Waikato Horses’ Prospects Reviewed

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 305, 16 March 1928, Page 6

Waikato Horses’ Prospects Reviewed

A T PAEROA ON SA TURDA Y WITH the Ohinemuri Club’s meeting at Paeroa on Saturday and Monday, one of the important fixtures of the country circuit will come up for decision. As in the past, horses from stables in the South Auckland district are freely entered in the fields for the various events. A budget of news from our racing correspondent in that part of the province will be read with interest by patrons whose attention will be focussed on the coming meeting.

Showing Prospect at Last A little over 12 months ago there was a serious inquiry for Wiltshire, when a big figure was offered for the Day Comet chestnut. However, owner Tom Wilson, who bred and raced that star steeplechase performer, Waimai (still in the land of the living), and knows as much about a horse as the best of judges, decided not to be tempted. If Wiltshire was good enough for the other fellow, Tom considered that it was his chance to exploit the horse’s qualities, and he held on. It looked for a long time as if he had the worst of the bargain, but astute T.W. was certain that Wiltshire would prove to be good. And it appears that his conclusions are going to come right. It was not until the Rotorua meeting that Wiltshire won a race, after having a second place on the first day at the centre where boiling pools and sulphur aroma figure prominently. Wiltshire put the second win to his credit at Pukekohe on Saturday, when he beat a decent field of provincial high-weight company. Wiltshire’s main asset lies in his prospective value as a jumper, and, perhaps, it is by no means too much to forecast that his Waikato owner will yet have another Northern or a Nationl Cup, and both may be, to grace the sideboard. The principal measure of kudos for Wiltshire’s advancement has the right to be ladled out to Roy Syme, who rides Wiltshire and the other horses in the Te Rapa stable referred to. Recent Form is Not Good Desert Glow has won two races so far this season, viz., the Te Awamutu Cup and the Takapuna Jockey Club Handicap. Following the latter victory, the Te Awamutu candidate had his next outing in the Herries Memorial Cup. His failure to show up was pardonable, as the son of Day Comet and Lady Winsome had not been long over a bruised foot. Desert Glow raced in the Cup and the Memorial at Pukekohe, but his form on both days of that fixture was anything but top grade. If those gallops are to be taken as a reliable line on Desert Glow’s Ohinemuri Cup prospects, then he might as well stay in his box. Your correspondent, for one, will be prepared to overlook the immediate past so far as Frank Loomb’s charge is concerned. Consistent and Good Macroom is consistent and good. There is not much of the Archiestown fill!’-, but what there is can lay claim to 100 per cent, quality. A second at Wanganui, a dead-heat with Ti Tree for first in the Takapuna Plate, and wins at Taumarunui, Dargaville, Rotorua and Franklin, have brought the cheque of her Frankton owner, Mrs. P. Carter, up to a decent tally this season. Macroom is not done yet either. If she fails to give the St. Patrick’s Handicap at Paeroa a serious challenge, niany punters will be left lamenting. Mr. J. Carroll has Macroom in great nick. It must have pleased the genial trainer to have taken an optical assessment of the showing of his charge in the Massey Memorial at Pukekohe. Her fourth on Monday gave sufficient support to the claim that Macroom will get a middle distance in good style, and her prospective value has advanced accordingly. Will He Ruffle 'Em? Ruffles can’t be said to be unduly burdened when asked to carry 111 b. above the minimum with the best of the open six furlong horses at Paeroa on Saturday. The only point that makes punters a bit querulous is to determine whether Ruffles has had sufficient work to equip him for the job ahead. When he first came back to the tracks, which was round about the end of the year, the Quin Abbey— Necktie gelding was trained at Te Rapa, but he has been located at Te Aroha for six weeks or more. He flutters along fairly gaily on the tracks, but this writer, good and all as he knows Ruffles to be, would not plump for him on Saturday. I fully anticipate him to be in the firing line but the need of a race is likely to be apparently before be shows the good form he displayed when last seen out in public. What's in a Name? Frank Tutchen will have a hurdler among his small team at Paeroa on Saturday and Monday. This is Raiti I-liki. The horse with this weirdsounding nomenclature has not had many bouts over the battens, but he was going sufficiently well in his race at Te Aroha to hold out prospects for him. Raiti Hiki is one of Spalpeen’s stock, so descends from a good jumping- strain. What he most requires is experience. With that in his equipment the rest shouldn’t be too fair off. Unlikely to Saddle Up New Moon is a very unlikely starter on the opening day at Paeroa, where he appears in the field for the closing event, the Netherton Handicap. The undersized son of Kilbroney and Marsala, the latter a daughter of Gazeley and Vexo, cannot carry a great deal of weight, and 8.6 for the eight furlongs and a-half looks as if it would effectively anchor him. New Moon is as game as they make them, but even a full complement of that won’t make a horse be first home each time he’s saddled up. New Moon’s measure is effectively sized up by the weightadjuster these days and he will require to work hard for any stakes lie may earn. Although the helpings will be few and far between they’ll arrive, however. King Lu as a Stayer No student of the game needs to be reminded of the consistency of King Lu this season. Bob Hines, the Te Aroha owner, has gathered in quite a tidy sum with this piece of galloping machinery, who does not appear to worry much whether the tracks be hard or capable of being dented. King Lu is to be in something of a new role on Saturday when he will endeavour to get the 11 furlongs of the Ohinemuri Gold Cup. He has won at nine furlongs this season when Tinker piloted him in an end to end victory at Takapuna, while it took Desert Glow just all he knew to have a neck margin his way at the close of the Te Awamutu Cup. There is a furlong further to go on Saturday than the last-mentioned journey and it is going to take careful nurturing if King Lu can hang it. out. One point worth knowing and which will not be in his favour, is that he has hardly done sufficient work since coming back from his spell to condition him for 11 fur- j longs with the best of our stayers. j A Likely Improver Cloudbank, who is engaged in the j Novice Handicap at Paeroa, continues his preparation under Frank Tutchen’s I care on the track at Waikato head- | quarters. Cloudbank is by Hymettus, j

