N.Z. ST. LEGER STAKES

Press, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 25446, 18 March 1948, Page 7

N.Z. ST. LEGER STAKES

racing

KARTIKEYA’S good PROSPECTS Sw® Nv m °?b mCl °'l three-year-old' filly, ham’ » Hrv- ss AlthmSh *l race at her mercy. stwte M g Fit , Xu eBtr ?y m I ? aUed to his two ISJ.-5 t rF U J raUe alter he won the New fhre'e vea? er irt y ' h - ls undo “btedly a good be tSZ, and _ the best has yet to affected h(« Sllght unsoundness has no raclng career to date, and The d!S£,S. aVe A een taken with him. year's st I?^ eat N / m Ph from this eral fi , eld has resulted in sevwouid h not „ti.. ma H mln g in 1118 ra “ that of £.“°ls? er SS ! S have aon e so. Three Kartiklv.® ld ' distinction, Foxbay, and mrtami classle ™ces in the ?. tw ?' Magnaform and Reraces d ’ h been plaaed ln classic

eaalng of the going at ■ S?”tham, the prospects of Kartikeya ..nd 1 rw>v.(? r xr been considerably im- 1 Kalt l key . a registered a very good S Ia * Y? fast into Ultra ' g*“® the Thompson Handicap last ‘ Saturday, and will lack nothing on the 1 s ?, l i d rac J ng condition, in the ! Kartikeya beat Excellency Ml the on ,J* heavy track, but th. w2i< „5 oln ?, c . ould Qnly run sixth in the Wellington Guineas and fourth In the New Zealand Derby. In the latter race a e Possibly a little unlucky not to have disputed the Issue at the finish as he rereived a bad check with a furlong to Very firm going ruled when he 1 failed in the Great Northern Derby, Hweet Nymph winning in record time It was a different story at Trentham last January when Kartikeya struck a soft track in the Anniversary Handicap on the first day of the Wellington Cup meeting. After being slow ,away he gathered in the field with ease and had the race won more than a furlong from home. He registered another failure in the Gloaming Stakes on the second day, the firm going again proving too much for him. In the Centennial Cup at Wingatui last month Kartikeya joined the leader, Spare Part, some distance from home, and was still in front at the furlong. There will be no doubt aljout Kartikeya on the score of stamina. His prospects on Saturday depend entirely on the going. If it is to his liking he should win. In Magnaform. Rlccarton stables will have a strong second string. Some of Magnaform’s efforts have been disappointing, but it has mostly been through the effects of firm going on a doubtful foreleg. He finished a good third in the New Zealand Derby and then went on to Ellerslie where he beat a good field in the Queen’s Plate and ran the mile in Imin 37sec. He was feeling the effects of the hard going when he failed in the Great Northern Derby, finishing sixth. He did not race again until he won over a mile at Greymouth last month, after which he failed twice at the Centennial meeting at Wingatui. Magnaform looks well and it will be no surprise if he disputes the issue at the finish. Foxbay’s best performance this season was his second placing to Sweet Nymph in the Gloaming Stakes at Trentham last January. Foxbay showed promising form in the spring, finishing second to Shirley Fox in the Great Northern Guineas and winning the Waikato Guineas. After running second at his next start Foxbay failed at his next three before running second to Sweet Nymph. After racing at Trentham he won the Rotorua Cup, run over a mile and a quarter and 180 yards, but has failed at his last two starts. Foxbay has always done best when he has been ridden by a strong rider and has been given time to settle down in the running. He then produces a strong finishing run. Foxbay just misses being a really good class three-year-old, but in this field should be prominent at the finish. He is best suited by firm going. Distinction showed great consistency in the first half of the season, his record being three wins, four seconds, two thirds, and two fourths in 13 starts. His successes were the Epsom Hack Handicap at Hastings and the Hawke's Bay Guineas in which he defeated Sweet Nymph on both occasions, and the Good wood Handicap at. Ellerslie, where he ran the mile r in. Imin 36sec. He had to be content with second place in the Wellington Guineas, New Zealand Derby Great Northern Derby;- and the Stonyhiir&t Handicap (at Rlccarton). Distinction’s last start was in the Gloaming Stakes in January, in which he was feeling the ground and was beaten into fourth place. It was not Surprising that a small horse like Distinction should be showing the effects of his strenuous programme at that time, and he was given a let-up afterwards. The firm tracks have not helped him since he resumed work, and he was sore after he worked on Tuesday morning in spite of the easier going. He cannot be expected to be at his best on Saturday, and his more seasoned opponents are likely to have his measure if he starts. Renowned is another that will appreciate the easing of the going, she has not been quite so consistent a performer as her stablemate Distinction, but she has

