TROTTING Cardigan Bay’s Mark Under Discussion

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30130, 14 May 1963, Page 4

TROTTING Cardigan Bay’s Mark Under Discussion

Cardigan Bay’s future assessment over two miles in New Zealand is being awaited with interest. The Auckland-owned champion is due to return to New Zealand before the end of this month to be spelled for about six weeks on a farm at Pukekohe.

Before he left New Zealand for Australia early in February Cardigan Bay was assessed at 4min 20sec for two miles, which would place him on 36 yards if the New Zealand Cup limit were retained at 4min 23sec.

Cardigan Bay has won nine races in Australia since the beginning of February, but not all of them will affect his distance assessments. His winnings during the period amount to more than £20,000, and his wins include the £5OOO Summer Cup at Harold Park, the £13,000 InterDominion Championship Grand Final at Adelaide, and the £2OOO Lady Brooks Invitation Cup at Melbourne. The majority of Cardigan Bay’s other wins on this trip were over distances of less than one mile and a half, so they will not' affect his distance assessments. In addition, his two heat wins at the championship series were penalty-free. It is an accepted fact that winners of an Inter-Dominion Championship Grand ‘Final are penalised even though those races are run under discretionary handicapping. Also, winners of races such as the £5OOO Summer Cup in which Cardigan Bay was successful in February, have usually been penalised on their return to this country. The handicapper to the New Zealand Trotting Conference (Mr R. C. Morton) is at present overseas and unlikely to be back before the first week in June. His reassessment of Cardigan Bay is certain to be awaited with interest. It seems that Cardigan Bay must receive a penalty of at least 12 yards for his win in the Grand Final in Adelaide, while he will be fortunate to escape with only a sixyard penalty over two miles for his other distance wins. Possible Penalty No doubt the handicapper could justify a penalty of only 12 yards for Cardigan Bay on the grounds of the poor class or horse he has met in Australia, but it seems more likely that the penalty at two miles will be either 18 yards or 24 yards, which is not excessive for a horse •which has won in stakes in slightly more than three months. Cardigan Bay’s future is undecided, said his owner, Mrs A. D. Dean, of Auckland, recently. After a spell for six weeks he will rejoin P. Wolfenden’s team atMangere. If his reassessment is not considered to be too severe, Cardigan Bay might contest the New Zealand Cup and other races at the cup carnival af Addington in November. All going well he will be

a certain starter in the InterDominion Championship series at Melbourne in 1964. It seems unlikely, according to Mrs Dean, that Cardigan Bay will race again at Alexandra Park Raceway, unless the Auckland Trotting Club includes a free-for-all or an invitation race in one of the programmes for its meetings early next season. At Weedons Bay Prince had his first start since being trained at Weedons by R. P. Nyhan when he contested .the R. A' McDowell Memorial Handicap at Oamaru on Saturday. He broke twice in the first half-mile and finished thirteenth. Bay Prince, an aged gelding by Allegiance from Piccadilly, has had two wins this season, the most recent being over Gold Maru at Greymouth last month. Tactile’s Mark Tactile, the winner of important classic races in Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide, has been reassessed at 4min 23sec for two miles by 'the New Zealand Trotting Conference. Tactile is the first horse of his age to graduate to New Zealand Cup class by winning only races restricted to two and three-year-olds. Tactile is also tightly assessed at other distances, being on 2min 9sec for one mile, 2min 43sec for one mile and a quarter, 3mift 16sec for one mile and a half, and 3min 33 sec for one mile and five furlongs. Likely Improver Leyava was far from disgraced when she finished a close fourth in the White City Handicap at Oamaru on Saturday. She was eighth when the field settled down and improved to be the coleader from the half-mile until the straight entrance. It was only in the last few yards that she wilted a little. Leyava, a member of D. M. Kerr’s Gore team, was an easy winner at Roxburgh in April at her previous start and as a result she was a firm favourite on Saturday Leyava .is a four-year-old mare by Garrison .Hanover from Pollyapolis, the dam also of Va Vite.

Virus In U.S. The virus disease, which prevented Falsehood starting at Yonkers Raceway last

week, is at present prevalent at courses throughout America, says the New York correspondent of “The Press.” The disease, which is similar to that which affected Patchwork and James Scott 12 months ago, has had a serious effect at Brandywine Raceway where some fields have been reduced to four or five runners. The first few horses affected at Yonkers Raceway were quarantined and their bams fumigated, but this has not stemmed the spread, of the disease which could cause some courses to dose down until it abates.

