TROTTING Canterbury Youngsters Failed During Season

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29842, 7 June 1962, Page 4

TROTTING Canterbury Youngsters Failed During Season

Canterbury stables had probably their poorest season ever as far as success for two-year-old pacers is concerned. Not one youngster trained in Canterbury was successful during the season, although a number were placed. Nine totalisator races for two-year-olds were run in the South Island during the season. Six of them were won by the outstanding colt, Tactile, which finished the season with two unlucky second placings. Tactile is part-owned and trained at Wyndham.

First Battle, from Winton, gave Southland stables their second New Zealand Sapling Stakes success in the last three years when he beat Tactile at Ashburton last Saturday. Flying Note gave the province its first win in the event when he was successful in 1960.

Landlord, which is owned and trained at Tokarahi, near Oamaru, and Thunderboy. which is owned and trained at Nelson, were the only other two-year-olds to win in the South Island. The lack of class among the Canterbury two-year-olds was obvious in the New Zealand Sapling Stakes when the best from this province was Willowhip, a distant fifth to First Battle, Tactile, Landlord and Bubbles. After Willowhip came the Canterbury youngsters Siva. Spring Tonic, Waltz Away and Joyeuse, followed by the only other Southland pacer in the race, St. Nazaire. Seldom have two-year-old pacers from Southland raced with much success outside their home province. However, in recent years there has been much more interest in juvenile pacers in Southland and from time to time capable youngsters have been produced. Several have won classic honours against the best in Canterbury, but until this season they have not had such clear superiority.

Garrison Hanover, the sire of Bubbles and St. Nazaire, was the only stallion to have two runners in the first 10 in the Sapling Stakes. New Zealand-bred stallions sired the first and third horses. First Battle being by the Light Brigade horse, Battleground, and Landlord being by the Dillon Hall horse, First Lord.

The Quite Sure horse, Whipster, sired Willowhip, while Siva is sired by a brilliant juvenile pacer in Brahman, a son of Gold Bar. The U Scott horse, Scottish Star, is the sire of Spring Tonic. The Canterbury youngsters which contested the Sapling Stakes will have to improve considerably to have much chance in classic events next season. However, a number of promising youngsters were produced at trials and matinee meetings, but not

in totalisator events. The top three-year-old of nexit season oould well come from among their ranks, especially, as seems probable. Tactile will be sold to Australia within the next few months. Tactile’s trainer and partowner, D. P. Dynes, said on Saturday that there was considerable inquiry from Australia for the colt, but nothing definite had been arranged about a sale. Medico Injured The promising two-year-old pacer, Medico, has had to be put aside meantime because of a broken bone in a foot Medico, a member of D. G Jones’s Templeton team, is a grand type of colt by Light Brigade from the New Zealand Cup winner, Loyal Nurse. He is raced by his breeder, Mr T. S. Harrison, of Christchurch. Should Win Carver Doon won so easily in maiden company at Ashburton last Saturday that he should not be troubled to pay expenses at the Nelson meeting at the week-end. He is a candidate for the Hardy Handicap and the Beatty Handicap, both of which will be run in divisions on Saturday. Carver Doon, a brother to Peebles, seems to be at his best on rain-affect-ed tracks. The Nelson track •is not expected to be heavy, but it will be easy and it should suit Carver Doon. First Starts Two young trotters will have their first race starts in the St. Vincent Handicap at the Nelson Trotting Club’s meeting on Saturday. Going Gay, which is trained at Seddonviile by A. J. Rogers, who had several successes with Gay Flame, is a three-year-old gelding by Flying Song from Choriwalla, a winner at the trotting gait. Fanta is a four-year-old mare by Soangetaha from Ngaire Scott, by U. Scott. Bred at Greenpark by Mrs A. G. Ryland, she is trained by C. C. Keats. Consistent Forest Grattan brought his record for the season to four wins and seven placings from 13 starts when he finished second in the two main handicap events at Ashburton Trotting Club’s meeting He just failed to hold off Paddy’s Day in the Durbar Handicap on Saturday and looked a little unlucky to be beaten by Van Rebeck in the Ashburton County Handicap on Monday. In the latter race he was late working clear and gave the leaders a lopg start from the straight entrance. He seems to be at his best on roomy tracks and oould add to his record early in the new season. Classic Win The New South Wales Trotting Derby, run recently at Menangle, near Sydney, resulted in a runaway win for the Leeston-bred Hammer Head. He led all the way and won unextended by 12 lengths. He was third favourite at 3 to 1. Hammer Head was bred at Leeston by Mr C. E. Anderson and he was purchased on behalf of Messrs S. and G. Aitken and the Sydney trainer, J. C. Caffyn, for 270 guineas at the 1960 yearling sales.

Hammer Head is a gelding by Light Brigade from Romarin, an unraced mare by U. Scott from Ma Foi, tracing back to Thelma. Among the many good winners closely related to Hammer Head have been Goldina, Cotone) Scott, Ftoteam, Onyx, Free Advice, Pacing Power, Horsepower, Perpetua, Invicta and Thelma Globe.

New Zealand-bred horses won four of the other seven races run that day. They were Stormy Craig (Stormyway—Audacity), Telarok (Stormy way Colleen de Oro), Worthy Tryax (Hal Tryax—unnamed mare) and Derby Stream (Andy Derby— Light Stream).