FINAL DAY AT TRENTHAM

Press, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 25548, 16 July 1948, Page 4

FINAL DAY AT TRENTHAM

RACING

CORINEUS MAY WIN WINTER HURDLES LYN VAALS APPEALS IN WINTER OATS Two days’ racing on a heavy track has not thinned out the fields to any extent for the third and final day of the Wellington Racing Club's winter meeting at Trentham to-morrow. After light showers earlier in the day, steady rain set in from the south late yesterday afternoon and track conditions now appear likely to be worse than on the earlier days. The principal attraction will be the Winter Hurdles, which has drawn a particularly good field and promises to provide one of the best hurdles contests of the year. The top-weight is the Wellington Steeplechase winner Brookby Song. His form as a hurdler is well below his steeplechase form, and his best recommendation is that the distance will suit him.

Next in the handicap is last year’s Grand National Hurdles winner, Boolamskee. With 11-2, Boolamskee has a solid task in front of him. However, he is a sound stayer and is at home in the worst of going. He showed his first glimpse of form this season when he was narrowly beaten by Skywriter in the Trentham Hurdles on the first day, and he may be a better horse on Saturday.

With 10-13 Foxchase has a big weight for a horse of his size, but after his runaway win in the Lambton Hurdles last Saturday he will have a strong following. He is a fit horse and will not be troubled by the distance, but he appears a little close in the weights to Boolamskee and is practically on the same mark as Corineus, two horses that stay equally as well. With the exception of Desert Trek, which needed a race, the horses Foxchase beat last Saturday have yet to prove themselves in the best company. Against stronger opposition tomorrow Foxchase is likely to find his weight troublesome. On the day, Corineus may be the favourite. At his last start over hurdles Corineus was rather unluckily beaten in the Great Northern Hurdles Handicap. It is generally considered that he should not have been beaten, and he may make amends to-morrow. Corineus stays as well as one would expect on his breeding, and the probable conditions are not likely to trouble him. Moreover he is a sound jumper and a dour finisher. Moutoa Lord’s display in the Lambton Hurdles last Saturday was disappointing, but Desert Trek is likely to improve on his effort which gained him third place, though more than 20 lengths behind the winner, Foxchase. Last year Desert Trek won this race with 9-7, and he has a rise of 121 b to-morrow. Because of an injured hind leg Desert Trek may not be quite at the same pitch as he was at this time last year, but staying is his strong point, and over two miles and a quarter he is likely to come into his own.

The veteran, Town Survey, won the race five years ago, but he is now well on the down-grade. An improving hurdler is the four-year-old. Skywriter, which has won at his last three starts. He is perhaps the most promising young hurdler in the country, and is likely to take high honours in the long distance hurdle races. He did not handle the bad patches of going very well when he won the Trentham Hurdles on the first day, but he put in a phenomenal run in the straight to catch Boolamskee.

Skywriter will be bracketed with Pimlico, another four-year-old that shows great promise. He won three races in succession in hack company, but failed in his only attempt in open company. However, he won the Hunt Club Hurdles over two miles at Ellerslie last month, and if tlje going is really bad to-morrow may fare better than his stablemate. The form of Vassilikos, Nanook, Incident, and Peter Briefly does not point to their chances of causing an upset. Tring would have better prospects, but he is also engaged in the hack hurdles.

Winter Oats A strong field of milers is engaged in the Winter Oats. Howe, the. top-weight, is not a certain starter as he is not suited by the deterioration of the going. Wild Note faded over the last furlong in the Whyte Handicap, but on this occasion he is better drawn and may not have to work so hard to gain a good position early. Dark Arrow l° st his chance in the Parliamentary Handicap through having to avoid the fallen horses. He was handy at the time and should run prominently again. Citation ran in the Members’ Handicap last Saturday. She lost ground at the start arid then had to be pulled up when Regal Gem fell. Last year she was beaten by a head by Longsword in this race and PQW. she appears to bt back in form may again be hard to beat., Lyn-Vaals is also engaged in the Onslow Handicap and her programme is as yet indefinite. She won the Members’ Handi-,.f-ap- in'TQQd"style*lasj; Saturday, and must be hard to beat again in which ever race she tackles to-morrow.

Tiger Tan did not show up last Saturday, but with the lower minimum he is row down in the weights and may show improvement. Desert Girl was showing signs of lameness during the week, but if she is fit to start she is not without prospects. Lbvemorn is likely to run in the Onslow Handicap. Indian Dawn was well up and going well when she fell in the Parliamentary Handicap, along with Hormuz and Earldale, which are also engaged. A mile is a shade short for her in a Wg field. but she finished well up in the Whtye Handicap. Earldale has been running - usdful races, but may not be quite good enbugh for this class. Mercian Lad finished sixth in the Whyte Handicap, had did riot run last Saturday. He is useful in bad going and not without a chance. '•

The Parliamentary Handicap winner, Ruling Master, must again enter consideration He has drawn a handy position at the barrier, and if he does not give ground at the start, should go close to emulating Longsword’s effort of completing the double. Special Flight and Brightside are light-weight candidates that may show up,'but they will find some of the top-weights hard to beat.

