Two and Three-year-olds

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 5, 7 January 1938, Page 12

Two and Three-year-olds

SMART GALLOPERS

~ + TE HERO BRILLIANT.

ENGAGED AT TRENTHAM.

AMIGO ALSO IN STAKES

Tt is a pity that both Gay Son and Homily developed colds that prevented them from starting at the Auckland summer meeting, for their presence at the fixture would have added consideiably to the two-year-old events.

Gay Son had won among other races the Y\ e lies ley Stakes at Trentham. while Peerless beat him in the Welcome Stakes at Riccarton. Homily had done her racing in Australia, winning two events at Randwick. and it would have added to the merits of Te Hero's victories in the Great Northern Foal Stakes and Royal Stakes if thev had been pitted against him. Amigo". who had shown great brilliancy at the Wellington spring meeting. where he accounted for two events, was included in the Foal Stakes field, hut he had I>ce!i suffering from a cough for some time prior to his arrival here and he may not have been quite at the peak

of liis form. 1 e Hero won both the toal Stakes and the Royal Stakes, beating Amigo in the former event nicely by three-quarters of a length in 1.13 2-.>. while in the Roval Stake* lie came home in 1.12 ' J n both instances he hit the front early and stayed there. To Hero has won four out of live starts and was second on the other occasion. It will take a «ood one to head him otT. f e Hero is engaged in the Wellington Stakes at Treiuham later in the month. This is a race for t\\ o and three-year-olds, run at weightfor age over five furlongs, and To Hero if started will bo one of the prime fancies. Amigo won the lYitorimi Handicap well on the second day and is sure to get some more monev before the season i* through. He its. al<o in tlie stakes, as is I'eorlost;. who wa.> second tn To Hero in the Koval Stake-. Hot Box \va< easily the be-t of t lie other two-year-olds engaged at the meeting. lie is a nice nio\er and will be heard of again shortly.

COURTCRAFT BEST.

A CLASSY COLT. EASILY BEATS ROYAL CHIEF. Prior to the Auckland summer meeting Royal Chief was tile best three-year-old in the Dominion, for he had won among other events, the Xew Zealand Derby, Riccarton. the Wanganui • Guineas, the Avondale Guineas, the rrentham Stakes and the Harcourt Stakes at Wellington. Courtcraft did his spring racing in Australia, being unplaced in the A.-T.C. Derby, but he made amends at that fixture by winning the C'libborn Stakes, one mile, after appearing to be hopelessly left. He again failed in the V.R.C. Derby, but it is stated that lie got his tongue over the bit in that event, and further did not get the best of passages.

These two three-year-olds met in the King's Plate, an event run over a mil© at weight-for-age at Ellerslie. and it ended in a brilliant victory for Courtcraft. Royal Chief was sore, and though lie drew No. 1 position at the post, he was soon last in a field of four, while Courtcraft was content to allow Oratory to make the pace to the straight. Trench Fight joined in at this juncture and Courtcraft had to be shaken up to get him to do his best, but once he wretched out he came on in great style to register I.3ti. which established a fresh New Zealand record. Roval Chief was last.

Track conditions on Xew Year's Day, as the result of rain, made the going much easier, and in consequence Royal Chief was more favoured in the Derby than in the King's Plate. However, Courtcraft was in front all the way. anil though Royal Chief made a great effort in the. straight he could not make any impression on Courtcraft. and was three lengths behind him at the post.

The Clifford Plate on the last day saw Courtcraft again lead all the way and beat his only two opponents. Jonathan and Argentic, handsomely. The honours are certainly with Courtcraft.

Courtcraft comes from a great family. He is by Limond from Homage, by Absurd from Eulogy. Homage was the dam of Honour, who won the New Zealand Derby, and also Heritage, a brilliant three-year-old. Homage is al?o a sister to Commendation, who won tha New Zealand and <;reat Northern Derbies for Mr. W. H. Gaisford, who also races Courtcraft.

The Crooner, who Avon the Queen's Plate and was third in the Great Northern Derby, though on the small side, is a very u-eful who wili more than pav his way during his career. — ■ - i

WELLINGTON STAKES.

AFTER FIRST FORFEIT. After tileit forfeits were declared oil Wednesday the following remain in the \\ ellington Stakes, an event, tor two and three-year-olds, run at weight-l'or-ajre over rive turlorgs, on the tii-st day o; \\ ellington tunuiner meeting: Francis Drake. Surmount. Windsor Chief. Laughing Song. Icing. I>efaulter. 'IV Hero, Arvakur. Sudan, Eastern Heir. H mtingmoic. Peerless. (iaoler. (iuine.i Amigo. Brunhild. Ortyx. Coin#?,s Sang"in.ii m peldinu. Posteuty Damaiia aily. Captain Bunsby Maichette ti'!\. ADDITION TO TEAM. 1 he Ellerslie trainer 1. Tinker lias an addition to hi* team, tin- n.u •.•inner being a four-year-old ycMing by \ ersant.