CRAVEN HANDICAP

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25139, 21 March 1947, Page 4

CRAVEN HANDICAP

TROTTING

MAREETA MAY BE FAVOURITE The field of 17 horses carded for the Craven Handicap at the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club’s meeting, which will be held at Addington to-mor-row, includes four good mares in Mareeta, Lady Ngaio, Lou Hall, and Absolutely, and they may fight out the A consistent performer, Mareeta’s record of seven placings this season ' includes a win over Pointsman in the Landon Handicap at Oamaru on October 28, a win over Mandrake in the Travis Handicap at the New Brighton Trotting Club s meeting on December 21, a win oyer Horatio Nelson in the Harewood Handicap at the Canterbury Park Trotting Club’s meetihg on February 8, and a win over Mandrake in the Echpse Handicap at the New Brighton Trotting Club s meeting on February 15. A sixy edr-old daughter of Jack Potts and Queen's Treasure, Mareeta has some fast times to her credit, and she should eventually win her way to the best company. Lady Ngaio, which is trained by B. Lynskey for Mr O. J. Watson, has -started in 12 races this season for five wins and three minor placings, and the daughter of Gamble and Peggywood is quite capable of earning the first prize to-morrow. Her last start was at the Canterbury Park Trotting Club’s meeting on February 8, where she triumphed after a bard fight with Lyndale to win the Wigram Handicap by a head in 3min 34sec for the mile and five furlongs. A five-year-old mare by Dillon > Hall from Miri Rei, Lou Hall has raced without success for five third placings and a fourth placing in her* eight races this season, and her consistent form should soon be rewarded.

The Quite Sure mare, Absolutely, which is trained for Mr H. Burnby by W. R. Butt, won the Templeton Handicap at the Canterbury Park Trotting Club’s meeting on January 1 from a useful field, and, at her last start, she won the Royal Handicap at the Forbury Park Trotting Club’s meeting on January 25 from Manpower and Doonholme. Absolutely is a - solid type, and she may divide the prize money with Mareeta, Lady Ngaio, and Lou Hall.

Jottings Proprietor finished fourth in the first division of the Wairewa Handicap at the Banks Peninsula Racing Club’s meeting on March 1, and he would need to show little improvement on that performance to win a race at the Oamaru Jockey Club’s meeting to-morrow

Volometre pleased by working over a mile and a half in company with Naughty Girl, Razzle,' and Carisbrook at Addington yesterday morning in 3min 20 2-ssec, the last four furlongs in Imin 7sec. Balalaika has been placed at his last two starts, and he may add to his record at the Cambridge Trotting Club’s meeting to-morrow. , Maori Home, Certainty, and Dandy Grattan were worked two miles at Addington yesterday morning in 4min 46sec, the last half-mile in Imin 9sec, the last two furlongs in 35sec. The three horses are all very well and should race prominently at the Easter meeting. Answer to Correspondent "Spot Cash”: 1923. To Work To-day Sir Michael suffered minor injuries to his legs in a mishap at the matinee meeting at Addington on Tuesday, and he was not worked fast at Addington yesterday morning. His owner-trainer, C. A. Tasker, said yesterday that he will work Sir Michael to-day. and that if he shows nb ill-effects he will be a starter at Addington to-morrow. Mountmellick’s Prospects Mountmellick, Scotch Music, Logan Rey, Incredible, and News Agent, which are all trained at Addington by G. S. Smith, were let oft with an easy mile and a half in 3min 34 2-ssec, the last half-mile in Imin 7 2-ssec, at Addington yesterday morning. Mountmellick, the winner of the Timaru Cup at the Timaru Trotting Club’s meeting on March 8, is one of the favourites for the Preliminary Handicap at the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotjing Club’s meeting at Addington to-morrow, and he should finish in the money. The consistent Logan Rey, which has registered four wins, two second placings, and two third placings in his 10 starts this season, did not appeaj to have the best of luck in the running at his last start at the Wellington Trotting Club’s meeting, and he should prove one of the hardest to beat in the Speedway Handicap, in which he will be bracketed with Scotch Music and Aberhall. Brood Mare Sold Dr. L. H. Marshall recently sold the brood mare, Apple Sauce and her colt foal by Springfield Globe to Mr W. G. Deyell. By the Rey de Oro horse, Gaillard, Apple Sauce is out of a Matchlight mare. Not Extended Forecast and Loyal King, which are trained at Addington by L. O. Thomas, were not extended to work over a mile and a half in 3min 26sec at Addington yesterday morning. A gelding by Grattan Loyal from Daphne Queen, Loyal King showed his best form last season to win the Selwyn Handicap from Native Scott at the Canterbury Park Trotting Club’s meeting on January 1, but Jie has been unplaced in his 15 starts since then. Improving Driven by R. Young, Aerial Scott worked over two miles in company with Sure Lady at Addington yesterday morning in 4min 38 3-ssec, the last half-mile in Imin 7 l-ssec. A well-bred five-year-old gelding by U Scott from Air Flow, Aerial Scott has raced consistently since being trained by J. .Young at Addington for two wins and four minor placings this season, and his recent form indicates that he should be placed in the Stewards’ Handicap at Addington tomorrow.

