TROTTING Oakleigh Lad Eligible For Invitation Events

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30214, 20 August 1963, Page 4

TROTTING Oakleigh Lad Eligible For Invitation Events

Oakleigh Lad qualified to start in invitation races against the best trotters in commission when he outfinished his rivals in the Opening Handicap on the first day of the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club’s national meeting on Saturday.

Oakleigh Lad’s win on Saturday was most impressive. He was restrained a good way from the lead most of the way and did not look a serious threat until the final furlong. When asked for an effort, he quickly ranged up to the leaders and at the finish he had his rivals well covered.

Oakleigh Lad has had a fair amount of racing and he is now most reliable. He can both sprint and stay and if he trains on as well as expected, he should be a big winner this season. Trained at Templeton by J. R. Bryan, who races him in partnership with Mr J. W Payne, of Ladbrooks. Oakieign Lad has now had 51 starts for six wins and 18 placings worth £2582 10s in stakes. Oakleigh Lad is a seven-year-old gelding by Fourth Brigade, a brilliant trotter a few years ago, from Oaktree. a Quite Sure mare, which took a record of 3:2! 4-5 for one mile and a half as a trotter Oakleigh Lad showed splendid form 'ast season when he gained three wins and 13 placing® from 25 starts, most of his efforts being marked by determined finishing runs. Robert Medoro showed that he would be a force to be reckoned with in hrs immediate racing when he finished second to Oakleigh Lad after giving him a start of 12 yards. Robert Medoro improved from the back of the bunch from the seven furlongs and helped force the pace until tihe straight entrance. Then he took a short lead and it was not until well inside the furlong that he was mastered. Robert Medoro did not have the best of fortune in some of bis races Last season, but he won once and was place! several times. In most of his races he was required to start from awkward marks or his record would have been much better. Finished Well The Wellington trotter. Minstrel Song, broke on numerous occasions on Saturday and surprised when he made ground for third. If he could be made to trot solidly he would be an early winner. Dreaming, Queen's Cord and Minnow, the next three to finish, all shaped Like early improvers. Dreaming was behind Oakleigh Lad at the half-mile and it was late when she began to improve She showed splendid form late last season and could be close to her peak once more. Queen’s Cord and Minnow both trotted fine races and they should show marked improvement as a result. Another expected to show improvement as a result of las' week's race is Grand Charge which started a firm 2'l favourite. He received the run of the race, but began to lose ground near the halfmile. He finished ninth a good way from the leaders However, he could have benefited from the race and might make a better showing next time out. The Greymouth trotter Free Return, looked almost certain to figure in the finish when he joined the leaders at the straight entrance Then, he appeared to slip and went down almost to his knees. He did not recover and finished eleventh. Free Return looked in great order and he could be in for another profitable season for his Greymouth owners. Addington Track The track at Addington will be available to horses engaged on the second day of the national meeting on Saturday between 10 a m. and noon tomorrow and on Thursday. Trainers of other horses are asked to work on tihe outside of the track. The track will be available

for normal training operations throughout the week. Waitaki Club The Waitaki Trotting Club will seek Saturday, November 2, as the date for its annua) non-totalisator meeting, which will be held at Waimate. The club hopes to obtain permission to run an equalisator at all trials meetings to be held by the South Canterbury and North Otago Owners. Trainers and Breeders' Association. The club hopes to build up a fund from which it will provide stakes for penalty-bearing races. For Sydney Van Buren, Wee Mike and Hopestare are to do their future racing in Sydney. Van Buren and Wee Mike have been leased to the Sydney trainer, H. R. Alley, while Hopestare has been leased by Mr D. Dennerville, of Sydney. All three horses were formerly trained at Templeton by C. C. Devine, and all are by Van Dieman. Wee Mike, a five-year-old. could be a good winner. One of his best efforts as a three-

year-old was a second to Lordship in the New Zealand Champion Stakes. Last season he paid £56 8s when he won the Rangiora Challenge Stakes in December, completing a double with Carver Doon worth £1789 7s 6d. Van Buren has shown fair form at times, while Hopestare should be a sound proposition for maiden races. Sprint Betting Cardigan Bay was a dominating favourite with offcourse bettors in the Lightning Handicap at Addington on Saturday, but Lordship was favourite with on-course patrons. In a win pool of £9673 10s, Cardigan Bay carried £3656. Of this £1956 10s came from off-course sources and £1699 10s was invested on-course. Lordship had £937 invested on him off-course and £ 1809 10s on-course, a total of £2746 10s Oreti was third favourite with £llO4, of which £239 10s came from off-course. In a place pool of £7710 10s. Cardigan Bay carried £l6Bl, of which £1393 10s came from off-course and £287 10s on-course. Lordship carried £1620, of which £697 10s came from off-course and £922 10s on-course. Oreti was again third favourite with £ll7O 10s, of which £332 10s came from off-course. The £B3B invested on Oreti oncourse was less than £lOO below the investments on Lordship and almost three times the amount invested on Cardigan Bay.