TROTTING Johnny Dean In Form For Washdyke Handicap

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29718, 11 January 1962, Page 4

TROTTING Johnny Dean In Form For Washdyke Handicap

The highly successful run of horses trained at Belfast by C. S. Donald may continue in the John Hole Memorial Handicap at Washdyke on Saturday. The stable representative in the principal race and first leg of the TAB. double on the first day of the Timaru Trotting Club’s summer meeting will be Johnny Dean.

Johnny Dean has yet to Show winning form this season, but he has performed very well to gain two minor S laces from four starts since e joined Donald’s team. Johnny Dean's latest race was the Prebbleton Handicap on the second day of the Canterbury Park meeting at Addington on January 2. There he was close to the lead throughout, reached the front for a stride or two about a furlong from the end but could not cope with the challenges of the very capable Holy Smoke or Whipaway. Adios Heather, which shares the 12 yard mark with Faru and Johnny Dean, might be one of the latter’s strongest rivals.

Adios Heather has failed to improve her record in three starts since running second to Lucks Way over two miles at Hutt Park last month but there was promise of early improvement at her latest attempt when she made ground from the middle of the field for sixth in the Prebbleton Handicap. Beaten Favourite The beaten favourite in the Prebbleton Handicap was Guiness. But there was some excuse for his defeat for he was slow to accelerate and did not receive a very favourable run later. In the circumstances his fifth was encouraging. Most of Guiness’s best efforts have been marked by strong finishing runs and a reasonable beginning should be all that is required to enable him to get into the finish.

Guiness is one of 11 runners off the front. Among his comarkers are two last start winners and another which has shown winning form during the holiday campaign. Gold Globe was successful over two miles in the Greymouth Cup at her latest start. That was her second of two wins on the West Coast circuit Her first was over the same distance in the Reefton Cup eight days earlier. La Storm won the two mile Middleton Handicap at Addington on January 2, her only race at the Canterbury Park meeting. She is noted for quick acceleration, but has a determined finishing run. Young Betty found a 48 yard handicap more than she could cope with in the Greymouth Cup last Saturday, but won the Kitchlngham Handicap impressively on the first day of the meeting. Sand Drift, a sprint winner at New Brighton last month, and Rain Cloud, a

Last start fourth in the Prebbleton Handicap at Addington, have the best form of the others on the limit

First Song is set a formidable task from the 48 yard mark but if the pace is not strong in the early stages of the race he will still have to be considered among the brighter prospects. First Song has won two of his last four races, the latest being the Islington Handicap at Addington on New Year’s Day. Second Leg Fancy Addington form is expected to be a reliable guide in the second leg of the T.A.B. double, the Kerrytown Handicap. Smoke Concert, which lost first to La Storm in the last stride of the Middleton Handicap on the second day at Addington, is selected to win. Smoke Concert, which is trained art Addington by W. K. Tatterson, will be trying for his third win this season. His Latest success was in the Westport Handicap on Boxing Day. Morano Boy and Paddy’s Day are expected to provide most opposition to Smoke Concert Morano Boy will be attempting to win his fourth successive race. He cleared maiden class at Rangiora on December 18 and was unbeaten in his two races on a holiday campaign at Greymouth. Paddy’s Day failed to make

an impression in the Midsummer Handicap at Ashburton, his first race in a fresh campaign on Boxing Day, but there were hopes of early improvement when he finished seventh after a slow start in the Middleton Handicap, his only race at the Canterbury Park meeting. Most of the other horses on the limit lack recent form credentials, but Stormy Parade or Terako Queen, which both have winning form close up on their records, could add interest to the finish. Hydro Boy, the runner-up to Valcador in the Gore Cup on Boxing Dey, and Jolly Hal, a stablemate of Johnny Dean, which will be bracketed with First Dieman, will probably have the strongest backing of the handicapped horse*.