GOOD START FOR SEASON

Press, Volume LXXXVIII, Issue 26855, 7 October 1952, Page 4

GOOD START FOR SEASON

Youngsters owned BY MR J. S. SHAW

SUCCESS IN TWO OF THREE RACES

The Riccarton owner-trainer, Mr J. S. Shaw, has started the present season well. .Two of the three two-year-old graces run in the South Island have been won by youngsters racing in the royal blue and cerise colours made familiar, by that great stayer, Beaumaris: <. a-,; Referee won the two-year-old handicap on the second day of the Dunedin Jockey Club’s spring meeting a week after running a close third in the McLean Stakes. At Washdyke on Saturday the brown colt, Kingship, led practically all the way to win the Caroline Handicap. Mr Shaw had both Referee and Kingship in the .Caroline Handicap field and the bracket was solidly supported, public hopes resting mainly on Referee, Kingship being- one of the youngsters in the field having his first race. Referee was restless at the barrier and was left, but Kingship saved the situation for supporters of the bracket, by a neck from the fasterfinishing Talons. Kifigship, ..a brown colt by Timanova from Blue Lace, was offered by Mr Shaw- at the national yearling sales last January. Bidding for him stopped at 500 guineas, which was below his reserve and he was brought to Riccarton to be prepared for racing. Blue Lace was bred in England, the product of the mating of Real Lace with Pherozshah. which were also brought to New Zealand. Blue Lace was a winner and a halfsister to another in Miss Suzette. Real Lace left two winners in England and she was from Suzette, a halfsister to Revelation, a successful sire in New Zealand. Good Finishing Run The outstanding effort of the Caroline Handicap was Talons’s bold finishing run into second place behind Kingship. Talons took time to work up to his best speed, and he came from well back on the turn to run the winner close. It was also Talons’s first race, and he was not knocked about over the last furlong. He responded very generously when ridden with hands and heels by G. W. Mein. If he had been shaken up with the whip he would have probably won. Racea by his breeder, Mr G. R. Macdonald, Talons is a brown gelding by Pherozshah from Bird of Prey. He is fully related to Sinister, a swift galloper, but a bleeder last season. Bird of Prey won three races in two seasons, her successes coming in her first season. She won the Roseneath Plate at Trentham. the Lyttelton Plate at Riccarton, and the Hopeful Handicap at Wingatui. She raced six times as a three-year-old and was unplaced five times. She finished third to Palfrey and Sir Gundi in the John Grigg Stakes.

A better performance was expected of Miss Bambton after her great run into fourth place in the McLean Stakes. This time Miss Bambton had one of the inside barrier positions, and appeared to dodge trouble in the running. She was not far behind the leaders in the run to the straight, but did not show the finishing speed expected of her. She made up some ground for third, but was beaten off. Miss Bambton is unlikely to be kept to racing during the summer. She may be rested after the Wellington spring meeting. Starting Stalls for Washdyke Starting stalls will probably be in use' for the next meeting held by the South Canterbury Jockey Club, in December. The need for them was apparent on Saturday. The stalls will be those formerly used at Riccarton, with some modifications. The horses will be strapped in from the back. Photo-finish equipment was used for the first time at Washdyke on Saturday. It was operated from a new steel judge’s tower, set well back from the course, 300 feet from the inside rail of the trotting track. Masterton Weights Weights for Riccarton horses nominated for the Masterton meeting next Saturday are:— Masterton Handicap: Notable 8-2; Coral Arc 8-0; Royal Mail 7-7. (Hutton is top weight, with 9-7.) Sclway Handicap: Declare 8-3; Royal Mail 7-11. (Red Jester is top weight, with 9-5.) Lansdowne Hack Handicap: Paper Royal 8-7. (Stepova is top weight, with 9-7.) Royal Mail Fifth Royal Mail, the favourite, was a close fifth in the Levin Handicap, his first race in open company, at Otaki on,Saturday. The Riccarton-trained Royal Chief gelding trailed Young Beau and Berne into the straight, shot through on the rails to head the leaders as soon as they straightened up, but was soon mastered, first by Young Beau, and then by Hutton, which went on to win decisively. Royal Mail finished practically in line with the fourth horse, Reigning King, a little over three lengths behind the winner. Heavy rain, which started a short time earlier, caused the start of the race to be delayed for 15 minutes, to give the rain time to penetrate the turf. Better Fortune Next Time Trentham patrons did not get a good impression of Rustler when he raced on a heavy track in the Whyte Handicap in July, but it may be a different story at the spring meeting there this month. Rustler has won his last two races, the latest at Washdyke on Saturday, with great ease, and if he has conditions to his liking when he goes north this time he should measure up to the class of the best of his opponents. On Saturday, Rustler toyed with Silence when that outstanding Wingatui sprinter challenged early in the run home. To do that calls for abilitv above the average.