Truf Notes

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 716, 16 July 1929, Page 14

Truf Notes

CONDUCTED BY "EARLY BIRD

National Acceptances The first acceptance for the Grand Xational Steeplechase, Grand Xational Hurdles and Winter Cup is due next Friday night. General entries close at the same time. Promising Southerner The good reports circulated from the South anent the ’chaser Radiate caused much interest in his appearance at Trent ham last week. lie was going particularly well in the Wellington Steeplechase until he blundered badly seven furlongs from home. Practically the same thing occurred in the July Steeplechase on the final day, and he was a moderate fourth. Apart, from these mishaps Radiate shaped like a horse that may come good over the big fences, for he has pace and a good share of jumping ability. Radiate is just the sort of horse to capture one of the ’chasing events at Riccarton next month. At the recent South Canterbury meeting Radiate defeated Fabriano rather easily, but the latter turned the tables decisively upon the Polydamon gelding in the Wellington Steeplechase. Failed Badly It was difficult to account for the rank failure of Kauri Park in the Wellington Steeplechase. He jumped wretchedly throughout the contest, barely having sufficient pace on to scramble over 'some of the fences—and those jumps at Trentham took some negotiating on the part of the horses rising out of the muddy track. After his brave Ellerslie showings Kauri Park’s display came as a shock to his northern admirers, who were sanguine of the Elysian gelding's prospects not only at Trentham, but also at Riccarton next month. It is hardly likely that the big gelding will be asked to travel to the Canterbury meeting after last week’s display. Kauri Park was produced only once on the Wellington trip. Got Tired Kamehamcha was in the firing-line for the greater part of the journey in the Wellington Steeplechase, but in the last lap he tired badly, and then baulked —an incident he was guilty of in the Winter Steeplechase at Ellerslie lust month. Kamehamcha fenced all right, but at present it would seem as if the best jumping company is a bit beyond him. Perhaps the Demosthenes gelding would do better if kept to the smaller fences, for it will be remembered that he finished quite a good second to Bright Land hi the Remuera Hurdles at Ellerslie. last month. D. Moraghan’s other representative at Trentham was Master Doon, whose third placing in the Hack Hurdles, the first day would assist toward paying the expenses of the trip. The Master is developing into a really smart hurdler, but it is very much against him that he cannot stay, faulty respiration being the cause. The Fade-Out Once has Xukumai failed in a steeplechase, the latest attempt being at Trentham in the big contest there last week. He was handy to the% leaders for over two and a-lialf miles in the Wellington Steeplechase, but then did a fade-out, finishing in the ruck. This performance he repeated in the "Winter Hurdles la.st Saturday. Tt remains to be seen if old Nuhumai will stage a come-back at Riccarton next month.

Better Every Day “Every day in every way I am getting better and better.” This was the song sung by Horomea during the recent Wellington meeting. And, strange to relate, the more she improved, the higher became the dividend. On the first day Horomea got into a lot of interference at the first three fences, still she got second. Those who observed the trouble she got into were no doubt with her on the second day, when she won very easily. Despite this the chestnut mare was treated with almost remarkable leniency on the concluding clay, and she won again, with the dividend showing about a 75 per cent, rise on her price when she won two days previously. Three all up bets on Horomea at Trentham would have run out at about winnings odds of 23 to 1. But probably not one out of the thousands of punters at Trentham indulged in this accumulator bet! Actually it was easy money. Will Be Good

A last minute decision was come to to take Glena Bay to Trentham to fulfil his engagements there, an injured leg having made an excellent recovery under the watchful eye of J. Howden. On the first day Glena Bay contested the Hack Hurdles, but at the very first fence another horse banged into him, sending Jockey Foster for a skate, and that was that. On the middle day the High-Weight was his mission, and getting away badly the Romeo gelding was never in the hunt. On Saturday lie was back to the batten-clearing the second fence, losing a lot of game. He was nearly brought down at ground. Half a mile from home he flashed into the picture with almost startling suddenness, running into third place. The effort took too much out of hm, and sixth place was his portion. But the summing-up could be quoted something like this:—Glena Bay for a hurdle race next start, with rosy prospects for next winter. A Smart One A fine typo of hurdler is the Riccar-ton-trained Amorist, who pulled off the Vittoria Hurdles on the opening day at Trentham last week, lie and B’ine Acre made the pace very sultry, both horses being ridden into the ground, with Amorist good enough to carry it out to a successful issue. It was a brilliant performance, and even if Fine Acre had stood up it did not look as if the result would have been different. On his next appearance, in the shorter hurdle race on, the concluding day, Amorist uid not appreciate a 141 b l-ise, and he was outstayed by the greatly-improved Horomea. The future showings of Amorist among the hurdling brigade will be followed with the keenest interest, and not a little confidence, by those who saw him perform at Trentham. Went Off But for rapping the second to last fence pretty hard. Brigadier Bill might have won the "Wellington Steeplechase. Up to this point he had fenced fairly well, although uncertain at certain obstacles. On Saturday he tore away into the lead from the .start, but he jumped badly and was soon collared, to be finally pulled up with seven furlongs to go. Brigadier Bill is not the best of stayers, but on his showings to date he is far from being the best jumper the Hunterville sportsman, Mr. .Tames Bull, has ever owned.

