FORM SHOWN AT MASTERTON

Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 27169, 13 October 1953, Page 4

FORM SHOWN AT MASTERTON

RED JESTER SHOULD DO WELL AT TRENTHAM **The Press" Special Service WELLINGTON. October 12. Outstanding among the Wellington horses which raced at the Masterton meeting on Saturday was the Wainui Handicap top-weight. Red Jester, whose late run wide out on the track for third placing in the Solway Handicap, was firstclass trial for Saturday’s big mile race. Red Jester carried 9-9 at Masterton. and he has lib less at Trentham. This was Red Jester’s first appearance since he raced in Australia last autumn, when he won the All-Aged Stakes at Randwick. In the full bloom of his maturity, Red Jester has developed into a “picture horse,” with class and character stamped all over An outside barrier position at Masterton forced him to cover extra ground, out he made a characteristic run in the test furlong that took him to a close third. It was an excellent performance for a fresh horse, and though he is conceding weight all round to a high-class field in the Wainui Handicap, he will be hard to beat at Trentham.

Coaltown reappeared in this event, having his first start since he finished third in the Jackson' Stakes at Wanganui last February. He was badly interfered with near the half-mile post, went to the tail of the field, and never recovered. This good performer on metropolitan courses has never looked as well as he does at present, and he appears to be sufficiently forward to show his best form soon.

Other Wainui Handicap horses to race at Masterton were Hutton, Golden Coronach, Golden Tan, Aureomycin, Poetical, Sanford. Papiro, Tesla, Lord Milling* and Commodore.

Hutton’s Third Hutton battled on for third in the Masterton Handicap, three lengths behind Mary Tudor and Finito. Now a six-year-old, he appears to have lost the brilliance he showed over the shorter distances earlier in his career; but he is still ready to run his best in every race. Golden Coronach, winner of the Whyte Handicap and Winter Cup, two of the biggest mile races of the winter, lost any chance he had when he failed to leave the stalls on terms with the field in the Solway Handicap. Golden Tan, which was running in the middle of the field, stumbled in loose ground near the three furlongs, and was put out of his stride. It was Golden Tan's, first race since January, but he is not. backward. Golden Coronach, however, is more forward, having raced through the winter. If the ground is soft at Trentham this week, he will have an army of supporters, in view of his ability in this type of going and his solid winter form at Trentham and Riccarton. With the benefit of an earlier race at Marton, Aureomycin ran a little better, but he was handicapped by a wide barrier draw and had to work hard on the outside all the way. He was running on in sixth place at the finish, and doing well enough to suggest that, with the improvement he will derive from his Masterton race, he will make another big bid in the Wainui Handicap. He was a little unlucky to be beaten in this race a year ago, when he was a very close sixth after a slow start. Sanford weakened to seventh after being in the trailing position all the way. He looked fresh and bright, and the wet, loose ground was to his liking.

Fresh and Bright For a middle-distance horse, Poetical performed fairly well against the sprinters. At the Wellington spring meeting a year ago he ran prominently in the Wainui Handicap as a prelude to winning the 11 furlongs Watkins Handicap on the second day. He looks fresh and bright, and has been working well. Though he has seldom handled heavy ground well in the past, Commodore ran splendidly in the Masterton Handicap. He moved up into the bunch behind the leaders about six furlongs from the finisn and battled on to hold fourth place to the finish. He may not have the brilliance to go with the Wainui milers this week, but he should have prospects at the meeting, for he is nearing his best again. Tesla was a disappointing favourite in the Solway Handicap. He started from one of the outside positions, and appeared to run into trouble with Red Jester and Coaitown at the half-mile. Tesla is as fit as he was at the Grand National meetings where he was narrowly beaten in the Winter Cup and won the August Handicap. If the track is easy at Trentham, he will make his presence felt. / Impress Nearing Best Of the five Shorts Handicap acceptors which, ran in the Solway Handicap, Impress and Himiler made the best impressions. Impress was having his first start since he won the Challenge Stakes at Riccarton in April. He has furnished into a massive horse, and would derive considerable improvement from his run at Masterton. He was in front inside the last furlong, and was fifth, three half-necks away, in the bunch that finished behind the winner, Sporting Ken, which was clear.

Last year, as a three-year-old. Impress finished second in the Solway Handicap at Masterton, failed in the Shorts Handicap on the first day at Trentham, ran third in the Nainai Handicap on the last day, and then won the Stewards’ Handicap and Members’ Handicap at the New Zealand Cup meeting. He has come up very well for his four-year-old season, and appears certain to win one of the big sprints of the spring season. Programme failed at Masterton because of nis inability to handle the heavy and broken ground. He was well placed after the field had settled down in running positions, but was labouring along the back, where there was a good deal of surface water on the track, and he started to drop out from the half-mile. Though Programme won in soft going as a three-year-old, firmer footing suits his long-striding action. Finito. a close second, and Topmast, a fair fifth, in the Masterton Handicap, both ran soundly. The staying-breed Finito has been showing solid form, and a win in one of the big handicaps would cause no surprise.