AT AWAPUNI

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 545, 24 December 1928, Page 15

AT AWAPUNI

With horses such as Hynanna, Mundane, First Sight, Merry Damon, Seatown, Historic and Mountain Heath engaged in the Manaw'atu Cup, this race is only second in importance to the Auckland Cup on Boxing Day. There are some good sprinters, too, and altogether the racing at- Awapuni on Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday promises to be of the best. The following should be well backed in their engagements on Wednesday: Tokomaru Hurdles. —Elysianor and Cohesion. Maiden Plate. —Monetize and Black Maire. Tararua Handicap.—Glen a Bay and Gold Bag. Manawatu Cup.—Mandane and First Sight. Nursery Handicap.—Aspiring and Admiral Drake. Gillies Hack Handicap.—Veronese and Dermod. Fitzherbert Handicap.—Gascony and Arrow Lad. Grandstand Handicap.—Mendip and Si ngleton. The Riders A number of riding engagements have been announced: R. J. Mackie.—Chertsey, Admiral Drake, Glena Bay, Hynanna, Miss Ransom, Mendip and Benzora —a full book. J, Potter. —Mandane. R. Reed (on second day).—Gascony, Sir Roy, Nightmarch and Sea town. C. Broughton.—Teremoana, Jiu Jazz and King Hal. H. Voitre.—Discourse, Callanmore and Duellona (P.N. Stakes). A. E. Stratton.—Red Bank. A. Fratus.—Historic. How Favourites Have Fared In the last 13 years only two first favourites won the Manawatu Cup, and one of them, Clandhu, owed his position in the betting to the fact that he w*as coupled with Sunart. Favourites and their positions w r ere: 1915. —Chortle unplaced. 1916. —lndigo, second. 1917. —Devotion, unplaced. 1918. —Client, unplaced. 1919. —First Salute, unplaced. 1920. —lmaribbon, unplaced. 1921. —Molyneux, unplaced. 1922. —Marqueteur, unplaced. 1923. —Mark Time, first. 1924. —Clandhu —Sunart bracket, first and third. 1925. —Ngata, third. 1926. —Rapier, third. 1927. —Piuthair, third.