PROSPECTS AT ASHBURTON

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24980, 14 September 1946, Page 4

PROSPECTS AT ASHBURTON

RACING

BRIDGE ACRE LIKELY FAVOURITE PRIVILEGE FAVOURED IN STAKES Although not the principal event on the programme, the John Grigg Stakes seems likely to provide the most interesting contest of the day at the Ashburton Racing Club’s spring meeting at Ashburton to-day. The race has not always been a reliable 'guide to the class of the three-year-olds, but with the form of most of the field in to-day’s race well exposed, it should provide some indication of their merits, and their prospects in future classic races. Indian Dawn, Rahine. Lovemorn, and Hart Royal have all had the benefit of recent racing, but Privilege and Palm Bearer, which were in the top flight as two-year-olds, will be having their first start for the season. However, both are. brilliant fillies and the lack of a race will not be a great disadvantage for them.

A useful field will parade in the principal event, the Ashburton Handicap, and with a fast track likely the race should test the stamina of those runners that ' have yet to master the distance. The topweight. Bridge Acre, is conceding 151 b and upwards, but the others have yet ; to prove that they are in her class, although Swingalong and Thornbridge showed promising staying form last autumn, with the latter looking the more likely prospective stayer. Although not , as forward as Bridge Acre, Thornbridge 1 may prove her most difficult opponent. The only scratching notified is Victory Star in the John Grigg Stakes, but Mestiza is an unlikely starter in the Novice Stakes. With Mestiza out two further scratchings are still required to obviate the Novice Stakes being run in divisions. Horses bracketed on the totalisator are: Novice Stakes: Dress Rehearsal and Bobingay. Queen’s General and Rebel Knight Regal Lily and Responsive, Victory Bells and Wild Knock Rakaia Trot Handicap: Ardglass and Silver Light, Gioworm and Direct Medium, Wee Logan and Nelsonova. Betting will be on the win and place system, and the following horses may be favoured:— County Hurdles Handicap: Olga’s Choice, Foxspear, Big Top. Novice Stakes.—First division: Palomino. Lorna Leigh. Second division: Penetrate. Antibes. Selma Trot Handicap: Shadow Chimes, Rural Lady, Lady Ngaio. Ashburton Handicap: Bridge Acre, Thornbridge, Lexia. John Grigg Stakes: Privilege, Rahine, Hart Royal. Penscroft Hack Handicap: Desert Victory, Springwater, Great Chum. Spring Handicap: Sanskrit, Al Sirat, Whitley. Rakaia Trot Handicap: Lady Ngaio, Indigo. Silverlight. The following are the fields:— 11.30 a.m.— COUNTY HURDLES HANDICAP, of I £250: one mile and five furlongs.—Olga’s j Choice 10-6; Amorlad 10-3; Sandy Cape 10-2; Big Top 9-8; Foxspear 9-1; Sea Dog, Montello d’Oro, Bank Raid 9-0. 12.10 p.m.— NOVICE STAKES, of £200; six furlongs. —First division: Beau- Ideal, Beechwood, Dress Rehearsal, Lady Coolbane, Wee Mac 8-4; Cloud Song, Dunky, Grande Melee, Le Sonnet, Loma Leigh, Palomino, Queen’s General, Regal Lily, Victory Bells 8-0. Second Division: Kob- ’ ingay. Beautiful. Handshake, Paeanism 8- Antibes, Duncan’s Quib, Front Page, Lady Melrose, Lord Robin, Mestiza, Penetrate, Rebel Knight, Responsive, Wild Knock 8-0. SELMA TROT HANDICAP, of £250; 4min 53sec class; two miles.—Bay Jack, Economist, Glen Devon, Hal Derby, Lucky Dan, Lyceum, Magnificent, Make Believe, Mischief, Rimmo, Rural Lady, Shadow Chimes, Steeplejack, Swaledale, Thelma Grattan, Tolan, Tungstan Steel, West Point scr; Lodestone 24; Lady Ngaio, Tonnby 60. 1.45 p.m.— ASHBURTON HANDICAP, of £600; one mile and a quarter.—Bridge Acre 9-0; Honest Sal 7-13; Salary, Joy Rosa, Lexia 7- Swingalong 7-8; Thornbridge 7-7; Pedantic 7-6; Double Cross 7-2; Authentic, The Shiner 7-0. 2.25 p.m.— JOHN GRIGG STAKES, of £350; seven furlongs.—Fort Silver, Hart Royal, Leeston 8-10; Connaught. Indian Dawn, Lovemorn, Palm Bearer, Privilege, Rahine 8-5,’ 3.15 pan.— PENSCROFT HACK HANDICAP, of £225; one mile.—Desert Victory, Botany 9- Tomahawk 8-12: Peculate 8-7; Belfort 8-6 f Detain 8-5; Wildfire 8-3; Gay Joy 8- Pandemonium 7-13; Avonbridge 7- Mister John 7-10; Great Chum, Siegwood 7-8; Croupier’s Pride, Spring Water, Kinrara, Turf Topic, Boon " Companion, The Shiner. Sandy’s Pride 7-7. 3.50 p.m.— SPRING HANDICAP, of £350; seven furlongs.—Golden Souvenir 9-10; Al Sirat 8- Whitley 8-0; Grand Forest 7-11; Sanskrit 7-10; Derene, Graeme 7-1. 4.30 p.m.— RAKAIA TROT HANDICAP, Of £300; 3min 33sec class; one mile and a half.— Ardglass, First Globe. Indigo Lady Ngaio, On Approval, Scholarship, Sir Carol, Special Effort scr; Mountain Hall, Silverlight 12; Daisy Gold, Direct Medium, Wee Logan 24; Nelsonova, Nyallo Scott, Veritas 48.