Riding Engagements Riding engagements are as follows:—W. J. Broughton, Howe, Lochwinnoch, Battle Spear; N. B. Holland, Sir Royal, Wild Note. White Cliffs, Quartz, Wonder Boy; K. R. Ford, Colorado Maid, Full of Fun, Earldale, Indian Song; J. A. McFarlane, Batley, Hormuz, Master Baron; S. A. Waddell. Ring Scarf. Supreme Shepherd. Gay Fellow, Susan Bridge; L. J. Clutterbuck, Second Seal. Newel Post, Goldsmith 1 . Lord Theio; T. Biggs, Palissy, The Rip, Baccarat, Cooraclare; T. Howe, Royal Heir; J. P. Bowness, Prince Coronach, Silver Spur; J. Campbell, Festal, Lang.spiel, Indian Sky; C. McDonald. Leigh Barton, Solimbine; W. L. Aitken, Zea-

lander. Mercian Lad, Kippo, Irresistible; W. Lockyer. Roman Duke; N. L. Cavaney, Tanjeen, Citation, Sir Warrior, Tommy Gun; R. Saunders. Carnegie; J. Winder, Jon Rosa. Lyn Vaals, Town Survey; R. J. Auckram, Bonifprt, High Morale, MatapSn; J. Dooley. Pimlico. Ernbrae; K. Nuttall. Indian Dawn. Elofa, Julius Caesar, Riverview; R. L. Collett, Corineus. Huntting Dink; A. E. Didham. Extra Flight, Triumphal; C. McColl. Bold Tide, Ballinabuoy; J. Nicolson, Bon Chale, Batal, Boolamekee; R. J. Hawes, Ganges, Skywriter, Grand Forest; R. Parker, Ruling Master, Pearl Locket; L. Hare, Tiger Tan, Lovemorn; A. C. Messervy, Broiealice, Royal Victor. Reveller; V. J. Sellars. Sheilwyn, Turangi Girl, Night Royal, Lochrea; A. G. Waddell. Griffin, Aga Kay, Vassilikos; F. Cleaver, Flying Attack. Incident; J. Harris Blank Cheque, Field Marshal; G. R. Tattersail, Battle Strife. Rhodesia; C. A. Bowry, Myfox, Mine Host; K. Chote, Bright Side: C. H. Mackie, Becalm, Memento. Vakura, Merry Robin: C. T. Wilson, High Order, Sequoia, Theocritus; C. C. Stokes, Money Lender; G, Ivil, Tatara P ad; Woods, Nanook; W. J. Skiffington. Whiphand, Kelmont. Moutoa Lord; W. Barr, Master Play, Foxchase; A. J. Murray, Indian Sign; A. J. Stokes, Desert £ irl l.? u P, er Flight, Coral Arc; S. Wright. Northfield; L. C. Brown, Tring, Tenorman; K. Thomson, Desert Trek; T. Webster, Dark Arrow. • The following horses may be favoured: 11 a.m.—-Talavera Hack Hurdles: Tring, Ganges, Flying Attack. 11.42 a.m.—Novice Handicap: Persian Poem. Quartz, Battle Strife. I?- 2 ® P- m -—Matai Steeplechase: Find Out. Balhnabuoy, Tenorman. . P-m. —Crofton Hack Handicap: Winter Sweet, The Rip, Extra Flight. 1.55 p.m.—Winter Hurdles: Corineus, Boolamskee, Skywriter. 2.41 pm.—Winter Oats: Lyn Vaals, Citation, Dark Arrow. 3.25 p.m.—Onslow Handicap: Lovemorn. Super Flight, Langspiel, 4.10 p.m.—Kia Ora Hack Handicap: Field Marshall, Kippo, White Cliffs. APPOINTMENTS DEFERRED (P.A.) WELLINGTON, July 15 The executive committee of the New Zealand Racing Conference has decided to defer consideration of the applications received for the vacant position of chairman of stipendiary stewards and for two stipendiary stewards till its October meeting. In the meantime, Mr B. N. Sandilands has been appointed acting-chairman of stipendiary stewards. Avondale Scratchings Scratchings for the first day of the Avondale Jockey Club’s meeting on Saturday are: Plumpton Handicap, Sylis at 1.25 p.m. on Thursday: Mount Albert Steeplechase, Murphy at 1.10 p.m. on Wednesday; War Banner, at noon on Monday. —(P.A.) Canterbury J.C. Entries General entries for the Grand National meeting will close at pan. to-day. Advt,