TURF NEWS & NOTES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 6 October 1938, Page 11

TURF NEWS & NOTES

CURRENT TOPICS FROM STABLE & COURSE Views on Racing Facts and Fancies NEW ZEALAND CUP CANDIDATES

(By

“The Cynic.”)

r Cup in an impressive manner, is re- / ported to be going along well in his s work and his race at Wanganui last - month was considered very satisfacs tory. Arctic King has been a good winner - up to a mile and a half, his last win'ning performance being in the Great 3 Autumn Handicap last April with 7.13. ; He is now an aged horse, and a two- ) mile ordeal may be beyond him, esr pecially as he is not partial to a hard , track, which invariably prevails at t Riccarton in November. ; Quadroon has been freely mention- - ed as a possibility. He is engaged in the [ Mitchelson Cup, one mile and a half, • at Ellerslie this week, and should he I race well, he is certain to come into r demand at Riccarton with 7.10. Ponty i has been given every chance with 7.9, I and at his best would give a good deal , of trouble, but he does not appeal as ■ a two-miler. Tidewaiter is another North Islander . who is entitled to serious considera- , tion. His successes at Riccarton in . August, and his win in the Avondale . Cup, one mile and a quarter last month , drew attention to his Riccarton pros- , pects with 7.5. Others in the lower division with light-weight possibilities include Valantua, Happy Landing, Malagigi, Boomerang, and of these Valantua is likely to carry strong southern support, especially if he should race prominently at Wingatui this week. Summing Up. There is no doubt a good few of the light-weights will be missing from the ultimate card, leaving a field of good size but not unwieldy, and present indications point to the contest being the closest for many years. Much may happen between this and race day, but at the present stage, the chances of Padishah. The Buzzer, Tidewaiter, Valantua, Wotan, and Willie Win will no doubt be considered favourable. AUSTRALIAN RACING YOUNG IDEA MINS CRAVEN PLATE ROYAL CHIEF RUNS FOURTH. By Telegraph—Press Association. Copyright. SYDNEY, October 5. Royal Chief let down a tremendous following when he was beaten out of a place in the Craven Plate at Randwick today. The muddling pace early was against the stayers, who had to be able to sprint brilliantly over the last half-mile, which was run in 481 sec., to have any say in the finish. Young Idea had to be ridden desperately by Munro to snatch victory from the other worthy New Zealand representative, Stretto, in the last couple of strides. Gold Rod did well to get third. Only about a length separated the placed horses, including Royal Chief, who was fourth. Merry Smile gave Chatham a good start as a sire by winning the Gimcrack Stakes in a spirited finish, in

, The acceptance taken last week for t the New Zealand Cup has left a very attractive field, which includes horses from all racing centres in New Zealand. Twelve months ago Cuddle was given top weight with 9.9; this year Argentic heads the list with 9.0, the minimum allowed to open a handicap. Argentic is nine yeads old, he has not won over two miles, although he has been placed, and in his races to date this season, he has not given any indication of being likely to return to his previous good staying form. It could therefore be suggested by his position in the list that the field for this year’s race is below the standard set by Cuddle last year; but this is ; hardly the case, as there are several ; good winners in the field, including the winners of the last New Zealand , and Auckland Cups, Cerne Abbas and The Buzzer respectively, the last two ' winners of the Wellington Cup, Ponty and Padishah, the winner of the Melbourne Cup of 1936, Wotan, and the ; runner-up in last year’s Melbourne Cup Willie Win. Argentic holds the distinction of winning two Metropolitan Handicaps in fast time, he was third in the 1935 Cup, carrying 7.8, and was also third in the Auckland Cup. If Argentic goes to the post next month, he will be making his fourth attempt to win a New Zealand Cup, and it will be his seventh race over two miles. Willie Win has not shown any form since he ran second in the Melbourne Cup, and apparently that race left its effect. He has, however, been giving every satisfaction in his preparation, and with 8.12, he has been allotted every chance. Trench Fight has been rather highly assessed, as he has not yet mastered a journey. In any case, he is inclined to pull too hard over the early part of a race to have much prospect of seeing out two miles. A Proved Stayer. Padishah is a distinct possibility. He won the Wellington Cup last January with 7.9, ahd had a very easy win in the Grand National Hurdle Race in Augtlst, completing the long journey in this as if he could carry on for another mile. Padishah started on his preparation some weeks back, and is to be given a race in a sprint event at Hastings nexr Saturday. Two-mile Winners. Wotan is likely to be on the scene, but he will have to show some good form in the meantime to come into favour. Cerne Abbas has been left in, ■ in case it is decided that she will not ; go on to Melbourne with Royal Chief . at the conclusion of this week’s racing ' at Randwick. It is significant that ; Cerne Abbas was not nominated for 1 any of the other big handicaps next < month, and in the meantime she can < be left out of discussions. 1 The Buzzer, who won the Auckland 1

