TOPICAL COMMENT

Auckland Star, Volume LXXV, Issue 59, 10 March 1944, Page 7

TOPICAL COMMENT

RUNS IN THE FAMILY Another of the Ellis family made his debut as a jockey at Riccarton on Saturday. This was a son of the Riccarton trainer, A. S. Ellis.

NEW TRAILER'S TEAM N. Vaughan, who recently secured a .trainer's license, has a team of four three-year-olds under his care at Trentham. The quartet are Martarma Rose, Court Judge (Croupier—Conviction), Jacardine (by Kincardine), and Timo (by Boswells).

A HAWERA FAILURE Having her first race for six weeks, Clarice was made win favourite for the spfint event at Hawera, but although she had every chance, she could do no better than run third. Her prospects at Trentham do not look hopeful.

A HURDLES RECRUIT Mr. W. A. Duncan's Iliad gelding Whero is to be given a trial over hurdles at Awapuni, where he has been in L. Knapp's stable for some time for schooling purposes. Whero is said to have shown promise.

EXPENSIVE FAILURE The new star of the south, Aurora Australis, proved expensive to her army of backers in the Winton Cup. The Salmagundi filly was backed as unbeatable, but third was the best she could do, and the place dividend &he returned was a real "Gloaming" one. The defeat brought her winning sequence to a halt, but it may be only temporary-

PLATO LAD SURPRISE There have been occasions when Plato Lad has suggested that he might develop into a high-class sprinter, but there were probably few who expected him to beat Tideless and Clarice at Hawera on Saturday. As the outsider of the field he returned a substantial dividend, but his backers off the course suffered by the fact that there were only five runners. These regulations have to be accepted by stay-at-home punters.

FORM OP GULF STREAM When he won the Wanganui Guineas early in the season the Tiderace—April Fool gelding Gulf Stream showed brilliant speed, but he failed in his subsequent outings.' However, the Wellingtonowned gelding won the open seven furlongs at Riccarton in a manner that suggests he is back to his best form.. An elder half-brother, Beaupartir, was definitely good.