RACING CAREER OVER

Press, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 26127, 1 June 1950, Page 7

RACING CAREER OVER

RACING

THE GRATE RETIRED TO STUD The Mosgiel owner-trainer, D. P. Wilson, has decided to retire The Grate to the stud. The Salmagundi mare raced at Easter and looked in good order, but she has evidently failed fo train on. A six-year-old brown mare by Salmagundi from Trivet (dam also of Frances), The Grate won nine and £7515 in She was fifth on the list of stake win-, ners in New Zealand last season with £7105, which she earned with six winsand four placings. She left the hack ranks early last season with wins in the Kerrytown Hack Handicap at Washdyke and the October Hack Handicap at Trentham. She quickly made her mark in open company, winning the Southland Handicap at Invercargill. She was then brought to Riccarton, where she won the Fendalton Handicap on the last day of the New Zealand Cup meeting. She finished out of a place, but close to the placed horses, in the Auckland Cup, which was won decisively by her stablemate, Frances. Brought south for the Wellington Racing Club’s summer meeting, she finished brilliantly into second place in the Wellington Cup, behind the Riccarton-trained Royal Tan. The Grate returned to the winning list in the Midsummer Handicap at the Canterbury Jockey Club’s summer meeting. Her winning run ended in the Autumn Handicap on the first day of the Wellington meeting in March of last year. She beat a field of high-class handicap horses, including Lord Revel,. King’s Ransom, Royal Tan, and Swanee. Like many of the stock of Salmagundi, The Grate was a plain individual, but she had a great store of fighting courage and stamina. Strongly Represented The Invercargill trainer, R. E. McLellan. holds a strong hand in the Birthday Handicap at Wingatui on Saturday with Lecturer, Jimmy the One, and Great Bid. Lecturer will be making his first appearance in open company. He has won three races in five starts from McLellan’s stable, and there has been a touch of class about all his performances. His last success was on the first day of the Southland Racing Club’s winter meeting op April 7. when he carried 9-4 (including a 71b allowance) and won the Bluff Handicap (one mile and three furlongs) decisively from Salamander and Reprimand. Lecturer proved himself the best staying hack on the southern circuit in the autumn, and if produced at his best he is expected to fare well in an open field. Jimmy the One has run three good seconds in his last four starts, and with better luck he would have been a winner. He was runner-up to St. Bruno in the Riverton Cup. and on the same day he beat all but Baygundi in the open mile. At his last start he finished second to Waicoe in the Waiau Handicap on the second day of the Southland meeting. Jimmy the One is essentially a stayer. The mile and a half of the Birthday Handicap should suit him, and he may have track conditions to his liking before the meeting ends. Great Bid is a recent graduate from the hack ranks. He beat Lady Claret and Supermarine on the second day of the Southland winter meeting, and. appearing later in the day, he finished second to Uist in the open mile. He raced at the South Canterbury meeting, running a useful fourth in the Elloughton Handicap, after being slow away. He has also been paid up for in the Winter Handicap, and track conditions on the day will probably decide his programme. Brookby Song Schools Well An excellent display of jumping by Brookby Song, which l beat Duke Royal, Folkestone, Jon Rosa, Cyclades, and Good Armour over a round of the steeplechase course, was a feature of the training at Ellerslie on Tuesday in preparation for the Auckland Racing Club’s winter meeting. Brookby Song (Collett) was about three lengths ahead of Duke Royal (Ensor), I f, olk^st^ ne (Midwood), Jon Rosa (McColl), Cyclades (Gibbs), and Good Armour (Whaiapu) following, after jumping 15 steeplechase fences. Th ®y began by jumping the sod wall at the bottom of the straight, and finished by clearing the fence near the mile start. Sea Ranger (Davis), The Call (Bedford), thS-n R bur*fen ed (Boreham) began with Sea Ranger and Brookby Song went together at a fast pace over the first few S^ a Ran .ge r then began to tire the Mil at the eighth fence " th e first on Brookby Song continued to gallon and eff ° + tle *u ly outin front, and remainand^in^A 01 ! 6 end ... He P u Ued up well and is in good condition. Doubtful Starter a doubtful starter in the Otaeo Steeplechase on Saturday. He was pS^ after his gallop at Wingatui ffiled? U dy ’ and ° ne of his Pasterns Night Raid gelding was top weight for the race, with 11-4. weigm, Wanganui Scratchings—+oJ?ck?aw (Tuesday), Ohuka Fox (vesbeen y ’ an ? i He J? n Frond ( yesterday) have 11 i scratched from the Grandstand riuFUc eChaS + e - at the w anganui Racing Clubs meeting on Saturday.—(P.A.) Oamaru J.c. Nominations for Oamaru winter meeting close at 5 p.m. to-day. ’Phone 1693. Advt.