ADDINGTON HANDICAP

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24884, 25 May 1946, Page 4

ADDINGTON HANDICAP

ENDOWED AND TOLERATE MAKE MOST APPEAL Mamanuas and Tolerate both performed well in the mu® at the Forbury Park Trotting Club’s meeting on May 4, and with the possibility of heavy track conditions they may prove the hardest for Endowed to beat in the Addington Handicap, the first event on the Canterbury Park Trotting Club’s programme at Addington to-day.

Endowed is trained .at Blenheim by C. R. Berkett, and his record of four wins in seven starts this season indicates that he is a useful trotter. He will start from the 48 yards mark and must be rated a possibility. Kerwood Bingen plodded through the mud in fine style at Forbury to win the Railway Handicap from Nationalist and Mamanaus, and he should be finishing on when most of the others have had enough to-day. Parwrack, a gelding by Wrack from Parette, gave one of his best displays for the season to finish second to Royal Dale in the Progressive Handicap at Addington on New Year’s Day, and if he can handle the track to-day he may finish in the money. Quartermaster and Royal Stone, from the 12 yards mark, both have several placings to their .credit this season, and on their best behaviour they are both capable trotters. Quartermaster stayed on much better than in his previous race to finish second to Tolerate at Oamaru, and I chance cannot be ignored.

Endowed, Tolerate, and Quartermaster all have recent form and they may carry most support. Jottings Tara’s Hall, a five-year-old daughter of Dillon Hall, looks one of the best place propositions of the day in the Peninsula Handicap at Addington. Great Wonder, a gelding by Lusty Volo from Kaulala, will race in the interests of Mr J. W. Brosnan, Fernside. Pencarrow appeared to be well forward when he raced at the trials at Ashburton ■on Wednesday, and he should race well at Washdyke to-day. Loyal King and Lucky Loyal, from W. R. Butt’s stable, are a strong combination in the Winter Handicap at Addington to-day. Miss V. M. Simpson and Mr E. J. H. Simpson, Karamea, have registered their four-year-old mare by Bingen Palm from Lady Flora as Victory Palm. Jervis Bay finished second to Northern Lass in the heavy going at Forbury, and that form gives him a chance in the Ellesmere Handicap to-day. Globe Direct, which will have his first race at Addington to-day since being trained by M. Holmes for Mr H. Brien, won two races in easy fashion at the beginning of the season, and he may grove the hardest for Sir Michael to eat in the Futurity Stakes at Ashburton.

Scott Ax worthy Injured The Tinwald trainer, C. M. Laing, suffered bad luck yesterday when Scott Axworthy fell and broke a leg just below the shoulder when he attempted to jump a puddle on his owner’s property. One of the fastest pacers in his class, the U. Scott gelding had proved a good winner for Laing and was expected to race well at Addington to-day. In an attempt to save the gelding the leg has been set in plaster, but it is not expected that he will be able to race again. Withdrawn The Grattan Loyal filly Gold Key, which is trained at Blenheim by C. R. Berkett, has been withdrawn from the Juvenile Stakes at Addington to-day. Cheviot Meeting The Cheviot Trotting Club’s meeting, Which was postponed on May 18, will now be held on July 6, and owners and trainers are advised to hold the tickets issued for the original date. As many changes will have occurred, fresh nominations will be called. To be Spelled Tony Grattan has paid his way this season with three wins and two minor placings in 11 starts, and he is now to be spelled. A gelding by Grattan Loyal from Mary de Oro, the dam of Gold Sheik and Sahara Queen, he recorded a win and a second placing when trained at Tinwald by C. M. Laing, a win at the Kaikoura Trotting Club’s meeting at Rangiora when trained by M. B. Edwards at New Brighton, and a win and a fourth placing since joining C. S. Donald’s stable at Belfast. Tony Grattan has more speed than most in his class, and he should win more races for Miss Q. Nuttall. Another Tribute At a meeting of the Southland Trotting Owners’, Trainers’, and Breeders’ Association, held at Invercargill this week, the resignation of the stipendiary steward, Mr J. S. Shaw, was referred to and it was decided to write to the New Zealand Trotting Association expressing regret at Mr Shaw’s resignation, and pointing out the valuable service he had given the sport. "The trotting sport can illafford to lose a man of Mr Shaw’s worth,” said Me Clark. "He is. a practical man and under the new form jyf stipendiary control His place is going to be difficult to fill.” Attractive'Bracket

