Has In The Shade Recovered Form?

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 589, 15 February 1929, Page 6

Has In The Shade Recovered Form?

PROSPECTS FOR TE AROHA ALL roads—steel, concrete and macadam—will lead to the Herriesville Racecourse at Te Aroha to-morrow upon the occasion of the opening of the annual fixture of the Te Aroha ■Toekey Club, which gives every promise of being one of the best in the historv of this popular snortine bodv.

When in Australia iri the spring In the Shade was very unlucky, for he was fast approaching his best when he collided with another horse on the Rand wick track, and that finished his career on the other side. In fact, he uid not have his next .outing until New Year’s Day at Ellerslie, and on

his next appearance he contested the sprint at Rotorua last Saturday. That late finishing effort of his in second place to Branson was illuminating, and will cause the Takanini-trained gelding to come in for big support in the principal event to-morrow. The first race is timed to start at 11.50 a.m. A special train leaves Auckland at 6.20 a.m., and other trains have also been arranged from other centres for Te Aroha. Ruakaka Hurdles A field of a dozen is good for this period of the racing season, when the grounds are fairly hard, but the sandy nature of the Te Aroha coifrse has the give. Those that can be recommended are High flown, Ripon Abbey, Ramblin’" Kid, Star of the East, the Gala DayBoomerday bracket, Berinthia and Rahepoto, and the placed division should come from this lot. Best supported on the totalisator may be Ripon Abbey and Highflown. Waitoa Handicap With 20 engaged the early beginners will have all the advantage. Properly placed from the barrier rise the following should be in the picture: Sir Mond. Bold Archer. Prince of Orange, Red Lion, Te Waka, Crown Arch, Archette and Camp Prince, with the first-mentioned pair appearing to stand out from the others. Class is not particularly strong, and yet for maidens it is fairly good quality. The fact that he begins well may end in the public preferring Sir Mond to Bold Archer. Juvenile Handicap This, too. is a fine field of youngsters, and perhaps the event may serve to introduce some smart two-year-old. Certainly the Takanini pair at the head of affairs are already regarded as being good, and if both are started—which is scarcely likely—they may pay the dividends. Of the others there are Love Call, who was good in the spring and may have got back to form by this; Flying Prince, Awamutu, Valstreet, Gay Duke, and Trig (who went two fair races at Takapuna last month). In the absence of either Eaglet or Polyxena the favourite may be Love Call, but in their absence only. Shaftesbury Hack As stated yesterday, the field will come down to about a couple of dozen—even that is a few too many for the majority of punters, and may result in a surprise such as Appellant sprang in this event 12 months ago. On top is the brilliant Subdivision, whose failure in the Wynyard Plate can be safely overlooked. Air King is useful, and this is just the sort of race that will suit the chertnut. Whaka King is coming back to form, and High Tide may find the course too small, even, if he has recovered from the effects of his escapade last Monday at Rotorua. Others likely are British King, Grand Tea, King Peg, Te Ngeru (a game little bit of horseflesh and speedy too), Palmares, Footpad, TJnoco, Valuation, Indolent, Brilliant Light, and Abbey Queen. To fine them down to half a dozen would leave in Air King, Te Ngeru, Palmares, Valuation. British King and Brilliant Light. Of tliis sextette the best-backed may be Air King and Palmares. Herries Memorial Cup

With ten horses engaged, it can be said that the. field for tlie big event is of ideal proportions and should furnish an excellent contest and a good market.

On top is Flying Juliet, who seems to be coming more solid. The circular course will suit her admirably, and the ten furlongs journey too. Transformer may win if it is his day, but as to that, one can only learn too late. ITe is not consistent, and therefore cannot be recommended. Royal Doulton, given a good passage, promises to be the goods, for her best form stamp* I her as a class performer. In the : Shade, as indicated above, strikes one I as a worthy contender for the honours, j and the winner of the last Easter Handicap can deliver the goods. Mervette was disappointing at Rotorua, ! and on Monday she appeared to be a j bit sore. In form she would be a

possibility. Desert Glow is due once more, and Queen Arch has raced well in her last three outings. She will be racing on her home track here. Mosque won handsomely last Monday at Rotorua, and for that win no penalty was added, so that there is some encouragement to be on his side. Glenstar is a hard puller and a hard horse to handle, but he is a likely lightweight. The Lover is reasonably in, and as lie should be improving it may be that he will show the pace and gameness that enabled him to score over Queen Arch in the Rotorua Cup. That completes the review of this nice field, and it is probable that when the bells cease ringing the favourites will prove to be In the Shade and Flying Juliet. Waihou Handicap Backers of the double will soon know their fate, for the sprint immediately follows the big race, or rather the first leg. Pegaway has a regular poultice, and he lias earned it. Strictly on performances he is not badly treated, for he won over this distance at Te Rapa in the spring. High Finance was in great form at Takapuna, and a repetition of that will make her hard to head off, with all her weight. Branson’s penalty has elevated him to number two in the book, and his chances on his first and second in the Rotorua sprints must be highly assessed. Tea Time is reported to have sprinted well yesterday morning, and on his home track will take some heading. Kingfield, and Mosaic too, may not be quite fit, but Jolly Money ran two splendid races at Takapuna and will be hard to beat. Lorient 11, Macroom. Subdivision. Ruffles, Town Bird, Some Lady and Royal Blood are others capable of doing the trick. Probably the totalisator favourites will be Jolly Money and Tea Time. Champion Hack Cup This is always an excellent race, and it takes a good hack to win at the end of this mile and a-quarter. Hakana has a big weight for the journey, and Maori Boy too, is well up, but be

is consistent. Lucy Rose won very easily on the second day at Rotorua, and Black Maire has only to keep to th© rails to be a warm proposition to dispose of. The latter will be racing at home, so this may curb his tendency to hang out. Mussie has only to be able to get the distance to have an undeniable chance, and Star Comet and High Tide (the former last year’s winner), with Arikitoa, the much improved Te Money, and Glena Bay, Mangani, Luminary, and Sports King, should make it more than usually interesting. It is an open race, in which the luck of the running will play a big part, but the fancies may prove to be Te Money and Mussie. Hot Springs Handicap Three penalised Rotorua winners in Ti Tree, Archeen and Lucy Rose figure in this concluding event, and they are the form horses, the first pair registering two good performances last Saturday. Mervette is in here as well as the cup. Others that appeal to an extent are The Thorn, Sleepy Sol, Lorient 11, Cynthia X, Te Koroke and Prince Lu. It is a nice field, in which two that should not be without friends are Ti Tree and Sleepy Sol.