Horses That Have Shown Some Form

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 477, 5 October 1928, Page 11

Horses That Have Shown Some Form

SUGGESTIONS FOR BACKERS

Judging by certain indications, a success for Star Stranger to-morrow is not entirely unexpected. I’ arndon won at his last appearance over the sticks at headquarters. However, the company to-morrow is a long way ahead of that he triumphed over in June last. * * * Kawini was kept a long way out of it m his hurdle race at Avondale last week. More vigorously and judiciously iidden in the Trial Hurdles to-morrow, he should be a danger to more fancied candidates. * * * Among the hack hurdlers he met and defeated at Avondale the first day,

Star Stranger, Mask, and Laughing Prince might be said to have a big say in the decision of the Mitchelson Cup. The former may want more racing, however, although it is said that his connections are confident. Mask and Laughing Prince are preferred to the Martian gelding, for they have got through an excellent preparation, and in addition they both showed by their racing at Wanganui that they are more forward than the top weight. It would not be surprising to find this pair fighting out the issue. One of those “certainties in racing” that one sometimes reads about was defeated at Ellerslie last Saturday, but he has a chance to-mor.row of making

Potoanui proved a veritable Nukumai. He has risen in the weights by virtue of that performance, but he still looks the pick. After the Trial Hurdles tomorrow. th© steeplechase on Monday will see him knocking at the judge’s box. Quincoma was badly ridden the first day at Avondale, and from being a possibility at the home turn he finished well out of a place. He is a good deal better over the battens than his performances in public to date would lead one to believe. Siaosi finished second iu his first attempt over the sticks—this at Avon - dale. He meets one or two good ones to-morrow*, and if he can get over the lioodoo reigning over first attempts over the sticks at Ellerslie lie may prove a nuisance. A master hand with jumpers is R. Hannon, of Cambridge. This statement is made for the purpose of introducing bettors to the fact that the stable has Tinopono In the Trial Hurdles, and Roman Abbey in the Hunters’ Steeplechase. This will mean some support for this pair, who are apparently getting ready for Labour Day. * * * Three Guineas contests have already been decided this season, and the winners have been Consent (Wanganui), Prodice (Avondale), and Toxeuma (Hawke’s Bay). The latter pair are engaged in the Great Northern Guineas to-morrow. Will one of them score, or will Episode or White Wings furnish another to complicate the three-year-old form? Episode was running on at the end of the Wanganui Guineas, and she had not done too well for a week after her arrival from the river city. Her gallops on Tuesday and yesterday, however, serve to show that she will be caught right on the job this time. The way in which she finished up a smart six furlongs on Tuesday was what one would expect of the filly we knew as the best two-year-old last season. Actually, the Great Northern Guineas is a very open race, and two to one on the field should be obtainable at any part, unless there is a last-minuute rush on something. The presence of tho smart Toxeuma and as well as Staghunter, White Wings, Cashier, and Mithra, should assist in making a better pool than usual. If it rains, of course, Prodico will bo installed a hot fancy. # * * That effort by White Wings at Ellerslie yesterday was most impressive, and if slio gets away with her field it is probable that the sister to Agrion will be one of the hardest to head off. She is a bit slow' in jumping off, and she will not be able to afford much start to the opposition tomorrow. Her Lt 4-5 for five furlongs yesterday was a great performance, and probably quite as good as, if not better than, that by Aussie. A lot of interest will be taken in Commendation when he steps out in the Shorts to-morrow*. He has done a fair amount of work, and yesterday strode out easily in a sprint without being asked to make time. He races well when lresli. so that he is not altogether be to ignored in what is perhaps not a strong sprint field. A horse that must be given more than an outside chance in the Shorts is the three-year-old Freehold, one of tho strong Fordell team. He has been galloping extremely well at headquarters, and he showed all his pace in the sprint last Saturday. Obviously that outing has worked a big improvement in him, and as he was not far from the best of the two-year-olds last season, he is entitled to some respect. Nothing but good news has been heard of Paganelli of late, and if he stands his ground in the Shorts lie will not be neglected. Paganelli races well when fresh. Nancy Lee is another that can fly when caught in the mood, which obviously she wasn’t last week. Her spriflt with Benzora showed her to be very nearly back to her best. Benzora went well yesterday morning, and on top of the ground this fine sprinter may once again prove himself. Kaiti also pleased yesterday, and if on this occasion he gets a clear run, he | promises to take some heading. • * * In the event of the track being firm to-morrow', it will take something extra j good to account for the horses near ! the top in the Mitchelson Cup. In soft j ground a very likely light-weight would j be Catkin, who is one of the fittest horses at headquarters. He and Valkon even now read best of those under Bst.

amends. This was Pompeius. His pilot last week gave a shocking exhibition, one of the worst seen at headquarters for a long time. Otherwise Pompeius might have repeated Beau Cavalier’s runaway victory in the Great Northern 18 months before. Importer has a steady weight to carry over the hill to-morrow, but he is an improving horse, and may be able to pull through. A few newcomers will be seen in the hack steeples on Monday, among them Handy, who gave a refreshing display yesterday over the lull course, handling the country really well for a first acquaintance. Supremacy hit out so freely in his track effort yesterday morning that it seems almost hopeless to endeavour to sort out something that has a chance of beating him in the Welcome Stakes. He was only given pace work, but he looked an improved gelding as the result of his race at Avondale. Still, accidents will happen, particularly on the racecourse. * * * It may be left to Hunting Day once again to follow the Avondale Stakes winner back to the birdcage. He galloped very straight again this week in two half-mile sprints at Ellerslie. First Money probably has as much pace as Supremacy, and it is against him that he is inclined to run about. Then there is Clever, who is speedy, and she has improved a whole lot since running fourth at Wanganui. The Avondale double winners, Storm Fiend aind Arikitoa, rather stand out, for the fixing of the maximum weight at 9.0 has let them both in lightly. Of course, others down the scale are similarly treated, but the winning form was good, and apparently reliable. Tea Lady, Royal Lineage, Luminary, Nurjahan, adn Sports King may be the likely ones to upset the winning form. Royal Doulton finished with a rattle in her race at Avondale, not appearing on the scene until the race was nearly over. She is therefore expected to shape well to-morrow in the Flying, and of course Flying Juliet, a winner last Saturday, should again have a say in the decision. A war ere has a big v eight, but if sufficiently seasoned he will carry the poundage. This is a particularly open race, for fully half the field of 22 can be given splendid chances of doing the trick.