RACING Four-year-olds’ Record In The Great Easter

Press, Volume XCV, Issue 28256, 18 April 1957, Page 4

RACING Four-year-olds’ Record In The Great Easter

F our-year-olds have won the Great Easter Handicap seven times in the last 10 years, and that good record may be taken a stage further in the ±l2OOO sprint race on the first day of the Canterbury Jockey Club’s autumn meeting on Monday. Royal Zorra. Skylight, Tess, Motueka. Palace. Appreciate, and Bugle Boy are four-year-olds in the field this year. * Royal Zorra, like Citril, which won as a four-year-old in 1949. has 9-7. She has taken high ranking this season, and her class was never more evident than when she beat outstanding milers in the Thompson Handicap at Trentham last month. The North Island has not been so strongly represented in the Great Easter Handicap for some time—there were no northern sprinters in the race last year—and Royal Zorra. Lucrative. Wee Durham, and Bugle Boy should test the best of the South Island horses. The last North Island winner was Pierre in 1950, and Riccarton stables have provided the last two winners, Dutch Flag and Kingship. Riccarton’s best this year is expected to be Copenhagen, the Great Easter Handicap fourth last year, and third a year earlier. Copenhagen has shown his best form on dead and easy tracks, and conditions should suit the Admiral’s Luck gelding on Monday. Lucrative at Her Best Copenhagen, like Lucrative, Mighty Dollar, Fulgent, Teina, Red Boa. and Melinda Jane, is a six-year-old. This age group will be very . well represented under any conditions. Lucrative is racing at her best, and her best is very good. Mighty Dollar has been an outstanding winner at Trentham and _ Riccarton, and he has stood up to racing and training well since making a fresh start after being off the scene for almost a year. Teina will advance in favour with any further deterioration in the track. She has shown form of some worth on winter tracks. Three-year-olds have made a notable contribution to Great Autumn Handicap records since Bruce won in 1946. Bruce was then a three-year-old, and seven others of that age have followed his example. Teaka, yet to be tested in open company, is the only three-year-old in the field this year. He advanced quickly through hack class, and his wins at Trentham last month and at Riccarton in February have been pointers to a successful open-class career as a stayer. Teaka is 231 b below’ Writer, and may be the top-weight’s strongest opponent. The Great Easter and Great ’ Autumn Handicaps are of further Interest because they have been chosen' for the day’s totalisator double.

Some of the best performances of the candidates for both races, with jockeys where available, are:— GREAT EASTER HANDICAP, Of £2OOO. Seven furlongs. 3142 ROYAL ZORRA (12) 9-7, L. W Hare.—Top-flight sprint mare. Winner of four races this season, including the Thompson and Metropolitan Handicaps at Trentham. and the Members’ Handicap at Riccarton. Only three times nnplaced in 17 starts this 4222 LUCRATIVE (13) 9-4, C. A. Bowry.—A winner and close second in two starts at Hastings. Beat good milers in Churchill Stakes at Riccarton in November. Strong mare and good weight-carrier. 400 MIGHTY DOLLAR (14) 9-3, J. Didham.—Recently made encouraging fresh start after long spelL Improver’s fifth in Tamatete Handicap (Im) at Awapuni on March 30. Brilliant when at best. 1402 COPENHAGEN (19) 8-12. A. J. Stokes.—Seldom races badly on; easy tracks, and should have: conditions to suit. Unlucky second to Mctueka in Amberley Cup and winner at race trials last week. 1110 FULGENT (16) 8-6, C. McMcDonald.—Form has stiffened with easing in tracks. Won two races at Waimate last month and was close fifth against sprinters at Oamaru after meeting trouble. •440 SKYLIGHT (17) 8-4.—Close fourth in Railway Handicap (6f) won by Moon Crest at Trentham last month. Latest failure was over IJm. Should run this distance out strong! v. •400 TEINA (20) 8-2, G W. Mein.— Made fresh start after spell at Amberley. Winner over 7f on easy track at Wingatui in September. Rurner-up to West Indies on heavy track at Riccarton in August. Drawn wide out. but may take beating if track is heavy. 8220 WEE DURHAM '5) 8-o.—Con-sistent place-getter in North Island, and has won over this I distance at Stratford this season. Good fourth in W.R.C. Telegraph Handicap at Tren- ■ tham in January. 0223 TESS (22) 7-13.—Returned to sprinting in Amberley Cup and i was weakening third. Usually: runs her races out strongly. I Beat all but Royal Zorra in C. Members* Handicap in November. •000 HOT DROP (6) 7-12.—Has engagement at Tauherenikau on Saturday. Not certain starter. 2221 RED BOA <9) 7-11.—Winner over 6f at Beaumont meeting after three consecutive seconds. May be troubled by this class. 1023 MOTUEKA (18) 7-11, R. W. Gould.—Found Watch and Wait too good in sprint races at Nelson. Won Amberley Cup in sound style. Consistent 1200 RISE AND SHINE (11) 7-9, A. H. Eastwood.—Has good form up to Im. and racing over probably her best distance. Narrowly beaten by stablemate, Dutch Flag, in this race last year. 0000 ASSEMBLY (15) 7-B—Showed speed for sixth after slow’ start I in Amberley Cup. Has raced • well on rain-affected tracks.! May be strong light-weight. I 4130 PALACE (7) 7-8 —Creditable; third in Thompson Handicap: (Im) after decisive win over; 6f at Wingatui in February.' Smart galloper and may take beating. 1000 CURTAIN RAISER (4) 7-6. M. D. Alexander.—Disappointing in three starts since winning over 7f at Wingatui in February. Has had chance to freshen. 3022 BEAUTY QUEEN (21) 7-5. Has been racing consistently at West Coast meetings, but will be troubled by the class in this field. •400 APPRECIATE (10) 7-3—Has done most of his racing at minor meetings. Has winning form up to Im. Latest win was at Westport five starts back. 0004 BUGLE BOY (2) 7-1, W. D Wylie—Good fourth, last start, to Ttmanah, Baraden, and Lucrative over 6f at Awapuni Winner over 6jf at Levin in January. •000 SMUGGLES (1) 7-0. B. W. MeDonald.—Has not shewn up in first two starts in open com-