Addington Entries Nominations for the Canterbury Park Trotting Club's winter meeting at Addington on Saturday, May 25, are:— TWO-YEAR-OLD PACING STAKES, £400; mobile start; 91f. —Alpine Lady, Grande Garhuson, WainoniJim, Strain, Valerie Globe. Space Cadet, Golden Tryax, Bale aim. Operatic, Hindu Prince, Cathpete, Locomotion- Tactus, Hangover, La Scala, Lottery Song, Consultant, Stephen Water, Lochie. Oramoka, Tunnel Road, Beresford Lady, Black Ancestor, Lady Luronme, Disband, Wildwood Chief, Rocky Star. ADDINGTON HANDICAP, £400; trotters; 3:53 class; 13f. —Courtella, Smokey John, Wayleggo, Lillian’s Star, No Trumps, .Young Henry, Macnamara, Lucie Manette, Regal .Trick, Procord. Jeanna, Castleton’s Gift. Hoana, Warwick Peter. Quito, Kingwamed, Burnvale, Southern Prince, Don’t, War Scene, Roydon Chief, Super Glow, Stolen Moments, Rieta, Royal Cord, Way com, White Martial, Gift Brigade. Ardleigh, Safe Haven, Port Hope, Marus Aurelius, White World. CANTERBURY PARK HANDICAP, £1000; trotters; 3:45 class; 13f. Harbour Light. Pohutukawa, Queen's Cord, Reprimand, Dark Lorene, Flaming Way, Astralight, With You, Tracey’s Pal, Our Jimmy, Mighty Hanover, Oaklefgh Lad, Tarseal, Minnow, Frogman, Front Line, Spinster Scott, Rebel. Our Own, Robert Medoro, Anak, Hindu, Chances Are. ELLESMERE HANDICAP, £400; 4:45 class; 2m. —Radiant Storm, Mars, Ray Preston, Elusion, Anterior. Idle Man, Lucky Helen, Borodin, Stormcara, Leyava, Diemian Lad, Paravane, Winsome Queen. Aero Scott. Wee Lord. Shoalhaven, Bolas, Toil Booth, Shepherd's Pride, Bazax, Talent, King Hit, Sandyfield, Johnny Warrior, Yale, Regal Song, Automatic, Society Girl, Maggie Spangler, Main Reason, Squire, My Share, Cornish Lad, Spring Garrison, Kinsella, Smokey Hail, Filet Mignon. PENINSULA HANDICAP, £560; trotters; 4:44 class; 2m.— Bonnybrook, Minstrel Song, Kerry Cord, Royal Harmony, Flying Paddy, Kyran, Uteena, AM Bey. Medieval, Dreaming, Diomedes, Oro Brigade, Grand Charge. Dubbo, Fiammetta, Bandsaw. WINTER HANDICAP, £850: mobile start: 3:21 class; IZjf.— Arizona Gal, Milngavie, Wonthaggi, . Bonniebum. Aiblins, Toby Brigade, Lord Pelser, Procella, Young Dieman, Happy Songster, Lilt. Deft, Sunhappy, Cushie Doo, Johnny Dean. Estimation, Bobbinet, Marquess, Vanderford, Stand In, Robyn. Parados, Moose. Enrich. MAY stakes, £400; mobile start; three-year-olds; 12Jf.— Frosty Sal, Charlesworth, Frugal, Garrison Girl, Carina Star, Beau Tassin, Gold Whip, Mile End, Thunderboy, Siva, Flyn. Bruce, Lady 'Thunder, Go Ahead. Forward Boy. Mirubuka Dorothy Jean, Earl Globe, Dresden Blue, Lyndhurst, Joytown. Gay Gordon. Gin Sling. Luckv Meadow, Forshy. Solemn, Kapuni. Waltz Away, Stella Globe, Orbiter, Bonvar, Freeland. FAREWELL STAKES, £550; mobile start; 2:51 class; 9Jf.— Morsel, Bay Prince. First Battle, Mannequin Parade. Blondt Piper. Toil Call. Vivace,' Local Princess, Ruling Caste. King Diamond, Wee Lord. Hancove. Central Range. Fury River. Anama, Johnny Smith. Winabob, Quiet Water. Moneymusk. Roseland Song, Trywyn Lady Charles, Aufleem. Cheam, El Adem, Otlkirama Boy. Mountain Song, Bums Rival, Country Song, No Charge. Cheta, Captain Dee. Stanorma, Messala. Manapat. Generator, Miriam Hall