TROTTING STAKES

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue 35, 11 February 1943, Page 7

TROTTING STAKES

IMPERIAL LADY FIT HALF-SISTER TO GOLD BAR Imperial Lady, a half-sister,.by Gamble, to the record-maker Gold Bar, attracted much attention at Alexandra Park this morning, and there is every possibility that she will be sent out favourite for the. Great Northern Trotting Stakes, which is to be decided at the Auckland Club's meeting at Epsom on Saturday. This two-year-old daughter of Imperial Gold is a bright bay, a thoroughbred in appearance, and she has been very well done by A. Holmes. She is a well-grown filly and impresses more behind than she does in front. She paced stylishly on the grass track, but was not asked to make time. A report was current at the track that Bel Hamed, another very speedy South Island representative, had met with an injury while being loaded at Lyttelton, and if this results in her forfeiting her engagement in the stakes Imperial Lady will carry the bulk of investments. Quite a lot of useful work was undertaken by local horses, but no fast times were recorded early. HONOURS TO SOUTH There is always a strong contingent of southern horses at Wellington meetings, and on Saturday seven of the eight winners caihe from Canterbury stables, although all are not owned there. • The win of Master Lawn from Auckland was the exception. NEARLY CAUGHT Within sight of home in the Summer Handicap Loyal Friend promised to be a comfortable winner. His driver, M. C. McTigue, appeared to take matters a trifle too comfortably, and when Worthy Cross came with a strong run he was nearly caught napping. THREE FAVOURITES With the large number of likely improvers running, backers found it somewhat difficult to pick the winner, although there was only one substantial dividend, that of Trikkala in the Wainui Handicap. Nevertheless, favourites opened and closed activities, and backers were also on the mark in the big race when they made Loyal Friend the winning favourite, Battle Colours holding first place on the other machine, but there the innings of favourites ended. A LATE RUN The Wellington owned Joan Conquest was taken along very quietly in the early stages of the big' race, and the way she finished for third rather indicated that she would have gone close to victory had she been kept up to her work over- the first mile. She was backed down to oddson at her second outing and duly won, but her backers had an uncomfortable moment when Battle Colours came with a wet sail to run her to a head. BELFAST JACK FAILS Belfast Jack displayed plenty of early speed to take up the role of pacemaker in both the Summer Handicap and the Dominion Handicap, but he weakened a long way from home in each race. Worthy Cross trailed the pacemaker in each instance, and although he was able to make his run on the rail after passing the false rail he did not ge,t free in time to offer any serious opposition to Joan Conquest at the second start.