HORSES FROM RICCARTON

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25089, 22 January 1947, Page 4

HORSES FROM RICCARTON

RETURN AFTER RACES AT WELLINGTON

Because shipping space will not be available in the early part of next week, some of the Riccarton horses are returning home on Thursday night. Among them are Lord Elgin, Beautiful, Robingay, Peculate, Privilege, and Gayjoy. Gayjoy is not to be put up for sale. Privilege is returning early, as she has an engagement in the Middle Park Stakes on Saturday week. Other horses that are returning this week are Revolte and Dash o' Dink.

Due for a Spell Even if he is successful in the Wellington Racing Club Handicap to-day, Signal Officer may not race again this season. He is suffering from muscle soreness, and is getting very sour at the start of his races. On Monday morning, considerable difficulty was experienced in getting him out on the track, and R. E. McLellan has decided to give him a good spell. To-day he will be ridden by R. J. Mackie. In the past Mackie has been very successful on Signal Officer, and it will be very surprising if he cannot induce the Salmagundi gelding to do his best. A Varied Diet Battle Chief raced poorly in the Te Marua Handicap last Saturday, but may give an improved display in the Mungaroa Hurdles to-day. It was discovered a few days ago that he had been varying his diet with green pears, and it was little wonder that he was suffering from internal trouble. An Improving Miler Opulent ran a splendid race in the Anniversary Handicap to force Howe to a head decision, and a mile appears to oe his best distance. He has shown a lot of improvement recently, and with the services of W. J. Broughton in the January Handicap to-day he will be a difficult proposition for the Lord Elgin and Leigh Barton. Opulent is a three-year-old by Legatee from Astrite, and earlier in the season he won the Hawke’s Bay Guineas. In his first start in open company Opulent ran Da Vinci to a neck in the Flying Handicap at Hastings on September 28. Does Not Exert Himself Royal Tan was not very impressive when worked in company with Kerry Lad at Trentham on Monday morning, but he is a lazy track worker. Little notice need be taken of his effort. Just before the New Zealand Derby, Royal Tan’s track work was far from impressive, and he appeared to have trained off, but there was no doubt about his form in the New Zealand Derby. He has much the same temperament as his brother, Bruce, and never exerts himself, unduly. Next Race at Riccarton Diameter will not race again at Trentham, and his next race will be in the Halswell Hack Handicap at Riccarton. The mile and a quarter journey will be much more to his liking, and in future it is going to take a very good hack to beat him. Races Consistently

On the first day at Trentham the run-ner-up, Carmelita, beat the others in the Halswell Hack Handicap as easily as Sage King beat her. A four-year-old mare by Foxbridge from Lady Rampion, Carmelita has been a consistent performer this season, and in nine starts has only once finished further back than fourth. Her dam is an Australian-bred, mare by Rampion from Lady Garloch by Mountain King from Martuk. A sister to Sasanof, Carmelita has the breeding to go further than a mile, and may be prominent in the Duoro Handicap to-day. May be Improved

Darius sweated freely before his race in the Juvenile Handicap on the first day at Trentham. He ran prominently for four and a half furlongs, but then tired quickly- He was struggling on in fifth place and the race may have worked a good deal of improvement in him. He is a big youngster that will improve with racing. He is partly owned in Sydney and, if he makes the grade, he may be taken there to race in the spring. Darius may make a better showing in the Nursery Handicap to-day. Light-weight Prospect

Blanket ran a creditable second to Bruce in the Dominion Handicap at Trentham, and in view of Bruce’s display in the Wellington Cup appears a good light-weight prospect in the Wellington Racing Club Handicap to-day. Blanket is a six-year.-old gelding by Man’s Pal from Nightdew, a Night Raid mare from the Lady Zetland family. Blanket took a couple of seasons to win his way out of hack company, but now looks likely to pay his way in open company. He is trained by G. W. New at Awapuni. Finished on Well

Beau Raide, a three-year-old gelding by Beaulivre from Day Raid, a Dav Comet mare tracing to Elusive, one of the foundation mares of the Stonyhurst Stud, finished in third place in the Ruapehu Handicap last Saturday, and looks a likely improver. He went back to the rear of the field after two furlongs and was still well back when turning for home. Once he got a run in the straight he finished as well as anything in the race, with the exception of the winner, Armont. A Staying Filly

Although her best form has been beyond a mile, Perfect Peace may be a little out of her class in the Gloaming Stakes today. She was narrowly beaten into fourth place in the Desert Gold Stakes, and in her race previous to that had run a good third to Indian Gold and Delinquent in the President's Handicap, of a mile and a quarter, at the Hawke’s Bay meeting. The extra distance will doubtless suit Perfect Peace to-day, but she is unlikely to measure up to the class of the Derby horses. Perfect Peace is bred to stay, being by Coronach from All Quiet, a sister to the New Zealand Oaks winner, Brunhilde. First Start

Deep Sea, a two-year-old gelding by Coronach from Brown Pearl, will be having his first start at the meeting in the Nursery Handicap at Trentham to-dav. He is a brother to Tomahawk, but a much better type of horse, and he shows a good deal of promise. He has had five starts to date, his last two resulting in a second and a win. He did not beat a strong field when he won. but he won easily. With the best of the two-year-olds missing, he may be prominent to-day. Worked Soundly

Leigh Barton ran an easy half-mile on the plough in 53 l-ssec at Trentham yesterday, and should strip a much fitter horse to-day. He pulled up well and walked quite soundly after he was cooled out. If he had not been caught up in the barrier at the start of the Anniversary Handicap he might have finished a good deal closer than he did. His programme for to-day has been left open, but unless rain falls he will run in the January Han-

Scratchings Two acceptors for the Douro Hack Handicap at Trentham to-day were scratched yesterday. They were Baruch at 12.30 p.m., and Our Jock at 12.40 p.m.—(P.A.)