H. J. SMITH’S TEAM DISPERSED

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

H. J. SMITH’S TEAM DISPERSED

BARRIER REEF NOW AT TEMPLETON H. J. Smith’s team at Halswell has been dispersed. Barrier Reef, Global Voyage, Rocky Reef and a three-year-old gelding brother to Rocky Reef were transferred to W. J. Coats’s stables at Templeton yesterday. Globe Son and Kathleen Walla were sent to J. B. Pringle and a three-year-old gelding by Young Bob from a Wrack mare will join R. J. Jones’s team at Ashburton.

Smith has relinquished professional training to become a hotel licensee. Barrier Reef, an eight-year-old gelding by U. Scott from Rocks Ahead, failed" to show up in his two races at the recent Addington meeting, but last season he showed useful form to record one win and three placings in 11 starts. After beating Two Step and Ripcord in a heat at the Inter-Do-minion Championships, he was fourth to Gay Belwin, Signal Light, and Dictation in the grand final, and finished less than two lengths behind the winner.

Barrier Reef is not always very reliable at the start of his races, but if he can be induced to trot solidly, he should pay his way this season. Global Voyage is a six-year-old halfbrother by Springfield Globe to Battier Reef. He showed more than average ability in his racing last season, and in 19 starts had five wins and two placings. He, too, is not very reliable, but when in a generous mood he has a tremendous turn of speed. He should eventually win his way to a tight mark.

Rocky Reef is a four-year-old horse by Gold Bar from Rocks Ahead. He has been lightly raced to date, but has shown fair ability. Globe Son, a seven-year-old gelding by Springfield Globe from Sonoma Bell, tracing back to Berthabell, has pot won for some time. Pringle should find little difficulty in placing him to advantage, as he has a useful turn of speed. Kathleen Walla, a four-year-old mare by Radiant Walla from Kathleen Rose, is a maiden trotter. She has had onlv one start so far. She should eventually prove more than useful.

Claadelands Winner Anxious Moments, a half-brother by Bill B. to a good pacer In Margaret s Own, had a well-deserved win in the Huntly Handicap at Claudelands on Saturday. He had been placed at two earlier starts this season. A nine-year-old gelding. he has been a long time in winning, but now that he has become solid, he may pay his way at the minor meetings in the North Island in the next few weks. He is owned and trained at Te Awamutu by T. G. Martin. Van Dieman

Van Dieman, a costly failure in the Farewell Free-for-All at Addington on Saturday, took no harm from the race, •nd is being taken along quietly in the meantime. No definite plans have been made to race him before the New Zealand Trotting Cup, but it is likely that he will be given a run before then. The lameness which troubled him before the first day of the meeting at Addington has completely disappeared. Maiden Winner

Vilaine impressed at the Otago Hunt Club's meeting at Wingatui on Saturday by the way in which she outclassed the field in the Brockville Trotting Handicap. Spearhead made the early pace, but broke near the seven, and Vilaine, which had been receiving a perfect trail, went on in the lead. She was five lengths clear at the half-mile and had the rest oi the field struggling at the straight entrance. She won by six lengths from Begonia. A wheel of Begonia’s sulky was damaged during the race. Dunvegan made up ground to be half a length back third, clear of Top Mast, which received interference with seven furlongs to run. Dark Marie, which had had every chance, was a fair fifth. Vilaine, which was having her first start from J. Walsh's Gore stables, is a six-year-old mare by Springfield Globe from Mademoiselle, the dam also of Pierre and Caudray.

Likely Improver Shirley Lawn made a good start for the season when she finished second to Pleasant Smile in the President's Handicap and won the Stewards' Handicap at the Waikato meeting on Saturday. She ‘had. no chance against Pleasant Smile in the first race. She was a good favourite for the Stewards' Handicap, and had to be kept up to her work to hold off Brilliant Light, which might have been harder to beat if he had got clear earlier in the straight. Brilliant Light was beaten by a neck. Shirley Lawn will probably have her next race at the Auckland Trotting Club’s meeting next month. Last season she showed useful form, winning four races and recording seven placings from 18 starts. She is a six-year-old mare by Master Lawn from Bold Venture, a grand race mare, which also left Sure Venture and Whare Toa. Shirley Lawn traces back to Kewpie, ancestress of a number of fine performers. Rosebeam In Form

The Gold Bar mare, Rosebeam, came from an apparently hopeless position with four furlongs to run in the Wingatui Trotting Handicap at the Otago Hunt Club's meeting on Saturday, to catch Wmtern Comet on the post. Keretaki and Onward, a brother to a good performer in Stirling Castle, made the early P?' MBin Forcc and Queen of Scots had charge at the straight entrance from Peterhead, with Rosebeam still badly placed. Queen of Scots looked to have the others “eaten half-way down the straight, but Petwhead passed her. They were unable to hold off the challenges of Western Comet, which broke twice in the straight, and then Rosebeam, which wore down Western Comet in the last stride to win by half a head. Peterhead was half a length away third, clear of Queen of Scots, Keretaki, Main Force, and Solandri. Rosebeam showed good form towards the end of last season, and had a win and four placings tn her last six starts. Owned and trained at Ashburton by A. v/ n 1 3 L ee l. ,he . ls an eight-year-old mare by Gold Bar from Myra Potts, by Jack £rl ttS , a mare by Logan Pointer. & r, B®l&g£. the dam ° f Go,dboX Amwer to Correspondent

"Curious,” Riccarton.—You are correct.