SPECTRAL BACK IN WORK

Press, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 26512, 29 August 1951, Page 4

SPECTRAL BACK IN WORK

MAY RESUME RACING AT ASHBURTON K. J. Thomson has Spectral in-Steady work at Riccarton, and this smart sprinter will probably resume racing at the Ashburton spring meeting on September 15. The Revelation gelding has grown considerably during his spell, and if he improves as is expected, he should extend his promising record this season. Spectral was put aside after the Easter meeting at Riccarton, where he ran second in the Great Easter Handicap. Entrancing beat him by a nose. Spectral is a half-brother to His Nibs, which was a successful sprinter in New Zealand two seasons ago. The dam of these two gallopers is Twilight, which was got by Nightly from Belcaire, a daughter of imported parents in Treclare and Bhanavar. Twilight did not race, but her full relations, Patu Po and Patu Ra, had fair success, and her half-sister Clorane left five winners, including All Night, which won 13 races. Belcaire was a winner in Australia and her half-sister. Donna Vara, left the winners High Boy and Quantum; also React, which produced the Australian Grand National Hurdles winner, Eudunda. To Train in South Island W. McEwan, who has been training at Otaki for some years, has decided to return to Otago. He has bought a property at Mosgiel. where he wul have his own training track. It is not known yet whether he will take with him any North Island-owned members of his present team. Struelpeter Sold The Invercargill owner-trainer, w. E. Hazlett, has bought the Columcille gelding. Struelpeter. which was formerly trained at Riccarton by G. Ridgway. Struelpeter, now a four-year-old, had only one race last season. . Columcille is standing at Mr Hazletts stud in Invercargill. For Avondale The Riccarton-trained two-year-old, Valescure, an acceptor for the Avondale Stakes, to be run at the Avondale Racing Club's spring meeting on September 5, has been taken north. The Treasure Hunt gelding has drawn the second division of the race, with the handy barrier position of No. 4. He will be ridden by C. T. Wilson.

Over Middle Distance Travesty will race next at the Ashburton spring meeting, where he will contest the Ashburton Handicap, of one mile and a quarter. This smart Defaulter gelding might have won a race at the Grand National meeting with a little more luck in the running. He did not get clear until very late in the August Handicap on the third day. and his effort to finish third was a good one. Travesty won over a mile and a quarter in a hack field at the Canterbury Jockey Club's summer meeting. Air Belle for Stud The Trentham sprinter Air Belle, has been retired from racing. She will be mated with the New Zealand Derby winner, The Unicom, this year. In four seasons, Air Belle contested 33 races for seven wins, 13 minor placings, and £4635 in stakes. Her best performance last season was her second to Personage. in the Railway Handicap at Ellerslie. Air Belle is a six-year-old mare by Airway from Te Marua. She is owned by Mr H. P. F. Blundell, Wellington. Speedy, bat Small. The Grand National Hurdles winner, All Pockets, is at present spelling, and his place in R. P. Register's team has been taken by Blue Teal, which is also owned by Mrs A. P. Bennett. Blue Teal showed speed in her two-year-old racing last season, but her smallness is likely to handicap her. Glide In has also joined Register's team, this Kincardine gelding having been bought by Mr J. P. Low, of Greymouth, Mr Low successfully raced Glide In’s dam, the Australian-bred Emmeline Girl. Mr Low later sold Emmeline Girl, whose first foal w r as Glide In. A speedy front runner. Glide In was formerly trained by E. J. Ellis, Washdyke, for Mr A. N. Gerrand. He won two races last season. Breeder’s Misfortunes The Hastings breeder and owner,- Mr A. Hennah. had an unenviable experience recently,- when his mare,- Caresses, in foal to Amber, slipped twin foals. A few days later the mare. Ate. owned by Mr Hennah's son, Mr Maurice Hennah, but from the same farm property In Hastings as Caresses, with which she shared a paddock, slipped twin foals to Dogger Bank. For two mares so closely connected to slip twin foals within days of each other must be unique. Plans for Intrepid Intrepid has developed into a’high-class four-year-old and it is intended at this stage to prepare him for the New Zealand Cup. at Riccarton in November. The Awapuni-trained Instinct horse is to have his first start of the season at Wanganui. After this he will race at Hastings and . Trentham. - In his first run in open company last season, Intrepid ran Beaumaris to half a length in the Auckland Cup Trial. He ran a great race for a hack graduate, to finish seventh in the Auckland Cup and then fourth in the Great Northern Derby. Intrepid then trained off, but he ran two good races in the late autumn, to be placed in the Opunake and Feilding Cups. By the Blue Peter horse. Instinct, intrepid is bred from the good race mare. Foxsen, winner of the Nathans’ Memorial and six other races. She was bred from Senorita, a half-sister to the Oaks winner, Speedmint. Improving Galloper Master Mariner, winner of the Vauxhall Handicap at the Otago Hunt meeting on Saturday, is making a good return tor the 250gns he cost Mr Andrew Grant, of Fairlie, as a yearling. On Saturday, he showed the benefit of his racing at the Grand National meeting, winning narrowly but well from the Treasure Hunt three-year-oldj Hunter's Choice. Master Mariner is by Admiral’s Luck, the leading sire of two-year-olds in New Zealand last season. His dam, the unraced Many Melodies, is by Hunting Song from Little Melody, by Lucullus from Martigues. by Martian from Everlasting. Everlasting was a half-sister to Madowla. dam of outstanding winners in Masterpiece, Gienculloch, and Madam Madcap, and ancestress of others tn Wild Chase. Immediate, Royal Stag. Moorfowl, and others. Little Melody, a winner in Australia, was a half-sister to Kirima, which left the good winner. Dictate.