Excited ? It, was a tight finish at Trentham last week, and the excited jockey, when 50 yards from the winning post, threw the reins at the horse’s head, then got them back again. 1-Ie won. Waltzer’s Form Kept for the mile and a-half Hack Hurdles on the second day at Trentham last week, the Pauroa-owned and trained "Waltzer put up a really good showing. He drew to the front crossing the top. and then appeared to have a commanding lead over Horomea and the other horses. Tie was pulling very hard, however, and this proved his undoing, for H. Dulieu was unable to give him a breather. Consequently he stopped to a walk after getting over the last fence, and Horomea soon caught and beat him uorne. On Saturday Waltzer was given another outing, but he never seemed to be going right, and was in the ruck for the greater part of the journey. Paddon Easiest Winner Throughout the whole of the three days’ racing at Trentham last week the easiest win was that secured by Paddon the first clay. Immediately after that victory he was withdrawn from his remaining engagements at tho meeting. Now Paddon is under orders for the Winter Cup next month, and despite his weight he should go another good race. The Winter Cup is not a good one for heavy-weights, but. in his present form it is going to take something pretty good to beat him. In his one race at Trentham Paddon outsprinted the opposition and then outstayed them, registering a clear-cut win. Jumped Consistently

It was the consistent jumping throughout the Wellington Steeplecha.se that gave King's Guard the advantage over the Southerner, Fabriano. The Waikato representative took every fence alike, clearing the obstacles very smoothly, and it is in this respect that lie differs from bis

stable mate, Roman Abbey. It was generally thought that the latter was being reserved for the Grand Xational Steeplechase, but the splendid jumping of King’s Guard in the Wellington Steeplechase inclines one to the view that he may be a more worthy contender for the honours at Riccarton. Took Time to Settle Down In the early stages of the Wellington Steeplechase, indeed for a mile, Fabriano was fencing anything but cleverly, and time after time he got in what appeared to be several perilous jumps, last-minute take-offs threatening to see him numbered among the casualties. However, the Southerner then settled down, and that he ran King’s Guard to a head at the end suggested that he might have won had he not taken that extra little bit out of himself in the early' part. On the final day Fabriano was going fairly well when he blundered slightly and lost his rider with exactly one circuit covered —a little less tharr half-way. It remains to be seen whether Fabriano can negotiate the Riccarton obstacles. Maunga’s Come-back In the decision of the Wellington Steeplechase last week Maunga was never a possibility. He tailed the field for the major part of the journey, and finally finished up in seventh position, having but two horses behind him. For the first two and a-quarter miles of the July Steeplechase it was the same, Maunga chasing the field, but even then he was fencing so brilliantly that it was apparent that under the conditions he had a chance. At the fence nine furlongs from home Maunga must have been standing the leaders anything up to 25 lengths’ start, and in the next seven furlongs his dashing jumping had carried him up into third place. From this out it was easy for him, for he easily outstayed Matu and Alaric. Maunga’s return to form is welcome at a. time when there a*ppears to be a dearth of good ’chasers, and he is such a genuine stayer that ho must not be altogether overlooked when the Grand Xational comes along next month. Lacked Pace Probably never since he was put over tho big fences has Kawini had such a golden opportunity of- winning in this class as he possessed in the Wellington Steeplechase. Accustomed as he we have been to see the Formative gelding tailing off badly in his races, it came as quite a surprise to find him right up a.ll the way in tho big event at Trentham on opening day, for never at any part was he further away than eight lengths from the pacemakers. Probably it was this effort that told its tale at the end, for he could not raise that good finishing spurt to pull it off, and third was his portion. Kawini did not do so well the last day, and his two Trentham showings lend further colour to the idea that he is merely a plodder, even more so than in previous years. A Genuine Stayer Matu in his two races over country at the Wellington meeting had to concede the field big starts on each occasion, the Polydamon gelding lagging badly. He was fourth in the Wellington Steeplechase and second to Maunga the last day. both fine performances under the circumstances. Matu does not appear to be endowed with a great dea.l of pace, stamina rather than speed being his forte. Unfortunately there are several horses that could be placed in this category contesting steeplechase events this winter.