False Step Given Back Mark In Inter-Dominion

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29383, 9 December 1960, Page 4

False Step Given Back Mark In Inter-Dominion

False Step has been placed on the back mark in all three qualifying heats in the £lO,OOO Grand Final at the Inter-Dominion Championship series to be run at Addington on February 8, 11, 15 and 18. He shares the back mark in the sprint heats with Lookaway, the most tightly-assessed sprinter in New Zealand. The handicapper (Mr R. C. R. Morton) has placed 16 horses behind the limit in the qualifying heats to be run over 10 furlongs, but four Of them— Auditor, Canyon, First Kiss and Robert Dillon—return to the front in the heats to be run over 13 furlongs and two miles, and in the Grand Final, which will be run over 13 furlongs. Mr Morton has not used the maximum handicap of (2) 36 yards in the sprint handicaps, False Step and Lookaway being on 30 yards.

False Step has been placed on the maximum of 48 yards in the other heats and the Grand Final, nearest to him being the wellperformed Sydney horse, Apmat, which has been placed on 30 yards. Apmat, winner of the Spring Cup in Sydney and the Anniversary Cup in Perth this season, is regarded as the best pacer racing in Australia at present. He finished a close second to Caduceus in the Grand Final at the Sydney series earlier this year when receiving 24 yards from that champion. He will meet False Step on six yards worse terms in the distance heats than in similar races in Sydney last February. In the meantime, False Step has won the Ashburton Flying Stakes, the New Zealand Cup, the Allan

Matson Handicap, and the New Zealand Free-for-all. Maestro’s Melody (U. ScottMelody Maid) has been placed on the front in all three heats and the Grand Final. He finished third to Caduceus and Apniat from the limit in the Sydney Grand Final earlier this year. Heroic Action, on 12 yards, is the only other Australian pacer handicapped behind the limit in the 13-furlong and two-mile events. In the two mile qualifying heats, Mr Morton has made only one change from the handicaps for the heats and the Grand Final run over 13 furlongs. Invicta is on 18 yards in the 13 furlong events and 12 yards in the two mile qualifying heats. Handicaps are: —

CHAMPIONSHIP QUALIFYING HEATS, One mile and a quarter. Aldora .. It. Kevejay (S.A.) .. It. Smokeaway .. It. Arania .. It. Kiwi Dillon Stormont .. It. Blue Emperor .. It. (W.A.) It. Sultana (W.A.) .. It. Blue Prince .. It. Kiwi Grattan ... It. Sydray (Viet.) .. It. Bonny Starlet .. It. Lady Shona .. It. Takitimu .. It. Con Scott .. It. Last Command Taxi Boy (W.A.) It. Damian .. It. (N.S.W.) It. Teryman .. It. Diamond Hanover It. Maestro’s Melody Three Aces Dignus .. It. (Viet.) It. (S.A.) It. Don Hall .. It. Massacre .. It. Van Rush .. It. Euchre .. It. Mayneen .. It. Waitaki Child .. It. Fourth Edition .. It. Moon Raider Yonkers (N.S.W.) It. Fox Able .. It. (S.A.) It. Young Dieman .. It. Frontiersman .. It. Mulgrove .. It. Auditor .. 12 Frown • .. It. O’Dearo .. It. Canyon .. 12 Furtive (N.S.W.) It. Overdrive .. It. First Kiss Gay Alabama .. It. Patchwork .. It. (N.S.W.) 12 General Scott Pretoria Bob .. It. Heroic Action (N.S.W.) It. Queen Ngaio .. It. (Viet.) 12 Gleaming Light t Reason Why .. It. Highland Air .. 12 (Viet.) It. Redwin (N.S.W.) It. Invicta .. 12 Gold Indian .. It. Responsive .. It. Lady Belmer .. 12 Guard’s Brigade It. Rustic Lad .. It. Robert Dillon .. 12 Guiseppe .. It. Samantha .. It. Scottish Command 12 Harlequin Parade It. Scottish Ensign .. It. Sun Chief .. 12 Highland Don .. It. Seafield Lad .. It. Thunder .. 12 Highland Heath .. It. Sebabu .. It. Apmat (N.S.W.) .. 18 Holy Smoke .. It. Sea Gram (S.A.) It. Rupee .. 18 Honest Charles .. It. Sharwalo .. It. Gentry .. 24 Kerryfield Showdown .. It. False Step .. 30 (N.S.W.) It. Sleek Line .. It. Lookaway .. 30 Kerry Queen .. It. CHAMPIONSHIP QUALIFYING HEATS AND GRAND FINAL, One mile and five furlongs. Aldora .. It. Honest Charles .. It. Sebabu .. It. Arania .. It. Kerryfield Sea Gram (S.A.) It. Auditor .. It. (N.S.W.) It. Sharwalo .. It. Blue Emperor .. It. Kerry Queen .. It. Showdown .. It. Blue Prince .. It. Kevejay (S.A.) .. It. Sleek Line .. It. Bonny Starlet .. It. Kiwi Dillon Smokeaway .. It. Canyon .. It. (W.A.) It. Stormont .. It. Con Scott .. It. Kiwi Grattan .. It. Sultana (W.A.) It. Damian .. It. Lady Shona .. It. Sydray -(Viet.) .. It. £)iamond Hanover It. Last Command Takitimu .. It. Dignus .. It. (N.S.W.) It. Taxi Boy (W.A.) It. Don Hall .. It. Maestro’s Melody Teryman .. It. Euchre .. It. (Viet.) It. Three Aces First Kiss Massacre .. It. (S.A.) It. (N.S.W.) It. Mayneen .. It. Van Rush .. It. Fourth Edition .. It. Moon Raider Waitaki Child .. It. Fox Able .. It. (S.A.) It. Yonkers (N.S.W.) It. Frontiersman .. It. Mulgrove .. It. Young Dieman .. It. Frown .. It. O’Dearo .. It. Heroic Action Furtive (N.S.W.) It. Overdrive .. It. (Viet.) 12 Gay Alabama .. It. Patchwork .. It. Lady Belmer .. 12 General Scott Pretoria Bob .. It. Rupee 12 (N.S.W.) It. Queen Ngaio .. It. Scottish Command 12 Gleaming Light Reason Why .. It. Sun Chief .. 12 (Viet.) It. Redwin (N.S.W.) It. Gentry .. 18 Gold Indian .. It. Responsive .. It. Highland Air .. 18 Guard’s Brigade It. Robert Dillon .. It. Invicta. .. 18 Guiseppe .. It. Rustic Lad .. It. Lookaway .. 24 Harlequin Parade It. Samantha .. It. Thunder .. 24 Highland Don .. It. Scottish Ensign It. Apmat (N.S.W.) 30 Highland Heath .. It. Seafield Lad .. It. False Step .. 48 Holy Smoke .. It. The handicaps for the two-mile qualifying heats will be the same as for the 13-furlong events, except that Invicta will be on 12 yards instead of 18 yards.