TRACK WORK AT RICCARTON

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25179, 9 May 1947, Page 4

TRACK WORK AT RICCARTON

GOOD MILE BY DOUBLE CROSS Double Cross was impressive in a particularly good trial over a mile on the trial grass at Riccarton yesterday when he returned Imin 40 4-3 sec. The going up the back was particularly good, and Double Cross ran his first half in 50sec. He was joined by Ballochbuie at the half and the pair came home solidly with Ballochbuie having a slight advantage at the post. Double Cross’s time was the best recorded in a trial at Riccarton for a long time. Conditions were ideal for fast work, but that does not detract from the merit of his work. •.

Another pair to work well over a mile were Lady Welbeck and Language. They ran the first half in 50 3-ssec, and in the next furlong Lady Welbeck gained the advantage and was half a length in front at the finish to record Imin 42 2-5 sec.

Lexia showed plenty of dash when she completed seven furlongs in Imin 29 2-5 sec. She was joined by Ned Kelly at the half mile and they came home in 49 2-5 sec. Ned Kelly had a big weight up and his was a good effort. Royal Flash covered the same distance in Imin 32 2-5 sec, but he was being eased up over the last two furlongs. He ran the first three furlongs in 38 l-ssec.

The two-year-old filly, Lodestar, returned Imin 3sec for five furlongs, the last four in 49 2-ssec. Peculate sprinted three furlongs in 37 l-ssec. Lalla Meer, which will make ’ her first appearance for the season on Saturday, went well over six furlongs to record imin 17 2-ssec, the last half in 50 3-ssec. Mestiza went over the same ground in Imin 18 4-ssec, the last half in 52 1-5 sec. Mercia’s Mystery, and a three-year-old Nightmarch—Hinerawe filly, followed in Imin 18 4-ssec, the last half in 53sec. Banshee and Sorry had a slight advan-% tage over Prana and Penetrate, which were to have worked separately, when they jumped off at the five furlongs, but Prana moved up in the run home to join Banshee and the pair finished in front of Sorry, with a gap to Penetrate, to record Imin 2 l-ssec, the last half in 48 3-ssec. Lord Advocate and Kirkella ran four furlongs Up the back in 48 2-ssec, while Denary and Brigg Fair came home from the half mile to return 48 4-ssec, with Denary finishing a length in front. Little Billy and Responsive finished well clear of Roman Son at the end of a mile in iriiin 45sec, the last half in 52 3Citril had her head in front of Maka Maka with a length to Royal Robe at the end of five furlongs in Imin 2 3-ssec, the last half in 48 4-ssec. Citril will be improved by her race last Saturday. Turf Topic completed seven furlongs in Imin 32 2-ssec, the last half in 52 4Finalist was travelling very easily alongside Jolyon to return Imin 4 2-ssec for five furlongs, the last four in 50 2-ssec. Eudora and Vulnerable took Imin 3 l-ssec for a similar task, the last four in 49$ec. So far Vulnerable has not galloped up to his track form on race days. On the plough, Lakhnau returned Imin 18 l-ssec for six furlongs, the last four in 53sec. Falconbridge went over the same ground in Imin 17 l-ssec, the last four in 52 4-ssec. Wane was schooled over four hurdles, jumping very safely. Great Legend shaped well ovef a round of the inside steeplechase course, the first time he has been sent right round. He has been nominated for the steeplechase events at the South Canterbury meeting. Preparation Interrupted Night Prince has. had two slight setbacks in his preparation this year. He was suffering from shoulder soreness a few weeks ago, and more recently was kicked on a hind leg. However, he is working quite freely now and may be given a race over hurdles at the South Canterbury meeting. Big Youngster Easily the biggest rising two-year-old to make his appearance on the tracks at Trentham is a colt by Coronach- from Going Gay, the dam of the steeplechaser. Gay Fort. He is trained by W J. Bromby for Mr J. H. Marshall, the owner of Howe, who purchased him at the yearling sales for 700 guineas. The same trainer is also handling a half-sister by Te Hero to Howe, which, however, has not much size at present. Winterset’s Rider The crack Australian steeplechaser Winterset is to be ridden in the Waikato Steeplechase by M. E. Ritchie, who. made his reappearance as a rider at Pukekohe last Saturday. In 1945 Ritchie trained and rode Dauber, which ran second to Master Meruit in the Grand National and won the Lincoln Steeplechase at Riccarton. It was originally intended that the Te Rapa horseman J. Winder would ride Winterset, but he was suspended at Ellerslie at Easter.

Great Italian Sire Dead The great Italian sire Ortello, which was sold to a Californian stud last year, died recently at the age of 21 years. Ortello was one of the greatest horses bred in Italy. He made a clean sweep of the Italian three-year-old classics and then went to France to defeat the best horses in Europe, including the French hope, Kantai, and the great German colt Oleander, in the Prix a I’Arc de Triomphe. Ortello was the leading sire in Italy for a number of seasons, besides being the leading brood mare sire. For many years his progeny have dominated the Italian turf, and his importance to breeding was such that during Mussolini’s regime a special decree was issued prohibiting his sale for export. It was reported that Ortello was kept in hiding when the Germans occupied Italy, and was “rediscovered’’ when the country was liberated. Ortello s sire and dam were both French bred, his sire being the celebrated Teddy and his dam Hollebeck, by Gorges from Hilda 11, by Rabelais. Hollebeck was bred in 1914 and exported to Italy as a yearling.