Small Auckland Team for National Fixture

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1032, 24 July 1930, Page 14

Small Auckland Team for National Fixture

Nancy Lee , Mangani, Mountain Guide

The fact of Nancy Lee having been entered for the minor open flat events at the Grand National fixture suggests that she is to fulfil her Winter Cup engagement next month. This mare is pretty well, and it is likely that she will strip much better at Riccarton than at Ellerslie last month. In the sprint here on Juine 3, Nancy Lee, carrying 9.3 with the eight stone minimum, beat all but Gold Money. Her next appearance was on the final day, when with 10.11 (nine stone minimum) she had Havering all out to beat her by three parts of a length at level weights. The subsequent form of Havering at Trentham draws pointed attention to Nancy Lee’s Winter Cup prospects, Where the Opotiki mare meets the chestnut on 101 b better terms. When at her best Nancy Lee is a class sprinter, for she has-an A.R.C. Railway Handicap to her credit. As yet she has to get a mile, but by the manner in which she has been running on in her races of late suggests that she may be able to do so. The Winter

Cup is a good race for a class sprinter to beat the genuine stayers: this is proved by the history of the mile race. Nancy Lee has not been over-raced during the past couple of seasons, and if taken south she should be in good order for the Cup. During the past few days she has entered into the market, and as soon as it is definitely known that she is to go south her price is certain to be shortened. Outside of Nancy Lee, Auckland stables will be represented by only Mangani and Mountain Guide, making the provincial representation the poorest for year's. After his successful effort in the Wellington Steeplechase, Mangani took on the Winter Hurdles and crashed heavily at the very first fence. After this ho was sore for a time, but it is

not expected to be bad enough to keep him away from Riccarton. He just hung on long enough to win the Wellington Steeplechase, and the critics are expecting the extra quarter of a mile of the National Steeples to stop him completely. Mangani is such a dashing fencer however, that his clearing of the big fences at Riccarton will not take so much out of him as it will hamper some of his opponents. Nevertheless, with 81b more in the saddle than he had in the Wellington Steeplechase, and bigger fences and the extra journey, Mangani will have to improve a bit on his Trentham performance to add the Grand National Steeplechase to his growing record. The third, and last, of the Auckland hopes is Mountain Guide, who is still eligible for hapk hurdle events. He is a pretty good sort of hurdler, and stays o nsplendidly. He scored the first day at Trentham and was going strongly when he fell at the final fence the second day. Mountain Guide may pick up a hurdle race before returning north. Both Mangani and Mountain Guide are engaged at the Hunt meeting on August 2, if the weights allocated prove acceptable to their owners. Mountain Guide may be the best of the Auckland representatives to be seen out at the Grand National meeting, for he appears to be the best placed. Nancy Lee is a good sprinter, and even if she fails in the Winter Cup she ought to pick up a race later at the meeting. Fancies For Treble The following horses are favoured for their engagements in the three big events at the Grand National meeting: Grand National Steeplechase AURORA BOREALIS OMEO MATU WHARNCLIFFE Grand National Hurdles MISTER GAMP CARINTHIA KING’S JEST LANCER OMEO Winter Cup TOXEUMA HAVERING TABOO NANCY LEE BEST FRIEND.