EASTER MEETING AT ADDINGTON

Press, Volume LXXXV, Issue 25768, 1 April 1949, Page 4

EASTER MEETING AT ADDINGTON

TROTTING

Congo Song May Win Main Race

KRAKATOA’S GOOD PROSPECTS IN TROTTING STAKES

Congo Song, one of the best three-year-olds seen out last season, may graduate to cup company with a win in the £3OOO A. I. Rattray Handicap, the main event on the programme for the first day of the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club’s Easter meeting at Addington tomorrow.

A massive son of Gold Bar and Flying Helen, Congo Song, which earned £ 4115 for six wins and six minor placings in 16 starts last season, has added £3900 to his stake earnings this season. His record includes wins in the Parnell Handicap, the Alexandra Handicap, and the Campbell Handicap at the Auckland Trotting Club’s October meeting, and in the Champion Handicap at the same club’s meeting on December 30. Congo Song’s performance in the Champion Handicap was outstanding. After being second for most of the way, he took the lead at the entrance to the straight, and carried on to beat Globe Direct by three-quarters of a length in 3min lOsec, particularly sinart time on a grass track. If A. Holmes, who races Congo Song in partnership with Mr P. Symes, can persuade Congo Song to repeat that form, he should have little difficulty in winning the first prize of £ 1950. The strong field includes some high-class pacers in Captain Sandy, which has earned £10,154 for nine wins and five minor placings for the season; Globe Direct, which has been placed in nine of his 10 races this season; Plunder Bar, the runner-up to Highland Fling in the Trotting Cup in November; and Highland Fling, a brilliant performer, with two trotting cups to his credit. With such good performers in the field, the A. I. Rattray Handicap should provide a spectacle in keeping with the prize-money.

Besides the A. I. Rattray Handicap, feature races on the programme include the New Zealand Trotting Stakes for three-year-old trotters, and the Autumn Stakes for four and five-year-old pacers. Three of the New Zealand Trotting Stakes field, Krakatoa, King’s Brigade, and Little Ann have had racing experience, and this should give them an advantage over the rest of the field. Belmont Hall and Gay Knight have an advantage under the special conditions for the Autumn Stakes. They are both fine four-year-olds and they should fight out the finish. A winner at the recent Wellington meeting, Gay Knight, which will be driven by M. Holmes, worked well at Addington yesterday morning. The following horses will be bracketed on the totalisator: —Preliminary Handicap, Quarter Deck and Magnificent, Indian Son and Palette; Express Handicap, Red Ace and Jackie Guy: New Zealand Trotting Stakes, Noble Dictator and Sure Lad; A. I. Rattray Handicap, Congo Song and Local Gold, Lady Averil and Ma-udeen, Loyal Peter and Great Belwin; Autumn Stakes, Foreign Lady and Quarter Deck; Stewards’ Handicap, Betty Maxegin and Jimmy Scott; Speedway Handicap. Sir Peterson and On Approval, Carisbrook and Pirouette. Red Hussar, and Novelda.

The recent rain has improved the track, which has been top-dressed since the last meeting at Addington, and it should provide very fast going. Some alterations have been made to the bend going out of the straight and in anticipation of records being broken the track was to be surveyed yesterday. Horses in form include;— 10.45 a.m.—Preliminary Handicap: Lyceum, Gantree, Chamfer. 11,28 a.m.—Express Handicap: Indigo, Dragoman, Commander Scott. 12.13 p.m.—New Zealand Trotting Stakesr Krakatoa, Fair Isle, King’s Brigade. P-m-v-A. I. Rattray Handicap: Congo’ Sbng, Captain Sandy, Highland Fling. 1.43 p.m.—Autumn Stakes: Belmont Hall, Gay Knight, Victory Globe. 2.18 p.m.—Craven Handicap: Gay Piper, On Approval, Wayfarer. 3.13 p.m.—Stewards’ Handicap: Jason’s Quest, Acclamation, Bellissima. 3.58 p.m.—Speedway Handicap: On Ap-proval-Sir Peterson bracket, CarisbrookPirouette bracket, Duncraig. ’Fhe following is the programme:— PRELIMINARY HANDICAP

(3) 24 At his last start, Lyceum gave a fine performance to win the Harewood Handicap by three lengths from Gantree at the Canterbury Park Trotting Club’s meeting on February 12. On, the strength of that display, Lyceum will probably be sent out favourite for the Preliminary Handicap, in which he is nicely placed on the scratch mark. Of the other horses on scratch, Quarter Deck and Systematic have been racing consistently, and they are entitled to respect. Some improving pacers are on the 12 yards mark. Chamfer, an outstanding three-year-old; Gantree, a winner at the recent Hutt Park meeting at his last start: Despatch, a winner at the Timaru Trotting Club’s meeting; and Whipster, a winner earlier in the season, are ‘all above the average and they should be handy to Lyceum and Systematic at the finish.

