TROTTING CANTERBURY PARK MEETING

Press, Volume XCI, Issue 27669, 27 May 1955, Page 4

TROTTING CANTERBURY PARK MEETING

Fendalton Handicap May Be Won By Unite

DANCING YEARS SELECTED IN SPRINT

With Unite not entered for the New Zealand Futurity Stakes at Ashburton next week, the Fendalton Handicap, the second leg of the double at the Canterbury Park Trotting Club’s winter meeting at Addington tomorrow, should do much to settle three-year-old supremacy for the season. Unite, Don Hall, and Royal Minstrel, three of the best horses of their age, will all start from the front mark, and they should be prominent in the finish. Unite, undefeated in three starts at the Inter-Dominion Championship meeting at Epsom last February, will have his first start for three months. He has trained on well, as he showed when he won his heat of the free-for-all at the Addington trials last week. He was not asked for his best to record Smin 16 l-ssec for the mile and a half, and his last halfmile took Imin 3sec. Unite should receive a good run throughout tomorrow’s race and, if he reproduces his Auckland form, he should be the hardest to beat.

Dop Hall is probably the fastest horse of his age seen out this season, but he is not always reliable. The capacity field tomorrow will prejudice his prospects if he loses ground, as he did in his races at the recent Forbury Park meeting. In very few of his starts has he begun smoothly, and unless his ownertrainer, R. D. Teahen, can make him begin with his field, he may not catch Unite.

. Royal Minstrel’s form has been mediocre since he won a handicap race at the New Zealand Cup meeting after his dead-heat for first with Single Medoro in the New Zealand Derby Stakes. The U. Scott gelding has plenty of speed, and, if forward enough, may reach a place tomorrow.

The three-year-olds will not have things their own way tomorrow, as the field includes a high proportion of older horses with worth while recent form to their credit Aula, an impressive winner over two miles at Forbury Park on May 7, will have her first start since joining M. Holmes's team. The Dillon Hall mare is a fine type of pacfer. Off the front tomorrow, her prospects are highly regarded, and it will be most surprising if she ftils to show up. The Yaldhurst trainer, O. G. Oakley,. wil parade a strong bracket in Belle Renarde and Count Grattan. Count Grattan may do the better of the pair. He won twice at Forbury Park, and was most impressive on both occasions. Belle Renarde was a winner in a slower class at Addington in April. Triple Crown won well at Forbury Park last Saturday, it was his first glimpse of form for some months. He has always shown fair ability, but has taken time to become solid. Once again he must be conceded a , chance. Redivus won well at Oamaru a fortnight ago, and Flywheel won twice at Hawera in April. Luminous wop at Addington at Easter, and Spring Walk has been placed in her four most recent appearances. AU four are at their best at present, and they may add interest to the finish. Two smart pacers. Fair Annette and Graticulate, will share the back mark of 24 yards. Both have useful recent forin, but they will need plenty of ludk to get through this big field, in Which preference maybe shown for Unite, Aula and Don, Hall. j Strong Sprint Field The Final Handicap has drawn a high-class field of sprinters, and once again betting will be well spread. Dancing Years, a narrow but convincing winner over one mile and thigee furlongs at Forbury Park on May 7, is selected to win. He. has drawn No. 6 on 12 yards, and this shduld enable him to move into a hapdy position before reaching the first ben id at the end of a little more thin one furlong. There are few more capable sprinters about than Dancing Years, and he should extend his record. Starbeam, a winner at four of her la< five starts, is one of the most improved pacers produced this season. The Light Brigade mare is very sofid, and shows her best form in races run at a fast pace. She may have the race run to suit her tosUXUTow. In this case, she will be ! vety prominent. I Jaunty has been racing well in distance events in recent months but he should not be troubled by thi sprint tomorrow. He is a grand type of pacer, arid should run out the mile and a quarter at a merry ebp. He will be bracketed with the di&ppointing Brahman. was second to Dancing at Forbury Park, and will meet that horse on 12 yards’ more favourable terms. The Colossal mare is in;fine form, and should again race Kentucky. Belair, Brava, and Mess Hall are other capable sprinters lilfely to show up. Zulu (24 yards), THemla Globe (36) and Burns Night «D have impressive records in the sprint classes, and if any of them can work through this big field, they may bring about an upset. Howevfer, in a truly-run race, Dancing Star beam, and Jaunty may do Paree, a very impressive wfcner at Forbury Park last Saturday. w>l have her most serious test to daftc in the Holmes Handicap. She bse raced so well recently that the rimer class should not trouble her. especially as she will start from the frint mark. The half-sister to La Mignon should reach a tight mark. probably the most difficult for her to*beat will be the speedy Barravey. which has not trotted too solidly in scgne of his recent races. He has mpre stamina than most others in the ewnt, but cannot afford to give any gqpund in the running. Barravey wgs narrowly beaten by Caliph last wgek, and with a better run tomorrow, he may be harder to beat. * Won at Last Start Krtress has not raced since over one mile and a half 18 2-ssec at Addington on She will start from 24 yards , but this may not stop her :hing a place. loebe, which has raced most eopsistently this year, Flammula, and Madam Grattan are expected to do best of the others. Kingsdown Direct gave a fine staying performance to win the Southland . Handicap at Forbury Park last Saturdy, and he should run out a solid fry miles in the Ellesmere Handley, The Josedale Grattan gelding is* one of the most promising pacers in. his class, and he should develop worthwhile form. £The speedy three-year-old filly. Dresden Lady, will be having her BWt real test for stamina. She was eaßcd up early in the autumn, and showed vast improvement when she •tttted racing again. The Light Brigade filly outclassed a sprint field at. Methven in April, and one start earlier she had won one mile and five furlongs in fast time at Addington. Her stamina appears to have increased considerably, and she should rug out the distance. a . w . inn «r over two miles Methven, failed at Oamaru a fortThat J r » ce Should have “gproyeo him, and he may surprise . nmner-up to Triple Crown “F week, looks on the verge of Wfrmtag form. She is more than Useful on her day. 2ft? finished second to Don Addington in April and, it

he has trained on, he will be entitled to respect. Royal Crown was second to Bedivus at Oamaru and. on the strength of that placing he, too, must be respected. Air Command, Chance and Martini are others expected to show to advantage.