I pany. Surprise winner over this distance against hacks at Grand National meeting. 0000 MELINDA JANE (8) 7-0, N. Hoy.—Unplaced in nine starts this season. Did not run on in Amberley Cup after disputing lead to home turn. Scratched: Lorica. GREAT AUTUMN HANDICAP, Of £2OOO. One mile and a half. 1000 WRITER (11) 9-0, C. McDonald. —Unplaced in three starts since success under 8-4 in W.R.C. Summer Handicap in January. Running on for 6th under 8-11 in President's Handicap at Trentham last month. Solid form over this distance. Chance will brighten if track drys. 0021 JUNGLE (12) 8-0, C. A. Bowry. —Last-start winner over Ijm at Awapuni. Mastered distance strongly. Appears to be improving with each race. 0000 ROYAL WARRANT (9) 8-0. R. W. Gould.—Not certain starter because of injury. High-class galloper under winter conditions, and would have been one of favourites. 1200 CORNFLAKE (13) 7-13.—Has winning form up to 11m in open company, and won over ljm as hack, but failed over that distance at Trentham last month. 2213 LOYAL CHIEF (3) 7-13, W. D. Skelton.—Won Otaio Plate, IJm, at Riccarton in November. Since placed in Dunedin Cup. and has won Oamaru Cup. Best form shown on firm tracks. 4110 HUMBER HAWK (6) 7-9.—Win-ner over 11m at Oamaru in New Year meeting, and has since won as a sprinter on same course. Showed stamina as hack. 0300 GRAND BANK (7) 7-B.—Won Islington Handicap, IJm, on heavy track at Grand National meeting. Shaped well over IJm at Trentham last month, finishing third to Pinnacle Ridge and The Wake. 0000 CALCUTTA SWEEP (14), 7-8 Started new campaign at Manawatu meeting, and needed racing. Fit now, but wall probablv need firm track. 0003 SCUPPERED (15) 7-7. B. W. McDonald.—lmprover’s third in high-weight at Amberley when making fresh start. Has worked W’ell since. Chance should brighten if track is soft. 0000 KIAREE BEAU (8) 7-7. W. Gibbs.—Has done nothing of much account in latest racing. Mav be troubled by this class. 0300 KING ROBIN (4) 7-5. N. Cowles.—Mastered Ilf as hack, but open company form has not been good. Chance may brighten if track is heavy. 4040 GOLDWYN (5) 7-s.—Fourth in C.J.C. Midsummer Handicap, his best effort in open company. Showed speed in open sprint at race trials last week. Bred to master IJm. 0010 ROYAL TRYST (10) 7-5. W. D. Wylie.—Winner over Ilf under high-weight conditions at Trentham in January. Has had only one race since, but has shown his best form when fresh. 0113 TEAKA (2) 7-5, A. J. StokesFirst start in open company. Easy winner over 12m at Riccarton in February and over Im 3f at Trentham in March. Stays well and may be pick of light-weights. Scratched: Bernard.