Indigo, which has gained two seconds in his last two starts, may have an overdue win for M. C. McTigue in the Express Handicap. Most opposition to Indigo may come from Commander Scott, Dragoman, Checkmate, and Jackie Guy. One of Mr J. R. McKenzie’s team. Commander Scott raced well at the Canterbury Park Trotting Club’s meeting on February 12 to finish fourth after being securely pocketed at a critical stage of the President’s Handicap. Dragoman raced well at the same meeting to finish third in the President’s Handicap and fourth in the Farewell Handicap. Checkmate and Jackie Guy both have some good performances to their credit, and they should carry solid support. NEW ZEALAND TROTTING STAKES Of £IOOO. Three-year-olds. One mile and a half.

Krakatoa’s prospects dominate discussions on the New Zealand Trotting Stakes. A place-getter at Rangiora recently, Krakatoa has impressed track-watchers at Addington by the manner in which he has worked this week. Owned by Mr J. K. Teahen and trained by D. Teahen at Pleasant Point, Krakatoa stands out as the logical favourite. King’s Brigade, a place-getter in three of his seven races this season, and Fair Isle and Sure Lad, which have both shown some ability in their work at Addington, may divide the minor prizemoney. A. I. RATTRAY HANDICAP

„ (1) 108 Congo Song. Lady Averil, and Grattan Drive, have all shown winning form this season, and they should be prominent from the scratch mark in the A. I. Rattray Handicap. Monagh Leagh and Trusty Scott look

the pick of the horses on the 12 yards mark. One of L. A. Williams’s team at New Brighton, Monagh Leagh showed his best form for the season when he beat Plunder Bar by five leigths in the Canterbury Handicap at the Canterbury Park Trotting Club’s meeting on January 1. Trusty Scott, a place-getter at the trials at Addington last week, should strip a fit horse to-morrow. Of those further back in the handicaps, Captain Sandy, which has already won nine races this season; Globe Direct, a consistent performer for M. Holmes; Plunder Bar, a winner at his last two starts; and the brilliant Highland Fling appeal as the most likely to fight out the finish with Congo Song. AUTUMN STAKES.

Zulu (6) 24 Two high-class four-year-olds in Belmont Hall and Gay Knight will probably dispute favouritism in the Autumn Stakes, which has attracted a large field including some promising pacers in Victory Globe, Beckleigh, Highland Belle, Quarter Deck, and Pirouette. One of J. Young’s team at Addington, Victory Globe has raced well this season to earn £1744 for five wins and a second. Victory Globe, which is ' also engaged in the Craven Handicap, and in the Speedway Handicap, should add to his record at the meeting. Of the horses on the 24 yards mark. Pirouette and Zulu appear to have the best prospects of getting in the picture with Belmont Hall, Gay Knight, and Victory Globe at the finish.

CRAVEN HANDICAP, Of £I3OO. 4min 31sec class. Two miles. Bull s Eye (5) scr Wayfarer (2) scr Direct Heir (3) scr Windermere (7) scr Gay Piper (9) scr Premier Royal Mountmellick (1) 12 (6) scr Bonny Scott (2) 24 Noble de Oro Gough's Pride (4) scr (3) 24 On Approval Sand Piper (1) 24 (10) scr Mountain Hall Prince Hall (8) scr (2) 36 Victory Globe Right Royal (1) 36 (1) scr

Gay Piper, On Approval, Prince Hall, and Wayfarer appeal as the pick of the horses on the scratch mark in the Craven Handicap. Gay Piper, which has been placed in seven of his eight races this season for G. McKendry, and On Approval, which has gained two wins and six minor placings in his last nine races, will probably be the favourites when the totalisator closes. Of those further back in the handicaps, Premier Royal, which has a record of a win ana two seconds in his last four starts; Gough's Pride, consistent performer for the New Brighton trainer, A. Motz; and Bonny Scott, which has been working well at Addington for A. F. C. Rushton, should be handy to Gay Piper and On Approval at the finish. STEWARDS’ HANDICAP, Of £1250. Trotters. 4min 36sec class.

