SMALL FIELDS

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 21, 16 April 1927, Page 6

SMALL FIELDS

THE RICCARTON CARD PROSPECTS OF NORTHERNERS ! STRONG IN EASTER AND AUTMUN The Canterbury Jockey Club looks as if it is going to be up against it on the occasion of the autumn meeting set down for Monday and Tuesday, for poor fields do not lend themselves for speculation, and a drop in the totalisator investments means that the club suffers. In two events there are respectively four and five acceptors, and in another one defection will be sufficient to make it a one-dividend race. The going promises to be of the best, as is usual at Riccarton, and no doubt the racing—which is mainly confined to southern horses —will be sufficiently keen to counteract the paucity of runners in a few of the events. The opening event is the KILDARE HANDICAP Of 300sovs.: miles. st. lb. st. lb. Gamecock . 10 13 Kaikahu ... 9 6 Sayonara . . 9 13 No Response 9 0 Waterlow . . 9 13 Kaikahu is a good sort when right, and in a small field should be successful in steering out of trouble. Sayonara, none too reliable, will probably be the danger if he keeps out of trouble at his fences. For such a rich classic it seems a pity that only the following should make the final payment for the CHAMPAGNE STAKES, Of £800; 6 furlongs st. lb. st. lb. Agrion ... S 10 Satrap ... S 10 Martarma . 8 10 Eulalie . . . S S No doubt the presence of Agrion has scared them all away, and over six furlongs he should lead the field a merry dance, together with his stable mate, Eulalie. Although Martarma cannot be expected to beat Agrion, so much has been heard of this youngster that more than passing interest will be manifested in her appearance. Seven only have paid up for the AUTUMN PLATE, Of 300sovs.; lmile. st. lb. st. lb. Sir Roy ..90 Jarretiere . . 7 11 Flaming Ray 8 8 Green Cloth . 7 11 Paper Boy . 8 5 Mamie .... 7 7 Lucy Locket 7 11 Paper Boy has only got to be in his two-year-old form to make hacks of the opposition, and even as he is he should account for Jarretiere. Quite a big field will come ■ out for the two-year-old handicap event, the RUSSLEY PLATE, Of 300sovs.; 5 fur. st. lb. ' st. lb. Shalimar ... 8 8 Money Peer 7 7 Solgele .... 8 6 Amor .... 7 7 Wayward . . 7 13 Scrambler ..77 Reckless ... 711 Bolero ... 7 5 Coupling . . 7 11 Cupid’s Dart 7 3 Amorist ... 7 11 Dollar Tripaway ..79 Princess . 7 3 Satrap .... 7 9 Resplendent 7 3 Scoff 7 9 Shalimar won in pleasing style at ; the summer meeting at Riccarton, and with Solgele also a recent winner tl>e race would appear ter lie between this pair. »At last the big contest of the day looms up. This is the GREAT EASTER HANDICAP Of £1,000; 7 furlongs st. lb. st. lb. Centrepiece 811 Set Sail . . 710 Rapier ... 811 Y. Lochinvar 7 9 Footfall ... 810 Receipt ... 7 0 Shirley ... 8 3 Haze 7 0 Booster ... 8 2 Lava 7 0 Nincompoop 7 12 This is by no means a high class field, although there are some good horses engaged, arid the quality falls below what it used to be. Centrepiece, Rapier, Shirley, Booster, Nincompoop, Set Sail and Young Lochinvar stand out, and it is quite likely that,...the only North Island representative, Shirley, will be the actual favourite, and the key to her prospects can be gained if one can furnish the answer to the query—Will she run out the seven? The writer thinks she will, and so is expecting her to account for at least Booster and Centrepiece. The principal race is followed by GI MCRACK HANDICAP, Of 25050v5.; 7 fur. Auto- Oriflamb . . 7 11 biography . 8 9 Hpylake ... 7 8 Sir Roy ..86 Lucy Locket 7 4 Brightling . 8 4 Mamie .... 7 0 Peho .... 8 1 Card Trick . 7 0 Moratorium 7 13 Wild Work . 7 0 Royal Happy Queen 7 0 Tractor . . 7 11 Beaming ..70 Recent efforts have caused Autobiography to be credited with plenty of speed, and the Mason stable will no doubt serve their representative up in good order in an endeavour to account for Lucy Locket. A very small field will be on hand in the SOCKBURN HANDICAP Of 500sovs.; 9 fur. st. lb. st. lb. Fresco .... S I Assurance . 7 3 Vaward ... 8 1 Ophir .... 7 1 Goosestep ..74 The Harp ..70 At one time this was regarded as a trial for the Great Autumn Handicap, but interest in this preliminary event has dwindled considerably. Fresco is fancied for the big event the second day, and to justify optimism he will have to account for Vaward and the others that will oppose him on Monday. The first day’s card' closes with the COURTENAY HANDICAP Of 35050v5.; 7 fur. st. lb. st. lb. Overhaul ..92 Finora 8 0 Rascal ... 9 2 Gay Queen . S. 0 Economist ..91 Royal Game . S 0 Thorndale . S 11 Serotina ... SO Nine of Spades ..88 Despite Overhaul’s three victories at Invercargill last week, there is one engaged here that may check the winning trot, and that is Rascal, who reads better than Nine of Spades and the top weight. SECOND DAY The meeting is to conclude on Tuesday and there are two interesting races at least on the card, the Great Autumn Handicap and the Challenge Stakes. For the Challenge Stakes the following have made the final payment: CHALLENGE STAKES Of £S00; 7 furlongs. st. lb. st. lb. Nincompoop 9 5 Agrion ... 7 11 Autobio- Martarma . 6 10 grapliy . S S Satrap ... 610 Here again Agrion overshadows the remainder, and his companion Autobiography. or Nincompoop, will probably be the best of those to oppose him. The running on the first day should throw some light on the race for the GREAT AUTUMN HANDICAP Of £1,200; li miles. st. lb. st. lb. Footfall ... 9 5 ITaze 7 6 Piuthair ... 8 13 First Acre * 7 2 Rapier ... 8 9 Fresco .... 7 0 Centrepiece . 8 9 Vaward ... 7 0 Clarinda ... 7 13 Front Rank . 7 0 Set Sail ... 79 Assurance . 7 0 As in the principal event on Monday a North Island owner promises to play a conspicuous part. This is Mr. Rod McKenzie, and he will have both Piuthair and Clarinda to carry his colours. Tliis they should do with distinction, and the hardest the bracketed pair will have to beat look like being Rapier and Footfall.