101b rehapdicap comfortably to score another casy win. Henry of Navarre does not loolc like making a great hurdler, but now that he has started his winning career he may take some stopping. Earlier in his career the Arausio gelding disp'layed plenty of pace on the flat and he is only now coming right again. Big things were expected of Platina when she started racing for Mr. T. A. Duncan, but she went wrong without having dons any good. It was a few seasons later that she was "discovered" again, and then she confcested an amateur rider's event at Marton early this season. At Marton last Wednesday Platina won the View Haloa Steeplechase, confined to amateur trainers and riders, her pilot-owner being Mr. W. R. Duncan, son of the original owner. Platina is now rising ix years old, and is by Callaghan Tom the well performed Isahel, but she may still ,be useful for hunters' events.