RACING DESERT GOLD STAKES AT TRENTHAM

Press, Volume XCII, Issue 27795, 21 October 1955, Page 4

RACING DESERT GOLD STAKES AT TRENTHAM

Estimate Favourite: But Tess May Win

As winner of the Avondale Guineas in her second of three starts this season. Estimate has earned a place of favour in the list of possibilities for the Desert Gold Stakes at Trentham tomorrow. boleridge has shown since how unlucky he was to be beaten by Estimate in the Avondale Guineas. He did so at his next start, the Great Northern Guineas, which he won by seven lengths.

Estimate was fourth in the Great Northern Guineas. Second was Royal Zorra, a smart Te Awamutu-trained Count Rendered filly, which will oppose Estimate again tomorrow. Although she has not raced beyond six furlongs this season Gentle I.u could be a third strong contender from the Auckland district. This Takanini-trained filly showed good speed against the open sprinters in the Shorts Handicap last Saturday, dropping out only towards the end and finishing eighth. As a Desert Gold Stakes trial it could have been much worse.

Gentle Lu will be meeting at level weights several moderate performers which could not be within two stone of her under handicap conditions. At Avondale on September 10 she ran Gulliver to half a length over six furlongs. She ran that race out strongly, simply failing against a better galloper on the day. Franlyle, Tehrana, Rag, and Marsden, the principals in the finish of the Gold Trail Stakes at Hastings last month, are again engaged. The class of these fillies was left in doubt when Franlyle failed later in the Hawke’s Bay Guineas. Can-Can, which did not show up in the Gold Trail Stakes, made the best impression of her sex in the Hawke’s Bay Guineas, finishing strongly for fourth. . - That performance suggests possibilities for this Red Mars filly, but her background' does not look as good as Estimate’s or Royal Zorra’s. Desert Gold Stakes honours have eluded South Island fillies since 1948, Flying Sovereign’s year. Numerically the odds are against the southerners again, but Tess is perhaps good enough to improve the South Island’s weak record in the race. Tess won the Ashburton John Grigg Stakes last month with a display of neat, stylish galloping that gave her a marked superiority over the colts and geldings. She mastered seven furlongs with ease, and it did not seem likely that another furlong would have troubled her. As far as can be determmed, when there is no common form background for the most favoured runners, Tess is good enough to make a bold bid. She is owned by Mr G. R. Macdonald, trained by J. E. Shaw, and will be ridden by A. J. Stokes. Finite Scratched Finite dropped out of the Watkins Handicap yesterday. This race is the first leg of the day’s double, and m the field are newcomers with enough ability to lessen the value of last week’s Wellington Handicap as a form pointer. , ~ , But, in the end, it will probably be found that the form horses from last week will carry the big money. Nottingham and Ocean Flight may dispute favouritism, with Master Proven next in demand. Dormant has been sore during the week, and is not certain to start. He was running on in sixth place in the Wellington Handicap, and that run should have benefited him. If Dormant does not run his regular jockey, C. H. Mackie, will switch to Red Star. ’ Nottingham has had a change oi riders from last week. J. A. McFarlane, not P. M. Mudgway, will ride him tomorrow. Nottingham is not easy to ride, but is a galloper with a good deal of ability. The experienced McFarlane should be able to get the best out of Master Proven will be ridden tomorrow by I- Medcalfe, not M. C. Robinson, who was his rider last week Master Proven made up a good bit of ground for his close second to Emphatic last week. A run of equal merit will very nearly give him victOßobinson’s mount will be Annexe, which ran in the mile Wainui Handicap last week. No rider had been announced for Watch and Wait in the Awatea Handicap up to yesterday. Watch and Wait became one of the early favourites for this race, the second leg of the double, with a sound but unlucky run in the Wainui Handicap last Saturday. But, apparently, she is not a certain starter. The stable* horseman, C. T. Wilson, is to ride Dutch Flag, another member of C. G. Humphries’s team. N. Eastwood will ride the Takanini lightweight, Royal Applause. The favourite will be the top-weight, Fair Chance, which meets every requirement as New Zealand’s best sprinter at present. He started his five-year-old career by carrying 10-2 into fourth place in the Shorts Handicap last week. , , The versatile B. J. Langford, who won the Rimu Hurdles last year on Irish Saint, will ride the favourite, Northcliffe, in that race tomorrow. Northcliffe just failed to reach Prince Spi in the hurdles last Saturday. He is in a much weaker field tomorrow. Hay Time, Bagpipe, and Le Roi are South Island representatives in the Trial Stakes. Each of them has enough ability to win. Le Roi has fared worst at the barrier, but he is bracketed with Indian Mars, a well-regarded Red Mars colt from Te Awamutu. It is an appealing bracket. Placed at Riccarton

