New Zealand Gold Cup Goes To Blair Athol

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 28, 3 February 1939, Page 12

New Zealand Gold Cup Goes To Blair Athol

TROTTING AT HUTT PARK,

Bayard Takes Kia Ora Handicap — Joan Grattan Runs Right Up To Form.

TRUE TEST.

KING'S PLAY MAKES PACE. (By Telegraph:—Special to " Star.") WELLINGTON, this day. Blair Athol won the-New Zealand Gdld Cup in good style at Hutt Park yesterday when the Wellington Trotting Club opened its summer meeting, "while the Waikato-trained* Bayard took the Kia Ora Handicap. The weather was line, the attendance good and the track very fast. During the day the sum of £18,707 was put through the machine compared with £10,208 10/ for the corresponding day last year, an increase of £2408 10/. The Auckland-owned King's Play, who recently won the Mason Stakes at the Canterbury Park meeting at Addington brilliantly in 4.1G, made a gallant attempt to win the New Zealand Gold Cup after taking the lead with a round to go, but failed to withstand the determined challenge by the greatly improved Blair Atliol. The winner was prominent early, but dropped back five lengths down the back the last time round. He went up smartly round the field crossing the top and was second turning for home. Nervie's Last stopped badly over the last part, but Lucky Jack came home well. The veteran Harold Logan was fourth. Blair Atliol is likely to go on winning and Lucky Jack should again be successful in the near future. It was a truly run race, with Nervie's Last, War Buoy, Ironside, Harold Logan and Blair Atliol in that order over the first mile, after which King's Play led those mentioned, with the rest of the field bunched right behind. King's Play looked likely , to win at the straight entrance,'but just failed to withstand the final run of Blair Atliol. Generalship Won. The, Progressive Handicap was a typical instance of generalship coming into its own. Free Holmes, who has

on tlie outside. The latter fteaded Attain at the distance and went on well to win by a length and a half from Lady Vasclyne, who was not driven right out to finish by only a neck in front of Attain. Dancing Pirate, who was fourth, will be improved by the race and Drumcree who was fifth, should soon win. Waikato Success. The Kia Or.a Handicap resulted in a triumph for Bayard, a Waikato-trained colt, winner of the Cambridge Handicap a few weeks ago. -M. Stewart, who is having a great trot and has the last Auckland Cup to his credit with Xavv Blue, waited 011 the leaders till the straight, where he sent Bayard round the leaders to assume command at the distance, going away to win by two lengths from Wee Potts, who was one of the leaders all the way. Aldcrshot the winner of the New Zealand Derby, was the actual leader early, but tired over the last bit and finished fifth. The pacemaking for over a mile was carried out by Ivy Peterson, Aldcrshot, Precious' Jletal and Chili Bean, Bayard beui"ninth. The field bunched two furlong from home, with Bayard flying round on the outside, and Aldershot cryiiif quits. Over the last bit Bayard had all his own way. Agility came home well in fourth place. Later results are:— HUTT HANDICAP of £250. One mile and a half. Limit 3^34. 3—3—ACLITY, limit—J. Princrle . 1 I—l—Dß LA PAIX, 24yds—C. S. Donald *) 4—4—ACB HI&H. 24yds—IT. B. -7 Edwards 3 Also' started: 7-7 Lady Slipper, 2-'' Resistance. S-S Guy Zolocfc, 5-3 Otaua limit; S-e Ropata, 12yds; 9-0 Myrtle Oro' 24yds. Five lengths; length. Times: 3.20 3-5 3.1!) 4-5, 3.20. • NEW ZEALAND TROTTING GOLD CUP of -£(>3O and gold cup . value £50. Two miles. Limit 4.20. 2—2—BLAIR ATHOL, 12vds—J. Pringle .....' 1 I—I—KING'S PLAY. 24yds—M. C. McTisue *> 3—3—LUCKY JACK, 4Syds—R. B. Also started: S-S War Buov. 7-7 Nervie's Last, limit; 4-4 Plutus, 12yds; -10-11 Graliam Direct, G-5 Ironside. 24vds: 11-10 Harold Logan, 3-8 Pot Luck, 36yds; 0-9 Willow Wave, GOyds. Length and a half; four lengths. Times: 4.23 2-5, 4.22 3-5, 4.21. -

