EXCELLENCY

Press, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 25607, 23 September 1948, Page 7

EXCELLENCY

RACING

REAPPEARANCE IN SPRINT AT WINGATUI

Excellency and Wantwood, the two outstanding sprinters in Southland, will meet o Telegraph Handicap at Wingatui on Saturday. Excellency is probably the most forward of all the Southland horses engaged at Wingatui. The handicapper has weighted her 61b above the Stewards’ Handicap winner, Wantwood, which appears reasonably treated with 9-2. Excellency, which- will be ridden by W. F. .Ellis, has a big weight for one of her build, and she is required to give upwards of 301 b to some capable and improving three-year-olds. Excellency’s performances last season left no doubts as to her great brilliance, but she has yet to prove that she can carry big burdens in handicaps. At the same time, she is very well to open her four-year-old season, but as her trainer, A. McKay, stated a fortnight ago, she is not going to be an easy mare to place this season. Easily her best effort last season was her success in the North Island Challenge Stakes, and provided she can find her form this season she should pay her way in the shorter welght-for-age races if weight gets the better of her in handicaps. Excellency is best suited by firm tracks and the indications yesterday were that she will have firm going for her reappearance on Saturday. When he resumed work. Wantwood bore a more robust appearance than previously. He has done all his previous work under a strong hold, but he is likely to be well forward. Last season Wantwood’s connexions were anxious to race him over middle distances, but they considered that the weights he was allotted in the middle distance handicaps in the south were too stiff. Wantwood has ‘ not raced since he finished a very close third to The Pagan and Citril in the City Handicap at Trentham last January. He is One of the few of Salmagundi’s stock which cannot handle other than firm going and track conditions Will influence his prospects considerably on Saturday, it is likely that a full apprentice allowance will be claimed for him. Southern Guineas Candidate Shadamai’s performance in the Kaikorai Hack Handicap at Wingatui on Saturday will be watched with interest, as he is likely to prove one of the best of the southern candidates for the Dunedin Guineas Last season he was the best two-year-old in Southland, and in five starts gained a first and four third placings. He ran third to Magical and Trident in the McLean Stakes and at his next start beat Trident by a head in the Juvenile Handicap. He finished third in his next three starts and was put aside after racing at Invercargill last January. His style of racing suggested that this season he will do best beyond sprint distances. He h-as furnished a good deal in the interim, and on Saturday Will strip in forward condition. Shadamai should not have much difficulty in running out the mile in the Dunedin Guineas, but will be at a disadvantage in that he will be meeting several of the Riccarton three-year-olds, which are more seasoned. Shadamai is a bay gelding by Salmagundi from Ratamai by Nigger Minstrel from Charmaine by Some Boy 11, from the prolific brood mare Fairform, the dam of such good performers as Tauramai (which included tl?£ Dunedin Guineas among his successes), Rin Tin Tin, Passaform, and Platform.

Well Represented The Mosgiel trainer, D. P. Wilson, will have a strong team to represent him on the first day of the Dunedin meeting on Saturday. It comprises Frances, Super, The Grate, and The Hob. Frances was on the big side when raced at the Otago Hunt meeting. She was one of the outsiders of the field and was not .sighted in the running. With 9-9 among the sprinters in the Telegraph Handicap, she is set no easy task, but the outing should assist,to produce her at the top of her form 'at Trentham next month. Great interest will be shown in Super’s form, after his clear-cut success at Riccarton last month. Super, with 8-12, in the Kaikorai Hack Handicap, should make matters very awkward for this field if he races as kindly as he did on the final day of the Grand National meeting. The Grate has met with* little luck in her recent efforts, but she is much more capable than this form would make her out to be. In several of her races she has prejudiced good winning chances by her failure to begin smartly enough. The Hob was a smart two-year-old last season, winning at two of his three starts, and finishing second in the other. He is a half-brother by Lo Zingaro to Frances and The Grate, and on Saturday he will make his first attempt in open sprint company. The Turk Working Well

The T.urk, a member of F, W. Ellis’s large team, is working as well as any hack at Invercargill. He was given a short spell after winning over seven furlongs at Oamaru last June, and he returned to work carrying more condition than formerly. Last Tuesday morning he worked exceptionally'- well when he covered a .mile in Imin 46 2-ssec in company with Salmon Spear, and he promises to be a strong candidate in the distance hack race on the second day at Dunedin. To Miss Dunedin Guineas

Flying Sovereign and Top Deck, the minor placegetters in the John Grigg Stakes at Ashburton last Saturday, will not go to Wingatui for the Dunedin Guineas next week. Their next appearance will be at the South Canterbury meeting at Washdyke next month, with a trip to Trentham to follow. Top Deck will contest the open sprint and Flying Sovereign will race among the hacks. Another Attempt

