RATAL PROVES A BARGAIN

Press, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 25551, 20 July 1948, Page 7

RATAL PROVES A BARGAIN

RACING

» SUCCESSFUL JUMPING CAREER LIKELY satai hss proved a good bargain for n McFarlane since he purchased him W y ->sCgns at the Trentham sales last fl’Ljnthe last five months Batal has total of £2200, and judging by his *in winning the Matai Steeplechase C ' S Trentham last Saturday, he may well wmsiderably to that total before his ends. c7tal was sold as a yearling by Mr J. Mitchell for 1300gns to Mr W. S. /'<Janan. He showed no form as a two-hSr-old. but as a three-year-old surby winning the Avondale Guineas, very heavy track. His only other °u-cess that season was in the President’s yandicap over a mile and a quarter at ftp Franklin meeting, again on a heavy »ck Last season Batal won over a mile nd a quarter at New Plymouth, and later the season was put to hurdling. He Ln the second division of the Matangi tfack Hurdles at the Waikato winter Meeting, but after two more failures Mr noosman sold him to his present owner, Lo gave him to A. E. Didham to train. Ratal made his first return for his present owner when he won the mile Vonowai Handicap at Riverton at Easter. * A few weeks later he was put to hurdagain and ran fourth in the Puke--naori Hurdles Handicap at Invercargill, last month he scored a very easy win in tie Otago Hurdle Handicap. He raced on tie flat on th ? final day o£ the Dunedin meeting- and his next appearance was in tie Wellington Steeplechase, in which he wished sixth, a splendid effort for a horse making his first appearance over county. Last Saturday the shorter distance ti the Matai Steeplechase suited him vrith his comparative inexperience. He eave a good, but not perfect, display of jumping, and over the concluding stages of the race had altogether too much pace and stamina for Ballinabuoy, the runnerÜ Batal got in too close at three fences on the final round, the second of the stand double, the brush near the mile, and tie sod wall at the seven furlongs. On each, occasion he made -a good recovery and'made no further mistakes. He is a natural jumper and with further experience is likely td hold his own with better grids than he met last Saturday. He is engaged in the Grand 'National, but with kij limited experience he may not attempt such a task as he is only a flve-vear-old and has his future before him. He is a welcome addition to the steeplechase ranks in the South Island. Batal is by Battle Song, a number of whose stock have shown ability as jumpers, from Alma, a good race mare in her cay, which won 14 races, including the Stewards’ Handicap at Riccarton, and the Invercargill Cup. ' Bowe’s Winter Cup Prospects flowe’s magnificent performance in the Winter Oats at Trentham last Saturday Increased his stake winnings for the season by £975 to £7335, and he now takes £fth place among the leading stake winrers for the current season, the horses ahead of him being Signal Officer £11,780, Balgowan £10,685, King’s Ransom £10,570. and Spare Part £7705. Howe displaced Beau le Havre (£7261 10s) in the list. When the track conditions ruling at Trentham last Saturday are considered, it is doubtful whether Howe has registered a better performance in his already distinguished career. He has always been s grand weight carrier, and there is no more courageous finisher. Last Saturday Howe looked improved by his race in the Whyte Handicap on the first day, and he is likelv to be at his peak for the Winter Cup next month, in which he is weighted at 10-11- With the 71b higher minimum this represents an increase of 61b on his weight last Saturday. That he has not an impossible weight was demonstrated by Soneri when she won with 11-4. Howe ran second to that great mare. He carried 9-11 and was beaten by a heafi. On that occasion Howe had barely recovered from the effects of his fall in the Whyte Handicap at Trentham a few weeks earlier. This year he will be a fitter horse than he was last, and with another year on to him he is even more massive. If he takes his place in the field on August 7 his lighter weighted opponents are not likely to find a horse of Howe’s power and ability easy to beat, in spite of his weight of 10-11.

