Preparing for the Wellington Meeting

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 254, 17 January 1928, Page 10

Preparing for the Wellington Meeting

COMMENT ON FORM TRENTHAM TRACKS ARE HARD (Special to THE SUN.) WELLINGTON, Monday. The weather here remains beautifully fine, and there is no sign of rain, a fact which has evoked loud complaints from trainers, who are struggling to keep their horses right on the hard tracks. A fair number of Southern horses arived on Sunday morning, and another batch is due to-morrow morning. A PROMISING YOUNGSTER Trentham touts have taken a keen liking to Silver Paper, and if he shows any form on the tracks here he will be well supported in his engagements, His dam, Silver Peak, ran many good races at Trentham, and Silver Paper will not find it at all difficult to make friends here. The fact that he will have a big pull in the weights in the Wellington Stakes, to be run on Saturday, will give him an excellent chance, especially as his appearance suggests that he has come on a lot since the spring. Countersign looked really well on arrival, but she is not at all in favour for the Wellington Cup, and is likely to start one of the outsiders of the field. The general opinion is that the distance is too great for her. Joy Bird continues to gallop well at Trentham, and opinion is swinging a little in her "favour. Nevertheless she will be one of the long-priced ones in the Wellington Cup. In her last effort over a mile she was timed to run 1.47, and she left the impression that she could have done a little better had she had something to carry her along more strongly than Irish Lad was capable of doing. ORATRIX AT HER BEST One of the best miles that has been done here for a while was run by Oratrix, who was accompanied by Kindle. They broke 1.44, and anything that does that usually wins races in good company. Neither had much weight up, but the gallop was a good one. Oratrix was dropped out of the Wellington Cup, but will be racing in public again very shortly, and this need not be forgoten. Kindle is engaged in the Apprentices’ Plate on Saturday, and a repetition of his track form will make him hard to beat. THE CUP MARKET

Since the defection of Rapier from the Wellington Cup, a very mostly matter for some, the other top- f weight has rapidly advanced in favour, and at present is one of the best fancied of the 19 remaining in the race. Set Sail has a big army of supporters, and so have Mask and Piuthair, while Laughing Prince is growing in favour. Two of the visiting contingent are the public fancies for the big six furlong race, the Telegraph Handicap, they are Money Order and Aussie. Lulalie is well fancied for the Telegraph Handicap, and she might win but the signs are that she is not as well as she was a few months ago. She won brilliantly at Riccarton in the Stewards’ Handicap, but failed in her engagements at the Auckland summer meeting. She was in both the Wellington Stakes and the Telegraph Handicap, which are to be run on Saturday, but last Friday evening her name

disappeared from the Stakes’ list. Without possessing any first-hand information on the subject, one cannot help concluding that if she had been [ at her best or as good as she was considered to be she would have taken on the stakes. LIKELY LIGHTWEIGHT Bright Glow is one due here in a day or two, and latest reports from Ha* (wera are that she has come through her final preparation satisfactorily. She will be ridden in the Wellington Cup by H. Pitcon, in whose hands she won the Stratford Cup. j Lausanne has a chance in the Telegraph Handicap on Saturday, especially as he is doing all that is~ asked of him on the tracks in fine style. He is moving a bit tenderly, but as C. Goulsbro’ has been engaged to ride him it can foe taken for granted that he is sure to start. IMPROVING TWO-YEAR-OLD The Trentham two-year-old Concentrate has improved since winning at the Manawatu meeting last month.

and in running four furlongs on the plough in under 50 and doing it easily he surprised some of the track watchers. He stays on well and will be troublesome in some of his near at hand engagements. As the meeting of Staghunter and Childsplay is being so keenly looked forward to, the watches are ready every time Staghunter comes on the course, but he has not been sent against the clock much of late. He is a.very fit horse, .and with the chance of rain falling in . the meantime (though the chance looks remote) his trainer might wait till Thursday before he sprints him. FOR FOXTON The Foxton meeting will be held at the same time as the Wellington fixture, and Royal Game is to be sent over there to contest the Foxton Cup. He is not at his best at a mile and aquarter, but looks better now than

ever he did. As he is well forward and has a lot of racing he is not being asked to do much in the way of fast work on the tracks. His appearance amply demonstrates that he does not need it. Horses from Awapuni are expected here on Friday. Having a good training ground and being close to Wellington, the Awapuni mentors do not consider it necessary to leave till just before the meeting. The horses due from there are Novar, Crown Area, Broad Acre, Blimp. Duke Abbey. Keddar, Some Lad, Piuthair and Mooregas. It is a useful team and will hold its own. MEETINGS TO COME January 17, 19. —Wairoa R.C. January 19.—Waipapakauri R.C. January 21.—Ngaruawahia R.C. January 21.—Bay of Islands R.C. January 21, 23, 25.—Wellington R.C. January 21, 23.—Foxton R.C. January 25.—Pine Bush R.C. January 28, 30.—Takapuna J.C. February I.—Tapanui R.C. February 1, 2.—Pahiatua R.C. February 2, 4.—Egmont R.C. February 2, 4.—Gisborne R.C. February 4.—Matamata R.C. February 9, 11.—Dunedin J.C. February 9, 11.—Taranaki J.C. February 9. 11.—Poverty Bay T C February 11, 13.—Rotorua R.C. February 15.—Ciifden R.C. February 16.—Tolaga Bay J.C. February t 6, 18.—Wanganui J C February 18.—Canterbury J.C February 25. 27—Te Aroha J.C. February 29. March I.—Dannevirke R.C. March 1, 3.—Marlborough R.C. March 3.—Banks Peninsula R.C. March 3, s—Te Kuiti R.C. March 7.—Opotiki J.C. Match 9 10.—Napier Park R.C. March 10, 12—Franklin R.C. March 17, 19—Ohinemuri J.C. March 15.—Waimate R.C March 15, 17—Wellington R.C. March 17.—Opunake R C March 21.—Otautau R.C March 21 22—Rangitikei R.C. March 23, 24.—Oamaru J.C. March 24—Bay of Plenty J.C. March 24, 26.—Westport J.C. February 22, 23—Gore R.C February 23, 25 Nelson J.C. February 24, 25—Woodville J.C. February 23—Waiapu R.C. March 28, 29.—Southland R.C. March 00, 31.—Masterton R.C. March ol.—Whangarei R.C. ■March ol.—Hororata R.C. April <.—Tuapeka J.C.