TROTTING SINGLE DERBY’S EFFORT SUGGESTS FURTHER WINS

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28532, 11 March 1958, Page 4

TROTTING SINGLE DERBY’S EFFORT SUGGESTS FURTHER WINS

Single Derby’s win in the Timaru Handicap at Washdyke on Saturday should be the fore-runner of many more successes in Canterbury. It was his first success for the season and it was gained in such a convincing manner that he should not be greatly troubled by the richer company he will meet in the next few weeks at the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club’s Easter meeting at Addington.

Single Derby has always shown more than average ability, but luck was against him many times in the North Island. He raced at Addington at the last New Zealand Cup meeting, but failed to return a dividend, although he raced well enough to have won. Most times he finished close up after being well back most of the way and forced over extra ground. He was fifth in a fastrun race won by Vierosa. That effort showed that he had well above average ability. Single Derby joined N. L. Berkett’s Yaldhurst team after finishing third to Monterey and Tehana at Hutt Park a week earlier. That run did little to suggest that he would win at Washdyke, but once he reached the straight the result did not seem in doubt. He did not have to be driven out to hold an advantage of two lengths and he looked to have plenty in reserve at the post. The time in Saturday’s race—4min 25 3-ssec —was not very fast, but nor were those in the other events. Among the horses to finish well behind Single Derby were several with worthwhile recent performances. On Saturday they made no impression on the winner at any stage of the race. Winning Family. Single Derby is a six-year-old black horse by Johnny Globe’s sire, Logan Derby, from a grand race mare some years ago in Isabel Derby. She was got by Nelson Derby from Ranebell Direct, by Directway. Single Derby is a brother to Douglas Derby and a half-brother to Doris Kay and Black Fury. He is also closely reated to a former champion in Single Direct arid other winners in Single Medoro and Singlena. He is a member of a fine winning family and it is expected that he will add considerably to its record. Single Derby, which is raced by his breeder, Mr B. Elliot, of Auckland, was until recently trained at Frankton Junction by F. Smith. He did not begin racing until he was a four-year-old when he gained two wins and eight placings from 17 starts, one of his best efforts being a second to Cashier in the Massey Memorial Challenge Stakes at Auckland. Last season he won three races, including the Te Awamutu Cup, the Wanganui Handicap, and the Auckland Logan Handicap. Single Derby recorded five placings before winning on Saturday, his best efforts being a second to Canyon in the Christmas Handicap at Auckland in December and a third to Epsom Hall and Scottish Command in the Cambridge Gold Cup.

Single Derby has so far had 40 starts for six wins and 16 placings. worth £3136 5s in stakes, a total which should be greatly increased in the next few months. Tobacco Road The Canterbury-trained three-year-old, Tobacco Road, qualified for this week’s final of the Sires’ Produce Stakes when he finished fourth in his heat at Harold Park on Friday night. Tobacco Road was driven by his trainer, M. Holmes, and he is expected to be improved as a result of the race. Broken Hopple Surie Queen broke a hopple in the Wai-Iti Handicap at Washdyke on Saturday and was pulled up. The Bruce Walla mare finished fourth over a sprint distance at Orari last month after j starting from 36 yards and she was expected to give a good account of herself on Saturday. She looks very well at present and may not be long making amends for Saturday’s failure. At Templeton Anne Peterson and Derive will be racing from D. G. Jones's Templeton stables at the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club’s Easter meeting, which will open at Addington on Saturday week. Anne Peterson is a three-year-old filly by Light Brigade from Ivy Peterson. She has yet to graduate from maiden company, but she has been seven times placed from sixteen starts. Derive paced his best race for some time when he failed by only a neck to catch Lee Scott in the Alexandra Park Handicap at Auckland on February 15. He recorded the good time of 3.29 for the mile and five furlongs, and if he races as well at Addington, he could pay expenses. 'Distant Star Destroyed 1 Distant Star, which won £6830 in stakes for his Papanui trainer. L. G. Tisch. was destroyed recently. An eight-year-old gelding : by Sir Michael. Distant Star was out of Northern Star, a halfsister to a grand paced in Young Charles. Distant Star began as < two-year-old and in

almost seven seasons he had 81 starts for nine wins and 20 placings.

His first win was in the Canterbury Three-year-old Stakes and his other win that season was in the North Island Challenge Stakes at Auckland. At the same meeting he finished fourth in the Great Northern Derby won by Macall. His other wins included the Farewell Handicap at Addington last season when he beat Caduceus and the Le Lievre Handicap at the New Zealand Cup meeting. Light Nurse finished second. Promising Debut Stay Bright made a most impressive first race start in the two-mile Seadown Handicap at Washdyke on Saturday. She was well back early and had 10 horses in front of her with six furlongs left. She had not improved very much at the straight entrance, but from this point she put in a strong run which carried her to fourth place at the post, only a neck behind the third horse. Stay Bright is a four-year-old mare by Light Brigade from Belle Grattan, the dam also of Great Venture, Belmont Hall, Cellophane. Virtuous and Bonny Venture. She is raced by her breeder, Mr J. T. Taylor, of Templeton and she is trained at Springston by J. H. Winter. She should be improved as a result of her race on Saturday and can be expected to win at short notice. FALSE STEP FIT Draw For Grand Final (N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) ADELAIDE, March 10. Connexions of False Step are confident that the New Zealand pacer will be hard to beat in the £lO,OOO grand final of the InterDominion Trotting Championships on Saturday.' The veteran Victorian reinsman, Frank Kersley, who will drive False Step, said today that the horse was standing up to gruelling racing in great style and would run the race of his life in spite of his 24 yard handicap. Kersley is one of Australia’s most experienced Inter-Domin-ion drivers. This will be his seventh appearance in the race. False Step drew No. 1 barrier of the three 24-yard markers. Last year’s winner, Radiant Venture, is No. 2, and the other New Zealand representative, Gentry, is No. 3. Sibelia, the favourite for the race, is well-drawn in No. 3 on the second line. The Western Australian horse, Dillon Tower, has been suffering from an injured foreleg and yesterday was given ice pack treatment. His connexions are hoping that he will show sufficient improvement to warrant a start, but they are not very optimistic. The draw for the final is:— First Division (Vic.) (1), scr. Kiwi Dillon (W.A.) (2), scr. Free Hall <S.A.) (3),.scr. Beloro (S.A.) (4), scr. Dillon Tower (W.A.) (1). 12. Para Step (S.A.) (2), 12. Sibelia (N.S.W.) (3), 12. Taminga (S.A.) (5), 12. Fettle (N.S.W.) (4), 12. False Step (N.Z.) (1), 24. Radiant Venture (S.A.) (2), 24. Gentry (N.Z.) (3), 24. INTERNATIONAL TITLE Aim Of Mr J. P. Stratton

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) ADELAIDE. March 10. An international trotting championship is the aim of the Inter- | Dominion chairman (Mr J. P. I Stratton). j Mr Stratton. one of the founders of the Inter-Dominion championships, said he visualised the time when America, world centre of trotting, would send representatives to Australia and New Zealand to compete in the annual carnival, so that eventually the race would become a world title. Quarantine restrictions at present make it difficult to bring horses to New Zealand and Australia. These restrictions are imposed because of sleeping sickness among horses in America. The president of the New Zealand Trotting Conference (Mr Charles Thomas) said there was every possibility of Auckland j starting night trotting in the i near future, according to the trotting writer of the “Sunday Mail.’ Mr Thomas was quoted as saying that other New Zealand clubs would follow the lead of Auckland. Night trotting has been popular in many Australian States for several year^ 1