Oratrix Is To Run In Napier Cup

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 296, 6 March 1928, Page 10

Oratrix Is To Run In Napier Cup

Unlucky Performer is A Possibility Too SOUTHERN RACING TOPICS (Special to THE SUN.) WELLINGTON, Monday. Recent racing in this part of the Island has been of a most interesting character, though some of the events have not drawn big fields. The reason for the small fields of course is that the tracks were so hard for so long that a number of horses have gone sore and others have been temporarily withdrawn from racing for fear they would go sore. Rain has fallen at all the district tracks within the last week, and the courses now are in reasonably good order. Trainers everywhere report that there is renewed activity in their teams, and that the later autumn meetings will see larger fields than was the case before the breaking of the drought. COMMENDATION TO TRAVEL Most of Mr. W. H. Gaisford’s team seem to be in trouble of some sort, and it may be next spring before his colours are as freely represented on the turf as has been the case in past years. Even then it has to be borne in mind that Commendation, the backbone of the team, may commence his spring racing in Australia. Mr. Vivian Riddiford has been thinning out his team to make room for

young ones which he has coming on, and it is understood that there is a likelihood of others being disposed of in the near future. He has already got rid of Chit, Select, Nadarino, and Indian Sage.

The Trentham mare Oratrix, who ran second in the Woodville Cup and second again in the Dannevirke Cup, was brought back to Trentham after racing at Dannevirke, but will go to Napier to contest the Napier Cup next Friday. Oratrix is very well and is better now than ever before. Only sheer bad luck prevented her from winning the Woodville Cup and one of the consequences was that she was backed to a very short price in the Dannevirke Cup a few days later. Again misfortune dogged her, as she appeared to have the race won when Kilmiss swept up on the outside with a late run that took her completely by surprise and got the verdict by a head. DECEIVED EVERYBODY

It was one of those things that the rider of Oratrix could not be blamed for, as the race looked to be in her safe keeping, but Kilmiss deceived everybody by the brilliance of her finishing run. Oratrix will nave a good chance in the Napier Cup, but may find the field a little bit harder to beat than were the fields she ran second in at the meetings mentioned. However, it is certain that she will give a good account of herself.

The hurdler Panorama has been paying his way of late. He was taken to the Woodville meeting and won a couple of hurdle races there and, going on to Dannevirke, contested two of the flat events, winning one i\nd running a close secod in the other. This is not bad for Panorama, who is only a little fellow, but is very well. He will find it harder to win in future, as he will not often meet such weak fields and the handicappers will have his measure even if he does.

Skvrider is a maiden who was expected to run well in events this autumn, but she has been a disappointment up to the present. She was considered to have a good chance of winning on the second day of the Woodville meeting, and though it cannot be said that she ran badly, the best that can be said in her favour is that her peformance was a moderate one. She will have to show a distinct improvement before she can be recommended as likely to win a race. A son old Gipsy Belle, a good mare on the turf years ago, was raced at Woodville and Dannevirke without success. This fellow goes bv the name of Timi Inihi. He was second to Maui in the Novice Plate at Woodville, and was made favourite in the very weak field which contested the last race at the Dannevirke meeting. In this failed, finishing third in a four-horse contest. This does not sound like the deeds of a son of Gipsy Belle, and is one more instance of a "good mare reproducing something far below her own class.