TROTTING Zany’s Luck May Be Better On Saturday

Press, Volume C, Issue 29504, 4 May 1961, Page 4

TROTTING Zany’s Luck May Be Better On Saturday

Luck was against Zany on the opening night of the For bury Park Trotting Club’s winter meeting last Saturday, but she could easily make amends with a win in the Queen’s Handicap this week. The Queen’s Handicap is the main race and first leg of the double on the final night of the meeting. Zany was pacing like an almost certain place-getter until she was badly interfered with and received a broken sulky shaft inside the last three furlongs in the Winter Handicap last week.

Zany was paraded again in the Flying Handicap. She was hampered a little in the early rush for positions and was well back in the field most of the way. She finished solidly for third to Erin’s Castle and Bonnie Lustre in a head-and-head finish. With an ounce of luck she could have won the sprint. Zany has raced most generously lately for Mr G. J. Francis, of Christchurch, for whom she is trained at Belfast by C. S. Donald. She will again be bracketed with Gildirect, which finished last over 13 furlongs on the first day of the meeting. Gil. direct covered extra ground and he was one of the leaders until he broke at the straight entrance. His effort was well below his best, which would be good enough to give him a chance in this field. Aquaplane’s second behind Queen Ngaio last week was full of merit. He lost a lot of ground at the start and raced three and four wide over the final six furlongs. It was not surprising that he had no counter to Queen Ngaio’s final challenge, but he held on in grand style to finish second. Aquaplane is racing most consistently at present and provided .he is not forced over much extra ground, he should again be in at the finish. Queen Ngaio’s win last week was most convincing and the fact that she has been penalised 12 yards will notresult in her falling from favour. She is usually a reliable beginner and her ability to hold a handy position should ensure her supporters another bold run.

Racing Generously Queen Ngaio is racing more generously at present than she has for some time. Often in the past she has failed to hold a handy position and then become badly placed. F. E. Newfield has her at a high peak of fitness and she could easily complete a double for the meeting. Her task was made easier last week when the pace in the middle stages was muddling. It is unlikely to be much stronger on Saturday. Vanity Scott has paced her best races at Forbury Park and the third behind Queen Ngaio and Aquaplane last Saturday was a grand effort. She was all but knocked down at the start. After receiving a good run through on the inside, she was disappointed for an opening approaching the straight. Once in the clear she came home in grand style, but Queen Ngaio and Aquaplane had too great an advantage at the furlong to enable her tn catch them. Vanity Scott will only have to race as well on Saturday, to get some of the stake and extend her already sound record on the course. Waitaki Child finished solidly from the middle for fourth in the Winter Handi-

cap last Saturday at Dunedin. That effort could be the forerunner of something better and he should be capable of another bold showing. Frown paced a sound race for fifth over 13 furlongs after covering extra ground. The Dillon Hall gelding has not been an easy horse for his Duntroon trainer, I. S. Sutherland, to keep sound. He had to miss the InterDominion Championship meeting in February because of soreness. He has recovered well, but the trouble is likely to recur at any time. Sound Prospect Frown is always likely to shine in the company he will encounter at Dunedin and it will not surprise if he is closer at the finish on Satur. day than he was last term. Robert Dillon was checked badly at the start of his race last Saturday so no line could be gained on his prospects later at the meeting. At his previous start he finished second to Highland Heath in a sprint race at

Gore, which could be a better guide to his chances on Saturday. Robert Dillon Is another horse to have raced promin. ently at Forbury Park in the past. He looks as fit as ever he has been and even from 24 yards he will have to be Highland Heath, the backmarker on 36 yards, paced an outstanding race for sixth last Saturday. He was still a good way from the lead when he was checked badly inside the last half-mile. He was running on solidly at the finish and but for the check he could have returned a dividend. Highland Heath will not be set an easy task if the pace is strong all the way, but he has never looked better than at present and he Could easily surprise. Peebles is a newcomer to the meeting. His recent form has not been comparable with that he showed in the spring, but he could be a prospect if he paces one of his better races. Zenith was strongly fancied last Saturday, but she lost all chance at the start. She is capable, but a little erratic. The others did little last week to suggest they would have much chance in this field and they will be hard pressed to finish in front of Zany, Aquaplane and Queen Ngaio.