CAPTAIN SANDY AND ATTACK

Press, Volume LXXXV, Issue 25732, 18 February 1949, Page 4

CAPTAIN SANDY AND ATTACK

HIGH-CLASS PACERS AT EPSOM The meeting between Captain Sandy and Attack in the £2500 Otahuhu Handicap of two miles should be the event of the Auckland Trotting Club’s meeting tomorrow. Attack is on scratch and Captain Sandy is on the 36 yards mark. Both pacers raced well at the Auckland Trotting Club’s summer meeting, Attack winning the Akarana Handicap, the Tramway Handicap, and the Freyberg Handicap. Since then he has added the Dunedin Cup Handicap and the Flying Handicap to his record at the Forbury Park Trotting Club’s meeting on January 22. The winner of six races in his six starts since joining M. Holmes’s team at Russley, Attack will probably be favourite when the totalisator closes for the Otahuhu Handicap. The winner of the Putiki Handicap and the Franklin Handicap at the Auckland Trotting Club’s meeting in September, Captain Sandy won the Auckland Trotting Cup and the Premier Handicap at the same club’s meeting in December. Captain Sandy brought his record to seven wins hnd three minor placings in 11 starts for the season when, at his last start, he won the Au Revoir Handicap at the Forbury Park Trotting Club’s meeting on January 29 in 2min 53sec, equalling Emulous’s track record for the mile and three furlongs at Forbury Park. Captain Sandy, which will be driven by J. Bryce, jun., who has been associated with him in most of his successes, is a high-class pacer. His owner-trainer, J. M. Bain, said before leaving for Auckland that he expected him thoroughly to test Attack.

Besides Captain Sandy and Attack, the Otahuhu Handicap, which is a 4min 24sec class race, has attracted a small but select field, including some fine performers in Captain Gaillard, Doctor Ted, and Dundee Sandy. In what should be a thrilling contest, they should be in the picture with Captain Sandy and Attack at the finish. Jottings H. Stafford is educating an attractive filly by Dillon Hall from Dalgan Park, a well-bred mare by Quite Sure from Pola Negri, by Happy Voyage from Regina Logan. First 'Lord, which returned a win dividend of more than £l6 when he won the Progressive Handicap at the Gore Racing Club’s meeting last Saturday, will probably be at a much shorter price in the Riversdale Trot Handicap on the concluding day of the meeting to-morrow. Palette will make her first appearance since joining J. B. Pringle’s team, in the Eclipse Handicap at the New Brighton meeting. A five-year-old mare by Josedale Grattan from Dulux. Palette races in the interests of Messrs A. McDonald and T. E. Johnston, the vice-president of the New Brighton Club. Cake From New Zealand To commemorate the passing of the late Mr F. J. Smith, his friends and fellow drivers were presented with a piece of cake, which had been made by Mr D. Stormont (Auckland), at a recent meeting at Hawthorn Hill (England). Mr Smith drove many winners at Hawthorn Hill be.fore leaving for New Zealand, where he quickly became a leading trainer and driver. Deserves a Win Driven by R. Stevens, Almeta gained her third second placing for the season when she beat all but Nebula home in the Kaiata Trot Handicap at the Greymouth Jockey Club’s meeting on Monday. A daughter of Nelson Eddy and Belle Harvester. Almeta may leave the maiden classes with a win at the Westland Racing Club’s meeting to-morrow. Racing at Epsom J. Slack has taken Sure Money to Epsom to race at the Auckland Trotting Club's meeting to-morrow. The runnerup to Swanee River in the Hornby Handicap at the Canterbury Park Trotting Club’s meeting on January 3, Sure Money may be capable of leading all the way over the mile and a half of the February Handicap. Trotting Stakes Candidate The Temuka trainer, T. H. Gunning, has left for Auckland with his attractive filly, Gay Heritage, which is engaged in the Great Northern Trotting Stakes on the second day of the Auckland Trotting Club’s Febiuary meeting. Bred by Mrs Gunning. Gay Heritage is by Springfield Globe from Bonny Volo, by Lusty Volo from Becky de Oro. by Rey de Oro from Becky M., by O.Y.M. from Miss Becky, by the imported Electioneer. Gay Heritage has shown much ability in her work, and Gunning is confident that she will be prominent at the finish of the classic next week. Won Dominion Handicap Hidden Note, which has been lightly raced since winning the 1947 Dominion Handicap at the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club's Cup meeting, has been put into training again by Mr D. Stormont. An aged mare, Hidden Note is by Maxegin from Harvest Note, a Sonoma Harvester mare which left another winner in Sure Note, From a Good Family i Making his first appeai’arice since being trained at Tempelton by J. B. Pringle for Dr. A. Sandston and Mr V. R. Jamieson, Master Mariner gave a good display to win the first division of the Mawhera Trot Handicap at the Greymouth Jockey Club’s meeting on Saturday. Sailor’s Globe opened up a gap of about 12 lengths on Gallant Bess, Red Sea. Stately Lady, and Master Mariner in the early stages, but when Pringle let Master Mariner stretch out he soon put the issue beyond doubt, eventually winning by three lengths from Stamina, with Sailor s Globe another length away in third place. A five-year-old gelding, Master Mariner is by Sandydale from a fine performer in Rocks Ahead, which has left other winers, including Navigate to the same sire, Rendezvous to Dillon Hall, and Barrier Reef to U. Scott. Kaikoura T.C. Withdrawals for the Kaikoura Trotting Club’s Meeting to be held at Rangiora on Saturday, February 26, 1949, close at 5 p.m. on MONDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 1949. with Eyrne and Co.. 193 Cashel street, Christchurch. Advt. CONTROL OF TROTTING Sir,—l fully agree with “Have Some Courage.” It is time some of the trainers were barred from making an exhibition of themselves by running the life out of their horses before a race. They certainly need a little warming up, but there is no need for a man to show off in front of the public with a breaking horse. There is a place for everything.—Yours, etc., GREAT SHOW. February 16, 1949. Sir. —I have often read letters by grandstand drivers who know all about non-triers, goers, dead ’uns, etc., and all the low tricks of horsemen who “set” races. Two such correspondents are “Sport” and “Have Some Courage.” If “Sport” had watched Indigo begin badly on Saturday he would understand why he did not win. Trotting is quite a clean sport; the dirtiest part of it is that section, of the crowd which hoots a horse for putting up a splendid performance. Last week Direct Heir was hooted for winning because earlier in the day he failed when he gave 24 horses 48 yards’ start. Non-triers do exist; but I will bet your two correspondents £5 that they cannot name five obvious nontriers in the next New Brighton meeting.—Yours, etc., S. G. FITCHETT. February 17, 1949.