MARGARET’S OWN IN FORM

Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 27037, 12 May 1953, Page 4

MARGARET’S OWN IN FORM

FIFTH HANDICAP WIN FOR SEASON Margaret’s Own, which had failed in five apearances at the Addington Easter meeting, won her fifth race for the season and brought her stake.earnings to £6660 when she outclassed the field in the £2050 Adams Gold Cup, the main event at the Auckland Trotting Club’s meeting on Saturday. Margaret’s Own took charge before the end of six furlongs on Saturday and she ran on solidly to beat Lauder Hall by two lengths. Margaret’s Own revelled in the heavy track conditions and won really well Lauder Hall had every chance, as had Shirley Lawn, which battled on for third, ahead of Petite Yvonne, which looked the likely winner at the straight entrance. Laureldale was fifth, ahead of Lady Joss, Morano, Masterpiece and Kublai Khan. Maori Queen, the favourite, lost a lot of ground early and was tailed off most of the way. The surprising feature of Margaret's Own’s successes this season has been the large win dividends returned. On Saturday she paid £lO 9s for a win. The smallest of her other dividends was £7 0s 6d when she beat Shirley Lawn and Forward in the Alexandra Park Handicap on February 14, and the largest was £24 6s when she beat Morano in the Ferguson Handicap on September 27. Margaret’s Own’s five wins this season nave all been at Epsom. She has also been three times placed in her 13 other starts. Saturday’s win was her first over two miles this season, although she was third in 4min 15 l-ssec behind Pleasant Smile and Adorian in the Labour Day Handicap. She has recorded fast times in most of her races, her best being 3min 9sec for one mile and a half when she beat Adorian and Greek Brigade in the Champion Handicap at the Auckland Cup meeting. A six-year-old mare by Auto Machine from Coal Black, Margaret’s Own has had 61 starts for 13 wins, 11 platings and £9985 in stakes for her Te Awamutu owner-trainer, T. G. Martin. Margaret’s Own will have bright prospects of extending her record in the Farewell Handicap, to be run over one mile and a quarter on the final day of the meeting.

Began Well Defiance, a surprise 2.2 favourite, did not run on as well as expected in the R. A. McDowell Memorial Handicap at Oamaru on Saturday, and_he was well beaten into fourth place. The Springfield Globe stallion began much better than usual and he was always one of the leading bunch. Defiance has had -a.. fair amount of rating recently, and he should be near his best. He may gain an overdue win before the end of the season. Likely Improver Timber Miller showed gameness for a comparatively inexperienced horse when he led from end to end in the Second Trial Handicap at Oamaru on Saturday. Se had to be driven right out to hold off eytime by a neck. Timber Miller is a well-grown three-year-old colt by Josedale Grattan from Pretty Wrack, an unraced mare by Wrackful from Pretty Match, the dam also of Blue Match and Artful. Timber Miller should do well next season, when he has had more experience. Showed Ability

Sure King did well to finish right up with the fourth horse, Scottish Brigade, in the Oamaru Juvenile Stakes on Saturday. Sure King made most of the pace and he battled on well in the straight to be about two lengths from the winner. Raced by Messrs E. Dunstan and E. T. Fairbairn, he is trained at Hornby by A. T. Fairbairn. He is a neatly-made colt by Kingcobra from Appreciate, by Quite Sure. Sure King has Improved in recent weeks and he may show up in classic and semi-classic races during the remainder of the season. Improving The Springfield Globe gelding. Spike, showed nis first glimpse of form since winning at Hororata last December, when he produced a powerful finishing run to take third place behind Lodestar and Colonel Peterson in the Kowhai Trot Handicap at Amberley on Saturday. Spike raced back in the middle of the field for most of the running, and over the last three furlongs he had to cover a lot of extra ground to improve his position. He was showing up wide out, several lengths from the leaders, turning into the straight, and, under a hard drive, he maintained his run to the post. At his best Spike possesses. much ability, and, better favoured in the running, he may soon win. Showed Speed

Having her second start in a race, the three-year-old Yqung Bob filly, Excelsa, showed speed to finish fourth in the Teviotdale Trot Handicap at Amberley on Saturday. She broke at the start and lost a big stretch of ground, and with a round to go she was 48 yards from the leaders, with 10 runner* in front of her. After receiving a check she had made up a little ground before the straight was reached, but at that stage was st’U several lengths behind the leading division. At this stage, her prospect of filling a place did not look bright. Het finishing run in the straight was a feature of the race, and it appeared that if she had gone away well, she would have extended the winner. Sage Girl. Trained at Addington by L. O. Thomas, Excelsa should soon win when she teams to leave the mark reasonably well.