Indications Point To Large Fields

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 394, 30 June 1928, Page 6

Indications Point To Large Fields

TRENTHAM PROSPECTS REVIEW OF RECENT FORM (Special to THE SUN) WELLINGTON, Friday. There is every indication that the Wellington winter meeting is to be a highly successful fixture. So far Radiate is the only horse to arrive, but so much accommodation has been booked at the stables up the Hutt Valley that the inference is that there will be big fields. In fact, some of the visiting trainers migh have difficulty in securing accommodation for their horses. The tracks at Trentham are soft, but not nearly so soft as is usual at this time of the year. It is' far too early yet to say definitely how the course will be at race time, but the probability is that it will be fairly heavy. There is no possibility of Ban juke being at the Wellington meeting as he has been handed over to Vet. Brodie to operate on for respiratory troubles, fie is a beautiful jumper and it is to be hoped he will be satisfactorily repaired. Will Try Again S. Waddell is bringing Kilmoyler to the Wellington meeting, and his Trial Plate candidate will be Lucky Light. Waddell’s stable also has Scrutari engaged. The Trial Plate is one of the races in which the veteran trainer has a great record. Glendowie and Beau Cavalier, the crack Auckland steeplechasers, are both expected here well before the meeting. They are among the early favourites in Wellington for the big event. Royal Lineage ran well at Hastings and Napier and as lie has not been entered for events at the Wellington meeting, it is assumed that he will race at Riccarton at National time or go to Australia. He is worth keeping an eye on if he is stepped out in New Zealand. Favourable For No Favours A change of trainers seems to have effected an improvement in No Favours, though he was in good hands previously. He runs more kindly now than he used, to, but is a very slow beginner and needs time to fifid his feet in a race. He will be well suited by the roomy course and long straight at Trentham. There is a possibility of Beaumont being converted into a hurdler, as he lias been entered for jumping events at the Wellington winter meeting. Argue seems to have gone right off. His form at Hastings was bad, and just when he was expected to improve he went back. Kaiti will not come to Wellington, but might do the Gisborne meeting. Ho is in great heart at present and won three races at Hastings, where lie stood out as a champion among the sprinters. Concerning Kalos

Kalos is booked for Trentham to race at the Wellington winter meeting. He had a little racing in Hawke’s Bay last week, and it will serve to sharpen him up for his engagements here. Ife is a good sort when right as he stays on fairly well, but he will be meeting a number of other good ones here, and he will have to be right up to his best to win. The big middle distances at the Wellington meeting have been picked out for fluikai. By the time the racing at Hastings was finished Muikai was at the top of his form. He likes the soft/ground, and had u handy turn of speed, but there is a grave doubt about his ability to run out a stronglycontested middle distance event. Among the steeplechasers who made good at the Hawke’s Bay meeting was the Trentham-trained Matu. Matu has done a fair amount of hurdling, but very little stcplechasing. As a hurdler he met with but moderate success, but he seems to be more cut out for his new line of business. l-Io had schooled very well over the country at Trentham before he was sent to Hastings. In his first attempt o\er the Hastings country he made one or two bad mistakes and he was nearly down in the last round. Next time he jumped perfectly and won very easily. He did not have quite enough dash for short hurdle races, but he is going to do all right among the hack steeplechasers, if he improves a little on what was seen of him at Hastings. Hack Chaser of Promise Another hack steeplechaser of great promise is Rangi Sartc, also a winner at Hastings. The Sarto gelding is a very line jumper, and he won his race last week on a very short preparation. In fact, there was some doublj about whether he should be started. How he would have fared with Matu on the final day is only a matter of speculation, but many think he would have beaten him. The reason Rangi Sarto did not start was that he was let out of his enclosure on the night before the race and was found on the roads next day in an unfit condition for racing. He had a bad cut on one of his legs and it is stated that the wound looks as if it has been inflicted with a knife. If that is the case there must be someone about that is capable of one of those dastardly acts that are fortunately very rare.

