STATESMAN AND HIGHLAND DALE

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

STATESMAN AND HIGHLAND DALE

TROTTING

GOOD PERFORMANCES AT BLENHEIM

On the first day of the Marlborough Racing Club's meeting, which was held at Blenheim on Saturday, Highland Dale was facing the wrong way at the start of the Awatere Trot Handicap, and he was giving the field up to 60 yards start before he settled down to pace. Breaking horses hampered him in the early stages, but once he was in the clear Highland Dale showed a lot of speed to be in fourth place approaching the entrance to the straight, and he carried on for an easy win over Air Spray. On the strength of his good performance, Highland Dale was sent out favourite for the Hillersden Handicap at Blenheim on Monday, and in a good finish he beat French Gold by a head after giving him 48 yards start. A promising pacer, Highland Dale is by Sandydale from Myra Parrish, by Guy Parrish from Imperial Logan, by Logan Pointer from Imperial Princess, by Prince Imperial from Problem, by Specification. The Lucky Jack gelding, Statesman, which is owned and trained by W. R. Butt, followed up his win in the Waihopai Handicap on the first day of the meeting with a solid effort on the heavy track on Monday to win the Wither Trot Handicap by three-quarters of a length from French Gold. A four-year-old Gold Bar gelding, French Gold registered three second placings at the meeting, and he should soon top off his record with a win for Mr L. A. Wigzell. Jottings Proprietor had a comfortable win over Colin Waters at the Oamaru Jockey Club’s meeting on March 22, and on that display he must be conceded a chanc6 in the Otipua Trot at the South Canterbury Jockey Club’s meeting on Saturday. Tu Rangi, which finished, in third place in the two trotting events 'at Blenheim on Monday, is an aged gelding by Great Bingen from Native Queen, the dam of winners in Maltravers, Chelidon, Statuette, and Native Scott.

Gay Indiana, the favourite for the Kairanga Handicap at the Manawatu Trotting Club’s meeting on Saturday, finished in third place to Ballachy and Sure Rey. A gelding by Indianapolis from Gay Sister, Gay Indiana should go close to winning a race on the second day of the meeting, which will be held on Saturday. Matinee Meeting at Addington Subject to the approval of the Minister of Internal Affairs, the three Christchurch Trotting Clubs will hold a combined nontotalisator matinee meeting at Addington on Tuesday, May 13. Besides a two-year-old parade, the programme includes events for maiden trotters and pacers, which will each carry a stake of £125. The trotters’ race is restricted to horses of eight years of age and under, and in the event of there being 16 starters or more it will be divided into two separate races. Three events for maiden pacers of seven years of age and under are provided for, and, as in the trotters’ races, they will be of one mile and five furlongs. A Winning Family Trained at Temuka by T. H. Gunning for Mr A. Brown, All Ashore gave a good display to finish in second place to Betty Ducrow in the Rangitata Handicap at the Geraldine Trotting Club’s meeting on Saturday. A five-year-old mare, All Ashore is by U. Scott from Virginia Girl, by Great Bingen from Nyallo, which left the speedy Nyallo Scott to U. Scott. A good producer, Nyallo left a family of winners, including Nyallo Silk, Taxpayer, Spey Royal, Passport, Ratepayer, Refund, and All Gallant.

Won at Grey mouth Gold Winner, which had recorded four minor placings in her first five starts, secured her first win for the season in the Autumn Handicap at the Grey-Westland Trotting Clubs’ meeting on April 7. A likely improver, Gold Winner, which is now trained at Yaldhurst by D. S. Lamberton, is by Gold Paper, which raced well in the interests of his breeder, S. J. Thomas, Springston. By Rey de Oro. Gold Paper is oyt of Glimpse, by Logan Pointer from a Prince Imperial mare, which left useful performers, including Lyons Heir, Lady Willings, Lady Evington, Thixendale, Logan Princess, Lough Neagh, and Denver City. A Full Book

Mr W. Raetzman, superintendent of the Gainesway Farm Stud, Kentucky, announced recently that the book of King’s Counsel (Imin 58sec) for the 1947 season had been filled and that the demand for his services was such that only 12 of the farm-owned mares would be bred to him this year (states the “Horseman and Fair World”) This announcement was not unexpected as there have been few race horses retired to the stud which were better equipped to become sires than is this son of Volomite and Margaret Spangler. Coming from the most illustrious mating ever known as producers of great pacers, he occupied the limelight almost from the day he was foaled. In his first start over a mile track he lowered the race record for two-year-olds to 2min l’/ 4 sec. From that day on he was a “headliner” and proved himself one of the greatest racing pacers of tall time, both as a juvenile and as an aged performer. That he will be equally as great in the stud seems assured. Trained at Addington Olympus, which has raced consistently for a second placing and three third placings in his four starts this season lor J. Foley, who /trains him at Addington, is an acceptor in the Awapuni Handicap at the Manawatu .Trotting Club’s meeting, which will be held on Saturday. An aged gelding, Olympus is by Surprise Journey from the Blue Mountain King mare, Mountain Princess, which left winners in Mountain Son and Great Mountain.

By Lucky Jack Now trained by his owner, J. McQuilkin, Hinds, Ikaroa gave an encouraging display to win the Presidents Handicap at the Geraldine County Trotting Club s meeting on Saturday by two lengths from Sure Catch. A four-year-old mare, Ikaroa is by Lucky Jack from a winner in Glenville, which left a smart pacer in Parauri (3min 15 2-ssec) to Nelson Derby. Bred by Mr R. McDonnell, Ashburton, Glenville is by Oinako from Evelyn, by Rothschild from Imperialism, by Prince Imperial from the Dexter mare, Shamrock. Taxes Paid The New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club paid the following taxes on its Easter meeting:—totalisator tax, £20,802 15s 6d; dividend tax, £18,201 6s; amusement tax, £747 0s 9d; stakes tax, £322. Easy Win Hopeful topped off his list of minor placings with a comfortable win over Entrust in the second division of the Palmerston Handicap at the Manawatu Trotting Club’s meeting •on Saturday. Trained by G. Mitchell for Mr J. Tims, Hopeful is a six-year-old gelding by Hot Point from Corona Bell, a daughter of Guy Parrish and Bertha Bell. His sire, Hot Point, was bred by Mr E. X. Lelievre, Akaroa, who imported Bertha Bell to New Zealand. By Travis Axworthy, Hot Point is out of the imported Miss Spear, by Peter the Great from Widow Lola, by Onward from The Widow, by Wilton from Maggie H. Unlucky , The six-year-old Great Bingen—Victric gelding, Great Victor, was unlucky not to win a race at the Grey-Westland Trotting Club’s meeting on April 7, and he should soon register his first win for Mr M. M. Hibbard, for whom he is trained at Riccarton by W. R. Hibbard. Consistent Although he had no chance with the winner. Daphne Grattan, in the Woodfield Memorial Handicap at the Manawatu Trotting Club’s meeting on Saturday, Noble de Oro gave a solid display to finish in second place, and a winning turn may come for him on the second day of the meeting. A six-year-old gelding by Nobleman from Sybil de Oro, Noble de Oro is trained at Epsom by P. Rogers for Mr D. Morgan.