TURF NEWS AND NOTES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 16 October 1940, Page 3

TURF NEWS AND NOTES

CURRENT TOPICS FROM STABLE AND COURSE Masterton Club’s Meeting EXCELLENT PROSPECTS FOR THURSDAY (BY “THE GRAFTER”) There is every indication that the Masterton Racing Club’s spring meeting, which will open ! on the Opaki racecourse ion Thursday, will go down in turf history as the most successful during the) past twenty years. A field of ten has accepted for the principal race and as most of the horses should go to the post it will doubtless be a good betting race. Yogi, who is much fancied for the New Zealand Cup, is the top-weight and should be capable of leading the rest of the field a Jmerry dance as well as tightening up hisiform for the big Riccarton carnival. Trench Law is also striding along nicely, and T. R. George has the Gascony colt in good heart, and he should improve [his third to Night Eruption at Foxton last month when he came with a strong effort at the finish. Trench Law won three races in a row towards the end of last season, and should be kept in mind for Opaki. Lindrum, who has not started the present season tooiwell, finished up last season in good style, winning four races in his last eight starts, besides registering a second and a third. In his two starts this season—at the Hawke's Bay meeting—he ran two fair races though failing to gain a place. Those two gallops, however, should improve ithe Siegfried gelding andjhe will probably be strongly supported in the Masterton Handicap should he face the barrier. Master Cyklon has shown improved track form recently and scored a meritorious win in the Hastings Spring Handicap at the Hawke’s Bay Jockey Club's meeting early this month, coming away in great style and winning easily from the second horse, Aurora’s Star. The, Hunting Song gelding followed this up with a very creditable second to Native Song in the H. A. Russell Memorial Handicap at the same meeting, finishing strongly, and heading Aurora’s Star by a head. Performances in public indicate that Master Cyklon is steadily improving in (form and may be at his best at Opaki, A horse that is due for a win is Mr J. Jamieson’s Eastern Monarch gelding, White Rajah, who has <come along nicely in his training during the past week or two. • Trainer B. Burgess has given the gelding special attention and should have him at his best this week. It will not be the fault of Burgess if White Rajah does not salute the judge at Opaki this week and a win for the popular owner would be welcomed by sportsmen generally. Lambourn is about at the height of form and the other day at Hastings covered ! a mile in 1.49 1-5, the last half mile in 54 1-ssec. The Bulandshar colt finished well in the Homewood Handicap at the Hawke’s Bay meeting this month, securing third place to Nigger Boy and Vascones, Yogi being behind him. • Serenata has done some excellent work on the track at Opaki during the past week and the Nightmarch filly has improved since her appearance at Foxton where she ran second to Last Acre in the Wharangi Handicap. Keen judges consider Serenata has a good outside chance in the Masterton Handicap, The Colossus—Miss Hastings gelding, Hasten, has had several very useful gallops at Opaki recently and irecent form suggests that with 7.0 he has more than a fifty-fifty chance in the chief event. Judging by the way in which he won the Putiki Handicap at 'Wanganui, ibeating Pearl of. Asia easily, he should keep the rest of the field busy. His second at Marton to Auto Sweep was another splendid effort, suffering defeat |by a head only. Gay Fox won decisively at .Foxton and his recent track work merits the attention of punters. Aurora’s Star’s form will doubtless appeal to many.