TURF NEWS & NOTES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 18 January 1939, Page 9

TURF NEWS & NOTES

CURRENT TOPICS FROM STABLE & COURSE

Views on Racing Facts and Fancies

SMOKE SCREEN LOGICAL FAVOURITE

(B:

“The Cynic.”)

Smoke Screen is the logical favourite for the Telegraph Handicap at Trentham tomorrow for his 9.7 will not greatly worry this record breaker from Fordell. He has never been better in his life than he is just now and the straight six furlongs will suit him nicely.

Oratory is looked to provide, opposition for the topweight, but the mare meets him at 21 lb worse than W.f.a. terms and, despite her penchant for Trentham and her solid condition as instanced by her fine gallop at Awapuni on Saturday morning, she has the job in front of her to beat Smoke Screen.

Paper Slipper has never yet raced well at Trentham and Black Thread is now rather close to the top weights. However, he is solid and in form. Mittie and Top Row raced well during the holidays, but more impressive form is that shown by Lady Ina, Ivar, and Rakahanga, the last two named being smart three-year-olds. They come in at more than a stone better than w;f.a. terms and may be the ones to trouble Smoke Screen on the opening day of the meeting.

Florence Mills. One of the runners in the Apprentices’ Plate on the opening day at Trentham who will attract attention is the four-year-old mare Florence Mills. This event is open to hacks and although Florence Mills has lately been running in open company, she is still eligible for hack races. Her straightout winnings amount to £475. She was successful in a hack sprint at the last Wellington under 9.0 and at her last start she was third in the open six furlongs at Manawatu to Black Thread and Russian Ballet. As she will carry only 8.4 under the set weight conditions of the apprentices’ race, it will be seen that she is very favourably placed to add to her record.

Quality. The entry of 25 for the Wellington Cup includes the winners of most of the important handicap events in the past fortnight, together with the Melbourne Cup winner Catalogue; the AIJ.C. Metropolitan winner, Royal Chief; Defaulter, the champion three-year-old; Peerless (Oaks) and Arctic King (New Zealand Cup); Wild Chase (Manawatu Cup); Lickem (Stratford Cup); Royal Star 11. (Wairarapa Cup) and Lady Montana (Marton Cup). ( Well Placed. Taillight;- who is improved by his racing on the flat during the holidays, left the impression when seen at Awapuni on Saturday that he would be in great order to return to hurdling at Auckland next week where he is engaged in the Orewa Hurdles on the opening day, and has the handy impost of 11.5.

Mr Ken Duncan’s useful Day Comet gelding showed good form in the spring when he won an amateur riders’ event at Hastings. In his next two starts he won over hurdles at Bulls with 10.9 and went on to beat our good horse Soho at To Rapa with 10.2 in the saddle. On the second day he was a good third to Mio Lume and Soho with 10.13.

Taillight does not appear to be opposed by a very good class of hurdlers on Saturday week and, as he looks more solid now than ever before, it appears likely that he will experience little difficulty in adding to his winning account.

Junipers Resume. Looking very bright and well, that solid, but rather unlucky mare Aurora's Love is among those who have recently resumed work at Awapuni in view of the autumn and winter meetings.

Better for Racing, Haughty Winner, who returned to the winning list in the North Island during the holidays, did not return to Riccarton, but was left with other members of C. C. McCarthy’s team at Trentham. Racing has not done this Winning Hit horse any harm and with 8.10 a smart effort can be expected in the mile Anniversary Handicap. On this course Haughty Winner has run some if his best races and as he represents top class up to a mile he should race to advantage throughout the meeting. Trench Fight has 9.11, a weight that should effectively anchor him in the Anniversary Handicap, while Rabble may not be up to this class.

Speedy Filly.

Density has as much speed as any horse in training here, but it is doubtful how she will travel.

The Pink Coat filly suffered badly from shock following a shunting accident at Dunedin some months ago, and.

while she appears to be all right again, trainer D. E. Cotton is doubtful how she will behave on the trip. However, all being well, her speed should enable her to be in the picture all the way in hack sprints, though she will be improved a good deal by a race.

Wild Talk, a rangy three-year-old filly by Winning Hit from Babel, has only started twice, and at her last outing won the Maiden Stakes at the Christchurch Hunt Club’s meeting last season.

VZild Talk’s engagement on the first day is in the Ruapehu Hack Handicap and as she has been galloping in winning style it will take a hack above the average to head her off. L. J. Ellis will ride her and this filly appeals as much as any horse from this stable to race at the meeting.

Douro Cup Hope. Garonne, winner of four races on the West Coast, will be seriously tested at the meeting and his 9.5 should settle him in the Ruapehu Handicap. But there are other good races at the meeting and the Douro Cup, to be run over a mile on the second day, is a race in which he is likely to show up. Wardress is another prospect for this event.

Courtyard, Bright Prospects, Jewish Lad and Waka are engaged in the highweights, but none holds much appeal. Waka tried conclusions with a tin fence recently, suffering a deep gash on the neck.

Three-Year-Olds.

Although a three-year-old has not won the Wellington Cup since Rapine scored with 7.12 in 1923 in 2min 31 4-ssec, that is no reason why Defaulter should not win this season under 8.11 It depends on the actual strength of the field when at the post. Defaulter has practically enjoyed a triumphant march, and no doubt it will take something considerably above the ordinary to lower his colours. It could be claimed that Defaulter is a better three-year-old than Royal Chief was at the same age, and the handicap points in that direction, as the former has 111 b above the scale and the latter 41b, but at the scale of weights in the Wellington Cup they are rated at about on a par . The weight-for-age scale can, however, give a wide miss as a measure of racing merit, as, for instance, Defaulter is rated at 161 b better than Peerless, one of his own age, and she has shaped creditably against him over a mile and a-half. An Instance. When Winning Hit. ranked as the best three-year-old of his year he failed badly when raced in a handicap. Winning Hit opened up his three-year-old career by winning over seven furlongs at Ashburton as a pipe-opener for the Dunedin Guineas, in which he beat Pluto a head. Winning Hit beat The Hawk and others in the New Zealand Derby and followed on by winning the Stead Gold Cup in 2min 3 l-ssec. Then came his win the Great Northern Derby, beating Thespian and The Hawk. In his next appearance Winning Hit 8.11 started favourite for the Wellington Cup, but finished outside the places occupied by Insurrection 7.0,’ Egotism 7.5, and Sycorax 6.12. Insurrection had previously finished third in the Auckland Cup. Pluto beat Winning Hit in the Middle Park Plate, and the latter than came down for the Dunedin Cup meeting. He was unplaced behind Trespass 8.3, Vagabond 8.11, and Amythis 10.5 under 9.5. Winning Hit 9.5 won the James Hazlett Gold Cup in Imin 39 l-ssec, showing that he was in racing shape. He next came out at the Wellington autumn meeting, but had to be content with third place to Amythas 9.4 and Kick-Off 8.2 When carrying 8.2 Winning Hit was beaten in the Manawatu Stakes and finished up with a second to Gloaming in the Challenge Stakes. Winning Hit’s three-year-old form shows that, however good a colt may be when meeting those of his own age, it may be a different story when carrying weights allotted according to the glamour of classic form.

RACING FIXTURES

January 19, 21, 23—Wellington. January 21—Wairio. January 21, 23—Thames. January 23—Ashhurst-Pohangina. January 27, 28—Pahiatua.