TROTTING SEAFIELD LAD GAINED MOST IMPRESSIVE WIN

Press, Volume XCV, Issue 28224, 12 March 1957, Page 5

TROTTING SEAFIELD LAD GAINED MOST IMPRESSIVE WIN

Seafield Lad reached top ranking among the two-year-olds this season when he won the Timaru Nursery Stakes at Washdyke on Saturday. He recorded a grand staying performance and fought on from an apparently hopeless position racing to the final furlong to wear down the pacemaker, Rosalinda, in the last few strides

Seafield Lad was fractious in the birdcage, and threw himself while being walked around. However. he took no harm from the incident. He lost several lengths at the start and must have been giving Rosalinda a start of almost 10 lengths at the end of half a furlong. He appeared to meet trouble again with three furlongs to run but did not lose much ground.' He moved up to be three lengths from Rosalinda turning to the straight and gradually closed on her. However. Rosalinda ran on strongly and Seafield Lad had to produce a great burst of speed to draw level and shade her just short of the post. Raced by his breeder, Mr E. Grant, of Timaru. Seafield Lad has had two wins and two placings from his four starts and he has earned £9BO in stakes. Like many of the progeny of Young Bob, he can handle rainsoaked tracks and. as he stays so strongly, he will be a great prospect for the £2OOO New Zealand Sapling Stakes at Ashburton towards the end of the season.

Seafield Lad started his race career by finishing third to Gala Girl and Space Patrol in the Golden Slipper Stakes at Waimate in December. He was an unlucky third to Gold Hanover and Rosalinda in the Canterbury Park Juvenile Stakes as he did not get clear until well into the straight. Then came his first win. in the Invitation Stakes at Orari, in which he finished with a great run after being slow away to wear down Gold Hanover and beat her by a nose. Smart Filly Rosalinda brought her record to three placings from as many starts by taking second place. She began brilliantly and established what appeared to be a winning break However, she found Seafield Lad just too good over the last 50 yards, although she was finishing on again on the line.

Rosalinda's efforts have oeen particularly good this season, and the Springbok filly is overdue for a win. Her chance may come in the Two-year-old Stakes at Mecbven on March 23. Seafield Lad will be handicapped on 24 yards in that race and other winners will go back 12 yards. This could easily turn the tables in Rosalinda’s favour.

Diamond Hanover, a half-brother to Guiseppe, paced his best race to date when he battled on for third, but he was 20 lengths behind Rosilanda. There was merit in his placing as he missed the start and was a long way back on settling down. He looks as though he will require more time before he reaches his best. Much more impressive than Diamond Hanover was Sebabu, which finished fourth. He was having his first start at a totalisator meeting and tangled away from the second line. He looked well out of his ground at the end of a furlong, but S. A. Edwards moved him up gradually. Although he did not look like returning a dividend, he did well to finish close up. His effort stamped him as a smart colt and he will be an iinteresting contender for future classics. He is by Smokey Hanover from High Flight and is raced by Mr W. W. Johnston.

Te Par, a member of C. M. Laing’s Eiffelton team, was a surprise favourite for the race. He finished fourth' at Orari at his only other start, but on Saturday he broke at the start and was always towards the rear of the field.

Gala Girl, making her first appearance since winning the Golden Slipper Stakes, moved freely in her preliminary and looked to have developed a lot since December. She began safely, but slowly, being sent to a break by another galloping horse. She was not perserved with and finished second last. She should soon make amends for that failure.

Gold Hanover, winner of the Canterbury Park Juvenile Stakes, began brilliantly, but could not handle the going. She broke twice and finished eighth. Au Fait was handily placed for six furlongs and then she began to tire. Her stablemate, Sunart. was much more impressive. The half-sister to Attack lost ground at the start and was eleventh at the end of half a mile, a long way from Rosalinda. She began a run from this point and continued it to the post where she was sixth. It was a useful effort.

Gay Baron was a little disappointing in finishing seventh. However, he may have been like many of the others which could not handle the rain-soaked track. At Good Odds

The only surprising feature of Stellar's placing in the Salisbury Handicap at Washdyke on Saturday was her place price of £4 7s. She was the 9. 7 favourite, false odds for a filly with good form in classic races. Had she not been hampered for room at several stages of the race, she may have been harder to beat. Stellar looks very well at present and she may not be long winning again.

Broke Badly Rapuwai, which was having his first start for the season, was backed to 3, 3 for the Temuka Handicap at Washdyke on Saturday, but at no stage of the race was he dangerous. He began safely, but went to a break soon after. He broke again in the running and did not recover. Rapuwai looked well and is certain to have benefited from the race. Last season he was one of the most promising young trotters seen in Canterbury, and when next he strikes a firm track, he may be much harder to beat. Forward Showing

Marshland Scott made a bold showing for a close sixth in the Timaru Handicap at Washdyke on Saturday. He was having his first start since he joined H. S. Donaldson’s team. The U. Scott gelding was not far from the leaders and he held on well to finish close up. Later in the day he paced a sound race from 24 yards to finish eighth in the Waiiti Handicap. A noted performer in heavy going. Marshland Scott looks near good form. Useful Winner

Golden Chimes won her fourth race for the season when she beat the sprinters in the Wai-iti Handicap at Washdyke on Saturday. She received a perfect run throughout and finished on much too strongly for her opponents. She will be meeting much sterner opposition in her future racing, but should still not be difficult to place. Raced in partnership by her Irwell trainer, A. A. Jones, and Mr F. H. Jones, she is a six-year-old mare by Robert Earl from Clockwise. She is a sister to a good winner in Patrick Earl. So far this season she has had 15 starts for four wins and five placings, worth £1570 10s in stakes.

Placing Lost The Yaldhurst trainer, O. G. Oakley, will be pleased when next a member of his team does not encounter a horse from R- H. Butterick’s stables. At Washdyke on Saturday, Buren hit the front in the Seadown Handicap, but he broke near the furlong post running in on top of Wimpy, checking the latter badly. Buren came on again and finished third, only to be disqualified for causing interference. At Orari on February 23. Lady Attack, also a member of Oakley's team, looked in for an easy win in the First Waihi Handicap until she ran in on Fontani, driven by Butterick. Lady Attack won the race from Fontani, but the placings were reversed on the grounds of interference.