BILLY BOY IN FORM

Press, Volume LXXXVIII, Issue 26671, 4 March 1952, Page 4

BILLY BOY IN FORM

DOUBLE WINNER AT HUTT PARK Billy Boy, a narrow winner over a mile and a quarter on the first day of the Wellington Trotting Club’s summer meeting at Hutt Park on February 23, confirmed that form by an impressive victory in the John Sharpe Memorial Handicap, of one mile and five furlongs, on Saturday; Billy Boy was always about fifth in the running, and he moved up to join his bracketed mate, Te Arawhata, m the lead with two furlongs to run. The bracketed pair led into the straight from First Mate, Relight, Sirocco, Petite Yvonne, Brilliant Light and Duncraig. Te Arawhata „.V, ght „ on W ell< but was no match for Billy Boy in the final stages. Petite Yvonne finished fast into third, a length back, and she was followed by Brilliant Light, Duncraig and Sirocco almost in linp. There was two lengths back to Level Best and Relight, with another two lengths to Star Rosa and First Mate, which both disappointed. Billy Boy, which ran the journey in tne smart time of 3min 28sec, has mixed some good performances with some poor ones, but when 4n form he is fast. Produced later in the day in the Express Handicap, he tailed off, finishing a bad last. , Trained at Templeton bv C. R. Berkett for Mr E. M. Breed, Billy Boy Is a six-year-old roan gelding by Bill B. from Lady Imperious. From 14 starts this season his record now stands at three wins and four placing*. He may find ■ the task of winning from his new assessment much more difficult. Te Arawhata raced well without luck at the meeting. In the main race on the first day he finished seventh after being badly checked in the running, and later that day, in the Summer Handicap, he finished on for sixth after breaking at the start. After hi* second to Billy Boy on Saturday, he was produced again in the Express Handicap. He began slowly and made up a lot of ground to finish third. Since entering C. R. Berkett’s team recently Te Arawhata has become quite solid. Duncraig Back to' Best

Duncraig was rewarded for his consistent efforts at the Wellington Trotting Club’s meeting at Hutt Park, when he won narrowly from the pacemaker. Sirocco, in the Express Handicap on Saturday. There was some interference with three furlongs to run in this race, several horses losing their chances. Duncraig came from behind the leaders to follpw Sirocco into the straight. Under a nard drive Duncraig came on to win by a head. Sirocco held on to finish half a length in front of the third horse, Te Arawhata, and then came Logan Fame and Petite Yvonne. Since entering the Addington stable of G. S. Smith, who trains him for Messrs G. C, and L. S. Purdue, Duncraig has raced solidly to gain one win and three minor placings from nine starts. By Dillon Hall from Etta Bingen, Duncraig is at an age when further improvement is hardly to be expected. The fact that he won in the smart time of 2min 38 4-ssec shows he is still in grand condition.

Likely Improver Taradale. which is trained at Tinwald by D. L. and F. L. McGregor for Mr A. Pirie, made a good effort to finish fourth, less than a length away from the winner, Supreme Command, in the Waihora Park Handicap Trot at Motukarara on Saturday. Taradale began quickly, and D. L. McGregor rushed him through into the lead immediately after the start. After making all the running the four-year -old U. Scott gelding weakened slightly only in the last few yards. From nine starts this season Taradale has won once and been fourth on three occasions. He is a brother to Gloxania (2min 44 l-ssec) and a half-brother to the brilliant but unsound trotter Flame, Belle Header (4min 32sec), Springtide, and Quota. His dam. Belle Lorimer, was by the imported Nelson Bingen from Talrene, by Wildwood Jnr. from Jessie 8., by Smith O'Brien. Capable Driver J. G. Hampton, who has driven most of G. S. Smith’s team in their recent races,, showed by his success at Hutt Park on Saturday that he is a capable reinsman. He won with Dark Water and Duncraig, which both paid double-figure dividends, and he also drove Son’s Gift to finish second in two races. Hampton has also proved a successful trainer over the last few seasons, gaining ’considerable success with the trotters Signal Light, Rowan McCoy, and Canny Scott. Brilliant Three-year-old Kissing Cup, which won the Southland Three-year-old Stakes in effortless fashion at Invercargill on Saturday, is regarded as one of the best three-year-olds ever produced in Southland. Sent out an oddson favourite, Kissing Cup made light of her 24 yards handicap, winning easing up by four lengths. A black filly by Dillon Hall from Oleda Derby, Kissing Cup has now started seven times for three wins, three seconds, and a fourth. Trained at Gore by-J. Walsh for Mr R. Porter, Kissing Cup would more than hold her own amongst the top-flight Canterbury pacers of her age. Kierlock

Sent out a solid favourite for the Waihora Park Handicap at the Banks Peninsura Racing Club’s meeting at Motukarara on Saturday, the four-year-old Colossal gelding Kierlock, was slow to find his feet from 12 yards behind. When the field settled down he had 12 horses in front of him. He was forced to race wide on the turns, but he made up considerable ground over the last half-mile to finish a fair sixth. From 10 starts this season Kierlock has had two wins and two plaeings, and his record would probably have been better had he not been racing from awkward marks. When, he learns to begin more quickly he should soon win his way to a tighter mark.

Class Mare When the four-year-old mare, Retard, came away in the straight to win convincingly in the Army Handicap at Hutt Park on Saturday, she brought her record to two wins and one second from her last four starts Her effort was an improvement on her unplaced performance in the Featherston Handicap cn the first day oi the meeting, in which she was slow to move. Backed down to first favouritism. Retard was well driven by her trainer, R. J. Cleave, being kept behind the pacemaker, Francis Gold, until the straight yas reached. Cnee asked for an effort, Retard gave nothing else a chance, and her winning margin of one length could easily have been widened. By Radiant Walla from the Grattan Loyal mare. Sparkwood, Retard ranks as a half-sister to another winner in Free Alecia (3min 22 4-sseci Retard gives the impression that she will graduate to the highest classes. Death of ,Mr D. M. Kerr

A long association with trotting in Southland was broken by the death in Gore last week of Mr D. M. Kerr, sen. He was one of the most successful trainers in the district until his retirement a tew years ago. One of the first horses he trained was Celeste, owned by Mr W. Macdonald, of Edendale, who has been a patron of the stable ever since. The last horse trained by Mr Kerr was Sydney Victor, which carried Mr Macdonald’s colours.