TROTTING SOUND WINNING RUN BY BEN LEE AT ASHBURTON

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28604, 5 June 1958, Page 4

TROTTING SOUND WINNING RUN BY BEN LEE AT ASHBURTON

Ben Lee recorded an ent* standing trial for racing at Nelson on Saturday and Monday next when he won The Acton Handicap, the second leg of the double on the last day of the recent Ashburton Trotting Club's winter meeting. On the first day of the Ashburton meeting when 6, 6 in the betting, Ben Lee broke badly and lost a lot of ground. He finished strongly from well back for fifth, a long way the winner. Glister. On Monday he was 3, 5 in the betting over two miles. He again broke and he must have lost 36 yards before settling down. H. Stafford moved him up smartly near the seven furlongs and he improved to be second alongside the pacemaker, Kawa, at the six furlongs. He was clear soon after straightening up and he fought back very gamely when challenged strongly by Derby Air over the last furlong. His winning margin was only a neck, but at no stage did he really look like being headed Ben Lee paced the two miles in 4min 24 4-ssec, a good effort for a horse in his class on a grass track.

Ben Lee is engaged in the mile and a half Beatty Handicap on the first day at Nelson. If he begins smoothly, he would have very bright prospects of winning again as he should be well suited by the mile and a half journey. The stake for this race is £450 and if he fails to win,' he will have bright prospects of making amends in the two-mile £550 Centennial Cup on Monday, or in the £4OO sprint event the same day. If track conditions are firm, Ben Lee would not be troubled to run out two miles on the searching Nelson track.

Owned and trained at New Brighton by H. Stafford, he is a four-year-old gelding by Protector from Dainty Dorie. Protector, which was bred at Murchison by Mr C. McHugh, is a 12-year-old stallion by Light Brigade from Lucy Parrish, by Guy Parrish, tracing back to the imported mare, Muriel Madison. He is a half-brother to a winner, Mahari Dhu. Dainty Dorrie, Ben Lee’s dam, was got by Great Chenault from Our Dorrie, by Brigand. Ben Lee was bred at Christchurch by Mr E. G. Leathern, who sold him to Stafford after he had two unsuccessful starts earlier this season. At that time Ben Lee was showing signs of soreness, but Stafford has been able to race him fairly extensively without a serious breakdown Ben Lee has not had the best of fortune in a number of his races in recent months, and, now that he has struck form, he should carry on. It will be most surprising if he fails to win a race on the trip to Nelson. Engaged At Nelson Harlequin Parade, a member of J. D. Litten’s successful West Melton team, gained an impressive win in the two-mile Masterton Handicap at Hutt Park on Monday. He was a firm favourite for the second leg of the double on the first day of the meeting but met with a bad check and failed to reach a place. Harlequin Parade is a grand type of pacer and it will be surprising if he fails to win at least one race at the Nelson meeting on Saturday and Monday. Likely Improver

Utoss showed that she was close to worthwhile form when she finished fifth in the Tinwald Handicap at Ashburton on Monday. She was having only her second start since joining H. S. Donaldson’s team. She drifter) back on the inside early, but showed speed in the straight to finish not far from the placed horses.

Utoss has always shown plenty of ability, but she was far from reliable at the start of her races. She appears to be gaining confidence now and she will not be at such long odds when next she is produced as she was showing at Ashburton.

Leading Owner Horses raced by Mr R. A. McKenzie since May 14 have met with only moderate success, his only winner since then being Rockn Roll, which was successful at Hutt Park on Monday. His horses have recorded several placings and have earned £725. advancing his total earnings for the season to £18,264.

He will be represented at New Brighton on Saturday week, but it seems unlikely that his horses will earn the £1736 required to make him first owner in the history of trotting in New Zealand to top the £20,000 mark in a single season. Mr McKenzie is unchallenged on the owners’ list, being about £6OOO clear of his nearest rival. In Fine Form

Bonny Wings was much too good for the slow-class trotters at Hutt Park and she gained two very easy wins. She has now won three races in recent weeks for Messrs R. D. Teahen and M. M. Coffey, of Temuka, for whom she is trained at Weedons by L. F. Berkett. She was confidently driven in her Wellington races by J. A. Carmichael, who has had a most successful season.

Bonny Wings is a six-year-old mare by the U. Scott horse. Lochinvar, from Fairy Wings, by Quite Sure from Resound, the dam also of Fire Water and Super Sound. Bonny Wings should go close to winning again at New Brighton next week.

Smart Sprinter Sand Flight won his second race on his trip to Canterbury when he easily accounted for Free Country and First Belle in the Winter Handicap at Ashburton on Monday. He was always handily placed and he came away over the last furlong to win comfortably after recording the smart time of 2min 58 2-ssec for the 11 furlongs. Sand Flight is a very small black gelding by Medoro from Sandpiper, a good winner a few years ago for Mr L. H. Tilson, of Balclutha, who also races Sand Flight. Sand Flight will race next over one mile and a quarter at New Brighton on Saturday week and he will have bright prospects of extending his record. Popular Win Ebony Scott gained one of the most popular wins on the second day of the Ashburton meeting when he beat Temple Scott in the Longbeach Handicap. Trained and driven by his part-owner, A. J. Bourne, he was close to the lead all the way and he ran out the last 100 yards much too strongly for the others. Ebony Scott had been through the hands of several trainers, the majority of whom found him extremely wayward. Bourne trained him towards the end of last season, but he was so troublesome in his races that he was placed on the schooling list Eventually the New Zealand Trotting Conference removed him from the lists and he has improved with every race. Now that he has struck form. Bourne should not find it hard to place him to advantage again. He is a brother to a useful trotting winner in Centennial Star. Promising Debut The Tinwald trainer, D. J Townley, produced a likely type of pacer. Forest Hill, in the two-mile Trial Handicap at Ashburton on Saturday. Forest Hill' began smartly, but drifted in the middle stages. He finished on well over the last furlong without appearing likely to return a dividend, and finished eighth. Forest Hill was having his first race experience on Saturday and he looks in line for an early win. He is engaged at Nelson at the week-end and should pay expenses. He is a four-year-old gelding by Bill B. from Norma Grattan, by Grattan Loyal from Carbinea, by El Carbine from the imported mare. Gardenia. He is a half-brother to the winners Clementine, Calamity Jane. Maestro and Maximilian.

Bred at Winton by Messrs Norman Bros., he is raced by Messrs A. J. and D. P. Dynes, of Wyndham, who also race a useful pacer in Aegean from Townley’i stables.