GAINESWAY AND AURIFEROUS

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27377, 16 June 1954, Page 5

GAINESWAY AND AURIFEROUS

TROTTING

WELL BRED MAIDEN PERFORMERS IMPRESSIVE SHOWINGS AT ASHBURTON

Gainesway and Auriferous, which finished respectively second and third in the Trial Handicap at Ashburton on Saturday, showed by their efforts that they will not remain' long in maiden ranks. They are well-bred young horses, likely to do very well for their owners in the next few seasons.

Gainesway was having his second start on Saturday. He began very slowly, and broke at the end of two furlongs. When he settled down, he was conceding the leaders a very long stretch of ground, and appeared to be hopelessly out of the contest. With six furlongs to go, he still had 13 horses in front of him, but he improved his position with a powerful, sustained run, and was in seventh place at the straight entrance. He was wide out, just behind the first five horses, at the furlong, and he showed no signs of wilting to finish full of running, a length behind the winner, Coronation Hall.

It was a remarkable effort, and there is no doubt that if he had begun reasonably well, he would have won. Gainesway is a four-year-old bay gelding by Quite Sure from Diamond Queen, and is trained at Spreydon by S. A. Edwards, who races him in partnership with Mr R. A. Hamilton. Diamond Queen is a Gamble mare which has also left the promising Tartan (to. U. Scott). Her dam, Phoebe’s Chance, was a half-sister to Cyone (granddam of Vodka), Mavis de Oro, (dam of Sonlight) and a good trotter, Range Finder.

Gainesway, at his only other start, broke and finished w’ell back. The distance of the race in which he ran was two miles. Once he can be pursuaded to begin well, he develop into a good winner om all distances. Auriferous’s Record.

Auriferous was having his fourth start on Saturday. He first appeared

at Methven last March, where he made up a lot of ground for fifth on a heavy track over one mile and five furlongs. He next appeared at Ashburton on May 1, but failed to leave the mark and finished last. Then at Oarnaru on May 8, he was very slow to begin, and finished near the rear.

On Saturday, he made a good beginning. He raced in a handy position behind the leaders all the way, and was fourth into the straight and third at the furlong. He battled on well for his placing, three lengths behind the winner.

A three-year-old chestnut gelding, Auriferous is trained at Methven by C. V. May for Messrs C. W., T. M., and L. C. May. He is by the Robert Derby stallion, Young Bob, from a particularly well-bred mare, Last Word. The dam also of Marathon, Last Word is by Lucky Jack from the Logan Pointer mare, Pearl Pointer. Pearl Pointer left several good winners, and she is the granddam of Venetian and Schwanda. She was from the Rothschild mare, Pearlchild, which also left Nantyvich (dam of Bitter Sweet and Gerfalcon), First Wrack (dam of Calumella), Flying Cloud (dam of Windemere and Forecast), and Vanity Fair (dam of A wadale). Auriferous is expected to live up to his name.

“Dead-heat Specialist” 'The Light Brigade gelding, Chief Lochiel, could be rightly termed a “dead-heat specialist.” During his career, he has taken part in five deadheats, four of them for first place. On April 7, 1951, he shared first place with Defiance in the Landon Handicap, one mile and a half, at Oarnaru. On January 28, 1952, he shared the winning stake of the Healy Handicap at Blenheim with Baron Scott. Many on the course that day considered that Chief Lochiel had won outright. A few days later, in the Motueka Handicap at Nelson, Chief Lochiel appeared to have the race won when Poudre d’Or flashed up on the line to share with him in another deadheat for first.

Last January, at the Royal meeting at Addington, Chief Lochiel and Onward provided a fine sight for the Royal party, when they finished with great runs in the Jellicoe Handicap. The photo-finish camera could not separate them for first placing. The last of Chief Lochiel’s dead-heats was earlier this month at the Hutt Park meeting when, after being well back in the running of the Farewell Handicap, the gelding finished brilliantly to share third placing with Lassoloc.

Chief Lochiel is a very smart performer, at home in any conditions. He is owned by his breeder, Mr W. T. Lowe, of Hinds, and is trained at Ashburton by D. L. and F. I. McGregor. His dam, the Jack Potts mare, Molly Direct, left two other good winners in Globe Direct and Safeguard. Partnership Broken An Australian trotting owner, Mr J Homer, recently took possession oi three pacers trained by A. Phillis, and broke up one of the most successfu’ partnerships since night trotting began m Sydney in 1949, says a Sydney report. The pacers are Heather Brigade; the 1953 Derby winner, Orari; and Maori Huon.

In a little more than two years a,nd a half, Phillis has won prize-money amounting to £23,000 with horses owned by Mr Homer. Phillis is reported to have said that he did not know where Mr Homer was taking the horses.

Phillis is the leading trainer at Harold Park for the seasen, and is a close second to Sutton McMillan on the leading drivers’ list. Now at Epsom

The three-year-old gelding, Dead Shot, is now being trained at Epsom by G. Webber. A promising youngster bv Free Fight from Sunmaid, Dead Shot has started only twice. He finished second to Sandy Scott in the Seaward Classic Stakes, an event for three-year-olds at Wyndham, in November. At his other attempt, he finished sixth at Gore in December. He was formerly trained at Mataura by D. Todd. If Dead Shot lives up to his reputation in the south, he should more than pay his way under his new trainer.