TROTTING General Sandy’s Wins Have Been Expensive

Press, Volume XCI, Issue 27679, 8 June 1955, Page 5

TROTTING General Sandy’s Wins Have Been Expensive

General Sandy confirmed the high opinion held of nim by Southland trotting enthusiasts when he won at his three appearances at the Wellington Trotting Club’s winter ihqeting on Saturday and Monday. So impressive were his performances at Hutt Park that, according to a .Press Association message from Wellington, an overseas owner said he was prepared to pay £5OOO for the Sandy dale four-year-old. General Sandy’s win in the £6OO Carterton Handicap, a sprint race, was a most expensive one, as he is now on a 2min 44sec mark for one mile and a quarter. He received only £390 for that win, and was penalised 12 yards —the only penalty which the handicapper could have given. If General Sandy’s connexions had waited to race him until early next season, they could have started him in races over one mile and a quarter with a»2min 45sec limit carrying stakes of £lOOO and more. A win in that type of race would have resulted in a similar penalty. General Sandy is now within 12 yards of Rupee and Caduceus over one mile and a quarter, and his chances in sprint company in the immediate future cannot be regarded as bright on a firm track. His assessments over all distances after his wins at Hutt Rack are: mile, 2min lOsec; mile and a quarter, 2min 44sec; mile and a half, 3min 18sec; mile and five furlongs, 3mhi 35sec; two miles, 4min 28sec. General Sandy began racing last* season, and since then he has had 17 starts for nine wins and three placings worth £3480. This he has had 11 starts for six wins and two placings worth £2850. Before his wins at Hutt Park, he had won two races on his home track at Wyndham and at Invercargill. He has shown a preference for easy tracks, but has raced well on hard ground. One of his best performances on a firm track was at Winton last December, when he beat all but Blaze worthy after pacing the mile and a quarter in 2min 40 3-ssec—one of the fastest times ever recorded in a sprint race in Southland. Bred to Win General Sandy is raced by his breeder, Mr R. Hamilton of Tapanui, for whom he is trained at Wyndham by C. *G. Kirby. He is bred to win his way to the very best classes. He is by Sandydale, the sire of Captain Sandy M from Night Nurse, by Wellington Direct from Our Nurse, tracing back tof Polly, a mare shown in the New Zealand Stud Book as possibly a thoroughbred. Polly has founded one of the greatest winning families in the Stud Book, and numerous high-class performers can be traced to her. General Sandy is by far the best of the progeny of his dam to race so far, the others being Night Sister and Smiler. Our Nurse was a most successful mare at the stud. Among her progeny were Probationer, Chevalier, Sure, Salalon, Sister Polly, Come Away, and Lord Grattan. Other winners through the Our Nurse branch of the Polly family include Oregon. Night Porter. Pdpotunoa.. Medical Student, Cottesloe, Ballachy. Stimulant. Amarant, Camdon,’ Locklea. Fiona, Scottish Nurse. Recruit, Milford Maid, Student Nurse, and Super Nurse. The New Zealand Cup and free-for-all winner. Gold Ber. which is also a successful sire, is probably the most notable member of the Polly family. Pointer, this season’s leading two-year-old winner, and King’s Order also trace to this great foundation mare. Broke Twice Cassado looked likely to return a dividend in the Durbar Handicap at Ashburton on Saturday and the Ashburton Countv Handicap on Monday, until she broke just outside the furlong. The Casanova mare finished on again for fourth in both races. A free-going nacer, she was not at home in the going; otherwise she might have been harder-to beat.

Disappointing After her two wins in weaker company from as manv starts from O. G. Oakley’s stables. Rosiere was backed down to a little better than evenmoney favourite in the Winter Handicap at Ashburton on Monday. She received a charmed run to the straight and when pulled out to make an effort she could not cofrie on, and was well beaten in to fifth place, a good way from the winner, Roving Gypsy. Rosiere will not win out of her turn in her present class. Finished Last Merry Gold was a surprise 2,. 2 favourite for the Rakaia Handicap at

Ashburton on Saturday, but she failed to flatter her many supporters in the final stages of the race, and finished last. She was one of the leaders for the first mile. At this stage, she began to give ground, and she was not persevered with. On Monday, she started in the Winter Handicap, and was made a 13, 13 favourite. Once again she failed badly. Fine Race

Although Bedivus did not look lik catching Kingsdown Direct c Dunvegan in the Ashburton Count Handicap on Monday, she ran a grep race for third. She was back in th field for most of the race, and in tb straight her trainer-driver. D. - T Campbell, pulled her to the outside of the track. She responded gamely, and, although she was beginning to tire in the last few strides, she was running as well as any other contestant at the post. Bedivus has more ability than most in her class, but she is inclined to drift too far out of her ground in the early stages of her races, or her record would be. much better. More will be heard of her next season when she will be only a six-year-old. Showed Speed Synchronise did well to finish second to Battalion after conceding him 36 yards at the start of the Tinwald Handicap at Ashburton on Monday. Synchronise added to his task by breaking at the start and losing a lot of ground. The Light Brigade gelding has been on an awkward mark in recent months, and he has had to start from 24 and 36 yards in big fields. The first time he is reasonably placed in the handicaps next season, he should go close to winning, especially if the track is easy. Raced by Messrs J. Reeves and R. Carter, he is a gelding by Light Brigade from Renown’s Best, a fine winner more than 15 years ago. She is also the dam of Renown’s Pride, Best Globe. Real Globe, and Magic Mist, all useful pacers. x