The Middle Park Plate.

Wairarapa Times-Age, 26 January 1940, Page 9

The Middle Park Plate.

There are indications that a strong field will contest the Middle Park Plate, for two and three-year-olds, at the summer meeting of the Canterbury Jockey Club. Chief interest may be aroused by the two-year-olds. Doria is not far short of the best class, Atreus is an improving winner, while Gold Flight, also a winner, has brilliant speed. Don't Forget and Shikari have been placed, the latter making a good impression at Trentham, where Retrogression shaped fairly well in his first start. Those to oppose the juveniles can include Stylist and Omapo, each of whom, as a maiden three-year-old, will have a big pull in the weights. J Lost Her Dash. In her races at Trentham this month Queen of Song was prominent in the early stages, but found wanting in stamina when it came to the business end. Now nine years old, this good' mare has lost her brilliance, and is not likely to show any improvement. The Standard Scale. When Beaulivre won the Stewards’ Handicap with 8.10 on his three-year-old back, opinions were expressed that, the colt was set a task beyond what could be done according to the weight-for-age scale. Once again it was proved that the weigh t-for-age scales does not measure racing merit, and never will. At the Auckland Cup meeting Beaulivre 8.2 won the King’s Plate by threequarters of a length from Beau Vite 8.2, with Beaupartir 9.0 a head away third in Imin 37sec. In the Summer Handicap ' Beau Vite 8.13 won and Beaupartir 8.9 was one of the last to finish. According to Auckland form Beaupartir should have beaten Beau Vite with lGlb in his favour, but once again it is found that form flouts figures when measured by the weight-for-age scale.

The Quick, The Slow/ And The Dead.

During the three days at Trentham Mr W. Price got the fields away from satisfactory starts. He was confronted with the same troubles as beset other starters, getting the fractious horse tostand flat foot and keeping the wellbehaved ones waiting for them. It would require a revolution in the control of racing to make starting an easy task. The one simple way would be to bring a field up at a walk and let them away without considering horses or riders that create trouble. The old story about the quick, the slow, and the dead is the difficulty about starting. Smart Novices. Stylist and Omapo, maiden throe-year-olds ip P. V. Mason’s stable, have a choice of engagements at the Canterbury Jockey Club's summer meeting. They have been nominated for the Trial Stakes, while they have also been left in the Middle Park Plate. Stylist ran second to the crack Auckland -two-year-old, Lou Rosa, in the Royal Stakes, while Amapo has track form to commend him as a useful galloper.

RACING FIXTURES January 26 and 27.—Pahiatua. January 27 and 29.—Auckland. February 1 and 3. —Wairoa. February 1 and 3. —Wanganui. February 3. —Canterbury. February 3. —Matamata. February 3. —Tapanui. February 8 and 10.—Egmont. February 10 and 12.—Poverty Bay. February 10 and 12.—Gore. February 10 and 12. —Rotorua. February 16 and 17. —Winton. February 17.—Tolago Bay. February 17.—Opunake. February 17 and 19. —Waikato. February 22 and 24. —Dunedin. February 24. —Waiapu. February 24 and 26.—Westland. February 24 and 26.—Te Aroha. February 24 and 26. —Woodville.