a useful record nevertheless. Her only success was in the Stonyhurst Handicap, of nine furlongs, at Rlccarton, but she ! ran second in the John Grigg Stakes and the New Zealand Oaks, and third in the Desert Gold Stakes, Wairarapa Cup, Gloaming Stakes, and Middle Park Plate. The mile and three-quarters is likely to suit Renowned, and she is not likely to be far away at the finish. Of the remainder, the beet staying prospects are held by Lady Vite. Her sole win this season was in the Wallaceville High-weight Handicap, of one mile and three furlongs, at Trentham last January form which does not indicate that she Is up to the required class. The form of the remainder this season has been removes below classic standard. Forward Showing King’s Ransom was having his first race since he' won the Trentham Stakes last January, when he ran third in the North Island Challenge Stakes on Saturday, and his forward showing indicated that he would be at his peak for his engagements at Auckland at Easter. When King’s Ransome ran three furlongs in 34 3-ssec last Thursday, it was his flrtt serious gallop since January. He looks Improved with his race, and will leave for Ellerslie this week. New' Sires Arrive Five thoroughbred stallions for various New Zealand studs arrived in Wellington on the Raranga on Monday. All except one of the stallions, which were in charge of an Irish groom who is taking up a position in the Sasanof Stud, arrived in very good condition considering that they were more than two months on the journey and struck a very rough trip. The arrivals were: Underwood, by Bois Rous-

sel. for Mr W. Fisher, of Ellerslie: Alonzo, by Midday Sun, for Mr W. R. Stead, Hastings; Fair’s Fair, by Fair Trial, for Messrs Malcolm Bros., Of Te Rapa; Triumvir, by Trimdon, for Mr J. L. Mackay, of Pirongia; and Principoor, by Prince Rose. Registration Cancelled

The president of the New Zealand Racing Conference, Mr H. R. Chalmers, has cancelled the registration of Gynoecium, on the grounds that the horse is a confirmed bleeder. Gynoecium is a five-year-old gelding by Gynerium from Minnow and is owned by Mr D. V. Murray, Gisborne. Mr Murray gave the horse away for use as a hack after the last'Gisborne meeting because of his persistent bleeding. This is the first occasion on which the president has used his powers of deregistration because of bleeding. Someof the clubs have prevented bleeders from starting on the advice of their veterinary officers. Excellency Recovering Excellency is recovering from the stqne bruise in her foot. Her trainer (A. McKay) said at Trentham yesterday that she would not travel to Ellerslie for the North Island Challenge Stakes. Running on Strongly Teyma was running on strongly in fifth place in the Plunket Nursery Handicap at Trentham last Saturday, less than three lengths from the winner, Air Belle. He had also run third to the latter at Masterton the previous Saturday and had two other third placings to his credit. Teyma is a smallish but well-made bay colt by Martarma from Barley Beans, by Iliad from Corn Queen, by Night Raid from Rosalita, by Rokeby. Barley Beam; was unraced but is a sister to Corn Prince, winner of three races as a two-year-old, and a half-sister to Fiord. Rosalita was a half-sister to the Stewards’ Handicap winner. Solfanello, and a half-sister to Rpseday winner of over £BOOO, and Rosellate, the dam-of a good performer in Tenterden. Teyma was bred by Mrs B. J. Gentlemun, of Waimate, and sold as a yearling at the Trentham sales for 130 guineas tonis present owner, Mr A. E. Taplin, of Masterton. Teyma appears to need only to make normal age improvement to ■ become a good bargain. Newcomer Among Sprinters Ladyship, the winner of the Telegraph Handicap at Trentham last January, is a newcomer among the sprinters at Trentham on Saturday. She is engaged in both the Suburban and the Hutt Handicaps and looks in good order for whirtiever race is chosen for her. Ladyships Easter ! engagements include the Easter Handicap lat :Ellerslie and the Great Easter Handicap at Riccarton.