MINOR RACES AT TRENTHAM

Press, Volume XCIII, Issue 27873, 23 January 1956, Page 4

MINOR RACES AT TRENTHAM

SURPRISE WIN FOR BERNARD (From Our Own Reporter) WELLINGTON, January 22. The racing at Trentham on Saturday started with a surprise, when the fourteenth favourite, Bernard, won the Mungaroa High-weight. Bernard, which was ninth in the corresponding race last week, paid £47 Is 6d for a win. Bernard had the leaders within close range from the start. W. Reid kept the five-year-old Gold Stand gelding in a trailing position to the home turn, where Flying Dragon ran clear. Bernard mastered Flying Dragon going to the furlong, and beat Kamala by a length. Kamala looked a possible winner when she moved into fourth place on the turn, but she could not muster race-winning speed in the last furlong. Shoeshine Boy was only a neck back, third, but had his chance. Flying Dragon, a winner a week before, was a close fourth, three-quarters of a length clear of Maire. Then there was half a length to Maquana. lhe favourite, Gold Path, improved several places in the straight for seventh, but was no real prospect. High Gold, the second favourite, was next. He was not well placed on the inner until late in the race. Pack - Drill Successful Pack Drill made a successful first appearance at the meeting in the January Handicap. He gave Mr H. D. Greenwood a well-earned change of luck, and improved on a record marked by some sound performances. J. W. Harris had Pack Drill well placed behind Siphon, Hot Drop, Zaziba and Cornflake on the home turn. The Defaulter gelding ran into a short lead inside the furlong, and kept up a strong run to beat the favourite, Zariba, by three-quarters of a length. Zariba was all out to beat Hot Drop for second. There was only half a head between them.. Zariba made his run from a trailing position, and at the weights just shaded the Faux Tirage gelding.

Desperado, a former stable-mate of Pack Drill, was running on, fourth, after being clpse to the tail of the field six furlongs out. He was only half a head from Hot Drop, and a length and a quarter clear of Matchlock, which recovered after losing a good position early. Tricorne dwelt slightly in a good start, and was half a length back, sixth, just shading Lord Milling (running on) and Cornflake, which had the run of the race. Watch and Wait weakened under her weight, to finish at the tail of the field, after making a short-lived challenge coming to the home turn. Those who invested £7049 10s on the second favourite, Clinker, did not have high hopes for long. The top-weight fell about five furlongs and a half out, when near the tail of the field.

Douro Handicap Lochie had to be good to justify his position as favourite for the Douro Jubilee Handicap. He was badly placed behind a wall of horses running to the home turn. He took a gap brilliantly on the inner, but when he moved into third place going to the furlong, he was in trouble again behind the weakening Grand Bank. N. B. Holland had to pull him away from the rails sharply, and then drive him through a narrow gap to reach the lead. Amble challenged gamely, but Lochie held him by half a head. He would have been very unlucky if he been beaten. Amble fared better than Lochie in the rush for positions in a big field, and was among the first seven all the way. He was unlucky to meet a galloper of Lochie’s calibre right at his best. The Tirau-trained Bexhill put in a spectacular run from second to last to get up for third, two lengths behind Amble. He had only one runner behind him until after he passed the half mile. Bexhill got up to beat Grand Bank, one of the leaders on the turn, by threequarters of a length. Merrv Andrew was running on from the ruck for fifth, a neck back; then there was half a head to Rheingold, which had his chance, and a gap of a length and a half to Gay Student. Lorica Wins Fortunes changed quickly over the last two furlongs or so in the Nursery Handicap. Mediterranean was being prematurely hailed as the winner when he moved forward into the lead nearly three furlongs out, but he was in difficulties soon after, when Akatarawa came at him. Akatarawa led past the furlong, but was swamped for finishing speed by Lorica, whose run was a strong one, and carried him from a few places back in the field of 12. In the end, Lorica was a length and a quarter clear, and was going away. Akatarawa gave trouble at the barrier, but jumped away well from the outside to be alongside Royal Target, Caribbean' Gold, and Tarbillon in the lead when running down the chute. Yes Please moved through from a handy position two furlongs out, but his weight took some of the dash out of his run. and he was two lengths and a half back, third, behind Akatarawa. Raglan was running on for a handy fourth ahead of the weakening Mediterranean and Royal Target. The Riccarton youngsters Tarbillon and Pennant were the next two home. Lorica was fourth in the Wellington Stakes on the first day of the meeting, and won at Levin and Awapuni last month. Jimmy Flash’s Good Effort Jimmy Flash gave the South Island its fourth success for the day, when he decisively won the Ruapehu Handicap at

good odds. He became prominent from a fairly handy position near the furlong, ran clear soon after, and won by a length and a half from Gold Ace and Highlander, both strong finishers. Jimmy Flash’s success was well earned After some sound runs for Mr R. W. Burnett, his fifth in the Camp Hack Handicap on the first day of the meeting heralded further forward showings, but it was not generally expected that he would master 11 furlongs with such ease m this field. Jimmy Flash gave J. L. Barr, of Riccarton, his most important success as a trainer.

Beau Song took over the pacemaking early Jimmy Flash was nearer last than first after two furlongs, but R. J. Skelton took him forward steadily going to the half mile. There he had only Beau Song Jenny Bank, Lochgair, Portugal, Perfect hiin' and Soverei 8 n ’ s Escort ahead of

Goldwyn, Gold Ace, and Strada were close behind Jimmy Flash. Jenny Bank and Portugal were doing Of ♦ North Island horses a fur}he g fronf « , ‘™ 1 ' . Flash soon reached TO yird" or so."’ 38 U " teSted ° Vef the las ‘ Marsden improved several places from l o Urth ' b , ehind G?ld Ace and Highlander. Ocean Lore was next folStS the Pai“ S ?Adi and favourite - Sovereign’s Escort, did not show any dash in the. straight and finished in the middle of the field ' Perfect Peach pulled hard early.

INQUIRIES AT TRENTHAM

(New Zealand Press Association) C T wn^ ELLINGT ON, January 22. c. t. Wilson was questioned reearrtino the running of his moun? Watch and Wait in the January Handicap at Trent°n -^ atu rday. The horse finished last f °^ nC L Watch and Wait suffered a check when Clinker fell An ewanunation showed the horse was sufferanH a \v J^ Jury her near hind leg. Watch “y surgeon 38 lat6r treated ty a veterin-

eoniPiaint by N. B. Holland, rider of Syntax m the Gloaming Stakes that he was interfered with by K. A. Nuttafi Byway - was investigated by the judicial committee. After hearing Holland s evidence, and that of J. W. Harris, rider of Coleridge, and from a stipendiary a, L- d a patrol steward, the committee took no action. ? r ? iner of Dah lia, was fined in the L at ? scratching of the horse 1? ? he ?. ec °nd leg of the double, the Metropolitan Handicap. C. C. McCarthy, trainer of Macduff ™ as . Questioned before the judicial committee m regard to the releasing of his horse from the lead in the birdcage before the steward’s authority had been f‘TJsMcCarthy 5 McCarthy was reprimanded and told that he must obey the rules and ca l ry out the instructions of the club’s officials.

K. A. Nuttall, rider of Macduff in the January Handicap, was fined £5 by the judicial committee for not having done the necessary preliminary. • r A. j - Skelton, rider of Pinnacle Ridge m the Metropolitan Handicap, was reprimanded for allowing his mount to run in under pressure near the finish and checking Copenhagen.