When he broke down while contesting the Orawia Handicap at Invercargill last April, it looked as if Sal’s Pal’s racing 'Career had ended, but since being put into work again he has shown no signs of unsoundness, and he is to make his reappearance in the October Handicap at Wingatui on Saturday, in which he is top • weight with 9-5. It is not a strong field but he may not be forward enough to make a showing. Sal’s Pal is now nine years old and looks a doubtful proposition. Son of Cuddle

Abbotsford, the winner of the first division of the Juvenile Handicap at Marton last Saturday, is not exactly bred on the lines expected of a very early two-year-old winner. He is a brown colt by Tweed II from that grand race mare Cuddle, which has previously bred the winners, Gamble, Beau Cheval, and Renowned. Most of Tweed’s stock have shown speed, but he is a staying-bred horse himself* being by Hotweed, winner of the French Derby* and Grand Prix de Paris, from the Teddy mare, Staylace, a daughter of the Oaks winner. Straitlace. Abbotsford is a neat colt with a smooth action, and is raced by his breeder, Mr R. J. Murphy. As he develops it will be surprising if Abbotsford does not show to advantage over longer journeys. Operated On for Wind Infirmity Ronald Macdonald has made his reappearance on the tracks at Riccarton after having had a short spell after an operation for his win’d infirmity. The three-year-old Bplandshar—Smiling Personality gelding, another member of L. J. Ellis’s team which has been spelling, has ?een gelded. He has gro..h into a big three-year-old and showed ability before he was eased up because of persistent soreness in front.

Sir Garnish in Good Order Sir Garnish was one of the best performers to graduate from hack company in the south last year, and is to make his reappearance in the October Handicap at Wingatui on Saturday. This season he looks a better horse than at any previous stage of his career. He is a bold galloper and it should not take much racing to bring him back to his best. Juvenile Winner at Marton

Nigra, the jvinner of the second division of the Juvenile Stakes at Marton, gave the Wellington owner, Mr ■B. O’Brien, success at his first attempt as a racing owner. Nigra is a black filly and is the Sroduct of Australian-bred parents, being y Tukitarata from Fort Hope, by Manitoba from Pythia, a New Zealand-bred mare by Psychology by the good Boniform mare. Flora Macdonald, which numbered the Dunedin Cup among her successes. Tukitarata is by Simeon’s Fort, an imported horse which won the Doncaster Handicap in Australia, from the Valais mare, Valeriante, a granddaughter of the great Australian performer, Poitrel. Tuhitarata was raced with success in Australia by Mr J. Jamieson, of ’ sterton. and won 14 races, including the Doncaster Handicap in 1942, when he beat High Caste. Beaulivre, Nightbeam, and Amiable. Nigra was offered at Trentham as a yearling and purchased by the Marton trainer, R. R. Webster for 150 guineas. Last Saturday she made a good impression when she finished very truly and forced her way between the two leaders in the straight. DIVISIONS AT OTAKI (P.A.) WELLINGTON, Sept. 22. Divisions have been drawn as follows for the two maiden races at Otaki on Saturday : PUHI MAIDEN. No. 1, of £250; six furlongs.—First division: Fortitude (14), Promote (7), Shadoof (11). Oberon (4). Manawanui (1). The Swagger (13). Rakish (9) 8-7; Katydid (3), Gold Lap (12), Sentimental (10). Broiesome (8), Flying Colours (2), Boyhood (5), Clever Boy (6) 8-0. Second division: Sailor’s Lass (13), Silver Nelson (5), Great Queen (11), Billy Ruff’n (6), Turangi Girl (7), Brilliance (12) 8-7; War Admiral (2), Beeswax (9), Eileen Douglas (4). Aki Aki (10), Belgrade (3), Giggle (1), Leighwin (8) 8-0.

PUHI MAIDEN, No. 2. of £250; six furlongs.—First division: Neolight (3). Theiolinda (2), Foreign Mail (5), Tuatea (4), Dinard (6), Eureka (13) 8-7; Announcer (11). Favola (7). Parole (9), Pervin (8), Balagmore (12), Confess (10), Platonic (1) 8-0. Second division: Irish Scholar (2). Therese (11), Paradise (10), Queen's Chat (3), Silver Line (5). Sweepstake (7) 8-7: Belle Reine (12). Royal Princess (8). Gay Lorraine (9), Urenui’s Gift (6), Lady Pegasus (4), Reflect (1), Royal Paper (13) 8-0.