TROTTING Thunder And False Step Working

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28658, 7 August 1958, Page 4

TROTTING Thunder And False Step Working

Thunder, False Step, Con -Scott and Young Dieman will represent the Templeton trainer, C. G. Devine, at the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club’s national meeting, which will open at Addington on Saturday week.

False Step win probably contest the Louisson Handicap on the first day of the * meeting.. and Thunder will probably be a candidate for the Lightning Handicap, the sprint face on the pro* gramme. Both have be«n entered for the £l5OO National Handicap, an invitation rice and the feature event on the sdbond day of the •meeting. Thunder has not raced since he was unplaced in the New Zealand Pacing Championship at Addington on November 23. At his previous start be was'runnerup to Lookaway in the New Zealand Cup, a race he had won 12 months earlier. 1 -• Thunder has so far shown no signs of the soreness which has restricted his career to date. He is far from being a spent force and he will have to be reckoned with in important spring events.

False Step has yet to race from Devine’s stables. He has been one of the outstanding pacers in New Zealand in recent years. Along with Thunder and other members of Devine’s team, he is booked to race at trials to be held at Addington today by the Canterbury Trotting Owners’ and Breeders’ Association.

False Step failed to win a race last season, but he was placed several times, two of his best efforts being seconds to Caduceus in the New Zealand Pacing Championship and the New Zealand Flying Stakes at Addington on November 23. False Step is on a favourable mark as far as major handicap events are concerned, and it will be surprising if he fails to extend- his outstanding record in the next few months. Long Speß Con Scott, which is due to resume racing at Addington, has had a long spell. He has not been produced since January, 1957. He is an eight-year-old by U. Scott from a fine race mare in Joan Conquest. Con Scott has plenty of ability, but unfortunately he was not always too reliable at the start of his races. If he can be made to race solidly, he would be a prospect in intermediateclass events.

Young Dieman is booked to make his first race appearance in the Canterbury Challenge Stakes, a special condition race for three and four-year-olds on the second day of the meeting Young Dieman is a three-year-old gelding by Van Dieman from Mala, the dam also of a useful winner. Malabella.

Devine is also preparing Ebonite for early spring racing. She graduated from maiden company in impressive style at Ashburton towards the end of the season and it should not be difficult to place her to advantage early in the season.

Two two-year-old fillies by Van Dieman are also in work. One is out of Gold Devince, a Gold Bar mare which left a winner in Our Charles to Red Flight. The other is out of pillon’s Pride, by Dillon Hal] from Mercury Maid. Bon Ton’s Injury The injury to Bon Ton’s leg cannot have been as serious as was at first thought. He has been in work for several weeks now and is down to make a reappearance at trials to be held at Addington today. He has also been entered for races at Addington on August 16 and 23. At Springston Lucky Hall has been leased by the Springston trainer, R. H. Negus, and he may have his first start for his new trainer at the Addington meeting on Saturday week. Lucky Hall had only five starts last season, his best effort being a fourth to Overdrive. Vierosa and Reason Why in the

Boxing Day Handicap at Ashburton on December 26. Lucky Hall is an aged-gelding by Dillon Hall from Lucky ; Dawn. Methven Programme Two alterations have been made in the programme tor the Methven Trotting Club’s Spring meeting on September ,37., The Lauristpn. Handicap, previously a £350 race for trotters assessed at 3min 53sec and faster for one mile and five furlongs, will now have a limit of 3min,'slsec and the stake has been increased to £4OO. The S. G. Holmes Memorial Handicap previously had a stake of £5OO. This has been reduced to £450, but the limit remains unchanged. For N.Z. Cup

Bartender, one of the most tightly-assessed horses produced in the Auckland district in recent years, is a prospective candidate for the New Zealand Trotting Cup at Addington next November. He will probably have his first start since returning from Australia two months ago at Auckland next month. Bartender is a 10-year-old, but he is reported to have thrived lately. Formerly trained by O. E. Nicholas, he is now prepared by R. Norton. Bartender was raced in Australia for more than 12 months and he won two races in Perth, as well as recording several placings.