NEW BRIGHTON CLUB

Press, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 25608, 24 September 1948, Page 4

NEW BRIGHTON CLUB

TROTTING

County Antrim May Win

Main Race

SCHOLARSHIP IN FORM “There should be no delays,” said the secretary, Mr H. E. Goggin, when discussing the arrangements which have been made for the New Brighton Trotting Club’s meeting to-morrow. “We have profited by the experience we gained at our meeting on September 11, and many improvements have been made. Gateways have been widened, and a new system has been evolved, which should give motorists quick access to the course. The catering staff has been more than doubled, more seating accommodation has been provided on the lawns, and a new entrance has been built for the members’ stand.”

Form shown at the New Brighton Trotting Club’s meeting on September 11 should prove a good guide, as most of the horses engaged to-morrow raced at that meeting.

County Antrim, Bonny Scott, Indigo, and Good Review dominate discussions on the Henry Mace Handicap. One of the most promising five-year-olds in commission, County Antrim, which has already earned £1205 this season for a win in the Improvers’ Handicap at the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club’s meeting at Addington on September 4 and a win in the J. R. D. Johns Handicap at New Brighton on September 11, should prove capable of giving away starts of 24 yards to this field.

Bonny Scott has worked well at Addington since finishing third in the J. R. D. Johns Handicap at New Brighton, and her connexions are confident that she will Indigo and Good Review both have good form to their credit, and they should be handy to County Antrim and Bonny Scott at the finish. JS J,

Scholarship, a brilliant performer when he strikes conditions to suit him, appears to be the favourite for the Farewell Handicap, the main event for sprinters. Scholarship will probably be driven by W. R. Butt, who knows his peculiarities, and the combination should prove popular with investors.

Sir Vivian and Carisbrook both worked nicely at Addington yesterday morning. With National Velvet and Silverlight, they make most appeal of the horses on the scratch mark. Pimpernel, which did not race at the first New Brighton meeting, is an interesting addition to the field. One of C. Bennett’s team at Reefton, Pimpernel raced well last season to gain four wins and three minor placings, one of his best efforts being his win over Bonny Clare and Play Safe in the Eclipse Handicap at the New Brighton Trotting Club’s meeting on February. 21. Pimpernel has not a flawless record, his behaviour at the barrier often proving disastrous to his supporters, but if he begins smoothly, he should do well in this company. The following horses will be bracketed on the totaiisator: Seaview Handicap, Beckleigh and Double Deck, Best Globe and Crown Plate, Lucky Potts and Substitute, Rose Volo and Aloysius; Bpwhill Handicap, Grattan Gold and Wedding Ring; Pacific Handicap, Herald and Moume Spring. The track is in splendid order after the recent spell of dry weather and it should provide fast going. Good fields of evenly-matched horses are carded throughout the programme and patrons should enjoy an exciting day’s sport. Horses in form include:

Introductory Handicap: Elmdale, Will tSmottßftwQßtyle.

Shirley Handicap: Conceit, Merry Man, Mosquito.

Sea view'handicap: Demetrius, Beckleigh, Hall Ace.

Henry Mace Handicap: County Antrim, Good Review, Bonny Scott. Bowhill Handicap: Wayfarer, Gav Knight, Sunny Hall.

F. Nicoll Handicap: Java, David Dryden, Dan Martin.

Pacific Handicap: Worthy Dick, On Approval, Gold Strike. Farewell Handicap: Scholarship, Sir Vivian, Starshell. The following is the programme: 10.45 a.m.—

After losing his position when a tiring horse hampered him, Elmdale finished on well in second place to Spring Fashion in the Brighton Handicap at the New Brighton Trotting Club’s meeting on September 11. On the strength of that form, Elmdale will probably be sent out favourite for the Introductory Handicap. Most opposition to Elmdale may come from French Gold, Red Flight, Will Scarlett, and Freestyle. Now trained at Russley by M. Holmes, French Gold, which was placed in five races last season, gained his last win in the Conway Handicap, of two miles, at the Kaikoura Trotting Club’s meeting at Addington in May, 1947.

One of T. H. Gunning’s team at Temuka, Will Scarlett raced well at his only start this season to win the Puriri Handicap at Thames on August 14. Freestyle has -more? ability than most in this class and he should be handy to Elmdale, Will Searlett, and French Gold at the finish.

