AWADALE

Press, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 25677, 14 December 1948, Page 7

AWADALE

GOOD DISPLAY AT NEW BRIGHTON

The double-gaited Awadale, which finished second to Single Task when raced as a trotter in the Meadowbank Handicap at the Oamaru Trotting Club’s meeting on Labour. Day, showed that he had lost none of his ability as a pacer when he beat a big field in the Wainoni Handicap at the New Brighton Trotting Club’s meeting on Saturday. Chief Officer was the smartest to begin and at the end of the first two furlongs he was leading from Awadale, Incredible, Direct Heir, Super Scotch, Waroonga, Lucky Potts, Peter’s Pal, Fan Tan, Calando, Blonde Sailor, and Gantree. After carrying the field along at a fast clip until the entrance to the straight, Chief Officer was passed by Awadale, which finished on well to beat Direct Heir by a length with Blonde Sailor another length away in third place. Then came Chief Officer, Fan Tan, Glengarry, Systematic, Incredible, Aqua Lady, Waroonga, South Wind, and Gantree. The winner of two races last season when trained at Templeton by F. E. Upton for Mr' A. W. Argyle, Awadale, has been trained for his races this term by J. Behrns at Chertsey. A six-year-old gelding, he is by Sandydale from Vanity Fair, which took a record of 3min 26 l«£sec at the pacing gait. Vanity Fair, which was bred at Ashburton by Mr H. F. Nicoll, is by Wrack from Pearlchild, by Rothschild from Verity, by Vancleve from the Australian-bred mare. Bar. Paraded in excellent order by F. Holmes, for whom he was driven by J. S. Shaw, Direct Heir gave a smooth display to earn the second prize of £l2O. A goodlooking son of Louis Direct and Heiress, Direct Heir, which was bred in New South Wales by Mr R. C. Simpson, was imported to New Zealand as a five-year-old in 1946 by the late F. J. Smith, who later sold him to Holmes. On Saturday’s display, Direct Heir, which has been well patronised by breeders this season, should soon win a race. Blonde Sailor’s third „ placing was full of merit. He was not well placed early, but once in the clear he finished fast to return his supporters a good double-figure place dividend. The winner of the Orari Trot Handicap at the Geraldine Racing Club’s meeting on October 16, Blonde Sailor is a promising gelding by Sandydale from a good performer in Fernbrook Lass, which is by Author Dillon from Locanda Queen, by Brent Locanda frdtn Imperial Princess, by Prince Imperial from Problem, by Specification. Jottings Daisy Bar, the winner of the first division of the Domain Trot Handicap at the Geraldine Racing Club's meeting on Saturday, is a four-year-old sister to a good performer in Daisy Gold. Henry of Navarre never appeared as a possibility after losing ground at the start of the Au Revoir Handicap at the New Brighton Trotting Club’s meeting on Saturday. Bon Voyage, a place-getter at Orari on Saturday, should prove hard to beat in the Wakanui Handicap at Ashburton on Boxing Day. A six-year-old gelding. Bon Voyage, which is trained at Tinwald by S. Townley, is by Logan Fraser from the Happy Voyage mare, Edith Voyage, which left a winner at the trotting gait in Loughros to Wrack. Disappointed

National Velvet disappointed his admirers, who sent him out 2-1 in the betting on the Members' Handicap at the New Brighton Trotting Club’s meeting on Saturday, when after racing in second place for nearly a mile and a half he began to . weaken and gradually drifted through the field, eventually finishing a long way behind the winner.

National Velvet’s hard racing at the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club’s cup meeting at Addington last month, where he gaiiyd a win and three seconds in four starts, might have had its effect and It would be unwise to discard him because of his display on Saturday. In J. Young’s Team

Mr J. T. Power transferred Dan Martin to J. Young’s team after the New Brighton Trotting Club’s* meeting on Saturday. A six-year-old gelding by Lusty Volo from First Ballot, Dan Martin was educated and trained for his early races by his owner, and after gaining a second in his first seven starts last season he was placed in R. N. Eden’s care at Rangiora, For Eden, Dan Martin improved rapidly to gain four wins and two thirds in his other 15 starts for the season. Under Eden’s guidance, Dan Martin has raced consistently this season to gain three seconds and a third in six starts.

On Saturday he began well from the 24 yards mark in the Brighton Handicap, but was handicapped by having to drag a punctured tyre over the last mile and three-quarters. In the circumstances he did well to finish fifth. Dan Martin, which is one of the most promising trotters in his class, will have his first start for Young at the Auckland Trotting Club’s summer meeting. From Westport

Driven by J. B. Pringle, Courageous, which was sent out 3-4 in the betting on the Canterbury Handicap at the New Brighton Trotting Club's meeting on Saturday, gave a bold display when after being one of the Jeaders for most of the way, he finished second to Pierre. A four-year-old gelding. Courageous, which is trained at Westport by W. R. L. Pascoe for Messrs J. W. and T. M. Scanlon, is by Light Brigade from War Lass, which is by Man o’ War from a Harold Dillon mare. A likely type. Courageous should win a race at the holiday meetings. Broke Up Frances Grattan, which was making her first appearance since being trained at Waimate by H. I. Herbert, lost her chance when she broke at the start of the Improvers' Handicap at the New Brighton Trotting Club's meeting on Saturday. Made Mistakes

Congressional, which had raced consistently for two wins and four minor placings in his first six starts for the season, was out first favourite for the Brighton Handicap at New Brighton on Saturday, but he had to accept third place to Wilbur Shaw and Barrief Reef after breaking at the start and making more than one mistake during the race. If W, R. Butt can persuade him to« settle down to race solidly, Congressional should win his way to good company for Messrs W. H/ Roche and C. F. Schadick. Made Her Task Hard

Tradition, the favourite on the win totalisator for the New Brighton Oaks at the New Brighton Trotting Club’s meeting on Saturday, m&de her task hard when she pulled in the early stages. Although she had no chance with Perpetua and Star Rosa over the last furlong, Tradition fought on well to shade Scottish Nurse in a photo-finish for third place. Mr w. S. Bennett Honoured Stakes of £2OO for the cup and of £l5O for a hurdle race had been given at the Kaikoura Racing Club’s meeting more than 50 years ago, said the vice-president of the Kaikoura Trotting Club, Mr F. J. Monk, when recalling scenes of early racing in the district at a function given on Friday night at Kaikoura to honour Mr W. S. Bennett, a past president of the club and a life member. The struggle to introduce trotting and the triumph when two races were included in the galloping were recalled by Mr Monk. From then on separate meetings were held, but only trotting had survived. Horses travelled to Kaikoura from as far away as Nelson, over what was then not much more than a bridle track. Some of the personalities in those days of racing, Messrs J. and C. Prince, A. Pryde and W. Cooke, and horses by the name of Sam Slick, Doch and Doris, Rimu, and Long John, were mentioned by Mr Monk. From Kaikoura the horses would go on to meetings at Waiau, Culverden and Hanmer Springs. Returning to Form Allowed to go out 14-14 in the betting. Dandy Grattan returned his supporters a double-figure place dividend when he finished third to Attack and Victory Globe in the Empire Handicap at New Brighton on Saturday. One of V. Alborn’s team at Addington, Dandy Grattan is a six-year-old gelding by Grattan Loyal from Refined.

Canterbury Par.. T.C. Nominations for all events at the Canterbury Park Trotting Club's New Year meeting will close at 5 p.m. on Wednesday. Advt.