Ribands To Leave Tomorrow For Campaign In United States

Press, Volume XCIII, Issue 27988, 7 June 1956, Page 5

Ribands To Leave Tomorrow For Campaign In United States

trotting „ ■

The Sydney pacer. Ribands, which will leave tomorrow for America, finished, his racing career In Australia b» winning the Free-for-all at Harold Park last Saturday eveninc. Ribands which started second favourite at 5 to 2, was given a great ovation as the horses passed the post. Ribands galloped at the etart, and settled down near the rear of the field He made a fast move with three furlongs to run. and swept round the field to finish brilliantly in the straight. He beat Mohammed, which started at 33 to 1. by a length and a half, with a former New Zealand pacer Gay Knight, which started at 4 to 1, half a length back third, clear of the 7 to 4 favourite. Blue Gamble, which tired badly over the last two furlongs. Ribands's performance showed that he was right back to his best. His win has been claimed to he one-of hl' fnest efforts at Harold Park. Ribands has been one of the greatest pacers raced in Australia in recent years. He has won in almost every state. As a four-year-old. he finished second to Captain Sandy in the Grand Final of the 1953 Inter-Dominion Championship series. Last season. Ribands was campaigned in New Zealand. He won the New Zealand Pacing Championship at Addington in November, returnin' l the record time of 3min 21 3-ssec for the mile and five furlongs. He was also successful twice at the Auckland Cup meeting, but failed at the InterDominion Championship meeting Towards the end of last season Ribands was retired to the stud. He had a full book in the spring, and’ it was later decided to put him back into work. He won at two appearances at country meetings, but failed at his first appearance at Harold Park. His race last Saturday was his second on the course for the season.

If Ribands really strikes form in the United States, he should more than hold his own. The moving starts should be in his favour, as he broke badly at the start of practically all his races. New Zealand horses had a bad night at Harold Park, and failed to win a race. The Christchurch-owned Component, starting- at 25 to 1, finished third to Dubbo Glide and Austral Sky in the Trotters’ Handicap, and was the only New Zealand horse to be placed Pointer started at 15 to 1 in the Marouba Handicap, but was distanced after breaking hopelessly in the first furlong. Next Time’s Effort Next Time was a firm 2, 1 favourite for the Tinwald Handicap, won by Showdown at Ashburton on Monday. He was a little slow from No. 1 on the front mark, but was soon handily nlaced. He moved up. to third at the half-mile post, and was second at the furlong post. However, -he had had enough soon after, and drifted to eighth at the finish. Extra Day Sought The Forbury Park Trotting Club has applied to the New Zealand Trotting Conference fpr an extra permit next S-ason. Application has been made for September 8 for the new permit. The Club has applied for October 6 and 13 for its normal spring meeting. The conference has. one ‘ floating” permit at present. This season, it was used by the Invercargill Trotting Club for its centennial meeting. Gentle Anna Gentle Anna added to her fine record for consistency when she was Placed in her two starts at the Ashburton Club’s meeting last weekend. The Swordsman mare has now been placed in seven of her 10 starts this season, and is long overdue for a win. Trained at Winton by H. W. Cox, who produced another promising trotter in Wilton Lad at the meeting. Gentle Anna should win early next season. Surprise Favourite Lord Argyle, which had been placed in one of his previous eight starts this season, was a surprise favourite for the Trial Handicap a' Ashburton on Monday. He was in the middle of the field for most of the way, and did not look a prospect in the straight. He finished eighth, a long way from the winner, Madam Peterson. Lord Argyle is a five-year-old entire by Bill B from Bonny Azure, the dam of a grand winner in County Antrim. Lord Argyle is owned and trained at Addington by L. O. Thomas. Maiden Trotter Coming Down, a candidate for trotting races at the Nelson Trotting Club’s winter meeting on Saturday and Monday, is bred to be a good winner. She is a four-year-old mare by Ripcord, one of the best trotters

£fe dU an d ™ t r s Ce l t - years - from Pardon about . outstanding trotting mare about seven years ago. Comin? 2>n Wn Le'Zston bred E - D John® A ’ivr and she 1S trained by is P^rtrS 11 ™ 0 ” « at Pre bbleton. She mV firs J foak Pardon Me missea in 1952, and m 1953 she nrndtUd!eda Mly ‘° Light brigade, P but Unpopular Win \ P-bS ngUard ’ ■ wbose driver, 'id F Primmer, mistook the number of iSfc 1 was n the e firSt da Z of the meettiem nr S th^ e caus ® of a demonstralinStor, ■I£SJi econ £, day o f th® WelMolidav . C . l .¥ b ’ s meeting on hmSrilfc bailing in the Waln tVl 1 e handicap, he came out later of ib. to , win the second leg n üb i e - tbe Waiwhetu Handicap hls .return to the birdcage after winning, a few boos came SjS® e _ cr ? w fd, but the noise quickly of" T d the fence on both sides Patrons s&g 6 aiX In his earlier race, Vanguard was of^hT pl g c ® d on the inside most clear in the h t f ?? led to make any imthe r ln second start, he took head?rt d h^ e ’T l - the start ’ and - although b ?l d by T rigo in the middle stages n ace b he regained the lead to and n Va f I ?S ard ’ which is owned bTan*=t n ,f d ?i Te I ? apa by Primmer, „“n d g . cldl ?S by Quite Sure from riome Guard, which was also a winner at the trotting gait.