but his dam is not known, although it is thought that she was a matron claiming blood lines from among the several on the Galatea station, in the thermal area, where Cloudbank first saw the light of day. This chap is fairly well seasoned with .racing and while even that is no definite guarantee that he will win, it is equipment that must be provided if it is desired to get results. Cloudbank looks the right stamp for a jumper later on. Is Now Staying Better Most racecourse frequenters would know Whaka King. Being countrytrained these times, the bulk of the rank and file are not likely to know exactly the condition of the white- [ faced son of King Lupin and Karitea. The last W'ord from this end shows that he’s going on like a house on fire and, what is more, he does not blow so much at the end of his races as he used to do. It is not so long ago he J finished second in a mile race, so he’s not going to be unduly harassed by the seven furlongs of the Komata Hack Handicap on the opening day at PaeOne of the Promising Band Valkon is full of promise. So far as staying is concerned he’s going to take on a job that is new to him when he sets out on the Ohinemuri Cup journey. Good and all as the son of Valkyrian and Glacier is, and his most recent track work at Te Aroha doesn’t leave much room for doubt, it’s a somewhat tall undertaking to anticipate fruitful results in the coming tests. It can be taken for granted that Valkon will be there from the word “go” on Saturday, but it is the final furlong that is likely to find him on the wane. He Let Them Down Pegaway plainly disappointed his connections by his display in the Herries Memorial at the Te Aroha i meeting. The son of Lucullus was not putting the “kick” into his work at the finish of that race that was expected and usually can be relied upon from him. Pegaway doesn’t appear to be quite himself. At least his most recent displays lend colour to that view. He was at the top among our handicap performers before last season had run its course, but there will require to be some improvement if the handicappers are going to be warranted in having him there from this out. It Gave Him Pleasure Mr. Joe Pohlen, one of the best- ! known sportsmen in the Matamata district, would, naturally, be very pleased to follow the success of Sir Archie in the Franklin Cup. Mr. Pohlen bred and raced the upstanding son of Archiestown, who is from Lady Marble, the latter a wearer of Mr. Pohlen’s livery on the track in the past. Mr. Pohlen, who is taking a trip abroad by the way, is still active in the owners’ ranks. Fernden, a descendant of Redfern,, had his first race at the recent Te Aroha fixture. Fernden was bought by Mr. Pohlen at the Sydney yearling sales.

Star Comet is placing his name well to the fore by his recent deeds. When he romped home at the business end of the Ngaruawahia Cup this writer heard one capable judge, an ownertrainer by the way, remark that Phil Brady’s charge would see a better day. That prophecy has been more than fulfilled already, as Star Comet has been past the post first on two occasions, and in second place twice in tour starts since then. Brady, who bred Star Comet, has to be given a lot of credit for the splendid racing condition in which his charge is. W. Cook, of Ngahinapouri, in whose colours Star Comet has done so well and will yet do better, is one of the ‘‘battling brigade,” in whose interests it is a pleasure to record a victory. This owner raced horses back a quarter of a century or more ago, so he is no tyro at the business. Near Himself Again Town Bank, who is to race at the week-end, is as frisky as a juvenile. When the Waikato trainer, W. C. Woods, got him back to hard feed after a spell of nearly nine months he allowed Town Bank to get on to his racing menu by regular but not overrushed doses, and the old fellow has got back the bloom In great style. He had his first tests at Te Aroha, where those who were taking notice had reason to observe that the galloping spark has not been lost. Town Bank is now on the tracks that he likes, and although the Gold Cup on Saturday reads slightly premature it shall not be long before an effective effort is coming from the quarter referred to. Not Being Overlooked There are good punters across Cambridge way men who do not idly cast money about, who are looking in Romford's direction. with a view to adding to their bank balance. When he was produced at Te Aroha at the end of last month, the chestnut descendant of Nassau—Fallwin was having his first outing for some time. He ran sufficiently well to warrant taking more than passing notice of. Horses who can register a victory at Bllerslie in open company at the first time of asking are entitled to schedule above the ordinary. Romford, who is to line up at Paeroa at the coming week-end, takes rank within that category. Lord Star As a ’Chaser Many people are exercising their minds as to the ability of Lord Star as a steeplechase prospect. There is no line in public to go upon, but the Quin Abbey gelding hails from a quarter where jumping is an everyday occurrence, and where fences are fences in the true sense of the word. Being one of Dick Hannon's team it is evidence prima facie that Lord Star has had a grounding along the right lines. The fences at Paeroa cannot be labelled difficult and there need not be many qualms about Lord Star being capable of getting round that country. Prom the viewpoint of racing condition there will be more in Saturday’s field who will have it on him in this respect.