Jason’s Quest, •which has been lightly raced, has started in four races this season, his record including a win in the Intermediate Handicap of two miles, and a win in the Holmwood Handicap of two miles at the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club’s cup meeting. If T. H. Gunning has him at his best, Jason’s Quest should prove hard to beat from the 24 yards mark in the Stewards’ Handicap. W. R. Butt will parade a strong bracket in Betty Maxegin and Jimmy Scott, and together with Bellissima and Acclamation, which have both shown good form this season, they should be prominent with Jason’s Quest at the finish of the Stewards’ Handicap. SPEEDWAY HANDICAP, Of £IOOO. 2min 47sec class. One mile

On Approval, which is engaged in the Craven Handicap earlier in the day, showed fine form to win the sprint easily at the Wellington Trotting Club’s meeting on March 19. .If he is reserved, he will probably be sent out favourite for the Speedway Handicap, in which he is bracketed with a recent winner in Sir Peterson. Carisbrook and Ada Scott, which finished first and second in the Electric Handicap of one mile and a 'quarter at Hutt Park last week, and Duncraig and Red Hussar, which have both .worked well at Addington, may prove the hardest for On Approval to beat.

Of £900. 36sec class. Two miles. Lyceum (1) scr Ikaroa (8) 12 Quarter Deck Indian Son (2) 12 (4) scr Magnificent (12) 12 Red Flight (5) scr Palette • (5) 12 Sunny Hall (3) scr Pocket Edition Systematic (2) scr (10) 12 Chamfer (3) 12 Silent Knight Darrington Hall (7) 12 (12) 12 Whipster (4) 12 Despatch (6) 12 Doonholme (2) 24 Fan Tan (13) 12 Silver Light Fillmore (ID 12 (1) 24 Gantree (9) 12 _ Worthy Dick

EXPRESS HANDICAP Of £1000. 4min 27sec class. Two miles. Commander Good Review Scott (2) scr (5) scr Dillondale (7) scr Minoru (3) scr Dragoman (4) scr Red Ace (6) scr Golden Indigo (1) 12 Shadow (1) scr Checkmate (1) 36 , Jackie Guy (2) 36

Forearmed (1) scr King’s Brigade Little Ann (8) scr (10) scr Krakatoa (4) scr Noble Dictator Joselito (6) scr (5) scr Royal Castle Sure Lad (3) scr (7) scr Ingenuity (9) scr Fair Isle (2) scr

Of £3000. 4min 23sec class. Two miles. Congo Song (2) Grattan Drive scr Loyal Peter (2) Great Belwin 24 (3) scr (2) 36 Lady Averil (1) scr Navigate (1) 36 Local Gold (5) scr Captain Sandy Logan Rey (4) Ingle Belmer scr . (2) Globe Direct 48 (2) 12 (1) 48 Maudeen (3) 12 Knave of Monagh Leagh Diamonds (4) 48 (1) 12 Plunder Bar Trusty Scott (3) 48 (4) 12 Loyal Nurse Dundee Sandy (1) 60 (1) 24 Highland Fling

AUTUMN STAKES, Of £1250. Four and five-year-olds. One mile and a half. Ada Scott (7) scr Quarter Deck Aqua Lady (10) scr (12) scr Beckleigh (13) scr Red Flight (8) scr Belmont Hall Shalimar (1) scr (14) scr Victory Globe Cottesloe (3) scr (6) scr Demetrius (9) scr Coliseum (4) 24 Fanciful (2) scr Gay Note (2) 24 Foreign Lady Liliaceae (5) 24 (4) scr Pirouette (3) 24 Gay Knight (5) scr Sahara Queen Highland Belle (7) 24 (11) scr Uranium (1) 24

Two miles. Betty Maxegin Jason’s Quest (3) scr (1) 24 Castigate (6) scr Pardon Me (1) 36 Frank Scott (1) scr Bellisima (1) 48 Jimmy Scott Will Cary (1) 60 (5) scr Aerial Scott (2) 72 Keen Blade (2) scr Fantom (1) 72 Mine Host (4) scr Great Venture Acclamation (2) 12 (1) 84 Rerewaka (1) 12

and a quarter. Ada Scott (7) scr Nola Scott (8) 12 Aspanall (2) scr On Approval Duncraig (1) scr (10) 12 Fitnesse (8) scr Pirouette (12) 12 Indemnity (4) scr Quite Happy Indianote (5) scr (4) 12 Northern Lass Red Hussar (5) 12 (3) scr Remlap (6) 12 Pimpernel (6) scr Sea Craft (7) 12 Sir Peterson Victory Globe (10) s.cr (9) 12 Water Ranger Black Machine (9) scr (2) 24 Bull’s Eye (3) 12 Direct Medium Culture (1) 12 (1) 24 Daisy Gold (2) 12 Johnnie Lawn Direct Heir (13) 12 (3) 24 Carisbrook (11) 12 Novelda (4) 24