DARGAVILLE R.C. UNFURLS ITS FLAGS AT AVONDALE

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 499, 31 October 1928, Page 12

DARGAVILLE R.C. UNFURLS ITS FLAGS AT AVONDALE

What Recent Form Has Revealed

HORSES IN THE LIMELIGHT

Blue Spear does well on the tracks, but has yet to reproduce that form in a race. He figures in the weaker division of the Dargaville Maiden. ♦ «= ♦ A maiden that showed promise in the last couple of outings was Lunette, and with a fair run in a similar class at Avondale should be able to show some improvement. Lunette is in the first division.

Mon Star was not started at the Waikato meeting on account of soreness, and has not done much in the interim. She would have had an excellent chance of, annexing the first division of the Dargaville Maiden.

Fancy Boy has speed to burn, and Josie Melville too, only the latter stops too quickly. Diamond Queen and Fernden have the ability, but they do not always show* it, and Eager Rose may be kept for a later event. This quintette are in the first division of the Dargaville Maiden.

Present indications point to Monetize and Brampton monopolising the market in the second division of the Dargaville Maiden. The former has a lot of pace, judging by his track efforts, and Brampton showed a return to form when he ran second at Ellerslie recently.

Red Lion is coming to hand, and he shows still that pace that enabled him once or twice as a two-year-old to get to the front quickly. He was backed and beaten at Te Rapa the first day, although the fact that he was carted off the course at the home turn must have counted against him. Sulla, too, has speed, only he does not relish the last furlong. These two maidens are in the second division of this class at Avondale.

■ One of the most open races on the card for the first day of the Dargaville fixture at Avondale is the hack sprint, in which at least half a dozen can be given chances. They are Winsome Boy, Liaison, Miss Mercia, Grand Tea, Abbey Queen and Bulolo.

Winsome Boy ran two solid races at the recent Auckland meeting, fourth being his portion the second day. He had not been up long, and with another three weeks to get thoroughly tuned up he is going to take a lot of beating.

Liaison sprang a big surprise when she finished second to Billikins at Avondale five weeks ago, and as she must have gone on the right way since then it looks as if her turn cannot be far off. Liaison is a very speedy sort of customer, her performances at the back-end of iast season being distinctly good.

Maori Boy showed good form at Avondale last month, and he may be all the better for that racing. Grand Tea won a maiden division at the same time, but subsequently finished last in the Avondale Guineas. Nevertheless he is a good three-year-old, and horses of that age are generally hard beat where the class is short of the best. * * *

A maiden performer that many are interested in is Bulclo, who is expected to make his debut as a three-year-old in the Toka Toka Handicap, at the Dargaville fixture. On the track the chestnut has been doing really well, and this fact, taken in conjunction with the speed he showed in his races last autumn, will ensure his being well supported this week. His lack of experience may be the biggest factor against his chances of success.

A very easy winner of the hurdles at Te Rapa a few days ago was Mangani, and he might have followed this .success up by capturing the steeplechase on the second day, but for losing his rider three fences from home. Ho is nicely in at Avondale, despite his 151 b rise, and he is in such good form that he may add to his score.

Not very well ridden Quincoma went a good race in his last race over the sticks, which was. at Avondale last month, and on that showing he should do better this week. Quincoma is a fine big horse, but to date he has won only one event over the sticks, for which the horse himself cannot be held entirely to blame.

A promising recruit to hurdling in T»iet, a Magpie gelding, ran third at Ellerslie to Siaosi and Potoanui three weeks ago in his first attempt over the sticks, so that he can be said to have made a promising debut. He is engaged in similar events this week at Avondale, and with a little improvement may do better. His schooling of late has not been too good, however.

There is all the material in the Nursery Handicap at the Dargaville meeting to ensure a good contest. Flying Prince has now won a couple of races, and it might be said that he was a bit lucky to win them both. However, he got the honours, and so his form must bo accepted at that value. He has a good weight on Thursday, and one or two of those below him may have improved sufficiently to turn the tables.

