Opening Day’s Running Under The Microscope

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 885, 31 January 1930, Page 12

Opening Day’s Running Under The Microscope

The majority of the horses accepted for at I akapuna tomorrow raced on the first day. However, there is a fairly strong contingent of newcomers, every race but one having new horses engaged. Perhaps the most likely of the two dozen new ones are Eaglet. Valuation, British King (all in the sprint), Welcome Boy, Glena Bav, Cruachan and Raff.ight. Some of these appear certain to finish in the money.

Hopelessly last with a mile to go, In the Shade put in a great run over the last three furlongs in the Takapuna Cup and was not a great distance away from the placed horses .i t the finish. When the Australian Sun gelding is racing on a big course again, he promises to make his presence felt, for it looks as if' he is coming back to form. , Promising sorts seen out in the two-year-old handicap on Wednesday were Smithfield, a gelding by Shambles from Sleepy Head, owned by Mr. F. Earl K.C., a youngster that will want a bit of time, and all the same a probable winner in the near future; Sub-Editor (Surveyor-Bunty), Topstar (SandstarGlittering Sands), Spring Song (Nigger Minstrel-Kitty Barlowe), and Silene (Cyllene More-Quest). These should be showing up later on. * s;t * After getting left in the Maiden Handicap the second day at Thames, Honiton was noticed running into fifth place in a big ficlcj, with the course very heavy. It was this effort that brought the Marble ArchLacemaker filly into the limelight, and it would account for her being fifth favourite in Wednesday’s Trial Stakes. Drawing number three at the barrier she hopped out smartly and shaking off On Top at the home turn finally won easily. Honiton is fast and she should do further service for Mr. P A. Swney before the season is over. The same owner nearly brought off a great surprise with Volimond, who showed a glimpse of her best form by finishing second to Tuku and returning almost double figures. Volimond finished on strongly, a point that should not be overlooked in future.

The Taranaki pair, Monsogne and Monoloff, both ran good races the first day. The former was always in the picture in the Zealandia Handicap, and at the end she was right up with the placed division. Monoloff ran a similar race, and with a bit of improvement this filly may run conspicuously in the Wynard Plate tomorrow. She is by Daniloff from Monoghan, and showed considerable promise as a two-year-old. Even if she fails, tomorroay Monoloff should not be long off the winning list. After Takapuna it is expected that she will be raced at the Taranaki fixture, which is to open on Thursday next. * * * In his turn Luminary manages to win a race. H© raced really well in the Orewa Higli-weight on Wednesday, showing all his speed. In the middle stages lie must have had a break of nearly eight lengths on the field, although King’s Guard got to within a couple of lengths of him at the home turn. Luminary was tiring over the last bit, and so too was King’s Guard, and when the former bored out he went on to King’s Guard and certainly checked him. There was a head in favour of Luminary at the judge, and the question placed before the judicial committee by Mr. A. Gordon, the stipendiary steward, was whether the interference affected the result. The committee ruled that there was not sufficient interference to warrant the placing being reversed. This verdict met with general approval, although King’s Guard must have had a royal show of winning considering that he had got to within a head of Luminary. «c :> * The success achieved by Mithra in the Zealandia Handicap at Takapuna on Wednesday did not come out of its turn, for it is a long time since this filly won a race. As a two-year-old she held out distinct promise of developing into a good one. Then she was taken to Australia, and it was a long time afterward that she began to show her best form. Her effort on Wednesday was a good one, for this time she was always handy and she finished most generously to head Sir Russell near the post. Now that she has struck form Mithra should contiue to do further good service for her popular owner, Mr. Colin Anderson. It is not generally known that this filly has a good deal to do with Prince Humphrey’s success in the A.J.C. Derby 15 months ago, for she was associated with the Duke Humphrey colt in most of his try-outs. * * * Backers of Prodice in Wednesday’s Takapuna Cup unanimously passed a vote of thanks to friend Jupiter Pluvius. Trainer Frank Loomb had done his part well, but when the track had hardened up after a six days’ drought it was problematical whether the daughter of Catmint would be a runner. However, the tap was turned on with a vengeance on Tuesday evening, and, the sting being out of the ground she took her place—and home she rolled. She was early tucked away on the rails behind the leaders, and A. E. Ellis never left that position until a furlong and a-half from home. Then he moved round the leaders, Corinax and Eager Rose, on the turn, and that was the end of it. for Prodice easily accounted for Corinax and then shook him off again when he challenged stubbornly. It was an exact repetition of the Alison Cup contest on the same ground two months earlier, so far as Prodice was concerned. The Prodice-Ellis combination is a worthy one and takes 1 some beating.

