JUVENILES AT OAMARU

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25177, 7 May 1947, Page 4

JUVENILES AT OAMARU

TROTTING

DEMETRIUS AND MALA IN FORM Demetrius and Mala have shown good form this season, and they make most appeal of the 14 acceptors in the Oamaru Juvenile Stakes, which will be decided at the Oamaru Trotting Club’s meeting on Saturday. A mile and a quarter event for two-year-olds, the race was inauguraetd in 1941 when it was won by Pacing Power, which carried on to good company. The 1942 race was won by Captain Morant, a Rey de Oro gelding which showed splendid form as a three and four-year-old. Unfortunately he met with an accident when training on Mr J. R. McKenzie’s private track, and the best was probably not seen of him. The record for the race, 2min 48 l-ssec, is held by Scottish Emperor, which won in 1943 for Mr McKenzie. The event was not run in 1944 and in 1945 it was won by the Springfield Globe colt. Globe Direct, which finished brilliantly after being third into the straight, to win from Local Gold and Sprayman. ' Globe Direct has developed into a splendid pacer, and he appears certain to make the grade to the best classes. Driven by L. Frost, Sahara Queen led all the way in the classic last year to win by a length from National Velvet and Pirouette. A shapely daughter of Sandydale and Mary de Oro, Sahara Queen has paid her way with several placings since then, and she shows promise of living up to the standards set by previous winners. Demetrius, which races in the ownership of his breeder, O. E. Hooper, will probably be sent out favourite on Saturday. A powerfully-built colt by Springfield Globe from Arieta, Demetrius started the season with a third placing to British Machine and David’s Pride in the Timaru Nursery Stakes at the Timaru Trotting Club’s meeting on March 8. At his next start he impressed as one of the best youngsters seen out for the season by his sterling effort to win the Welcome Stakes from Mala and Beckleigh at the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club’s meeting on April 5. After racing handy to the leaders for over seven furlongs in that race he took the lead approaching the entrance to the straight and carried ori to win by a length in 2min 48 3-ssec. Demetrius has a touch of quality about him and he should eventually go much further than most of his age. Mala, a good-looking filly by Red Shadow from Krina, started her career with a third placing to British Machine and Sir Vivian in the Great Northern Trotting Stakes at the Auckland Trotting Club’s meeting on February 8. after losing ground at the start. Taken Jo the Timaru meeting for the Nursery Stakes, she was beaten out of the money after being hampered and losing a lot of ground when another horse broke in front of her at the start. Maia’s last appearance was in the Welcome Handicap at Addington on April 5, where she finished in second place to Demetrius. In that race she lost ground at the start, and after being at the rear of the field for most of the way, she finished on well to earn *the second prize of £l5O. This filly has more speed than most and, if she avoids trouble in the early stages, she should be capable of extending Demetrius over the last furlong. Congo Song, which will race in the interests of Messrs P. Syme and A. Holmes, has a private reputation, and he may earn some of the prize-money. A colt by Gold Bar from Flying Helen, Congo Song showed a lot of speed at a matinee meeting at Addington recently. Red Flight, a colt by Red Shadow from Purina, is a S uick begifiner, and he may set the pace. e appears to be improving with racing and, in which should prove an interesting contest, he may fight out the finish with Demetrius, Mala, and Congo Song. Jottings National Velvet and Ace of Diamonds began too slowly to have any chance in the Southland Handicap at the Forbury Park meeting on Saturday. One of Mavis Grattan’s legs has been causing her owner some trouble, and she was unable to race at the Wellington Trotting Club’s meeting. A likely improver, Mavis Grattan won the Ashhurst Handicap at the Manawatu Trotting Club’s meeting on April 12. Boston Lady failed to go away smoothly in the Carterton Handicap at Hutt Park on Saturday, and she was soon out of the contest. Highland Fling took the lead shortly after the start of the Farewell Handicap at the Forbury Park meeting on Saturday, and he carried on for a very easy win over Dillondale.

The trotter. Range Finder, broke when racing against the pacers in the Carterton Handicap at Hutt Park. Mistakes by Northern Lass at the start of her races are proving costly to her admirers. She has the speed to win when she learns to begin correctly. Galloped Off the Mark Gay Note, a hot favourite for the Southland Handicap at the Forbury Park Trotting Club’s meeting on Saturday, galloped off the mark and was soon giving away long starts. Once he settled down to pace, Gay Note showed more speed than anything else in the race to be handy to Razzle and Minstrel Hall with three furlongs to go. However, his effort to get in that position left him without any reserve for the final sprint, and he weakened into sixth place at the finish. Now at Orari

The aged gelding Ima Grattan, which showed good form to record two wins and a second placing in his first three starts last season, when owned and trained by R. W. Townley. Nightcaps, has been leased by Mr A. V. Prenderville and he- is now in R. Stevens’s stable at Orari. May Win Again After trailing Lucky Meg for most of the way in the Pacific Handicap at the Forbury Park Trotting Club’s meeting on Saturday, Checkmate issued a strong challenge once the straight was reached and in a close finish he won by a neck. Checkmate has won at his last three starts and he should prove hard to beat from the scratch mark in the Enfield Handicap at the Oamaru Trotting Club’s meeting this week.

UnluckyMinoru finished in fourth, place to Super Globe, Volo Audubon, and Starshell after appearing unlucky in the running of. the Carterton Handicap at Hutt Park on Saturday, and on that form she should be prominent in the Marconi Handicap at the Auckland Trotting Club’s meeting on Saturday. Hot Favourite

St nt out favourite for the Tahuna Handicap at the Forbury Park Trotting Club’s meeting on Saturday, Jason’s Quest began smartly and he was one of the leaders with White Damp, Port Bowen, and Percy Volo when the field settled down. With six furlongs to go, Jason’s Quest was clear of these three horses, and although he put in a skip with a furlong to go, he never appeared in danger and ran home an easy‘winner from Kathleen’s Voyage, which finished well over the last half mile. Kathleen’s Voyage is engaged at the Oamaru Trotting Club’s meeting on Saturday, and she may finish in* the money in the Waikaura Handicap. Began Badly Driven by her owner, J. Ainger, LadySpray failed to go away correctly in the Ferry Handicap at the Wellington Trotting Club’s meeting on Saturday, and she was soon a long way behind the field. A smart pacer, Lady Spray has some good performances to her credit, and she may do better from the scratch mark in the Hobson Handicap at the Auckland Trotting Club’s meeting on Saturday. Kaikoura T.C. K Nominations for all events at the Kaikoura Trotting Club’s meeting, to be held on the Addington course on May 24,'wi1l close at the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club’s office at 5 p.m. on Friday. Advt. Come to Oamaru, Saturday, for the Trots. Big fields and good racing. Advt.