TROTTING Denbry Has Now Gained 12 Wins, 18 Placings,, And £9300 In Stakes

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27443, 1 September 1954, Page 4

TROTTING Denbry Has Now Gained 12 Wins, 18 Placings,, And £9300 In Stakes

When Denbry won the National and Farewell Handicaps on the final day of the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club’s Grand National meeting at Addington on Saturday, be brought his stake-earnings to £9300, the result of 12 wins and 18 placings from 43 starts. The Josedale Grattan gelding is now on a 4mih 23sec mark for two miles, and, if the limit remains the same as for last year, he will be on the front mark in the New Zealand Trotting Cup in November.

Both of Denbry’s wins on Saturday were clear-cut. In the National Handicap, he led all the way, and had too much in reserve for the others over the final half-furlong. His task would have been much more difficult if Rupee had been able to get clear earlier. Nevertheless, his win was well merited, as he had been runner-up to Rupee in the Louisson Handicap the previous Saturday. Denbry was at good odds in spite of his fine form earlier at the meeting, when he won the Farewell Handicap. He was never far away, and took control about the furlong. He won most convincingly from the unlucky Thelma Globe. His time of 2min 37sec for the mile and a quarter was a smart effort.

A seven-year-old gelding, Denbry is by the New Zealand Cup and free-for-all winner, Josedale Grattan, from Mary Hall, an unraced mare by Dillon Hall from St. Helena, by Wrack from the imported mare, Bonilene. Josedale Grattan, which will this spring do stud duty in Australia, has had considerable success at the stud in New Zealand. As well as siring many winners at the pacing gait, he has left a number of useful trotters. Among Josedale Grattan’s best winners have been Laureldale, Doctor Ted, Flammula. Trout Stream. Gung-Ho, Yankiwi, Lodestar, Jaunty, Bexley’s Pride, Scimitar, and Pleasant Smile. Denbry, which was bred by the Gore trainer, C. C. Scott, is closely related to a host of winners, including Adorian, Forward, and Mnrann lYiuned at Gore Denbry did his early racing for his Goae breeder. He had his first start as a three-year-old, when he gained three wins and one placing from six starts. , After running second to Fair Exchange in the Southland Three-year-old Stakes at Invercargill, he beat Amiable in a maiden race at Gore. Then he beat two smart pacers, Gay Dene and Masterpiece, in the Hopeful Stakes at Invercargill. At his final appearance that season at Forbury Park, he recorded an outstanding effort for such an inexperienced horse, when he/beat Mighty Frances and Imperial Lotd in the Southland Handicap.. In the next season, Denbry began racing at the Forbury Park spring meeting. He was placed dn the first day of the meeting, and the next Saturday he beat First Victory and Heather Dillon in the Domain Handicap. After that win Denbry was bought by Mrs A. and Mr J. Darwell, who placed him with the Addington trainer, G. S- Smith. At the New Zealand Cup meeting he finished second to White Angel m the Cashmere Handicap. His only other win that season was in the Summer Handicap at Forbury Park, when he beat Lauder Hall.

After he had won the Johns Handicap at New Brighton in the spring of 1952, he was transferred to N. L?Berkett’s stables. He failed to win a race during the rest of the season, although he more than paid his way with placings, which-Included a second, beaten by half a head, to Tactics in the New Brighton Clip. Last season, Denbry really struck form, and from 12 starts he gained four wins and five placings worth £3585 in stakes. After placings at the New Zealand Cup meeting and at Ashburton on Boxing Day, Denbry opened his winning account for the season in the C. S. Howell Handicap on the first day of the Canterbury Park summer meeting. The next day he beat Diamed in the Mason Handicap, and be completed a double for the day when he beat Trixie Milne and Ohio in the Au Revoir Handicap, after taking 2min 36sec for the mile and a quarter. Denbry was not disgraced at the Royal meeting in January, when he finished third to Poranui and Countermark in the Bledisloe Handicap after taking 3min 25 2-ssec for the mile and five furlongs. His only other win was in the Rothschild Handicap at Addington in April, when he beat First Mate and Brava most decisively. Denbry is a good type of pacer, and

he will have many opportunities in major handicaps in the next few months. If he races as well as he did on Saturday, he will have little difficulty in extending his record, and he should win at least one rich prize before the end of the season. Denbry’s full record is as follows:

BATTLE CRY BACK IN FORM

GOOD PERFORMANCE AT ADDINGTON

Battle Cry advanced another step towards the best classes when he won the Winter Handicap at Addington on Saturday. If limits remain the same as they were last year for the major events for trotters at the New Zealand Cup meeting, Battle Cry will be eligible to start in all events except the Dominion Handicap. His present marks are 2min 51sec for one mile and a quarter; 3min 27sec for one mile and a half; 3rrrin 43sec for one mile and five furlongs;* and 4min 37sec for two miles. The limit for the last Dominion Handicap was 4min 35sec, so Battle Cry will need at least one further win over a distance to bring him back to a 4min 35sec mark. On Saturday, Battle Cry was always handy to the pacemaker, Excellenza, and he fought on well in the straight to win well in the good time of 3mln 32 l-ssec for the mile and five furlongs. Raced by Mr and Mrs E. S. Baxter, Battle Cry is a member of C. R. Berkett’s team. He was the leading three-year-old of his season, when he won six races and was twice placed from nine starts. His sthke earnings that season were £1792 10s. Last season he did not go so well as expected, and from eight starts he gained one win and two placings. His win was at New Brighton last September, when he beat Flammula in the Nicoll Handicap after taking 4min 29 l-ssec for the two miles. The best of his other efforts was a third behind Vodka and Rewa Scott in the Brldgens Memorial Gold Cup at Epsom in December.

Battle Cry, a five-year-old gelding by Light Brigade from Amore, is a brother to Brave Company, a useful winner at the pacing gait. To date he has had 19 starts for eight wins and four placings worth £3067 10s in stakes. He will be a welcome addition to the best classes this season, and if he retains his best form he should continue to pay his way.

Age Start# Win# Placing# Stakes £ 3 yrs 6 3 1 740 4 yrs 10 2 4 1,195 5 yrs 12 1 7 1,720 6 yrs 12 4 5 3,585 7 yrs 3 2 1 2,060 Totals 43 12 18 9,300