SUCCESS' OVERDUE

Auckland Star, Volume LXXVI, Issue 85, 11 April 1945, Page 9

SUCCESS' OVERDUE

OUR GOLD'S RECORD FIRST WIN IN FIVE SEASONS The success of Our Gold in the Mount Roskill Handicap at the Avondale meeting at Ellerslie on Saturday was nothing if not overdue, and therefore it was not I surprising that the six-year-old son of I Captain Bunsby and Gold Money returned his supporters a dividend of over £60. He commenced racing in the tail-end of the 1940-41 season, and his victory in the Mount Roskill was his first. Our Gold was only started once in his first season, five times at three years, six at four years, and thirteen times in his fourth season, and it was not until his last start that term that he finished in a place. This was wnen lie ran third to Ballyneety and Ernada in the Carbine Plate at the Great Northern meeting. He commenced this term promisingly by running second to Peterhead in tile Bullock Webster Handicap at the Pakuranga meeting in August, and this was followed by six unplaced performances. Our Gold's form on Saturday was really good, as he' ran right away from the opposition over the final furlong to win easing up by three lengths. He possesses plenty of stamina, and as a heavy track is decidedly in his favour he may succeed again ere the season is over. Sadly Out Of linck Mr. A. D. Hall simply cannot do a thing right with Odvaals, which was beaten on the post in the second division of the Dominion Handicap. The four-year-old Vaals galloper had the race won a few yards from the finish, but T. Green on Romalin clearly out-rode Gibbs, and thus a "good thing" was beaten. At the Ohinemuri meeting on March 17 Odvaals was an easy first in his division of the Awaiti Stakes, but as his rider lost a lead bag entering the straight the horse was disqualified. Exceptionally Well Treated Nepeta made a gallant attempt to lead ! all the way in the Morningside Handicap at Ellerslie on Saturday, and it was only in the last stride that Navroze caught him. The success of the Ringmaster three-year-old waf palatable to a few students of handicapping, for they remembered that he carried 0.0 and defeated the best two-year-olds in the Royal Stakes on January 2, whereas he had only one pound above the minimum on Saturday. As a general rule Mr. F. J. McManemin takes a good deal of cognisance of weight-for-age form, and the connections of Navroze must have considered themselves lucky that he departed from custom on this occasion, especially as Navroze had done very little racing since the Royal Stakes for a third to Broiedame and Gay Chat in the Hot Springs Handicap at Te Aroha in February. A Smart Juvenile Although defeated In his division of the Nursery Handicap, Balgowan gave promise of better things to come; in fact, with a bit of luck in the running it is by no means unlikely that he would have defeated Saltwater, instead of having to be content with second place. Balgowan was hampered early, and still.was a good way behind the leaders at the home turn, but when he got clear in the straight he finished very fast and was going just as well as the winner passing the judge. Balgowan is a fine-looking gelding by Coronach from Legality, and Is trained by F. Smith for Mr. W. S. Goosman, who has been having a lean time this season. Promising Hack Colonel Dink, a five-year-old gelding by Dink from Kella Berrin, which had been working well at Ellerslie, made a bold showing in the Dominion Handicap. He began smartly, was one of the vanguard throughout, and fought on well down the straight to keep Kindroon at It to win by half a length. Colonel Dink should be improved with the racing, as he has had little experience.