Making his sixth appearance for the season, Raven attracted attention to his prospects by winning the Waikaura Trot Handicap at the Oamaru Jockey Club’s meeting on January 2 by 40 lengths from Grattan Star, with Kerwood Bingen. in third place. Later in the afternoon he completed the double with a brilliant effort over Jhe last half mile to win the Oamaru Trot Handicap by a head from Special Effort. He secured a fourth placing in his next three starts, then won the Carterton Handicap at the Wellington Trotting Club’s meeting on February 23, after taking the lead at the top of the straight. In this race he was followed home by Tara’s Hall and Worthy Prince and registered 3min 2 l-ssec for the mile and three furlongs. Started at the New Brighton Trotting Club’s meeting on March 30, Raven finished fourth to Northern Lass, Stimulant, and Quite Evident in the Burwood Handicap, and followed up with a second placing to Bonnie Jack in the Preliminary Handicap on the first day of the Easter meeting at Addington. He was then taken to the Hawera Trotting Club’s meeting on April 22, where, after being uniplaced in the Waimate Plains Handicap, he outstayed his field in the Kapuni Handicap of a mile and a quarter, to win from Our Gail and Dainty Jewel. He covered the distance in 2mm 51sec, reasonable time, considering that the track was easy after

showery weather. Raven, which races in the interests of R. Young, is trained by J. Young at Addington and is a six-year-old gelding by Grattan Loyal from Moko Child. Golden Shadow, which will be bracketed with Raven in the Fendalton Handicap, also races in R. Young’s interests. He is a son of Red Shadow and Great Muricata, and his six placings this season include a sterling performance to win the Sir Thomas Wilford Memorial Handicap at the Wellington Trotting Club’s meeting on October 27. Both these pacers are in good order and they should command solid support in the Fendalton Handicap to-day. Photo-Chart Recorder The photo-chart finish equipment, which is to be installed by the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club, will be tested within the next few weeks and it is hoped to have it operating for the August meeting of the club. In an explanatory article on the photochart recorder, the "New Zealand Trotting Calendar” says that the recorder is not really a camera, the action being merely a strip of film passing across a narrow aperture which can "see” only a narrow strip of. the track and either side of the finishing line. The film moves horizontally past the aperture at a speed virtually synchronised with* the of the horses, so that a clear picture is obtained, and stationary objects do not appear. One most important refinement has been added quite recently. This is a mirror above the side of the track opposite the camera, so that both sides of the field are photographed. There is thus i no longer any question of a first horse on the outside obscuring the view of a close finish for second place. Undoubtedly patrons at Addington will appreciate the progressive move of the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club in installing this equipment, which is now used exclusively in the United States and Mexico. Should Race Well Unsoundness has prevented Casablanca from making the grade to the tightest classes for trotters, but his trainer, S. Webster, deserves credit for the patient manner in which he has handled the Casanova gelding, and but for him Casablanca’s racing career may have been ended some time ago. Driven by J. B. Pringle, this trotter was obviously very sore when he finished second to Royal Dale in the Addington Trotting Stakes at the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club’s meeting on August 11, 1945. His trainer persevered with him and earned his reward at the Auckland Trotting Club’s meeting on December 27, when Casabianca made up his ground early from the 48 yards mark in the Bridgens Memorial Handicap, and carried on to win by a head from Hidden Note in 4min 37 2-ssec on a track which was a little dead after rain earlier in the day. He was not started on the second day of the meeting, but was saved for the Rowe Memorial Handicap on the third day, where he made light of his 72 yards handicap on a fast track, to win by two lengths from Hidden Note, with Indian Arrow in third place. Casabianca is off the 72 yards mark in the Elevation Handicap to-day, and he should be able to stretch out in good style on the soft track. Has Always been Sound •‘Some people appear to be under the impression that because Turco did not race for nearly three years he has been an unsound horse,” said Mr A. V. Prenderville recently, "but the idea is quite wrong. There has never Been anything wrong with him, but the patient policy adopted with him early in his career is now paying big dividends.” Turco’s next appearance will probably be in the All-Aged Stakes at the Ashburton Trotting Club’s meeting; and, with a decided advantage in the handicaps, he | should be hard to beat.

Now at Ashburton Gold Weed, which Is now trained by J. Behrns at Ashburton for Mr J. Harris, appreciated the sting out of. the ground when he raced at the trials on the Ashburton course on Wednesday, and he gave a good display to finish practically in line with Casabianca, Belle Header and Flame. An aged gelding by Wrack from Golden Nut, he will make his next appearance in a race in the Stewards’ Handicap on the first day of the Ashburton Trotting Club’s winter meeting. Arrangements Completed ’ It will not be necessary for owners and trainers with horses engaged at the Ashburton meeting to seek accommodation, as the Ashburton Trotting Club has arranged for a horse train to leave Christchurch at 7.13 a.m. on each day of the races and return at 5.15 p.m. Untimely Death Certissimus, which was probably the greatest trotter ever bred In New Zealand, has nine living progeny, all three-year-olds. So far only three oi them. Acclamation, Flame, and Carissima, have raced and the first two named showed a lot of ability when they fought out the finish of the New Zealand Trotting Stakes at the Easter meeting. Certissimus was

foaled in 1937, but met an untimely death when he died from injuries he received ! when he reared and fell on the road near : his owner’s property at Pleasant Point. after being stung on the nose by a bee. 1 Ashburton Trotting Club Withdrawals for the first day of the Winter meeting must be made not later than 8 p.m. on Monday next, 27th instant, | with the Secretary, Ashburton. Advt.