LADY CHRISTINE

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25160, 16 April 1947, Page 4

LADY CHRISTINE

LEADING TWO-YEAR-OLD WINNER

Lady Christine brought her earnings to £3850 when she won the Champagne Stakes and Challenge Stakes at Riccarton last week, and she is out clear as the season’s foremost two-year-ola winner. Before the commencement of the Easter racing, the Southland filly, Excellency, was the leading two-year-old winner of the season, with £2960, the result of five consecutive wins. Excellency retired for the season unbeaten. She met Lady Christine only once, and easily beat the Trentham-trained filly by four lengths. That was in the Welcome Stakes at Kiccarton in November; but some excuse could be made for Lady Christine, as she was not at her best that day. Soon after the finish of the race, one of her knees had swollen, and she was unable to walk tor the next two days. There had been no warning of the trouble. The later form of Lady Christine has shown that she is a good class filly. She was well forward for her initial engagement, the Wanganui Debutant Stakes; but since then she has been raced on light preparations, Without being thoroughly tuned up for any engagement. She will now be spelled, ana if she makes normal improvement she should produce some very good form as a three-year-old. Lady Christine, a well-grown chestnut filly, is by the Phalaris horse, Christopher Robin, from Lady Oratress, by Laughing Prince—Oratress, by Demosthenes—Equitas. by Advance. Lady Oratress did not race; but she is a half sister to Oratress (winner of the New Zealand Cup), Concentrate (Auckland and Wellington Cups and New Zealand and Great Northern St. Legers), and Oratory (Great Northern Oaks and Wellington Thompson Handicap). Oratress, the dam of Lady Oratress, won the New Zealand Cup and ran a dead-heat with Kilmoon in the Wellington Cup. Lady Christine has had nine starts for five wins, one second, and three thirds. Winter Hours Training at Riccarton will be conducted during the next few months under winter conditions. Early morning work ceased last week, and the tracks are now open only from 7.30 each morhing. Change of Quarters The two-year-old filly Vain Ways, by Coronach—Lady Ripon, has been taken over on lease by the Omoto trainer, C. J. Walsh, who took the filly home when he returned to the West Coast after last week’s racing. When trained at Riccarton by F. D. Jones for Mr H. E. Cook she showed speed enough to make her look a good prospect for a maiden race. Riccarton Two-year-olds Most of the Riccarton two-year-olds have finished their racing for the season, and will be eased up for a few months. Some that have not won will, however, be kept going, in the hope of picking up a maiden event during the late autumn. Back in Work Mr J. H. Grigg has sent Fading Light back to Riccarton. She is a five-year-old mare by Defaulter from Aurora Borealis, a winner of the Grand National Steeplechase. She demonstrated her speed last season, with three placed performances in four starts, and she is to be prepared now for hurdle racing With Test Pilot in commission being educated for steeplechases Mr Grigg should be well represented In jumping events in the winter. Another Trial

F. D. Jones has resumed work with Leigh Barton, and if the big Coronach gelding trains on all right he may be ready to show good form again at the Grand National meeting, as he did last August, when he had a second, a third, and a win for his three days’ racing. Disappointing Form The St. Leger winner. Desert Fox, let his admirers down in the Hawke’s Bay Cup. He was hard ridden in an attempt to gain a good position early, but he was back in the middle of the field at theseven furlongs post. He improved crossing the top and was equal fourth turning for home. He failed to carry on in the run home, and finished seventh. Winner was /ortunate

In the Hawke’s Bay Cup, in which Langue d’Or beat Arco narrowly, with Blanket a length away, there was interference about 50 yards from the winning post. . It was caused by Arco running in under pressure, and seriously hampering the favourite. Blanket. There was an inquiry, and the stewards decided that the actual result was not affected. A. G. Waddell, the rider of Arco, was exonerated on the ground that he did his best to straighten his mount. Though Arco was checked. Blanket was the more unlucky of the pair. He received another check earlier in the race, when four horses fell with a mile to run. After that incident, W. L. Aitken rode him without his stirrups, and was almost dislodged in the interference near the winning post. Langue d’Or seems to have been lucky to win, as in normal circumstances it looked as if he would have been only third.

Lucky Escape One of the worst race smashes ever seen at Hastings occurred during the running of the Hawke’s Bay Cup last Saturday. Matador, when fourth in a closelybunched field Of 17, slipped in the greasy going on the turn out of the straight and fell. Night Foe toppled over him, and in the ensuing mix-up, Dark Morning and Capronella were also brought down. The crowd gasped as the jockeys were thrown in the path of oncoming horses, and it seemed that a serious accident was inevitable. But none of the riders suffered more than a severe shaking, and, with the exception of C. H. Mackie, they were able to fulfil engagements later i” the day. Attractive Programme The Waikato Steeplechase, with a prize of £l5OO, run over a course of about three miles, will be the feature race of the Waikato Racing Club’s meeting on May 10 and 17. Stakes for the two days will be £10,400, an increase of £l5OO over last year. A feature of the second day will be the Duke of Gloucester Cup. confined to gentlemen riders, carrying a stake of £lOOO and run over a mile and a quarter. The main jumping event on the second day the two mile Waikato Hurdles, will also have a prize of £lOOO. Ashburton Racing Club Nominations for both days of the autumn meeting close with the secretary, Ashburton, on Thursday, the 17th instant, at 8 p.m. Advt.