WEEK-END RACING

Press, Volume XCV, Issue 28167, 4 January 1957, Page 4

WEEK-END RACING

Prospects For Southland “The Press” Special Service INVERCARGILL, January 3. With every promise of a firm track and with better class fields than those to race on the first day, the Southland Racing Club should conclude its summer meeting on a successful note on Saturday. The Shorts Handicap, the first leg of the double, has drawn one of the best sprint fields seen out in Southland for some time, and at this stage it is difficult to name the favourite. Lochie, Some Day, Skylight, My Friend, Kasr El Nil, and Brooke all look capable of making a race of it, if their holiday efforts are any criterion. Invercargill Cup form could be proved all wrong in the Southland Handicap, if the track dries out as it promised today. Pilot Light, Field Chief, Writer, Flair, Dinner Chat, and Obelisk will all be assured of a following in an open race. Nairnbridge is likely to start in the Final Handicap in preference to the Southland Handicap. Pilot Light’s brilliant finishing run in the Wyndham Cup, in which he ran Ma Reine to half a head, will ensure him confident support in the Southland Handicap, the second leg. Extra Weight Pilot Light has been raised 31b for his Wyndham placing, but this should not trouble him, and most of those to finish behind him at Wyndham are likely to have trouble holding their own with him on Saturday. The Kurdistan three-year-old promises to develop staying form of some worth. Both Writer and Field Chief will appreciate firmer ground than they struck in the Invercargill Cup, in which they finished second and third respectively. Writer has been raised 31b to 9-6 over two furlongs less ground, and he will still be one of the hardest to beat. Writer’s consistency alone entitles him to be one of the favourites. Field Chief’s third yesterday represented a particularly good effort, as he was well out of his ground in the middle stages, but finished particularly well. He has the steadier of 9-9, and conceding 271 b to Pilot Light will be a formidable task. Flair will not be condemned because of his Invercargill Cup failure, as he was not suited by the ground and will be a much different proposition with a track to suit him. On Wingatui form there is likely to be little between Flair and Writer. Dinner Chat has been raised 91b over the shorter journey, for her Invercargill Cup win. At 8-11 she is still reasonably placed in her field, and in a genuinely-run race will see it out with the best of them, too, will be well placed on ilrmer going. Suitable Task Nairnbridge accounted for the open milers yesterday, and a similar task may be set him on the second day in preference to this field. • Horatius had a track to suit him yesterday but he made little impression against the milers when sent out favourite.

Marjo will be produced only if the ground is firm. Landon and Armando will need to improve, but Lucky Bill finished a creditable fourth in the Invercargill Cup, and that placing would give him a chance. Obelisk will form a strong bracket with Pilot Light. She ran a creditable race in the Dunedin Cup, but requires a firm track to be at her best. Cashmere represents fresh blood, but on his best hack form he would be a possibility. Riding engagements include:— E. G. Low: Eden’s Pride, Belle O'Buchan. R. J. Skelton: Clinton Belle, Flair. H. T. Anderton: Meridian, Regardless. B. J. Anderton: Mv Friend, Andy Mac. B. P. Kennedy: Night Vision, Armando, The Trek. J. S. Crawford: Davaar. D. N. Te Au: The Tramp, Brig O’Cally. F. H. Skelton: Nairn Bridge. G. W. Wright: Super Bid, Dinner Chat. R. J. Fosbender: Royal Vision, Brude, Obelisk, Meandering. J. M. Cappie: Allan, Skylight, Pilot Light, Kelp, Baby Toes. Selections:— 11 a.m.—Gladstone Hurdles: Tut Tut, No Longer. Naughty Boy. 11.40 a.m.—Novice Trail First Division: King Cassock, Valoyda, Super Lin. Second Division: Miss Callander, Sheeogue, Massenet. 12.35 p.m.—Shorts Handicap: Lochie, Some Day, Skylight. 1.15 p.m.—Makarewa Handicap: Salonica, Belle O’Buchan, St. Ninian. 2 p.m.—Southland Handicap: Pilot Light, Writer, Flair. 2.40 p.m.—Simper Stakes: Surapt, Kelp, Top Flight. 3.35 p.m.—Summer Cup: By Jove, Plunder, Allan. 4.30 p.m.—Final Handicap: Nairn Bridge, Spring Night, Skylight. The fields, .with form, for the double races are:— SHORTS HANDICAP, Of £450. Seven furlongs. st. lb. 1002 Kasr el Nil (1) ..9 6 0043 Brooke (6) .. ..9 2 0010 Skylight (2) .. ..9 1 0000 Regardless (4) .. .. 8 10 002 My Friend (3) .. ..8 6 00 Irish Wings (9) ..8 3 Oil Some Day (5) .. ..8 2 4200 Mijiji (8) .. ..8 1 0000. Lochie (7) .. .. 711 SOUTHLAND HANDICAP, Of £7OO. One mile and three furlongs. st. lb. 2003 Field Chief (13> .. 99 4242 Writer (8) .. ..9 6 1310 Flair (2) .. ..9 0 4001 Dinner Chgt (1) 8 11 1301 Nairn Bridge (7) ..8 5 0000 Horatius (10) .. ..8 4 0000 Landon (12) .. ..8 1 0000 Marjo (5) .. .. 7 11 0000 Armando (3) .. 7 10 1332 Pilot Light (6) .. 7 10 1300 Cashmere (11) .. 7 7 0000 Lucky Bill (9) ..7 7 4330 Obelisk (4) .. ..7 7 Bracket: Pilot Light and Obelisk T.A.B. BETTING £92,877 HANDLED YESTERDAY (New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, January 3, Off-course bets with the Totalisator Agency Board for the Auckland Trotting Club’s summer meeting today totalled £92.877 10s, comprised of win and place £57,158 10s, and doubles £34,719. The off-course substitute was Captain Star. Cambridge Rehandicaps Sabreman has been rehandicapped to 84 yards for the Leamington Handicap at the Cambridge Trotting Club’s meeting on Saturday. Scottish Command has been rehandicapped to 12 yards for the Cambridge Gold Cup.—(P.A.)