Super Flight Impresses Super Flight’s consistent form at Trentham will bring her into favour for the Winter Cup. in which she is weighted at 8-13. On the first day she ran a useful third to General Victory and Deprive over six furlongs in the Stewards’ Handicap, and followed up that performance by running second to Lyn Vaals over seven furlongs in the Members’ Handicap. Last Saturday she gave her best performance to date when sjie won the Onslow Handicap, that being her first success in open company. After being slow away and still Well back at the half-mile, she put In a br.niant. run in the straight and scored a cleir-cut win. He.- finishing run suggested that she will run out a solid mile, and she ds Jikely to find the firmer going at Biccarton more to her liking. Super Flight is another of the prolific Francolln’s. progeny, and is a half-sister by Nizami to Royal Flight, winner of the Winter Cup in 1945, Night Wings, Ortyx, Dark Hight, Gold Flight, Winning Flight, Bonny Flight, and Special Flight. She is raced by her breeder, Mr D. M. Tweedie, and trained at Riverton by H. Shannon. Maiden Winner at Waimate

Sky High, the winner of the second division of the Novice Stakes at the Waimate Hunt Club’s meeting last Saturday, is a two-year-old gelding by Airway from Lake Mist, by Balboa from Flying Mist, by Martian from the imported mare Trichas. Flying Mist was a sister to Caress, the dam of Padishah, and that Ene race mare Cuddle. Last Saturday Sky High was making only his third appearance, having had two starts in the spring. Sky High was bred by Dr. A. Smith-Morton, of Oamaru, and was purchased at Trentham as a yearling by his trainer, J. S. Shaw, for Mr W. R. Toon. The same owner also races Harley, which finished third in the first division. This ■ was the third occasion this season that Harley has been bracketed with a horse that has returned a winning dividend. First Return This Season

Leeston showed a return to form when he won the Waihao Hack Handicap at Waimate last Saturday. He was having his first start since he ran unplaced at Greymouth last February, and it was his first return for the season. Several weeks ago, Leeston rejoined the team of E. J. Jennings, who trained him as a two-year-old when he won two races. Earlier in the season Leeston’s behaviour on race days made him a doubtful proposition, but recently he has settled down a lot. Leeston has now w r on four races, but regains eligible for hack races.

Banks Peninsula Spring Meeting The Banks Peninsula Racing Club was granted October 23 as the date for its spring meeting in the 1948-49 racing season at the annual meeting of the New Zealand Racing Conference last Friday. Retiring President Entertained Mr E. L. Riddiford, president of the Wellington Racing Club, who is retiring from office this year, was entertained by members of the press room at Trentham on Saturday. Mr O. Scott, the chairman. Paid tribute to Mr Riddiford’s services to racing and to the Wellington Club, first a s a steward and later as president, a position he had held since 1932. He said that Mr Riddiford had seen the club through difficult times and the reporters £ere sorry to see him retire from office. They were grateful for his helpful cooperation during his term of office. In reply. Mr Riddiford thanked the gathering for their good wishes. He had been actively engaged in racing, first as an bis brother, the late Mr V. Riddiford. and later as an official, and could look back on his racing activities with a good deal of pleasure. He had won the New Zealand Cup twice and the Grand National twice with that fine steeplechaser. Coalition. He expressed his appreciation of the assistance both he and the Wellington Racing Club had received from the press. ALL CLUBS TO HAVE PATROL STEWARDS direction by racing CONFERENCE motion of the president, Mr H. »-• Chalmers the annual meeting of the Zealand Racing Conference decided to tlirect all totalisator clubs to appoint ~ a f aid official at least one patrol stew- ® 5° assist in the supervision of the inning O f all races. l-ariu halmers said the patrol stewards riuh. *, en of inestimable value to those nrle tbat had appointed them and their ri®® 6 ® at race meetings had made for meaner racing. amendment to Rule 136, moved by alimU: ante rbury Jockey Club, was carried, in« „ n , g a wife to use her husband’s racCS p colours, with the alteration of the tbe object of preventing traffickto R»iL a £B rentices ’ an addition was made comrL>* 6 on the motion of the executive less Provides for a fine of not or nave 11 £2O for every person who offers or nthA, a ” y inducement whether in cash PUrnn^T* 1 ? e A 0 any other person for the shinAr ♦ the engagement, apprenticePrentinL tra 4^ fer O 1 an V stable lad or apdement iPSs o P S b 7 e . accepOng the in ‘ by the Wellington district the erant Increase the stake level for from of apprentices’ allowances lar rnntuU *2 £5 OO was defeated. A sirhiClub tn° n - by th e Hawke’s Bay Jockey 31£e the flgure to £6OO was Club by the Manawatu Racing at the dK 5 * the w alk-in start optional feated a 4^ re t lGn of the starter was dea ?amst voting was 31 for and 18 thirds ’rv?^ IC L was less than the twohiles. majon ty required to alter the