AT GERALDINE TOMORROW

Press, Volume XCI, Issue 27593, 25 February 1955, Page 4

AT GERALDINE TOMORROW

ROYAL CROWN SHOULD WIN CUP

GREY TOWERS FAVOURED FOR SECOND LEG

The Direct Heir five-year-old,. Royal 1 Crown, is expected to gain his first win j this season in the Geraldine Cup, the , main race .and first leg of the double, at • the Geraldine Trotting Club’s summer > meeting tomorrow. The Kerrytown- 1 owned and trained horse haa been four < times placed from seven starts this season, and with a little more luck, his record would have been more impressive. • His latest appearance was in the Hare- 1 wood Handicap at Addington on February 12, when he made up a lot of ground j to finish a close fifth over one mile and five furlongs. He was reported at the time to haVe travelled poorly to the meet- i ing, and in the circumstances his effort was very creditable. He will not have to travel far for his race tomorrow, and In the weak field his chance will be excellent. .. ... Quite’ Obvious, Lexeter, New Idea, and Chance are the only candidates likely 2 to extend Royal Crown. Quite Obvious gave a grand performance to win the two-mile Rangiora Cup ’ in December, and although he has failed to race prominently since, gave a ] hint of a return to form when he made up ground to finish a close ninth in a big field over one mile and a half at New Brighton last week. 1 Lexeter showed a great deal of speed ] in the same race at the New Brighton 1 meeting, but he was forced to cover extra : ground. He tired and was not persevered 1 with in the run in. If he is better served 5 in the running tomorrow, he should improve. ’ New Idea gained two fourth placings t in two-mile events at the recent Forbury 1 Park meeting, and as she has won pre- 1 viously on the Geraldine course, she 1 must be considered. > Chance made up ground to finish in the < middle of his field after a slow start < at the New Brighton meeting. Before < that, he had been three times placed from as many starts. He will gain favour 1 if the track is wet. , 1 The track is in good order, but rain 1 has been forecast for the Geraldine area. ( The Second Leg : The second leg of the double, the Im- J provers’ Handicap, one mile and a ter, has drawn a much more open field, and betting on this event is likely to be widely spread. < Grey Towers is expected to be prominent. This brother to Aerogard has gained one win and two minor placings * from his five starts this season. At his • latest attempt he finished second over one mile and five furlongs at Forbury Park on February 5. The Blay don gelding, Flaring, Is also < expected to race very prominently here. He is at his best in sprint races, and his latest effort was to finish second to Egyp- • tian Queen over one mile and a half at Hororata. Ponty showed good form at the recent Marlborough meeting, winning oyer two miles on the opening day, and finishing an unlucky second in a sprint race on the second day. He should also chow up tomorrow. Others expected to race well here are Provident, Nona Grattan, and Patrotic. all of which have shown ability at the distance. Several of the Geraldine Cup acceptors , are also engaged in the final event, the , President’s Handicap, but the winner may come from those which will start only once on the day. Don Hall and Supreme Command are two in this category. Don Hall has won three races this season, including the New Zealand Champion Stakes at Ashburton in December, , and at his latest start he beat all but , Brahman in the Timaru Challenge Stakes. , He will be at no fancy price tomorrow, and is expected to justify the suppoit given him. Supreme Command has improved at ( each of his three latest starts, and at New Brighton last Saturday, he gave a very solid performance to finish second , to Welsh Heir. He has a fine turn of < speed, and may be Don Hall's strongest opponent. A line on Lexeter’s chance may be taken when he races in the cup race earlier in the day. He may be better suited by the sprint distance, and with a good run from 12 yards, could pay a dividend. New Idea. Count Grattan, Cherry Queen, and Merry Gold make most appeal of the others. x Sheffield’s Beauty (Introductory Han- : dicap) and Laughlin's Lass (Second Waihi Handicap) have been scratched. Selections:— 11 a.m.—lntroductory Handicap: Ladas, 1 With You, Royal Mile. ] 11.45 a.m.—First Waihi Handicap: My i Gold, Banjo, Trojan. 12.30 p.m.—Geraldine Cup: Royal Crown, ( Quite Obvious, Lexeter. 1.15 p.m.—lnvitation Stakes: Pointer, False Step, Fiord. 2 p.m.—Second Waihi Handicap: Lady ! Alice, Van Dyke, Scottish Fair. 2.45 p.m.—lmprovers’ Handicap: Grey 1 Towers, Flaring, Ponty. \ 3.30 p.m.—Stewards' Handicap: Kilty 1 Lad, Barravey, Honora’s Last. 4.15 p.m.—President’s Handicap: Don 4 Hall, Supreme Command, Lexeter. The fields, with form, for the double ] races are:—