One of those is his stable mate Awamutu, *vho ran two seconds at Te Rapa, and on the second day Flying Prince bored him right out, effectively settling his winning chance, and then he only went under by a neck. Awamutu has impressed as a pretty good sort of two-year-old, so that it will be interesting to see how he shapes now that he has had experience.

On Te Rapa form" Love Call will take some beating* in his engagements in the juvenile handicaps at Avondale this week. He led practically all the way in his only start at the Waikato meeting, and yet he won under a steady rein all the way up the straight. Love Call showed up for a couple of furlongs in the Avondale Stakes, and he has apparently gone on the right way since then.

It will be remembered that Carl Idem got up pretty close to First Money at Ellerslie three weeks ago and on that form and with the experience gained then this youngster should be about ready for serious business again. He finished so well on the occasion referred to that the big straight at Avondale this week should suit him admirably.

In the Dargaville Cup on Thursday Valkon has 111 b more than when he scored the second day of the Waikato fixture, the distance being the same he is asked to race over this week. The going was quite heav*y last Wednesday, and the conditions at Avondale on Thursday at least may not be much better. Certainly the track will be on the soft side. Valkon has a big weight to cary in 9.5. but then the opposition is not over strong, so that he is expected to make a brave showing.

Mint Leaf was third at Te Rapa last Wednesday, beaten at a difference of 121 b by four lengths by Valkon, and for that convincing defeat he is now allowed but 41b. On these figures it would seem that the Taranaki hope would have little chance of reversing positions, but if Valkon is made to carry his 9.5 all the way it might not be impossible.

Desert Glow went his best race for some time at Cambridge on Labour Day—overlooking the farcical Mitchelson Cup form —getting within half a length of Mint Leaf when in receipt of a couple of pounds; now he receives 61b from his conqueror, and if there is to be anything to bring about the downfall of Valkon it may be Desert Glow.

Thursby is nicely in the Dargaville Cup with 7.5, considering the manner in which he dealt with the Jellicoe Handicap field at the Pakuranga meeting. He won at his last start at Avondale too, and if the ground is at all bad on Thursday he may repeat the performance.

If she was ready to run out a strenuous mile and a-quarter. Royal Doulton would have an undeniable chance in the Dargaville Cup, for she has impressed as a coming handicap performer. She has only a pound above the minimum, and at the scale of weights she should be able to go a good race.

The form shown by Papatu and Master Doon at their Waikato outings was disappointing, and both would have to make a vast improvement to get in the money in the Dargaville Cup.

Ellerslie has a couple of interesting representatives in the Dargaville Cup in Sir Russell and Sir Archie. The former won against a fair field of hacks at the Auckland meeting, and if he can see it out may be the best of the light-weights. Sir Archie has failed to show form since he figured in the railway smash after winning the Franklin Cup, but of late he has been putting more dash into his work. These are two ilkely light-weights.

The best field to be seen in action at Avondale the first day is that in the Avoca Handicap, the open sprint event. Aussie and Awarere are a more than useful bracket,, with the latter probably being the stable representative if the going is at all soft. He ran a fair race at Ellerslie earlier in the month, and should soon be coming to hand.

Branson has a lot of weight for a sprint, and may be better served on the second day oveT a longer journey. Flying Juliet was regarded in certain quarters as a certainty at Te Rapa last week, and she finished last. This of course was by no means her true form, and can be ignored.

A couple of possible light-weights in the Avoca Handicap on Thursday are Billikins and The Fox. Both are in excellent order.

Tidal’s recent form in Cup company has been good enough to suggest that he ought to be successful in beating the very poor opposition in the Awakino Handicap at Avondale on Thursday. He was finishing at a great bat in the principal event the second day at Ellerslie. and in the Waikato Cup he went a fair race. He is in on the minimum in the .Awakino, so what is to beat him if he is prevailed upon to do his best? War Officer is in good form, but one could not pick him to successfully concede 191 b to Tidal, even if the latter is still a maiden.

The Hobson Handicap at Avondale on Thursday may provide another duel between Stormy and Schorr, but there is another in the race that may be expected to play no small part. This is King Smock, who ran a couple of good races at the "Waikato meeting. If she has got over the trouble met with on her last appearance at Avondale Ohinemuri may also take a part.