GERALDINE CLUB

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24986, 21 September 1946, Page 4

GERALDINE CLUB

RACING

DOUBLE CROSS IN FORM WHITLEY FAVOURED IN SPRINT The Geraldine Racing Club has every prospect of having a successful day at Orari to-day, when it will hold its first spring meeting. Since the meeting last January the club has made some improvements to the course. After the recent rain the track will provide excellent going. The principal event, the old-established Geraldine Cup, has drawn a field of ine, and bears a very open appearance. The top-weight, Amorlad. is now eight years old; and after two hurdle races, in which he was a rather unwilling contestant, he is having his first flat race for the season. He would not have to be at his best to beat the field opposing him, and this may be his best chance of winning a race this season. His strongest opponent may be Double Cross, which has previously raced over shorter distances. He made quite a good showing over a mile and a quarter at Ashburton last Saturday, and being one of the hardy honest types, he can be relied upon to run a good face. Success for this Defaulter horse is overdue. Authentic and Desert Victory look the best prospects among the other candidates, with the former likely to be improved by his race at Ashburton last Saturday. There is likely to be a solid pace set in the Squatters' Handicap as Whitley, Lady Fane, Derene, and John o’ London are all very fast in the early stages of a race. Whitley has become more solid in his races, without losing any of his early brilliance, and seems most Ikiely to lead- the chase. He is not likely to be allowed to gain as big a break on the field as he did at Ashburton; but as there is only a short straight and the face is a furlong shorter the others will hive to be on terms with him at the straight entrance to have a chanbe of wearing him down, in the straight. Bracketed horses are: Blue Revue and Mamoc, Baadin and Snowflake, Hardy Annual and Hydro Belle, Dillon View and Tungsten Steel, Scottish Star and Rimmo. Loch Dornie and Lyceum, First Shot and Private Seal, Dilbar and Remlap, Last Wrack and Star Artist, Glenwellvn and Trixie Hall. . >The following riding engagements have been made:—D. D. Stove, Patmos. Grill, Aldan, Authentic, D. J. Thistoll, Comic Paper, Tomahawk; W. Barr, Battle Chief; C. McDonald, Lord Robin, Spiora, Belfort; K. Nuttall, Gay Joy, Spring Water; H. Ford, Dark Arrow, Forage, Whitley; N. Crombie, Denim, Burberry, Royal Vestments; C. Stokes, Honest Sal, Philary, Wildfire; M. McClintock, John o’ London, Lance Tor, Pedantic, Leeston; A. Stokes, High Ideal, Sal Gundi, Foreign Ways; G. G. Hampton, Avonbridge, Double Cross, Montezuma. Hansel; B. J. Langford. Deficiency; R. Register, Foxspear; O. Ferrall, Montello d’Oro' H. W. Hibberd, Big Top, Denary, Liquidate; R. Brunnell, Palomino, Cloud Song, Desert Victory; A. M. Ellis, Wild Knock, Mister John; J. W. Lawless, Victory Bells. Bettting will be on the win and place system, and the following horses may be fancied:— Rangitata Hurdles: Court Dress, Foxspear, As Required. Ohapi Stakes: Baracha. Palomino. Boon Companion. Geraldine Cup: Double Cross, Amorlad, Authentic. Geraldine Trot Handicap—First division : Rural Lady, Thelma Grattan, Blue Revue. Second Division: Snowflake, Remlap, Lyceum.

Raukapuka Hack Handicap: Patmos, I Spiora, Denary. i Squatters’ Handicap: Whitley, John o’ ■ London, Montezuma. ■ Orari Trot Handicap: Scholarship, Shadow Chimes, Special Effort. Belfield Hack Handicap; Avonbridge, Botany, Belfort. The following are the fields:— 11.30 a.m RANGITATA HURDLES, of £190; one mile and five furlongs.—Court Dress, As Required 10-0; Foxspear 9-11; Big Top 9-8; Montello d’Oro 9-1; Bank Raid, Battle Chief 9-0. 12.10 D.m.— OHAPI STAKES, of £165; seven turI longs.—Aidair, Baracha, Bomber Command, Boon Companion, City Lights, Comic Paper, Copper Coin, Denim, Dunky, Hotfoot, Kite High, Liquidate, Lord Robin, Make Good, Narda Shah, Palomino, Paratai, Philary, Play*. Swift Action, Victory Bells,. Lance Tor 8-7. 1.5 p.m.— GERALDINE CUP, of £340; one mile and a quarter.—Amorlad 9-0; Honest Sal 8-3; Forage 7-12; Pedantic 7-10;, High Ideal, Burberry 7-8; Double Cross 7-7; Desert Victory, Authentic 7-5. 1.45 p.m.— GERALDINE TROT, of £183; 2mln 59sec .class;, one.mile and a quarter.—First division: Baadin, Blue Revue, Coral Princess, Dilbar, Dillon View. First Shot, Glenwellyn, Kahurangi, Last Wrack, Lochdornie, Locknit, Lusty Maid, Lyceum, Marncc, Private Seal,'Queen Jewel, Remlap, Rimmo, Rural Lady, Scottish Star, Snowflake, Star Artist, Thelma Grattan, Tolan, Trixie Hall, Tungsten Steel, War Glory scr. 2.40 p.m.— RAUKAPUKA HACK HANDICAP, of £190; seven furlongs.—Patmos 9-0; Here Hine 8-12; Te-Muka 8-11; Stagestruck 8-10; Denary, Spiora 8-9; Gay Joy 8-7; Hansel 8-5; Palomino 8-1; Royal Vestments, Leeston, Deficiency 8-0; Liquidate, Wild Knock, Glance, Dark Arrow 7-12. 3.20 D.m.— SQUATTERS' HANDICAP, of £225; six furlongs.—Whitley 9-0; Silver Mask 8-8; Grand Forest 8-2; John o’ London, Grill 8-1; Montezuma, Lady Fane 7-5; Derene 74.5 D.m.— ORARI TROT, of £2d3; 2min 56sec class; one mile and a quarter.—Air Spray, Becky Parrish, Branford, Kerwood Bingen (T.), Lodestone, Lottie Jinks, Palava, Remlap. Scholarship, Shadow Chimes, Snowflake, Special Effort, Volo Audubon, War Glory scr; Admiration, Blazeaway, Daisy Gold, Firewater (T.), Wee Logan 12; Lucky Scott, Van Horn 24; Sir Julien 60. 4.50 D.m,— BELFIELD HACK HANDICAP, of £190; nine furlongs.—Botany 9-2; Tomahawk 8- Belfort, Avonbridge 8-6; Wildfire 8-1; Foreign Ways 8-0; Mister John, Baracha 7-9; Cloud Song, Turf Topic, Hotfoot, Spring Water, Wee Mac 7-7. Change of Riders Originally D. Stove ,was announced as the rider for Wildfire In the Belfield Hack Handicap at Geraldine, but C. Stokes has now been substituted as it is considered that a stronger rider may be able to hold the gelding. Wildfire, a nine-year-old gelding by Lord Quex from Mon Mint, won a small race at Hokitika last season, and his future may be as a jumper. A Useful Hurdler When he started in the Sea View Hack and Hunters Hurdles at the Otago Hunt Club’s meeting a fortnight ago. Court Dress was ridden by his owner, Mr E. R. Curtis, and was never a prospect in the running. Previously Court Dress had been very consistent over hurdles, although his only win was in the Pukaki Hurdles at Washdyke last May. He will be well suited by the hurdle race at Geraldine to-day, in which his strongest Opponent may be Foxspear.