Turf Note

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 287, 24 February 1928, Page 6

Turf Note

Conducted by

"EARLY BIRD"

Te Aroha Cup Fancies Fancies in to-morrow’s Te Aroha Cup are not likely to take a wide range, for it is apparent that the horses near the top of the list will practically monopolise the betting On the other hand, the betting market in the sprint and the other events pronfise* to be illuminating. Pecaway and the Cup In the Summer Cup at Ellerslie a couple of months ago Pegaway was only beaten by a head by Mandane. A month later Pegaway contested the Takapuna Cup. He was very handy at the home turn, and was then in a winning position, but he failed to handle the turn, and had to be steadied, this effectively preventing him reaching a place. With 9.0 in the Te Aroiia Cup to-morrow, Pegaway promises to be one ol the favourites, for he is a good weight carrier, and the distance will suit him better than some of the others. Sprinter in Form There will probably be one or two better backed in the open sprint at Te Aroha to-morrow than Flying Juliet, but despite this fact the daughter of Romeo should be able to beat the majority of her opponents, and

what should finish in front of her will be entitled to the stake. Flying Juliet was a good thing: beaten in the splint Ft Rotorua, and on the second day there she won the open event, a mile, in good style. Now that she is back to her beat it is going to take a good one to head off Flying Juliet in races from six furlongs to ax mile. "£ea Time’s Prospect* After Tea Time had scored handsomely the first day a. Takapuna last month, it must have come as an unpleasant surprise for the stable to see the Tea Tray gelding stop so badly over the business end two days later with 5.7 up. Probably he was not himself. In the event of Tea Time being started in the Waihou Handicap to-morrow he will be one of those heavily backed. Ti Tree’s Engagement With the stable also represented in the open sprint at Te Aroha to-morrow by the smart three-year-old Prince Otto, it remains to be seen whether Ti Tree will be allowed to start, or be kept for the middle distance handicap

on Monday. This latter course appears to be feasible, but the Tea Trav filly is so brilliant when at her best that she may easily spring a surprise on the more* fancied horses over six furlongs. One cannot forget how she spreadeagled h?r field over seven f irlongs at Takapuna a month ago.

Champion Hack Although the winner of the Champion Hack at Te Aroha to-morrow may not be able to claim the title denoted in the name of the race, the honour will carry with it a pretty useful stake at least, and furthermore show that to win stamina is necessary to see out the ten furlongs. The Rover went so well at Takapuna and Rotorua that he will be well supported again, particularly with Green in trfe saddle. The same stable will probably be represented by Piet, who is in good fettle. Confidence Justified When Billikins was taken to Tientham to contest the sprints with, the best hacks in commission, her owner was considered to be over-optimistic, but that he knew his business was evident when the sprinter pulled off a race on the second day of the meeting. A repetition of this good form in the Shaftesbury Handicap at Te Aroha tomorrow would place the race at the mercy of Billikins, for she is such a great beginner. Strongly Represented There is no doubt that trainer Jamieson has a strong team to represent him at Te Aroha to-morrow afid on Monday, and with the stable in winning form it is unlikely that the string will return to Takanini without winning a race. A cursory glance through to-morrow’s card would lead one to expect Mithra, Welcome Home, and Ti Tree to be the sheet-anchors of the party. Was Unlucky When saddled up for the hack seven furlong event at Takapuna last month Welcome Home looked a picture of condition. Unfortunately he met with a misadventure prior to the race, and careered round the course, this taking a lot of steam out of him. Therefore it was not surprising that the Australian bred chestnut failed to go far in the actual race, although he did hit the front soon after the start. Welcome Home figures in the big hack field at Te Aroha to-morrow, and with Green in the saddle he should bo prominent. Won Her First After racing consistently but without luck for some time, Liaison made no mistake on the second day of the last Takapi%na meeting, for she won a seven-furlong race in good style, beating her field pointless The filly is down to contest the Shaftesbury Handicap to-morrow, and although this is the strongest lot she has been opposed to in her career she should not be disgraced. It is in her favour that she is smart out of the barrier, and in a big field this will mean a good deal. Has Two Chances I Although King Arch was regarded as a certainty in the hack sprint at | Matamata a few weeks ago, he got [ badly beaten, and failed to gain a place lin a very ordinary field. None was more surprised and disappointed than his trainer at King Arch’s feeble showing. To-morrow King Arch is engaged in the rich Shaftesbury Handicap, and with him as a bracket will be Waltzer. The latter is probably a better horse than his companion, but in his races he seems to be continually in trouble. Both are real good gallopers when caught right, and if they are in the mood to-morrow they will take some heading. . In Winning Vein Horses engaged at Te Aroha tomorrow that have notched wins within the past couple of months are Uralla and Red Comet, who are in the Hurdles; Mithra, and Winnington, Juvenile 'Handicap; Ripon Abbey, Billikins, Liaison, Marble King, Wee Marble, Hone Heke, Ladies' Boy, and Air King, Shaftesbury Handicap; Desert Glow, Le Choucas, and Rarakau, Cup; Paganelli, Tea Time, Ti Tree, Flying Juliet, Ballymoy 11., Royal T)c»ulton, Macroom, arid Prince Otto, Waihou Handicap: Micrometer, The Lover, and Master Lu, Champion Hack Cup; and Quincoma and Te Koroke, Hot Springs Handicap. This list shows no less than 28 recent winners running to-morrow, and it shows further what backers are going to be up against.