Radiate is a Stayer

The first time that Radiate meets some of the hack cross-country brigade over a longer course than he has been racing over of late, he will be seen to greater advantage. He might not win, of course, as steeplechasing is a risky game, but he stays better

than most of the others and the longer journeys will suit him well. r±is Wellington prospects are fairly bright. One of the hack jumpers whose progress has been disappointing is Royal Heather. He is among the entries for the Wellington meeting, but will have to vastly improve on his recent exhibitions to have any chance at all. One of his troubles has been that he has failed to stay. Not Seasoned Enough One of the Bay jumpers that is not altogether a hopeless case is Awangawanga, one of the team of Mr. T. E. Welsh, who is a good judge of a jumper and usually has a capable one about the premises. He fences well does this one, but is not well seasoned yet. Patuki staged an interesting comeback at Hastings and it was not totally unexpected. His party expected him to win a race shortly, and no doubt they supported him well. His first success, since his return to form, was in the Hack Hurdle Race on the first day of the Hawke’s Bay Jockey Club’s meeting, and the same afternoon he came out again and won the race in which the riding was conlined to amateurs. If he does well here, he is likely to go on South for the racing at Riccarton a few weeks later. MODERATES TO DATE Our Jack will have to improve a whole lot before he becomes a good jumper, and bad jumpers do not win very many hurdle races. His opponents at Hastings were not a strong lot, but he both failed to jump well and to stay on. He cannot yet be recommended for any of the jumping events, ahead. The worst jumper seen out for a long while is Closefire, and at Hastings she was beaten by furlongs after merely scrambling over the obstacles. NOW iN FORM Gaze is about back to his best form and he should be able to give a really good account of himself at the coming Wellington meeting. He gave a fine display of hurdling on the first “day of the Hawke’s Bay Jockey Club’s fixture, and again on the second day did really well. He won easily on tiie former occasion and was not in the least fortunate in the running when he was beaten on the second occasion. However, he may make amends in one of the big hurdle races very shortly. There is a possibility that he will be coupled on the totalisator with Perle de Leon if he starts at Trentham, and if he is, there will be no lack of support for the bracket. It is reported that A. E. Ellis was approached to ride one of the pair at Wellington, but that a definite answer had not been obtained. Troilus, taking him on his second appearance at Hastings, will not disgrace himself as a hurdler this winter. He was well ridden.by L. A. Pine, who made his debut as a hurdle jockey. Troilus went very close to*winning on the second day, and should improve. MAUNGA NOT FOR TRENTHAM? Maunga was amiss after racing in in the Hawke’s Bay Steeplechase, but be might be right again in time for the Wellington meeting. A new rider was tried on him at Hastings, A. McDonald having the mount. Maunga lost McDonald during the last round at a time when he was going like a winner. He was remounted and secured third stake money. Those who feel tempted to invest early should not be in a hurry about Maunga as there is no certainty he will be a runner at Trentham. Another, of the three who contested the Hawke’s Bay Steeplcliase, Mixed Heather, was in trouble after the race, and he will have to be patched up and got right for the Wellington meeting as many consider him to be Gne of the most likely of the lightweights engaged. Probably he will start, as it is understood his trouble was only the result of a knock. SHOWING THE EFFECTS Garzon was to have come to Wellington, but he has been returned to

Gisborne. He was so sore that he could hardly get round the course in the Hawke’s Bay Steeplechase, yet the game * old fellow cleared every fence and won second money for his owner. Thus the whole field— of three only—which contested the Hawke’s Bay Steeplechase was in the hands of the nurse after the race. One of the hurdlers who is making distinct progress in his line is Red Bank, an All Red gelding trained at Awapuni. He won in great style on the last day at Hastings, but at present his trouble is that he does not relish a long journey. With seasoning he might improve in that respect, and if he does there are good cheques in front of him.