TRENTHAM TRACK WORK

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 303, 14 March 1928, Page 10

TRENTHAM TRACK WORK

THOMPSON FAVOURITES WELL SPRINTERS IN GREAT FORM (Special to THE SUNJ WELLINGTON, Tuesday. Though there are not many horses here from abroad yet, some of the work done at Trentham this morning was as good as any that has been seen on the track for years. The conditions favoured fast times as the trial grass, which was freely used, was in great order. A S was mentioned briefly yesterday, the feature of the morning’s work was the remarkable gallop over a mile by Hynanna and Rapier. To get to the end of the trip in 1.40 they had to be at top the whole way, and despite this, both of them finished on like true stayers. Rapier drew away in the run down the straight, and was nicely clear at the finish, but Hynanna covered himself with credit, as he carried much more weight than the treble cup winner and finished in well inside 1.41. A Good Problem Opinions differ, but the general run of track watchers considered that Rapier’s was the better effort. That view, however, is open to serious question, seeing the diiference there was in the weights. However, Rapier has in consequence advanced rapidly in favour for the Thompson Handicap, and there is now no certainty that he might not oust Joy King from the post of honour. Hynanna too has come strongly into the market and will be a well backed horse on Thursday. Joy King has arrived, but he has not been galloped, having been retricted to easy work. Star God, who failed twice at Napier Park, was an acceptor for the meeting, but he has been left at home, apparently on the ground that if he could not win at Napier Park he was very unlikely to do so at Trentham. Star Stranger and Knightlike, accompanied Joy King to the meeting. When Bright Day appeared this morning he looked well, and if he is as well as he looks he might make matters very awkward for the weak opposition he will meet in the HighWeight Handicap on Thursday. He galloped in company with Lancer and went well.

Lancer, by the way, is said to have lightened up on the trip from the South, and if this is the case, he might not be able to show his best. In Great Order The effort over six furlongs of the Riccarton sprinter Money Order was as good as has been seen at Trentham Cor a long while. He loafed a little in the early part of his gallop, and took 58£sec to run the first three furlongs, but he was flying at the finish and cut out the whole six in 1.15. All along he has been a prime fancy for the Railway Handicap, and now he will be in greater demand than ever, as any horse of his standing who shows a gallop of that kind must be regarded as in great trim. A rider has not been announced for Money Order, but as T. Green rode him at Ellerslie and at Trentham, in all probability he will be in the saddle on Thursday, and Money Order should not suffer because of the fact, as Green is riding exceptionally well at present. {Star Stranger is to have a run in the Thompson Handicap on Thursday, as far as can be gathered, and to contest the Trentham Gold Cup on the second day of the meeting. Easy work was allotted him to-day, but he had a couple of races last week, and with a race in the Thompson should be in good order for the Cup. Cimabue’s Good Form Cimabue was not set sternly against the watch this morning, but he galloped well and will not lose any friends for the Railway Handicap. He took 495 for half a mile, but he could have improved upon it. He has continued improving since taking ud his abode at Trentham, and will give Money Order and the others plenty to do to beat him on Thursday. He will be ridden by R. Reed. The St. Leger candidate Satrap was worked at a sound pace over a distance of nearlv a mile and threequarters and he got through his task satisfactorily. It is almost certain that he will start favourite for the St. Leger, though Wild Pigeon is coming into favour, and rival him for the place at the head of the betting. Challenge Candidate The North Island Challenge Stakes candidate, Concentrate, is an improved youngster, and he galloped well this mprning, running half a mile comfortably in 491, which equalled the time of Cimabue. He will be ridden in the Challenge Stakes by H. N. Wiggins. Smart Effort The best half-mile of the morning was that registered by Miss Ransom and Staghunter. The pair jumped off together, on the trial grass and finished up' the four furlongs in 47, which is easily one of the smartest track efforts seen at Trentham for a long while, and is a further indication of the fast condition of the track. Nevertheless it is a trial which must help to make Miss Ransom one of the favourites, if not the actual favourite, for the Kelburn Plate, the race in which the two-year-olds meet oh Thursday. Also, it need not be forgotten in. the case of Staghunter, whose Easter engagements will be of importance. Oratrix is to contest the mile and three furlongs open handicap on the second day of the fixture, and she galloped well enough this morning to make it clear that she is in good trim, even though she has been eased a little since she raced at Dannevirke. She went with Kindle over six furlongs and cut out the journey in 1.175, finishing better than her stablemate, who is a good track worker. A Non-Starter Civility has been cancelled for her engagement in the Challenge Stakes. Wild Pigeon did a better six furlongs than Oratrix. her time being 1.16. This helped to make her come into favour for the St. Leger. Panther, who is engaged in hack races during the meeting, has come through a good preparation for autumn events, and if he does not win here he should not be long in getting another bracket. He was never at top this morning to beat Sky Bird easily over five furlongs in 1.3, and down the straight six-furlong course, he might be hard to beat in the Tinakori Hack Handicap, as the field is a rather weak one. Great Contest Expected It is expected that the Trentham Gold Cup on the second day of the meeting will be one of the greatest two-mile weight-for-age contests ever

staged in New Zealand, and visitors who W'ill not be here for the opening day have signified their intention of coming to see such giants as Rapier, Star Stranger and Hynanna do battle for the staying laurels of the season. At present Rapier and Star Stranger are the favourites, and on the day Rapier might be most in demand, but much will depend on how the horses engaged in the Gold Cup shape in the Thompson Handicap and the St. Leger on the first day. Certainly the race should be well worth going a long way to see. There is a possibility of Raasay being withdrawn from the North Island Challenge Stakes on Thursday, and being reserved for the Pacific Handicap, a race for two-year-olds on the second day, though as the latter is a handicap, he will not escape with light weight. His next outing after Trentham is expected to be the Great Northern Champagne Stakes at Ellerslie at Easter, and he should be at the top of his form by the time that race is contested. Sudden Storm was not impressive in taking 1.195 for six furlongs this morning, even after making allowance for the fact that she could have improved a little on the time. It is said that she is one of the kind that will do better in a race. Earned a Penalty Subdivision has earned a 51b penalty for the Tinakori Handicap through his •win at the Franklin meeting, and this

makes his weight 8.11. Another who is penalised is Clavers, who won at Napier Park, and will have to carry 7.5 in the Silverstream Handicap. Rain is threatening, but might keep off, and if it does the track will be fast and in perfect condition.