lived beyond tlic allotted span, gave a most artistic exhibition by literally stealing the event with Timworthy from Gentleman Joe and Jenny's Guy. Gerfalcon, wlio had been reliandicapped to GOvds for an earlier success, was in front after a furlong had been covered, arid shortly afterwards Gentleman Joe ran up on the outside of Gerfalcon, Free Holmes being content to trail them. The two leaders cut at one another over the last half-mile. Gerfalcon tired and brtfke a furlong from home to allow Gentleman Joe to assume definite command. Holmes then brought Timworthy along, and Townley called on Jenny's Guy, who was in fourth place throughout, to make an extra effort. Timworthy finished best to win by a length, with Jenny's Guy a similar distance away. Shadeland was fourth, just-ahead of Gerfalcon. Ran to Form. Joan Grattan, in winning the Probationers' Handicap, confirmed the good impression she created when she finished second to Poker Face earlier in the day. She was never further back than third, but had run 2.45 2-5 from 3.5 to defeat Queen's Countv, who challenged strongly all the way over the last furlong and a half. Talak, who will be improved by the race, was the early leader from Jlackscot, Joan Grattan and Golden Axworthy, with Queen's County handy. These, five were bunched m the order named as they raced to wards the straight, and during that period Joan Grattan assumed command from Talak, with Queen's County also moving forward. It was a good race home with Cynic coming into the picture to get third, just ahead of Talak and Mackscot. All the five first horses are> susceptible to improvement. V . A Fine Performance. Backed down to practically an even money favourite, Kilrea was responsible for a fine preformance to win the Dispatch Handicap easily after losin«about two seconds at the start through failing to strike her hopples correctly. Lady Vasclvne ran sufficiently well to indicate that she might win soon, while Attain failed over the last bit after leading for a good portion of the way. Ladv Vasclyne quickly hit the front, but then dropped back to third behind but then dropped back to third behind Attain and Drumcree. The field bunched behind these leaders to the turn, where Dancing Pirate joined in and Kilrea moved up smartly

r .!?°?. RESSIVH HANDICAP of £225. Trotters. Two miles. "Limit 4.51. 3 —i—TIMWORTHY, 36yds F. Holmes 1 4—I —GENTLEMAN JOB, 24vds —W. J. Allan . 2 I—2—JENXY'S GUY. 4Syds—R. • J.ownley, jun 3 ViFrrrTh-ii V 2 ' 5 Maid, S-S "?, rt J 15 ' 6.6 Shadeland. limit; 7-7 Jlabei Chimes, 24yds; 3-3 Gerfalcon, 60 . yds. *> 5*4 S 3l eacll way - : 4.31 1-5, 4/32 ■PROBATIONERS'- HANDICAP o£ £200. One mile and a quarter. Limit 3.5. I —I—JOAN GRATTAN, limit—D. Teahen 1 S—S—QUEEN'S COUNTY, limit—G. McKendry 2 11-12-CYNIC. .limit—G. Meßride .. 3 Also started: 14-14 Rhythm. 4-4 Talak, V;° n Ccntaurus. 3-3 Jlackscot,' 2-2 Petite, 11-9 First Shake, ' 10-11 Lady, Carol. S-S <-< .Loyal Key, 13-13 Prince Mc-J-10 Golden Axworthy, limit, o _ a l Q ngtli; three lengths. Times: 2Au 2 >o, 2.45 3-5, H.4G. DISPATCH HANDICAP oC £225. ' One mile and a half. Limit 3.35. 1 KILRBA, limit—O. E. Hooper . 1 ■ 3 —LADY VASCLYNE, 12yds—E.. X. Kennerley 2 " - ATTAIN, limit—M. Holmes .. 3 Also started; 4-3 Drumcree, limit; 6-6 Black Marble, 5-5 Dancing Pirate. 12yds; £, 0 ' A cora, 24yds; 7-7 Allworthy, S-S Worthy Need. 36yds. 3 and neck. Times: 3.21, KIA ORA HANDICAP of £300. . One mile and a half. Limit 3.25. *—S—BAYARD, 12yds—M. Stewart . 1 3—3—WEE POTTS, limit—J. Bryce, jun 2 2 —2—: PRECIOUS METAL, 12yds—M. C. McTigue .. 3 • Also started: S-S Laurene Wood,- 9-9 Ivy Peterson, 5-4 Chili Bean, 7-G Agility, limit, •bracketed with Jackaranda, 36yds; 1-1 Alder shot, 6-7 Salute, 12yds. . Two lengths; ,half . a length. Times: 3.16, 3.17 2-5,; 3.17.^ LOOKS THE PART. One. of the nicest fillies seen in Auckland for some time is Del Potts, a maiden pacer by Jack Potts—Delco. She is one of F. J. Smith's team, and was : given a couple of runs at the Matinee meeting last Saturday. She is very green at present, but is in the proper hands to be educated and, later on, if appearances count for anything, she should be earning good money , for her owner, Mr. F. A. Bridgens...