STIRLING CASTLE

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25083, 15 January 1947, Page 4

STIRLING CASTLE

TROTTING

MAY WIN AT FORBURY Sent out favourite for the Rosedale Trot Handicap on the second day of the Southland Racing Club’s meeting on January 4, Stirling Castle registered one of the easiest wins seen in Southland for some time when he ran home 15 lengths clear of Grattan Drive in 3min 43sec for the mile and five furlongs. Stirling Castle appeals as a likely stayer, and he should be prominent at the end of the two miles in the Southland Handicap at the Forbury Trotting Club’s meeting on Saturday. Owned and trained by J. Winter, Invercargill, Stirling Castle showed good form as a three-year-old last season, when he recorded two wins, two second placings, and a third placing, and he may take a tight mark this season. Jottings Nyallo Scott’s consistent record entitles him to consideration for the Dunedin Cup Handicap at the Forbury Park Trotting Club’s meeting on Saturday. Ivy Goodwin, the winner of the second division of the First Summer Handicap at the Cambridge Trotting Club’s meeting on Saturday, is a four-year-old mare by Peter Bingen from Ivy Axworthy, Messrs Bateman and McGrath suffered a loss recently when their promising gelding by Grattan Loyal from Evergreen died.

The six-year-old Navigate is now assessed on*2min lOsec, 2min 42sec, and 4min 22sec. Master Mariner, a five-year-old brother to Navigate, was never a possibility after being well back in the early stages of the first division of the Fairlie Handicap at Washdyke on Saturday. Walter Jingle won his first race since being trained for Mr C. L. Rhodes by M. Stewart, Te RApa, at the Cambridge Trotting Club’s meeting on Saturday.

Lady Spray at Addington The Gamble mare, Lady Spray, which has raced well since being trained at Halswell by K. Chapman, to record two wins and seven minor placings this season, is now being trained at Addington by J, Purdon for Mr J. Ainger. Lady Spray was driven by Purdon in the Taiko Handicap at the Timaru Trotting Club’s meeting on Saturday, but she was handicapped by the heavy track, and was beaten into fifth place. Racing at Forbury Park Nationalist, which is engaged in the Otago Handicap at the Forbury Trotting Club’s meeting on Saturday, broke badly When working with Freckles at Addington yesterday morning. Once he settled down to trot again, Nationalist showed that he is in good form by covering a half a mile in the centre of the track in Imin 6 3-ssec. Driven by his ownertrainer, V. Alborn, Nationalist gave a fine display at the Canterbury Park Trotting Club’s meeting on January 2 to finish in second place to Willie Winkle in the Hornby Handicap. A repetition of that form should find him hard to beat thia week. Returning to Form

Indian Son indicated that he is returning to his best form by his solid effort to finish in second place to Direct Heir in the Members’ Handicap at the Cambridge Trotting Club's meeting; and he may soon win a race for Mr H. Cramer-Roberts, for whom he is trained at Claudelands by R. Dunn. A five-year-old gelding, Indian Son is by Indianapolis from Gwen Thorpe, which is by Our Thorpe from Lady Gwen.

Trained on the Course Owned by Messrs R. Oliver and J. Richardson ana trained by the latter on the Forbury Park course. Sure Maid gave a fine display to win the Tahuna Handicap at the Forbury Park Trotting ClUb’s meeting on October 19. In that race she was driven by J. McLennan, jun., and, after being handy all the way, she took the lead with a furlong to go and was not extended to win by four lengths from Lucky Bill in 3min 36 l-ssec. Sure Maid will make her next appearance in the Vauxhall Handicap at the Forbury Park Trotting Club’s meeting on Saturday, and she should prove hard to beat. King’s Messenger Sold Mr D. McCosker, of Ashburton, recently sold King’s Messenger, which has been placed In four of his five races this season, to Mr G. Lucas, Rakaia. An aged gelding by Casanova from Secret Service, King’s Messenger is to be given a short spell and will then be sent to G. S. Smith at Addington to be trained. Bred at Riverside by Mr McCosker, Secret Service, the dam of King’s Messenger, is by Great Audubon from Incognito, by Our Thorpe from a Prince Imperial mare, which was out of a mare by Mambrlno King. Impressive Pearlene impressed by her performance to finish in fourth place to Coral Princess, Selwin Bar, and Hardy Annual in the first division of the Fairlie Handicap at the Timaru Trotting Club’s meeting on Saturday: and, with conditions to suit her. she should soon win a race for Mr F. G. Young and Mr W. Taylor. A five-year-old mare by Jack Potts from Dillon Squared, Pearlene is a sister to a fine performer in Joan Conquest. Good Work Rustic Gold pleased by the manner in which she worked with Empress Fay at Addington yesterday morning, and sheshould be prominent In the Electric Handicap at the Forbury Park Trotting Club’s meeting on Saturday. Owned by Mr H. Halliday, Dunedin, and trained by J. Young, Rustic Gold has registered a win and a second placing in three starts this season. A four-year-old mare, she is by Gold Bar from Rustic Maid, the dam of a family of. winners, including Highland Scott, Gallant Maid, Scottish Lady, and Scottish Lord. Promising Trotter Sandy Duval, which looks particularly well after his spell, is back in work in L. O. Thomas’s team at Addington. A four-year-old gelding by Quite Sure from Roydon’s Gift, Sandy Duval showed that he is one of the best trotters of his age by his sterling performance to win the Addington Trotting Stakes at the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club’s meeting on August 31, and, with age and experience, he should develop into a highclass performer. By Lusty Volo Baby Grand, the winner of the Richard Hannon Memorial Handicap at the Cambridge Trotting Club’s meeting, is a five-year-old gelding by Lusty Volo from Mountain Jewel, which is by Blue Mountain King from a Southern Queen — Stronghold mare. .Owned and trained by Mr C. Over, Baby Grand has improved considerably this season, and he should soon win again. Looked Well

Palava looked well when he paraded in the Levels Handicap at the Timaru Trotting Club’s meeting on Saturday, but he was not knocked about when his ownertrainer, F. Jamieson, found that he could not handle the heavy track conditions. A six-year-old son of U. Scott and Muriel Axworthy, Palava is a useful type, and he may race well in the Electric Handicap at the Forbury Park meeting this week. A Solid Mare Although Accord did not win a race on the West Coast circuit, she paid her way with two second placings and a third placing. An aged mare by Wrack from Mary Locanda, Accord may not be brilliant, but she is honest, and should soon win a race for D. Withers, who trains her at Addington. Prefers to Trot An aged gelding by Quite Sure from Lady Bell, I’m Sure, raced as a pacer in Southland, but he has shown a preference for the trotting gait since being trained at Addington by J. Purdon, and he will probably be given a trial as a trot'ter later in the season.