Conceit, the winner of the Addington Trotting Stakes at the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club’s meeting on September 4, was the smartest to begin m the Welcome Handicap at the New Brighton meeting on September 11, but M. Holmes steadied him and allowed Belshazzar to take the lead with more than six furlongs to go. Conceit was still in second place with a furlong to go, but he broke under pressure and was beaten out of a place. If he is on his best behaviour, he may atone for his mistake with a win in the Shirley Handicap. Likely improvers in the field include Who Knows, Merry Man, Passive, Mack Sure, and Mosquito. The runner-up to Dan Martin in the Addington Handicap at the Canterbury Park Trotting Club’s meeting on May 29, Mosquito, which is a sister to Bo über and Rerewaka, may prove capable of extending Conceit if the track is firm.

12.13 p.m.— SEAVIEW HANDICAP Of £475. 2min 53sec class. One mile and a quarter.

ing in the money in five of his six races last season, gave a dashing display to beat all but Fortuna in the Metropolitan Stakes at the National meeting at Addington. Owned and trained by O. E. Hooper, Demetrius is by Springfield Globe from a winner in Arietta, by Nelson Derby from a winner in Queen’s Own, the dam of other winners in Pirate King, Peter Silk, and David Derby. A racy type, Demetrius should prove capable of giving 12 yards start to most of this field.

Likely improvers in the field include Beckleigh, Our Nulgie, West Point. Gantree, and Hall Ace. In what should prove an exciting race, they should be in the picture with Demetrius at the finish.

County Antrim, the winner of three races -in his, last four starts, gave a fine performance at the New Brighton Trotting Club’s meeting on September 11, when he outclassed the field in the J. R. D. Johns Handicap. A splendid son of Jack Potts and Bonny Azure, County Antrim* is now at the top of his form, and he should not find his 24 yards handicap insurmountable in the Henry Mace Handicap. Bonny Scott, a winner at the trials at Addington on Tuesday, meets County Antrim on 36 yards better terms than when she was beaten' Into third place in the J. R. D. Johns Handicap. At the difference in the handicaps, she should keep him doing his ‘best air the way.

Good Review looks the pick of the horses on the 12 yards mark, and together with Congo Song dnd Indigo from the 24 yards mark, he may dispute the finish with County Antrim and Bonny Scott. 1.43 p.m.—

There is little between Gay Knight and Wayfarer, which dead-heated in the Avon Handicap at New Brighton on September 11, and they will probably dispute favouritism in the Bowhill Handicap. Grattan Gold, Gay Note, Melton, ’and Red Arrow look the pick of the horses on the scratch mark, aijd they should all carry solid support. „ Besides Gay Krflght attd Wayfarer, the horses on the 12 yards mark include some smart performers in His Excellency, Lyceum, and Sunny Hall. A mare by Dillon Hall from Sunup, Sunny Hall, which j-aces in the interests of Mr C. P. Agar, pleased by her effort at the trials at Addington oh . Tuesday. At her best she may prove capable of springing a surprise to-morrow.

2.28 p.m.— H. F. NICOLL HANDICAP Of £625. Trotters. 4min 48sec class. Two

Although he is handicapped to give away starts of up to 120 yards, Java, which won the Spring Handicap at New Brighton on September 11, is a hig)i-class trotter and he may not find the task beyond him.

Bardia and Little Jean, which will start from scratch, make little appeal, but Dan Martin must be considered from the 12 yards mark. The winner of four races last season, Dan Martin raced Yazell at his last start to win the Addington Handicap at Addington on May 29. David Dryden and Swanee River finished in second and third place respectively in the Spring Handicap at the last New Brighton meeting. On that form they appear as the most likely to divide the prize money with Java and Dan Martin.

Worthy Dick’s record of three wins and five minor placings in his last eight starts last season attracts attention to his prospects in the Pacific Handicap, in which he will probably be sent out a good favourite. $ Gold Strike showed a glimpse of his best form to--finish third in the Oxford Handicap at New Brighton on September 11, and he should be at a much shorter price to-morrow. Kingcobra raced well at the trials at Addington on Tuesday, and together with On Approval and Despatch, he may show up over the concluding stages with Worthy Dick and Gold Strike.