Lady Averill in Form Driven by her trainer, F. J. Smith, Lady Averill finished in third place to Ben Ledi and Starshell after being well back in the early stages of the Belmont Handicap at the Wellington Trotting Club’s meeting on March 1, and at the Auckland Trotting Club’s meeting on March 8 she gave another fine display to beat all but Gung Ho in the Devonport Handicap. A speedy daughter of Dillon Hall and Winning Wave, Lady Averill will start from the 24 yards mark in the Cambridge Autumn Trotting Handicap at the Cambridge Trotting Club’s meeting tomorrow. On recent form she should prove hard to beat. Splendid Record One of the best four-year-olds seen out this season. Globe Direct, is nicely placed on the 12 yards mark in the Express Handicap at the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club’s meeting at Addington to-morrow, and he will probably be sent out a good favourite. Owned by Mr H. Brien, the Springfield Globe horse was educated and trained for his early races by the late R. B. Berry. Commencing his career as a two-year-old. Globe Direct showed that he was above trie average by winning the .Oamaru Juvenile Stakes from a field which included Local Gold, Sprayman. and Stirling Castle. Improving rapidly with experience, he won the Canterbury Three-year-old Stakes at the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club’s National meeting at his first start in the 1945-46 season, and followed up with a second placing to Sir Michael in the Wellington Stakes at the Wellington Trotting Club’s meeting on October 27. His other four placings for the season included a win over Jack's Son in the Metropolitan Challenge Stakes at the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club’s meeting on November 3 and a win over Minmi Boy in the Ellesmere Handicap at the Canterbury Park Trotting Club’s meeting on May 25. After beginning the present season with a second placing to Minmi Boy in the Islington Handicap at the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club’s National meeting. Globe Direct won the Metropolitan Stakes from Sir Michael at Addington on August 31. He did not race again until November, when he finished in second place to Plunder Bar in the Victoria Handicap at the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club’s Cup meeting. On the second day he atoned for his defeat by outclassing the field in the Electric Handicap, and on the third day he won the Le Lievre Handicap by a neck from Margaret Hall in the smart time of 4min 20 4-ssec.

A handsome horse. Globe Direct has done well since joining M. Holmes’s team, and he should have little difficulty in making the grade to New Zealand Trotting Cup company. Trained at Kerrytown Battle On is an Interesting acceptor in J Cra / e P J Handicap, which will be decided at Addington to-morrow. Owned by Messrs A. MacFarlane and F. Brosnan and trained by the latter at Kerrytown, Battle On attracted attention to his prospects when, as a four-year-old last season, he registered five wins and ’three minor placings in 12 starts. Battle On’s last start was at the Ashburton Trotting , cl yb s meeting on June 15, 1946, when he led all the way to win the Winter Handicap by a length and a half from Gamble