G.N. Hurdles Field May be Small One

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 979, 23 May 1930, Page 14

G.N. Hurdles Field May be Small One

LIGHT-WEIGHTS PREVAIL ACCEPTANCES THIS AFTERNOON The Great Xorthern meeting opens at Ellerslie on Tuesday week, June 3 (King’s Birthday), and will be continued on the following Thursday (June 5) and Friday (June 7). Acceptances for the three big events, Great Xorthern Hurdles, Steeplechase and Cornwall Handicap, in addition to all other first-day events, close at 5 o’clock this afternoon, and they will appear in a special edition of The Sun a few minutes after that hour.

The rule of the horse on the flat over the jumpers at Ellerslie ended today, and during the next week or so the timber-toppers will be in the boom. Yesterday morning the gallopers had the. use of the outside of the course proper for the last time prior to the big meeting. Tomorrow morning, and on the following Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, the big hurdles will be erected on the outside of the course proper. Tomorrow a number of horses will be schooled over these obstacles, and ft is also understood that Ponjola is to be sent over the full steeplechase ■ourse, including the hill. He will robablv be accompanied by three or our others.

A Busy Week A good many of the Southern canlidates are due here next week, while the provincial horses are expected on the Saturday before the meeting, giving them three days in which to get “acquainted” prior to the first day on Tuesday week. Thursday and Saturday of next week should be particularly busy schooling mornings at Ellerslie. Matu, one of the fancied Great Xorthern Steeplechase candidates, is due next Wednesday, together with many other prominent performers, notably King’s Jest. The latter is well up in the quotations, but he has the

hardest part to do—to win a Xorthern Hurdles at the first time over the Ellerslie sticks. He is still a maiden hurdler, his two efforts to date being two seconds at Xapier Park, his conquerors being Jen (conceding lib.) and Rakaupango (receiving 221 b), a head only being the losing margin each day for King’s Jest. If the Hawke’s Bay gelding can negotiate the hurdles here he should have his best chance on the second and third days. In the meantime one can wait until he is schooled at Ellerslie. Bright Land, Hr. W. C. Ring’s fine English jumper, can safely be ruled out of the Great Northern Hurdles. He has broken down, and it is extremely doubtful if he will ever race again. Red Fuchsia and Elicit have also to be taken out. RACING FIXTURES MAY 24—Taumarunui R.C. 24 Ashburton County R..C. 31. June 3. 4—Dunedin J.C. JUNE 3, 4—Otakl-Maori R.C. 3. 5, 7—-Auckland R.C. 14—Oamaru J C. 19, 21—South Canterbury J.C. 20, 2t—Hawke's Bay J.C. 25 Elgmont-Wanganui Hunt. 27, 28—Napier Park R.C. 28—Ashburton County R.C. JULY 8, 10, 12—Wellington R.C. 12—Oamaru J.C. 19—Waimate District Hunt. 17, 19—Gisborne R.C. 26 South Canterbury Hunt. 31. August I—Manawatu R.C Winter. j