NATIONAL PRELIMINARY

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 731, 2 August 1929, Page 12

NATIONAL PRELIMINARY

HUNT FIXTURE AT RICCARTON LORD RANALD OR KING’S GUARD? NORTHEKX sportsmen are keenly interested to see how Lord Ranald fares against King's Guard in the Homeby Steeplechase at the Christchurch Hunt Club’s fixture. “Early Bird'’ discusses the possibilities in this and other events when reviewing the card for this meeting, which furnishes an interesting preliminary to the Grand National fixture, opening ten days later.

j Although in point of numbers the ! response from owners in the jumping events at the Christchurch Hunt Club’s annual meeting at Riecarton tomorrow is rather disappointing, nevertheless about ten National candidates. Hurdles and Steeples, will be given an outing, and this, together with several Winter Cup aspirants, will lend increased interest to the fixture. A lot of rain has fallen of late at Christchurch, and the course is sure to be a bit on the soft side, although it rarely becomes heavy. Probably the going tomorrow can be placed in the “slow” category, and heavy if rain falls on the day. Kennels Hurdles Backers may require to pick this heat in one if they want to show a profit in the opennig stage of the betting campaign. Grand National went better races at Trentham than he D generally credited with, and Just John should be just about ready. Scion and | Gay Jim are possibilities, but one can - j not go beyond ORAXD NATIONAL GAY JIM Lawford Steeplechase j Five only remain in the hack ’chasing contest. At the top there is the Trentham winner, Waitaunaha, who has schooled well over this country. Silver Light has won recentl}*, and Radiac and Bonaryan have shown some promise. Boiled down, the two best backed may be WAITAUNAHA SILVER LIGHT Longbeach Hurdles This should furnish one of the best races of the day, l’or the class is good and there are ten engaged. Elysianor won narrowly at Wash dyke last week, and is not badly treated. Aberfeldv is again performing well in his schooling efforts at Riecarton, and he may show improvement on his Trentham efforts over the battens. Kawini is also handsomely treated, but it is all a question as to whether he can muster up sufficient pace to go with the field. One thing is certain, he will prove himself the best jumper in the race. Lancer raced disappointingly at Waslidyke, but should be all the better for that outing. Perle de Leon’s showing will be watched with some interest. and Troilus ran his worst races at Trentham; he is a moody sort. Paris, Projector, Heisler and Rangiawhio complete the field, but they may find those nearer the top too good. Summed up. favouritism may rest between ELYSIANOR LANCER-PROJECTOR bracket. Maiden Stakes A few that have shown some sort cl pace in recent outings are Haulage. Mars ham. Kate Kelly. Kentish Lady, The Viscount. Huntley. Airplane, and the now three-year-old Desert Solicit' the last-named is ready he should make it warm for the older horses, for ( as a two-year-old last season he was 1 thought good enough to be brought ail : the way to Ellersiie. Prime fancies ; with investors may be DESERT SONG AIRPLANE Homeby Steeplechase The quality of the quintet engaged rather makes up for the paucity of \ competitors, for all of them are en- * gaged in the Grand National Steeple- j chase. King’s Guard has a lot of j weight, but he is a good horse and the weight in itself will not stop him. ; But the pace might. Fabriano has had j an eventful career since running j second to King’s Guard in the Well- , ing ton Steeplechase, and his showing

i over this country will be iluminating. Lord Ranald has won at his last three starts over the big fences, and unlike \the brook he cannot go on for ever. Nevertheless he may make his score four not out tomorrow, but whether he will get to the fifth consecutive win remains to be seen, for that fifth in all probability will be the Grand National. Over tomorrow’s course, however. Lord Ranald promises to make it exceedingly interesting. Radiate is a horse of possibilities: for instance, he might have won both his races at Trentham IF he had not blundered. He has only to improve a bit in his jumping to be a National horse. Young Thurnham is reported to be under a cloud, but he has been paid up for. All the same it is disquieting, parti-

cularly as he had a chance tomorrow had he been all right. Although there are only five left in, it is by no means an easy race to fine down, but backers may declare in favour of LORD RANALD KING’S GUARD Brabazon Handicap This is by no means a bad field, with quite a number of Winter Cup possibilities included. King Balboa, Gay Sonnet, Bonogne. Anolo, Solferite, Overdrawn. Prickles, Rascal. Subdivision and Malmsey are among those that could be named as dangerous candidates. Aucklanders will be interested to see how Subdivision shapes at his first start since being sold to a Southern sportsman: he has tons of pace, and a race of this description I maj r just suit him. Best backed may ■ be KING BALBOA SUBDIVISION Hunters’ Plate This event is for qualified hunters i only, but is not confined to amateur riders. Some of the most likely candidates claim earlier engagements, but i given an outing here there should be < a lot of money for WAITAUNA HA WHIFFLER Flying Hack Handicap | A good many of these were seen out iat Wash dyke recently. Those with j pace are Honeycomb. Sarnia. Red Bca. I Grand Acre. Phastar. Royal Flower ! and the Huntley. Two that i can claim to be entitled to a reason- ; able amount of support are RED BOA GRAND ACRE No penalties are entailed by winners j of any of these races already liandiI capped for the two Nationals and Winter Cup.