A Few Hints For Tomorrow

Fives and ones were popular numbers at Takapuna on Wednesday. The former was responsible for two wins and three seconds, with a clear credit of ever £ll for a pound invested on each. Top-weights scored two wins and two seconds, with a profit of near.y £5. Tomorrow number one in each race would appear to have excellent chances of turning up in the handicap events, and they should return a profit.

Any doubts as to the sameness of Corinax—if ever there were any—were dispelled most convincingly m the Takapuna Cup. lie led all tho wa> with Eager Hose, and when he had settled the latter over a furlong from home Prodice took him on, and forged ahead. Near the post, however, the Magpie gelding came again with a determined run and got to the flllj. but one kick from Ellis and she was m front again in a couple of strides; he was not to be caught napping. <- °rinax is now at the top of his form and should get on the winning list again before the season ends. * * * The open sprint at Takapuna on Wednesday was just a case of Lady Quex first and the rest noXvliere. \\ hen it is remembered that “the rest included such good sprinters as Gold Moriev, Prince Val, Taneriri and Awarere, it will be realised just, how good the Taranaki filly is when caught at her best. Her previous best eftort strangely enough was on the Takapuna course two months ago, when she scored almost as easily as she did on Wednesday. Awarere was a costly failure in the Stewards’ Handicap at Takapuna on Wednesday. After his improved show - ings at Ellerslie recently it was thought that he had become solid again, and it is after his weak effort this week that one has doubts about him. He was always well placed, and over the last couple of furlongs he gradually but surely drifted out of the picture. The chestnut appeared to have lightened up somewhat since he raced at headquarters, and perhaps this had something to do with his failure.

The two-year-old Hard Words, owned by Mr. F. Earl, K.C., duly won the Calliope Handicap on Wednesday, but it was not the soft thing that the betting indicated, for the Diacquenod gelding was all out to pull his backers through. He did not actually begin with the anticipated brilliancy, although he had soon run through to the front. Foot Rule went with him for a couple of furlongs and then cried a go. Then Hard Words was called upon to shake off challenges by Tremetus and Full Measure, hut he did not cave in when tackled aid ho held them off nicely. * * * Her forward showing in the recent Great Northern Foal Stakes attracted attention to the possibilities of Set Fair, but in her outings since then she has been rather disappointing. She had every show on Wednesday, and when she was noticed lying handy at the home turn it looked as if it was her turn. However she ran about: a bit and this did not assist her, fourth being her portion. If taken to contest the two-year-old races on the country circuit the daughter of Autumn and Blue Sea should well pay her way, but in any case it looks a? if she will do things as a three-year-old. j * i When Gold Money is “cool, calm and ; collected,” one would pick that to be j th© right time to be with her. Yet { such is not the case, or has not been ; of late. It lias been noticed that she is to be found doing her best when she goes out dripping with perspiration. On Wednesday the Paper Mcney filly was served up dry in the Stewards' Handicap, and although she had little chance with Lady Quex on the day she should have been second. She drifted badly over the first couple of furlongs, tailing the .field at that point, but she was travelling fast at the home turn. At 100 yards from the post she was blocked and darted over to the rails, and even then with more vigorous riding she could have been n a dividend. Tomorrow she should be hard to beat. <==)!* At the A.R.C. meeting recently Royal Doulton won the Summer Cup in convincing fashion, and remembering this fine performance no doubt caused backers to make her a good favourite for the Takapuna Cup. She had every show, for M. Gray had her always handy, and at the home turn she was right on the heels of the three in front. Royal Doulton made some impression in the straight and was only a length behind the winner at the post, but she never looked like being any better than third. When the barrier rose she went right down on her knees, and then recovered smartly, her sprinting ability—a prime factor in her Summer Cup victory—enabling her to take up a good position in the first furlong. Royal Doulton is speedy and sticks on pretty well, but she dqes not appear to be one that can be backed every time. Tomorrow she should go oetter. * * * Cambridge owner-trainer R. Hannon served up something extra special on Wednesday. In the first he introduced Chromadyne, his “first appearance on any stage,” and when he finished second he paid double figures. Then came a second for King’s Guard in the second event, referred to elsewhere. His third and last offering was Tuku in the Ferry Handicap, 'raking charge with Awamutu early in the piece he was clear at the home turn, and it was a foregone conclusion that he would oustay the opposition when he turned for home well clear. it proved, for the King Lupin gelding won easily and paid a royal price for a third favourite. Two seconds and a win was not a bad day’s racing for Mr, R. Hannon.