THE TURF.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 54, Issue 258, 13 August 1934, Page 2

THE TURF.

METROPOLITAN TROTS. SUCCESS TO RODDY. (Special to the . “ Guardian.”) CHRISTCHURCH, This Day. The August carnival of racing began at Addington on Saturday, wnen the New Zealand. Metropolitan Trotting Club opened its meeting under most favourable conditions. The weather was beautifully fine, the track in firstclass order, and the attendance bigger than it was lost year —and well up to the average crowds seen at Addington. Tne August Handicap, the principal event of tae day, was awaited with the keenest interest, and it provided a contest worthy of the occasion. An increase in the totalisator investments raises a hope that times are improving, and the total of £20,750 represents an increase of £2779 over the figures registered on the corresponding day twelve months ago, and a rise of £0958 10s at the opening of the August meeting in 1932, when rain interefered with the racing. Concluding results:— Stewards’ Handicap, of 250 sovs; two miles —10 Writer 60yds bhd (C. King) 1, 9 Nicoya 96 2, 11 Mountain Mist 48 3. Won by two lengths; a head between second and third. Time, 4.28. Queen Mary Handicap, of 250 sovs; two miles—2 Cloudy Range 12yds bhd (E. C. McDermott) 1, 7 Wrecker 36 2, 1 Sure scr 3. Won by half a length; a neck between second and third. Time, 4.26 1-5. Selwyn Handicap, of 250 sovs; one mile and a quarter —6 Wild Guy scr (G. Mouritz) 1, 4 Chenwood scr 2, 1 Prairie King scr 3. Won by two lengths; a similar distance between second and third. Time, 2.42. International Handicap, of 250 sovs; one mile—2 Roddy 12yds bhd (E. J. Smith) 1, 6 Pegaway scr 2, 4 Vesuvius ser 3. Won by a neck- a length and a half between second and third. Time, 2.8 1-5. THE CAULFIELD MEETING. MELBOURNE, August 11. The Victoria Amateur Turf Club’s meeting was concluded to-day. The principal event resulted as follows: — Australian Steeplechase, of 1500 sovs; about three miles and a half— Reclditch 12.13 (Hynes) 1, Raiwena 9.12 2, Jack’s Jason 9.5 3. Won in a canter by 12 lengths; third horse 25 lengths away. Time, 6.53 J. This was Redditeh’s second Australian Steeplechase in succession, and he won in record time. Hunting Morn and Barnum were unplaced in the Chatsworth Plate, and Apache was unplaced in the Knowsley Steeplechase. THE ROSEHILL MEETING SYDNEY, August 11. At the Rosehill meeting the principal events resulted as follow August Handicap, of 200 sovs; one mile and a quarter —Jonker 7.7 (Knox) 1, Cylanta 8.5 2, Headgale 7.10 3. Nine horses started, including Loye Song and Lavington. Won by half a length. Time, 2.7£. Frimsel was third in tlie Dundas Handicap, in which Kuvera and Limarch were among the starters. Nipper ran unplaced in the Wentworthville Stakes, Antique and Cockpen in the Parramatta Mile, and Adulator in the first division of the Maiden Handicap.

MELISANDE’S OVERDUE WIN.

JONATHAN’S HALF-SISTER

Melisande, who opened her winning account for Mr W. R. Kemball at Moonee Valley recently, was celebrating her official fourth birthday in auspicious fashion, for it was the first occasion on which siie had reached the judge’s box at the head of a field. Perhaps now that she has made a beginning she will carry on with it, as there was always more than a mote of promise in her (says the “Evening Post”). After a couple of starts in the Dominion as a two-year-old Melisande was ■sent across to G. Jones at Caulfield, but she failed jto rise to expectations, and was returned to New Zealand at the end of last year. Here she rejoined W. Hawthorne’s team, and she soon made a fair showing by running High Rank to a neck in a high-weight at the Wellington, Summer Meeting. On the strength of these performances she was allowed to take her place in the New Zealand St. Leger Stakes at Trentham and in the Great Northern Oaks and St. Leger at Ellerslie. She failed in the New Zealand St. Leger, but returned a dividend, as her bracketed companion finished second to Spiral. There were only three starters in the Oaks, and she was last home of them, but only three-quarters and half a length respectively separated Golden Hair, Rust and her. In the Great Northern St. Leger she finished; fourth of the five runners, and very shortly afterwards she was included in the team Hawthorne took over to Victoria. She is a very well-bred chestnut mare, as she' is by Limond from the imported Juggernaut mare .Joanfax" (dam of Jonathan and Imprudence, the dam of Davolo), and she cost Mr Kemball 120 guineas as a yearling before her dam had produced any winners.