WHIPPET RACING

Press, Volume LXXI, Issue 21456, 24 April 1935, Page 17

WHIPPET RACING

♦ DEKBY ON SATURDAY On Saturday, at the Bushey Park track. Riccartou, tho bluo ribbon event of the year, the Now Zealand Whippet Darby, is to b« decided. The field, which this year ig rather smaller tlian usual, will consist of tl»« lollowing dogs:— NEW ZEALAND WHIPPET DERBY of 20 BOVB and blue ribbon presented by P. 15. Biltcliff. 200 yards (stl competitors starting off scratch). Mrs A. J. Wing's bik d Satm Boy v 1?/»,.j*J. by Snooker—Black Satin. Breu by J. 3i\ f <1 Nightly (1-1/1/34), by Darknito —Tootie Mshru, Bred t>7 C. R°llilt'(i wb Flora Macdonald (14/6/.'> l). by Kob Roy—Marie Jean. Bred by A. Purdou. K. Leggetl's blk b Betty's Pride <O/4A>4), by Red Heckle—Colleen. Bred by K. G. Mrs J. Burns's brd <1 Gale (15/4/34), by Sandstorm —Winning Hit. Bred by J. W. P. Spencer and J. Don's brd d Sandfly (J5/4/iS4), by Sandstorm —Winning Hit. Bred by J. Don. Miss A Wright's blk d Nightraid (T4 '4 '3-1 >. by Darkuile—Tootie Mahru. Bred by JF. Whip. With a relatively small field, coiiauting of Eoven dogs, no one of which baa shown any really good form, tho winner of this year a Derby seems likely to come from either G»f« or Satin Boy, who, out ■of a rather peor class field, have the best credentials. Gait, with firsts in tho Derby preliminary and & maiden race and a second 111 a. novice. bo tho favourite, but Satin Boy, by his wja in lb a Dunedin Derby in February l#st, qualified for the first class, ana in fjnonco has not been afforded an opportU' nity of gaining adherents through win* IB minor classes. Galc f s win over hirn in the Derby preliminary ifl the only piece of positive evidence between tliem. Tins year tho competitors are a particularly young lot, no one having been born before" the rniddlo of April, and in consequence they have not beeu aftorded mar? opportunities of proving theinselve* except in nursery and juvenile races, which are rot particularly reliable evidence as to the true capabilities of u dog. The yottr.ster of field in Flora Macdonald, who, born on. .Tac» 34, will bo concediug the other competitors two months' handicap, which should eff?'V tively put her out of serious Sandfly, Nightly, Nightraid, and Prido are more of an age, »nd while has started so little that he is an entirely unknown quantity, Sandfly, who is a litter brother to Gale, and Nightraid hare both made several starts in open age races but with indifferent success. Betty's Pride has been training well, but her single start O-t of ag» races was not particularly impressive.