THE SPRINT

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 558, 10 January 1929, Page 8

THE SPRINT

Of course, everybody expected : Paganelli to head the list in the sprint (Telegraph Handicap), and in getting 9.10 he has his deserts. He won with a pound more on the final day at Ellerslie. It remains to be seen if he 3 will face the starter with this poundage, which, by the way, is 101 b over weight-for-age. From this it will be ; recognised that Paganelli has a severe task confronting him. Gascony is now near the top, thanks i to his victory over Reremoana at 2 weight-for-age in the Palmerston North Stakes last month, and the lat- * ter is now in receipt of a pound. Gascony is an improving horse, however, and on this score again beat the chestnut. 1 Silvermine is a useful sort to have - on side, for wet or dry he will go well, ■ as his placings in two Auckland sprints testified. He is a nuggety sort of customer, and speedy. Joy King is coming back to form, and at 8.9 is nicely treated. I#3 won both sprints at Hastings last week, where the opposition was anything but classy, carrying 9.1 and 9.8, the full apprentice allowance having been claimed on each occasion. At his best there are not many better sprinters than the Comedy King gelding. Awarere is another Auckland hope, and if the track is dry he will be found playing a big part. His Ellerslie form was all wrong, the soft ground being all against him. Prior to the local meeting he was galloping really well. Cimabue can do better than his Auckland form suggests, for he is a brilliant customer when right. Arrow Lad is again in nice and light, and he is a consistent sprinter if evef there was one, although for all that a bit unlucky. ‘Silver Paper played ducks with the sprint field the second day at Awapuni. and a repetition of that brilliant burst of speed will cause his stock to ascend once more. Obviously he is one of the best when caught in form. Nightmarch is not at all badly treated with 7.12, on the same mark as Silver Paper; the former was weighted at 9.3 in the sprint the second day at Marton. He is likely to run at Foxton next week, and a further line on his form can be gauged there, perhaps. The Hawk showed up in his last race at Ellerslie. but he cannot be up to top class now. On the final day at : Trentham he might do better than many expect. Gay Sonnett has been , showing form in the South, having raced most consistently, and is to be

respected. Vast Acre’s Mar ton form was not encouraging, although she is fast. Miss Pat is in well again, and with her fine finishing burst she is likely to be in it at the death. Lysander is down in the weights; the wet track at Ellerslie robbed him of any chance he possessed of staging a comeback, but he was galloping splendidly before the meeting. Tommy Dodd is another endeavouring to come back, and reports from Riecarton mdicate that he is doing fairly well in his track essays. Ridgemount, and the three-year-old filly Kaihoro, winner of three races in minor company during the holidays, are on the up grade. Consent a good race the final day at Ellerslie, and is quite capable of repeating bis form

when he won the Trentham sprint three months ago. Of those further down, a few that look well are Golden Armour. Banket, Sudden Storm and Epistle. The lastnamed has won three races off the reel of late, and when in form she is a really good one. Epistle must now be very nearly back to her best. Omitting P * anelli, who may not be. started under bis big weight, the halfdozen that impress at a glance through the handicaps are Gascony, Silvermine. Joy King, Awarere, Silver Paper and Lysander. Acceptances for the first day are due next Monday night, and with the weeding out sure to be done by then, the size of the fields in the two principal events is likely to be materially reduced.