TROTTING Great Credit To Race In U.S. This Year

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30339, 15 January 1964, Page 4

TROTTING Great Credit To Race In U.S. This Year

Great Credit will race in the United States this year. Negotiations which began late last week for the purchase of the six-year-old Light Brigade gelding were concluded on Monday after Great Credit had passed a veterinary examination. The sale was negotiated by the Templeton trainer, C. R. Berkett, who was acting on behalf of Mr Noel Simpson, of Auckland. Although the purchase price was not disclosed it has been confirmed that it was of four figures.

Great Credit was transferred to Berkett’s sitable on Monday evening. Until transport arrangements have been completed he will continue to race in New Zealand. Berkett said yesterday that it was most unlikely that Great Credit would leave for the United States until after the Easter meetings at Addington in March.

Although a rather tardy beginner, Great Credit has won seven races and gained 13 minor plaices worth £3945 for Mr J. W. Brosnan, of Rangiira, in a little more than two complete seasons. For all his races Great Credit was prepared by F. E. Newfield. In spite of his barrier waywardness, Great Credit could still do very well in America. The trend to add to his handicap has usually been made from a standing start. But he has been an entirely different proposition when tried behind the mobile barrier. He has shaped so well that his new trainer is convinced that he will make the grade quickly overseas, where mobile barriers, generally, are standard equipment. Automatic Out F. E. Newfield has temporarily lost the services of another member of his team. It is Automatic, a younger halfbrother to Great Credit. Automatic was sore after racing at Ashburton on Boxing Day. The trouble is with a suspensory ligament in the near foreleg. The five-year-old Captain Actios gelding has been turned out to spell on the property of his Rangiora owner, Mr J. W. Brosnan. Much will depend on how the leg responds to rest in the next month, but Newfield hopes to have Automatic back in training in time for autumn racing. Margaret Hall foaled a filly by Hal Tryax on Monday evening. The youngster is a half-sister to the very smart young pacer, Orbiter. The filly was bom at Heriot,

on a farm owned by a brother-in-law of Orbiter’s Christchurch owner-trainer, Mr W. L. Bagrie. Mr Bagrie said yesterday that Margaret Hall would be mated again with Hal Tryax this season. Since the New Year meeting at Addington, Orbiter has had a fairly easy time. Although Mr Bagrie nominated him for races at the Forbury Park Trotting Club’s festival championship meeting, which will begin this month, he is unlikely to compete at that meeting. Orbiter’s next race will probably be at the New Brighton meeting at Addington next month. Plans Abandoned Plans to campaign Vanderford and Our Jimmy at the Inter-Dominion Championships in Melbourne next month have been abandoned. The decision on whether the Auckland-owned Vanderford would go to Australia was left to his Christchurch trainer, A. J. Bourne. “I could have taken him if I had wanted to,” said Bourne yesterday. “But he

is a young horse yet and there is plenty of racing for him here this year. Perhaps we’ll have a go at the championships next year.” Vanderford’s next series of races will be in the Dunedin Festival Cup at Forbury Park later this month.

R. Young, the Halswell trainer of Our Jimmy, has two good reasons for not wanting to go to Melbourne. To begin with he does not rate Our Jimmy’s chance of victory very high from the 36-yard mark around a threefurlong track. Then there are the horses at home being prepared for racing at the Easter meetings at Addington to be considered. “I just could not spare the time to go to Australia at present,” he said. “The Easter meetings begin only a week after the championships conclude." Auckland Dates The new dates approved by the New Zealand Trotting Conference for the Auckland Trotting Club’s February meeting are February 1 and 8, not February 6 and 8 as reported yesterday.