Bagpipe and Hay Time were both placed at Riccarton a few weeks ago. They are, respectively, half-brothers to Te Kooti and King’s Fair, and though not likely to be as brilliant as their near relations, should fashion useful records. The logical favourite is Absent, which did well to finish third in the non-totalisator race for maidens last Saturday after an interrupted run. Beauty Spot has been scratched for the Heretaunga Handicap, leaving a field of 16 for the hack distance race. Va Vite and Bowater are two useful hacks at the top of the handicap. Bowater will get good marks for versatility if he wins ths race; he was third against the hurdlers last Saturday. Riccarton stables have a likely bair in Trajan and Mandrake, both recent winners. And Wingatui should be well represented by Sir Gerald, which ran Trajan very close over this distance at Wmgatui on September 24. Trajan does best on soft or easy tracks, and will firm in favour if there is more rain before tomorrow. Light-weight Chance If there is a surprise it could come from the light-weight Idle Fancy, a four-year-old gelding by Ruthless from the New Zealand Oaks winner, Idle Jest. He shaped like an early winner last time out, running on for third to Highland Nectar and Black Oak over nine furlongs at Otaki on October Tyrant, a brother to the good winner Hutton, will dominate betting on the Karitane Handicap. He is the only winner in the field, and the form of the others does not look good enough to stop him winning again. Unless the ground is firm, the Riccarton-trained Lochie will not run in the Belmont Handicap. Other doubtful starters are Rise and Shine, Grimsby, and Inaugural

Ths race gives Yoho an opportunity to improve a very good record at Trentham. But he will probably be tested this time, unlike last week, when he won at his leisure. India’ the Wellington Guineas third, should trouble Yobo over the distance. Selections:— 11.30 a.m.—Rimu Hurdles: Northcliffe Arabic, Surrey Gold. x< l2lo r Trial Stakes: Bagpipe, Indian Mars-Le Roi bracket. Hay Time. 12.55 p.m.—Desert Gold Stakes: Tess Royal Zorra, Estimate. . 1,40 J 5* —Watkins Handicap: Nottingham, Ocean Flight, Master Proven. 2 P-m —Heretaunga Handicap: Trajan, Va Vite, Idle Fancy. 3.15 p.m.—Karitane Handicap: Tyrant. Russett, Gypsy Count. 4.5 p.m.—Awatea Handicap: Fair Chance, Siphon, Watch and Wait. 4.50 p.m.—Belmont Handicap: India, Yoho, Right Cross. are^ eldS ’ form ’ and riders for the double

> WATKINS HANDICAP, Of £3000. One mile and three furlongs. 0010 Takatu (3), W. R. Hooton .. St. ID 9 in 010 Dormant (22), C. H. Mackie .. 9 7 000 Deceptive (23), W. L. Aitken .. 9 6 0342 .Master Proven (14), T. Medcalfe 9 4 230 Ocean Flight (18), E. Shaw 9 1230 Tesla (1), J. W. Harris 9 2000 The Wake (9), N. B. Holland 9 0 0301 Field Chief (16) 8 H 0003 Sombrero (17), W. J. Broughton 8 11 0020 Berne (10), B. J. Langford 8 9 2103 Nottingham (13), J. A. McFarlane 8 3140 Red Star (11) 8 2110 Benefactor (8). C. A. Bowry 8 6 000 Sporting Ken (15), J. R. O'Neill 8 6 0010 Josudi (19), C. McDonald 8 0010 Poetical (2), T. Mora 8 3 0010 Some Tiki (21). W. J. Mudford 8 3 3002 Beau Ray (20), B. P. Wood .. 8 2 043 Pinnacle Ridge (12) 8 0000 Annexe (4). M. C. Robinson .. 13 4004 Reigning King (6) .. ’j 13 0040 Easterbrook (5). N. Eastwood 12 Scratched: Finito. AWATEA HANDICAP, Of £1750. Seven furlongs. 4 Fair Chance (12). A. Morton .. st. 10 lb 0 0134 Airzone (10) .. 9 1 020 Gonfannon (3), J. R. O’Neill .. 8 H 0240 Privy Council (4) 8 10 100 Royal Warrant (11), C. McMcDonald 8 7 Bulla (6) 6 4010 Siphon (13), B. P. Wood 8 2 4200 Tricorne (7) .. 8 2 010 Watch and Wait (16) 8 0130 Dutch Flag (2), C. T. Wilson 7 12 0010 Assembly (14). E. Shaw 7 11 0000 Lord Milling (9) 7 10 0040 Royal Applause (8), N. Eastwood 9 1200 Court Jester (5) 7 7 000 Great Seal (17) 7 7 1240 Honest John (1), A. Skipper 7 004 Tutanekai (15). A. J. Stokes 7 7 Bracket: Privy Council and Great Seal.