TOPICAL COMMENT

Auckland Star, Volume LXXV, Issue 216, 12 September 1944, Page 7

TOPICAL COMMENT

LOST EARLY DASH Peter Gregor appears to have lost the early dash he previously displayed out of the barrier, and it is on' the cards that W. Clifton will give him a lengthy spell. The son of Hunting Song has been a good winner for his owner, Mrs. C. McGregor, and after a spell he may return to his best form again. > ATTRACTED ATTENTION When the Vermeer filly Pellmeer left the birdcage and sprinted down the straight prior to the Pioneer Handicap she hit out so smartly that many were encouraged to have a little on J. Chisholm's charge. In the race she was fairly well away, and was near the leaders at the turn, and from that point on she raced on well to beat all but Royal Slipper. TOO PAR BACK Although he was finishing on in fourth place in the Ivingsland Hurdles, the hot favourite Good Armour was always too far back in running to give his supporters any encouragement. He jumped well, but failed to show any early pace, and was soon in a position where he was giving the leaders a big start. About a week previously the Dink gelding met with a slight mishap, which caused him to be eased in his work and, no doubt, this accounted to some extent for his failure.

FINISHED ON WELL Although My Bonnie appeared to win the Avondale Guineas with comfort her task might have been made a little more difficult had Wiggins not made a sudden dash with the daughter of Coronach at the home turn and secured a clear lead. Had Artificer moved at the same time he would not have been asked to concede her sevei-al lengths over the last furlong. He finished particularly well to cut Gay Chat out of second money. Artificer looks like staying on, and P. E. Pope should get some pood stake money with the son of Lang Bian.

CAME FROM THE REAR Outside of the placed horses in the Avondale Cup. nothing was going better at. the end that Sir Dink, and when he flashed up on the rails near the post some spectators thought he might have secured a place. However, horses wide out beat him to it. Sir Dink and Foxsen were | slow away, and going out of the straight : they were at the tail of the field. At the five furlongs they were still the last pair, but then Sir Dink began to improve his position, and getting a clear run on the inside at the home turn he made up ground. Under the circumstances his was a good performance, and he might pull off a useful handicap in the near future. R. G. Stenning has the son of Dink —Cape Wind very well. ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS CONSTANT READER.—It was treated as a starter.