Eaglet And The. Wanganui Guineas

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 765, 11 September 1929, Page 13

Eaglet And The. Wanganui Guineas

Tlijb first classic race of the season, the Wanganui Guineas, •comes up for decision at Wanganui tomorrow. There are only four engaged, and most Northern interest will be focused upon Eaglet s ability to run out a mile and the amount of financial recompense forthcoming should she be able to deliver the goods.

It is a most disappointing response on the part of owners. There were C 6 three -year-olds entered for this classic, and a £4OO stako to the winner. It is poor recompense to the Wanganui Jockey Club for maintaining this old event on its spring programme. What has happened to the 61 other juveniles? Of course the great majority have not proved themselves up to classic standard, and it also must not j be forgotten that certain stables were j represented by many candidates. LURE OF AUSTRALIA One distinctly illuminating feature is the fact that no less than seven of those entered are at present doing their ; racing in Australia, and at least two others have already run their last race, having gone to the happy hunting ground that is always ready to receive thoroughbreds at all stages of their turf career. It is astounding to find that there aro more three-year-olds racing in Australia, entered for the contest under review, than the number carded . for the Wanganui event. Is it to be wondered at, when ono comes to consider the heavy freight and taxation which is burdening the sport in a most crushing fashion. Like the ostrich, the Treasury hides its head, completely failing to realise that it would benefit ! considerably more if it kept these horses in the Dominion. It is not so very long ago that a well-known New Zealand owner was offered a substantial five figures for one of his horses, the king-pin of his stud, but he turned down what appeared to be a good price for the simple reason that the Treasury would take perhaps one-third of the sum in taxation, thus reducing the horse’s saleable value by just that much. But to com© back to the Wanganui Guineas. For some time past the race has drawn some smart performers in usually small fields, and what the affair lias suffered in quantity has been made tip in the quality of the runners. It is perhaps more as an owner of jumpers than of classic winners that the Hawke’s Bay sportsman, Mr. F. Armstrong, is known to turf followers. He is to be represented in the tliree-vear-old races this season by Admiral Drake, a son of Chief Ruler and Tame Duck, an imported mare by Earla Mor from Duckshot, by Gallinule. FIRST OUTINGS As a two-year-old Admiral Drake vail several good races, and was a winner, as well as being in a place on numerous occasions. He reappeared at Dannevirke recently, and each day showed a lot of pace, only to peter out in the straight. Probably he needed the racing to sharpen him up, but his owner was wise in declining his Marton engagements after two hard races there. Under the conditions of the race, Admiral Drake, being a colt, has to concede 51b. to the geldings as well as the fillies. In this respect the Wanganui Jockey Club appears to have fallen behind, for most bodies have now eliminated the gelding allowance. In the great English classics, of course, geldings are debarred from starting. EAGLET'S FORM That Eaglet has gone on the right way since her two-year-old days, was obvious by the manner in which she accounted for the sprinters at Marton.

At two years there was really no comparison between Admiral Drake and Eaglet, even allowing for the former’s running Gascony to a neck in the Hawke’s Bay Stakes, receiving 371 b. «nder the scale. Last season Eaglet was but little re-

moved from the best of her age. and there was not a great deal between her and Gay Ballerina. She had a few very hard races, but she came up fresh as paint at Marton. She is by Chief Ruler, who looks like getting on the records as the sire of the Wanganui Guineas. On paper there does not seem anything in the field capable of beat ng Eaglet in the first three-year-old classic. Of course her sex is liable to come against her at this period of the racing season, but outside that she looks very likely to carry on trainer Jamieson’s winning sequence. My Own should both sprint and stay. Lord Quex gets them fast, and her dam, Tressida, was a G.N. Oaks winner-. This filly has pace without a doubt, and she should be able to go a good mile. Her two-year-old form was most promising. False Scent has had only one race, and that nearly twelve months ago. He

was engaged in the Marton Trial, but was taken out on the day of the race. Is his trainer satisfied with his condition, sufficiently at any rate to expect him to go a good race in the Guineas? His gallop yesterday was a real good one. For Auckland Classics It is interesting to note that three out of the four engaged in the Wanganui classic hail from Hawke’s Bay— Admiral Drake, My Own and False Scent. Eaglet is from Auckland. The quartette, whatever the result of this week’s contest, will be able to meet again in the Great Northern Guineas on October 5. In addition, Eaglet and False Scent are also among those listed for next week’s Avondale Guineas, and the following Saturday all blit Eaglet are in the Hawke’s Bay Guineas, forfeits for wich fall due next Friday. The Wanganui meeting may see some outstanding three-year-old in action, but it; is more than possible that we will have to wait for the Great Northern Guineas to find if the Wanganui winner is able to hold its own with Leader, Flying Prince, Motere, Supremacy, Imperial Prince, Taurua and Pink Coat (whose trip north is at least doubtful now). In the meantime, it looks as if Auckland will take the credit of having introduced the winner of the first of the new racing season’s classics, with the real danger coming from Admiral Drake. The following are the contestants in the WANGANUI GUINEAS A sweepstake of £lO each for starters, with £SOO added; colts 8.10, fillies and geldings 8.5; 1 mile. For three-year-olds. ADMIRAL DRAKE (F. Armstrong), b c, by Chief Ruler—Tame Duck, 8.10, L. G. Morris. EAGLET (F. Earl, K.C.), b f, by Chief Ruler—Dovelet, 8.5, H. Goldfinch. MY OWN (J. S. McLeod), ch f, by Lord Quex —Tressida, 8.5, B. H. Morris. FALSE SCENT (A. B. Williams), b g, by Hunting Song—Crisis, 8.5, A. G. Murray. Although the owners represented above are among the best-known sportsmen and liberal patrons of the turf, none has so far managed to get his name inscribed on the roll of successful owners of the winner of the Wanganui Guineas. After this week’s race the number will be reduced by