* Scholarship’s splendid effort to finish in second place to Baby Grand in the smart time of 3mih 29sec from a 3min 38sec mark in the Heathcote Handicap on the first day of the National meeting at Addington indicates that he is now at the top of his form. If he avoids trouble -at the start, Scholarship should record an overdue win for Messrs A. L. Matson and C. S. Thomas in the Farewell Handicap. On recent form. National Velvet, which finished in third place to County Antrim and Novelda in the Improvers’ Handicap on the second day of the National meeting at Addington, Silverlight, which has been placed in his last two races, Sir Vivian, which was beaten into second place by Make Believe after being unlucky in the running of the Cambridge Handicap at the New Brighton meeting or. September 11, and Starshell, which finished second to County Antrim in the J. R. D. Johns Handicap at the same meeting, may prove the hardest for Scholarship to beat.

INTRODUCTORY HANDICAP Of £825 . 4min 47sec class. Two miles. Canny Scot . scr Play Boy .. 12 Elmdale .. scr* Red Flight .. 12 French Gold .. scr Seven Bar .. 12 Lusty Bingen .. scr Will Scarlett .. 12 Sure Jinks Freestyle .. 24 (P.) scr Economist .. 12 - Quarter Deck 24

11.28 SHIRLEY HANDICAP Of £325. 3min 38sec class. One mile and a half. Conceit .. scr Black Forest . 24 Doreano .. scr Gallant Ruth . 24 Merry Man .. scr Mack Sure . 24 Passive Loyal Wrack .. scr .. 12 Mosquito Pay Boy . 24 . 36 Silver Volo .. 12 Who Knows . 36 Sure Jinks .. 12

Beckleigh .. scr West Point .. scr Best Globe .. scr Worthy Jack .. scr Direct Heir .. scr Aloysius .. 12 Double Deck .. scr Crown Plate .. 12 Emily Volo .. scr Demetrius .. 12 Gay Piper .. scr Gantree .. 12 Lucky Potts .. scr Golden Game 12 Makarewa .. scr Hall Ace .. 12 Marcia .. scr Kimono Girl .. 12 Our Nulgie (P.) scr Shadow Chimes 12 Ovend .. scr Substitute. .. 12 Rose ‘Volo .. scr Volodale .. 12 Demetrius, which lost form after finish-

12.58 p.m.— HENRY MACE HANDICAP Of £1250. 4min 31sec class. Two miles. Bonny Scott . scr. Jack High 12 Make Believe scr Quite Happy .. 12 Mountain Hall scr Tenpennybit .. 12 Nola Scott scr Congo Song .. 24 Proprietor. scr County Antrim 24 Wade Lane scr Dragoman 24 Ben Adam 12 Indigo 24 Good Review ; 12

- BOWHILL HANDICAP* Of £550. 3min 27sec class. One mile a half. and Boston Lady .: Scr Gay Knight .. 12 Gay Note Grattan’ Gold scr set His Excellency Lyceum 12 12 Melton scr Nelsonova 12 Pirouette Red Arrow .... scr scr Sunny Hall Theabelle . , .. 12 12 Sandy Potts . scr Wayfarer 12 Tudor Minstrel scr Wedding Ring 12

miles, Bardia .. set . Mamanuas .. 24 Little Jean .. scr Morning Wings 24 Billy McElwyn 12 Swanee River 36 Dan Martin .. 12 Maxee .. 48 Sandy’s Epic .. 12 Beverley Volo 72 Terrytoon .. 12 David Dryden 72 Jimmy Warton 24 Blackdale ,. 96 Loyal Toast .. 24 Java 120

3.13 p.m.— PACIFIC HANDICAP Ot £625. 3min 25sec class. One mile and a half. Ben Ledi scr Mourne Spring scr Dandy Grattan scr On Approval . scr Despatch . .., scr Sea Craft scr Gold ■ Strike scr Melvian 12 Herald .. ' iSed Herring . 12 Kingcobra sdr - ‘Worthy Dick . 12 King’s Confirmed 24 Messenger scr Hal Derby 24

3.58 p.m.— FAREWELL HANDICAP Of £625. 2min 4dsec class. One mile and a quarter/ Carisbrook .. scr Sir Vivian .. scr Clueless scr Bay- Machine .. 12 Larry Grattan scr Loyal Nelson .. 12 Likely scr Northern - Lass 12 Loyal Chief .. scr Pimpernel .. 12 National Velvet scr Scholarship .. 12 Notus scr Starshell .. 12 Premier Royal ■scr Tam o’ Shahter 12 Silverlight scr