which any one of six youngsters might have been declared the winner, including the New Zealand-bred Folk Song, who changed her stride in the straight and just missed a place. The Posterity colt Mosaic staged an exciting finish to win the Members’ Handicap after looking beaten a furlong from home. Silver Ring, carrying 9.0, ran an inglorious second to last in the Sydney Handicap, which was won impressively by Silenus, from Sir Regent, who threw out a hot challenge from the turn into the straight, but met a better horse. The weather was excellent with a strong southerly wind. The attendance was 27,000. Results were: — Second Hurdle Race, of £3OO, about two miles and three furlongs.—El Banado, 9.2 (Robinson) 1; Syntax, 12.1 (Dummett) 2; Verdoc, 12.2 (Paton) 3. Five started. Five lengths; three lengths. Asolando fell, the jockey, Hood, receiving a nasty shaking. Time, 4.25 J. The Craven Plate, weight-for-age; one mile and a quarter.—Young Idea, 9.4 (Munro) 1; Stretto, 8.13 (O’Sullivan) 2; Gold Rod, 9.4 (McCarten) 3. Six started, including Royal Chief. Young Idea joined Gold Rod in the lead about seven furlongs from home, j Stretto and Royal Chief lying just behind together. They failed to make any impression on the leaders. Young Idea had Gold Rod beaten at the Leger, where the former had to be desperately ridden down the straight to beat Stretto by half a neck, with Gold Rod three-quarters of a length back third. Royal Chief was a close fourth; and Allunga fifth. Time, 2.4 j. The Gimcrack Stakes, for two-year-old fillies; five furlongs.—Merry Smile, 8.5 (Shean) 1; Anne, 8.5 (O’Sullivan) 2; Pigeon, 8.5 (McMenamin) 3. Fourteen started, including Folk Song and Waireka. Neck; head. Time, 1.01. Suburban Handicap, one mile.—Micawber, 8.6 (McMenamin) 1; King Gee, 8.9 (James) 2; Coronation Day, 7.7 (W. Cook) 3. Nineteen started, including Rodborough, Bobby, Troy, Golden Chance and Red Rosebud. Head, one length and a half. Mark Antony was fourth. Time, 1.36.1. Members’ Handicap, for three-year-olds; one mile and a quarter.—Mosaic, 8.5 (Bartie) 1; Adios, 8.8 (McCarten) 2; Anpapejo, 7.5 (Knox) 3. Twelve 1 started. Three-quarters of a length; length. Geebung was fourth. Time, 2.4.3. = Sydney Handicap, one mile and a E half. —Silenus, 7.12 (W. Cook) 1; Sir ■ Regent, 8.4 (Marsden) 2; Highborn, jj 8.3 (McMenamin) 3. Thirteen start- E ed, including Silver Ring and Cerne E Abbas. Cerne Abbas ran poorly. Sil- - ver Standard, Young Crusader and El - Senorita made a good showing early, 2 but faded out. Length; one length E and a half. El Senorita was fourth. - Time, 2.29,3. =