INTER-DOMINION CHAMPIONSHIP

Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 26967, 17 February 1953, Page 4

INTER-DOMINION CHAMPIONSHIP

BLUE MIST WORKS WELL (Special Correspondent N.Z.P.A.) (Rec. 8 p.m.) PERTH, February 16. Supporters of the New Zealand mare, Blue Mist, had their hopes raised this morning when the Dillon Hall mare worked over one mile and a quarter. Driven by her trainer, C. H. Fairman, Blue Mist, an inter-Dominion championship candidate, worked about 16 feet out from the rails and covered the distance in 2min 41 3-ssec, her last mile in 2min 8 l-ssec. Blue Mist looked improved by her run in the Free-for-All on Saturday night and this morning’s run should result in further improvement. She has done well since her arrival in Perth and is carrying more condition than she has for some time. • Victory Globe was jogged quietly over a few circuits of the track. He stopped badly in Saturday’s Free-for-All, but showed keenness this morning. He did not travel well and was very flat for the first few days here. He has improved, but may not be at his best for the first heat on Wednesday. There is a doubt about the other New Zealand candidate, Petty Officer. He looked sore on Saturday in the Free-for-All, in which he finished last, . and he was in a bad way when he had cooled out. His leg is responding to treatment and it is hoped that he will be right on Wednesday. Other doubtful. starters on Wednesday Include Floodlight, which was sore on pulling up after finishing third in the Free-for-All on Saturday night, and the Victorian mare, Dainty Rose, which gashed a leg on the float on arrival here. Other championship candidates working this morning included Avian Derby and his stablemate, Avondale, Minor Derby and Recovered. Avian Derby is a very small horse and at first appearance looks anything but a champion. However, once he, stretches out ne is a smooth pacer. Avondale is a well-grown son of Peerless Peter. Victorians rate him very- little worse than Avian Derby, and his meeting with Beau Don in the second heat on Wednesday night has aroused considerable interest. Minor Derby, the South Australian champion, arrived by plane on Saturday night. He is an inelegant horse with a lot of action once he settles down. He has tremendous speed and he is expected to race well in the series. During the weekend there was heavy backing for Beau Don and Ribands, while Blue Mist, whose price lengthened on Saturday night, has shortened again. The market fo r the final of the series this morning was: two’s, Beau Don; four’s, Ribands, five’s Avian Derby, six’s Kellett, Blue Mist; eight’s, Petty Officer; 10’s, Dainty Rose; 14’s, Captain Sandy, Bruce Hall; 25’s, Minor Derby, Floodlight, Victory Globe; 33’s to 200’s, the others.