INVERCARGILL CLUB i I “The Press" Special Service INVERCARGILL, February 24. i Heavy rain has fallen at Invercargill, ■ but it has only taken the sting out of ! the track for the first day of the Inver- : cargill Trotting Club’s summer meeting ( on Saturday. If there is no, further rain, : the track will be firm. I The double will be on the Jellicoe and Visitors’ Handicaps. ! Brackets are:— I Trial Handicap: Ascend and Happy Hall. i Jellies ; Handicap: Dunvegan Hall, Rosiere, and Signor. Au Revoir Handicap. Maori Lad and Marionette, Nil Desperandum and Eynsford Oak, Young Erin, Barcola, and Blaze- ; worthy. ; Selections:— 11 a.m.—Murihiku Handicap:. Sandy ; Rose, Worthy Admiral, Margaret Scott. 11.45 a.m.—Trial Handicap: Custom, 1 Gang Warily, Racema Star. ' 12.30 p.m.—Jellicoe Handicap: Good . Fight, Rachel, Queen’s Glow. 1.15 p.m.—Southland Handicap: Moko i Boy, Marionette, Dunvegan. 2 p.m,—Visitors’ Handicap: Young Erin, Brandon, Amazon. 2.45 p.m.—Hopeful Stakes: Husky, Brillo, Dame Sybil. 3.30 p.m.—Waikiwi Handicap: Margaret Scott, Recovery, Saturn. 4.20 p.m.—Au Revoir Handicap: Captain Cook, General Sandy, Blazeworthy bracket. The fields, with form, for the double ,

Trotting at Rangiora Nominations for the Cheviot Trotting , Club’s meeing at Rangiora on Saturday, , March 1&« 1955, close at 4 p.m. on Mon- , day,, February 28, 1955, with the secre- ( tary» P. J. Byrne, 193 Cashel street, Christchurch. „ Advt. - Timaru Trotting Club Nominations for the autumn meeting ‘of the Timaru Trotting Club close on • Monday next, February 28, 1955, at 4 p.m. Telephone 118 and 207. Telegrams I Advt.

GERALDINE CUP Of £550. 4min Msec class. ’ Two miles. 0000 Gold Dust (6) . scr 0 Moreta (2) . scr 4040 New Idea (3) » scr 1400 Quite Obvious (4) . scr 4300 Royal Crown (1) . scr bvv- Sonlight (5) . scr 0000 Bedivus (2) . 12 0300 Hinepo (4) . 12 2000 Merry Gold (1) . 12 0000 Radiant Diamond (3) . 12 4330 Chance (2) . 24 0000 Lexeter (1) . 24 IMPROVERS’ HANDICAP, Of £225. 2min 50sec class. One mile and a quarter. Ellenella (2) .. scr 0400 Empyrian (10) .. .. scr. 0100 Farewell (6) .. scr 1002 Flaring (1) .. scr Gremlin (4) , .. .. scr 3002 Grey Towers (3) .. scr 1400 Jocund (8) .. scr 3000 Nipalong (1) ... . scr 0430 Patriotic (12) .. .. scr 2140 Ponty (9) .. scr 3321 Provident (5) .. scr 0200 Titania (7) .. scr 3000 Nona Grattan (1) .. 12 400 Credulous (1) .. 24 0003 Barney Dillon (1) .. 36 4000 Gold Direct (2) .. 36 —

races are:— JELLICOE HANDICAP, Of £300. 3min 52see class. One mile and five furlongs 4020 Blazing Sun (14) ... scr 0300 Croydon (13) .. scr 01 Dunvegan Hall (3) .. scr 0 Dusky Logan (9) .. scr 0000 Floral Hall 5) .. .. scr 1400 Good Fight (1) • • scr 4030 Nightfall (8) .. scr 2130 Queen's Glow (7) • . scr 3100 Rachel (12) .. scr 300 Rosiere (4) .. .. scr 1030 Shyanna (6) .. sef 1440 Signor (3) .. scr 0100 Stavanger (11) .. scr 200 Whirlwind (10) .. scr 0043 Destiny Hall (1) .. 12 Bracket: Dunvegan Hall, Rosiere, and Signor. VISITORS’ HANDICAP, Of £325. Smin 48sec class. One mile and five furlongs 1000 Ace (3) scr 4100 Amazon (7) .. scr 0423 Bude (12) .. scr 0004 Fatima Lady (8) .. scr 1100 Michael Hall (10) .. scr 0221 Mighty Lucky (11) .. scr Neon (9) .. scr 4000 Right Away (1) .. scr 3000 Robin Gay (5) .. scr 0010 Vierosa (2) .. scr 00 Windsor Castle (14) .. scr 2204 Young Erin (6) .. scr 0202 Aula (3) .. 12 3300 Brandon (2) • • 12 0000 Reyleen Hall (1) .♦ 14