JUBILEE MEETING AT BLENHEIM

Press, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 26093, 21 April 1950, Page 4

JUBILEE MEETING AT BLENHEIM

RACING

PERSONALITY FAVOURED FOR CUP The Riccarton trainer, L. J. Ellis, holds a strong hand in the main events on the first day of the Marlborough Racing Club’s seventy-fifth jubilee meeting to-morrow. Ellis has Personality in the Marlborough Jubilee Cup and Resolute in the Stewards’ Handicap. The double will be on these races

Personality, top weight in the cup with 8-4, ran one of his best races this season in the Sockburn Handicap, one mile and a half, at Riccarton last Saturday. He was going like a winner at the furlong, but Salmon Spear then came on to beat him convincingly. Personality was unchallenged in second place ahead of Renowned. The Bulandshar four-year-old showed the benefit of his race in the Dominion Handicap on the second day of the meeting. Since he left the hack ranks at the Grand National meeting Personality has had only one win, that being over a mile and a quarter on the second day of the Oamaru meeting. In scoring that win he carried 7-12, and finished ahead of some smart gallopers including Kosher, Arctotis, Jan, and Flying Control. Jan has since won the Dominion Handicap at Riccarton. Another Riccarton candidate likely to have a strong following in the cup is Elofa, which has been racing consistently for Mr A. F. Loe, for whom he is trained by W. Barr, Elcfa at successive starts won the Timaru and Waimate Cups, and in the Dominion Handicap at Riccarton on Easter Tuesday, he did well to finish seventh after being checked in the running. Under 7-10 Elofa may be capable of taking part in the finish. Cheerful Night has been extensively raced this season, but she has apparently thrived on it. The Trentham-trained Croupier mare was making her fifteenth appearance of the season' when she won the Waipukurau Cup, one mile and three furlongs, under 7-5 on Easter Monday. She finished solidly to» beat Sorrel and Hush into the minor places, Demonic being fourth.

The Rip, Brenlock, and Vitesse were both placed in their races at the Wairarapa meeting, but the Riccarton candidates may be capable of beating them. The most likely light-weight is Double Bid, a winner in hack class at the Grand National meeting, and a place-getter at the Wairarapa meeting. Sprint Field

Resolute will probably be made favourite for the Stewards’ Handicap on the strength of his sound performances on the first and second days of the autumn meeting at Riccarton.

Carrying 7-8, or 71b overweight. Resolute just failed to stall off Pierre’s solid winning challenge in the Great Easter Handicap, being beaten by a head. The Robin Goodfellow gelding ran another good race in the Templeton Handicap on the second day. He lost a likely winning chance when he was checked by Gold King in the straight, then finished third to Revelry and Faithful Pal. On a holding track last Saturday Resolute did not fare so well, finishing seventh. Though now in the veteran stage, Whitley retains his speed. His fourth in the Templeton Handicap on the second day at Riccarton was a useful effort, and he will be harder to dispose of round the turns at Blenheim. Vitesse will probably prefer this distance to that of the cup. After Resolute and Whitley she has the best credentials. Selections are:— 11 a.m.—Novice Stakes: Lord Montrose, Bonnie Pride, Rannoch. 11.45 a.m.—Waihopai Trotting Handicap: June Grattan-Little Slam bracket, Authority, Clouds Away. 12.30 p.m.—Pelorus Hack Handicap: Omega, Sunshine Bay, Ambergris. 1.20 p.m.—Marlborough Jubilee Cup: Personality, Elofa, Cheerful Night. 2.5 p.m.—Pictdn Hack Handicap: Anson, Silver Chase, Lady Ella. 2.55 p.m.—Awatere Trotting Handicap: June Grattan-Little Slam bracket. Authority, Lady Rowan. 3.45 p.m.—Stewards’ Handicap: Resolute, Whitley, Vitesse. 4.35 p.m.—Blenheim Hack Handicap: Lady Ella, Anson, Great Way.