Auckland Candidates.

Wairarapa Times-Age, 15 January 1940, Page 9

Auckland Candidates.

The presence of the Auckland sprinters Bronwen and Arvakur will invest the Telegraph Handicap at Wellington with a good deal of interest, and both are capable of taking a hand in the final decision.

Bronwen won the Railway Handicap with 7.13, and carried 8.8 to separate Arvakur, 7.7, and Suleiman, 9.11, in the Newmarket Handicap. Bronwen has improved with racing and has fine prospects. Arvakur was third in the Electric Handicap before winning the Newmarket Handicap, and concluded the meeting by scoring in the Bowen Handicap with 7.13. He was improving with every race and will take beating. Except for his third in the Railway Handicap Amigo did not race as prominently as expected, but it is in his favour that he handles the Trentham

six-furlong track well and his chanves cannot be lightly assessed. Disdain, winner of the Railway Handicap a year ago, should derive benefit from recent racing and may be dangerous. A fine sprinter when at his best, Black Thread’s recent track work suggests fine possibilities, and he will be a force to contend with. Counterblast is a sprinter of .no mean order, and Brunhild can go fast when in form. Racecall seldom runs a poor race and he is not without reasonably good prospects. Spanish Lad was successful at Dunedin, and Duncannon won at Palmerston North and is one likely to improve.

Sleeveless has put up some fine performances and was second to Beaulivre in the Stewards’ Handicap at Riccarton. Olympus is racing into form and with his handy impost should run a great race. Alunga, Night Eruption and Rakahanga are very useful at the distance. Fancies will be well distributed, but the early favourites are likely to be Arvakur, Bronwen, Duncannon, Black Thread and Amigo.

Racing Days Over. The racing days of the four-year-old mare Sudan, by Beau Pere from Sahara, are ended. Sudan, who was trained by Mi- A. W. McDonald, at Awapuni, was severely injured recently, when she bolted on the track and collided with the fence. An attempt is being, made to save her for the stud, but the chances are that she will have to be destroyed. Sudan's most important success was the North Island Hack Plate at the Manawatu Racing Club's autumn meeting last, season.

Wotan a Disappointment. Winner of ythe Melbourne Cup in 1936, the seven-year-old horse Wotan, by Siegfried from Left, has been returned to his owners, Messrs Smith Bros, Mangaweka, and the last has probably been seen of him on the track. Wotan has been a big disappointment since his sensational victory at Flemington and ’ the only form he has shown since was when 'he won the Manchester Handicap last season and the Feilding Cup the previous year at the Feilding Jockey Club’s meeting. The Crooner to be Sold. It is the intention of his owner, Mr T. H. Lowry, to dispose of The Crooner, who was a galloper above the ordinary until he developed trouble after being kicked on the shoulder by Royal Chief at Trentham prior to the start of the New Zealand St Leger, when Royal Chief beat him by the narrowest of margins.

Raratonga Improved. The Wairarapa-trained Raratonga, who won the principal event at the Levin Racing Club’s meeting in November, ran third in the Wairarapa Cup and then won the President's Handicap on the second day of the Wairarapa Racing Club’s summer meeting, is among the entries for the Takapuna Cup at the Auckland Racing Club’s mid-summer meeting this month. By Philamor from Spare Moment, Raratonga has made a good deal of improvement this season, and has impressed by the manner in which he has been running on at the end of his races.

A Diggers’ Meeting. A popular "Digger” showed the writer a most interesting programme of the New Zealand Division of the Ammunition Column’s race meeting at Kalk (Cologne) on January 25, 1919. The judge was Major D. G. Johnston, N.Z.F.A., the starter Captain W. C. Ring, N.Z.A.C.. the clerk of course, Captain A. J. Coutts, N.Z.F.A.. and the

totalisator steward and secretary 2nd Lieutenant R. G. Anderson. There were eight races on the programme. The Cologne Cup was over a distance of 6 furlongs and was for mules. There were 16 entries. Some of the were named Zubric, Billy, Baby. Goldilocks, Pipi, Desert Gold. Welcome Nugget, Dunedin. There- was a hurdle race for mules. and also a "Rhine Steeplechase” for mules also. Totalisator tickets were five marks each and dividends were paid on the first horse only. Five per cent was deducted from the totalisator receipts to provide prize money. Catalogue and Old Bill. Old Bill (Tattersail) and Catalogue (W. Jenkins) attracted a lot of attention when they came on the track at Awapuni on Saturday but they were not out to make time. They bowled along freely, over a mile. on the plough, and raced together till well down the straight when Old Bill drew away from his partner and held a two length’s advantage. The time was 1.48 4-5. Catalogue was not bustled. Both I look in the right order to play a pro-| minent part in the Centennial Cup. I