Ellerslie Form May Work Out at South Canterbury

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 693, 19 June 1929, Page 12

Ellerslie Form May Work Out at South Canterbury

The form at the Great Northern meeting recently worked out so well that backers will be keen to follow it up. They have their chance at Timaru tomorrow, for engaged there are Black Duke and Overhaul, both of whom impressed at Ellerslie. | It will be remembered that Black j Duke had three hard races at Ellers- ! lie, for a third, a second and an unj placed performance in the best comj pany. Before he went out for his third race at the meeting he was obvi- ! ously feeling the effects of his two i earlier struggles, both hard ones, so I it was not surprising he finished down the course, after being handy at the turn. At the South Canterbury meeting at Washdyke (Timaru) tomorrow Black Duke claims two engagements, and taking a line through his Auckland running it will be conceded that he is capable of winning both. The first is the Smithfield Handicap, the open sprint, and the small field of seven will be all in favour of the black horse. Black Duke is also left in the Timaru Cup, run over 10 furlongs, and that distance should not be beyond him. Here, too, an eight-horse field will materially assist him to show them the way home. So much for Black Duke. It cannot be gainsaid that easily the most promising recruit to hurdling seen out at the Great Northern meeting was Overhaul, and this despite the fact that his three consecutive outings here were remarkable—a fall, a win, and a lost rider. He was going parti-

cularly well when he crashed the first day. a bad take-off sending him toppling, but on the second day lie fairly flew the battens and scored a

hollow win. He might have been in the money the last flay, but for becoming inextricably mixed up with another horse at the second hurdle. Over-

haul made a very clever recovery, but not so his rider, who bit the dust. In the Tekapu Hurdles at Washdyke tomorrow Overhaul is asked to carry 10.7, which is 51b more than he parried when he won over the stiff mile and three-quarters at Ellerslie. and 61b less than he was asked to carry the last day here. On those figures he is not at all badly treated. His most dangerous opponent may be Aberfeldy, who at Wanganui, with 9.13. ranked Fuchsia, 11.5, to half a head in the May Hurdles last month. The broken-winded Handy may see out the two miles of the Hack and Hunters’ Steeplechase, while after his Wingatui efforts Fabriano should be in demand for the open cross-country event. If Bonro.se gets beaten in the hack sprint a lot of people will be surprised. The South Canterbury meeting opens tomorrow, and is set down to conclude on Saturday. The following promise to come in for the keenest support in their engagements tomorrow: Te Ivapo Hurdles.- —Overhaul, and Aberfeldy. Smithfield Handicap.—Black Duke, if absent First Raid and Tripaway. Otipua Steeplechase.—Fabriano and Radiate. Electric Stakes.— Bonrose and Red Boa. Timaru Cup—Black Duke, if absent Malmsey and King Balboa. Gladstone Steeplechase.— Handy and Lord Ranald. Ttosewill Hack. — Best Policy ami Briarthorn. Doncaster Handicap.— Fairy Herlld and Wayward.