Prodice Has Her Chance In the Oaks

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 624, 28 March 1929, Page 14

Prodice Has Her Chance In the Oaks

Fillies’ Race Not Always Easy FIELD OF DOUBTFUL STAGERS If ever the public form of a hor, e ha s any bearing on a race, then Prod.ce has done enough to warr,„, the opinion that she should win the Oaks hands down. But —and there is always a catch racing—the fillies’ classic htuT*!s otten been won by an outsider is as well to be prepared for another shock. It is a race that some certain ties have failed in. Uln * However, one must go by form, an,! tor that reason Prodice must be the favourite. Her showings since thr spring have certainly not been in keen ing with her promise, when she easily won the Avondale and Great Norther'* Guineas. Against this, it is expected that the going will be easier, and thereforo more in her favour, whil* the fillies are regarded as being morr* solid in the autumn than in midsummer. This of course applies to others in the race as well as Prodice. The Danger From all accounts the Te Awammu filly will have most to fear from the Hawera-trained Llanore, a daughter of Pershore and Llanely. bred in Austraiia and purchased cheaply there bv that genuine sports man. Mr. A. Alexander, who has scored some important successes in Auckland with that fine mare Silver Link, and later with the son of that performer. Silver Mine. It will be remembered that a few weeks ago Llanore spreadeagled a fair sprint field at Hawera. only to fail to draw the weight. But the form was there. Two days previous to that sensational affair the filly- won the Nolan Hack Cup by a couple of lengths from good sorts in Home Made and Gold Cure. This was at eight and a-half furlongs. A fortnight ago she was second to Manly in the Opunake Cup. one mile and a-quarter, when in receipt of 71b. As there was only a nose in it, there is every justification for expecting Llanore to make Prodice do her best on Saturday. But there is sufficient material among the others to furnish a keen race. There is Lucy Rose for one. and if ganieness will do it, this filly must be given a chance. She finishes well, as was evident when she won the second day at Paeroa with 6.11, for she was badly placed all the way to the home turn and then buried the opposition in the straight. Should she manage to score on Saturday it will be a popular victory. Kawainga hung on well at the end of a mile and a quarter to win the Franklin High-weight, leading all the way to score by two and a-half lengths, carrying the minimum,9.o, and although one does not usually look to liigh-weight winners to capture classics, there is a distinct possibility of the unusual being recorded here. Katuscha finished well in the Faeroa sprint, and it remains to be seen whether the last bit will find her out. Good in Australia There is no doubt that the spring form in Australia of Mi thr a was really good. Brought back to Auckland she failed to produce that brilliancy, but it must not be forgotten that she ran a fine race in the Great Northern Guineas, allowing for the fact that she w’as off the course at the home turn. Te Money has been an expertfailure of late, but this has not been her true form. On a big course such as Ellerslie and with a smaller field, it is probable that she will do better. Gold Money has been racing with great consistency, but it came as rather a shock to see her shut up like n. book when she was in a winning position at the home turn in the Franklin Cup three weeks ago. Perhaps it will be as well to overlook that failure, for there is little doubt that she is a good one. Her fourth just behind Prodice in the Derby on New Year’s Bay shows that she can get a mile and a-half in fair company. It should be a good race, and it will be of interest to see if the downfall of another favourite is to be added to the records of the Great Northern Oaks. The following are the fillies left in. with their pilots: GREAT NORTHERN OAKS Of £700; li miles.

Mon Star (E. Ludlow) * J® Llanore (A. McCormac) * ™ Mithra (H. Goldfinch) f 1” Te Money (H. Wiggins) Gold Money (L. Manson) * ™ Lucy Rose (E. A. Keesing) f 'JJ Kawainga (R. McTavish) f JJ} Prodice (C. France) 8 10