TROTTING Postponement Because Of Rain At Hutt Park

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30535, 2 September 1964, Page 4

TROTTING Postponement Because Of Rain At Hutt Park

Heavy rain yesterday caused the postponement of the second night of the Wellington Trotting Club’s meeting at Hutt Park Raceway. The meeting, which was to have been held last night, will now be run tonight. Improved weather is forecast and the track is expected to be in good order.

The father and son combination of J. S. and C. S. Hunter will have bright prospects of producing the winners of the two races for trotters on tonight’s card. Forward March is in the Innovation Handicap and the Masterton Handicap. She will be bracketed with Highland Countess in the last-named event. . Both horses showed to advantage on the first night of the meeting when having their first starts for the season. If they show the improvement expected, they should take beating tonight

Forward March put in a tremendous run to beat all but Seven Nights in the Welcome Handicap on Saturday. She fought on gamely, and got to within a length of Seven Nights at the line. She should not be worried by the extra half-mile in the Innovation Handicap. Most opposition to her might come from Towser and Seven Nights. Towser. an early breaker, made up a lot of ground for third last Saturday after being towards the tail of a spread-out field after two furlongs. He should show sharp improvement Seven Nights won most convincingly and in spite of his

extra handicap, he will be one of the brighter place prospects. He will be more solid than most in the race. Bonny Rachael was a surprise favourite last week, but broke twice and finished well back. She is speedy, but rather erratic. The same applies to Sure Bill, which made up ground for fourth after an early break. He could be more solid tonight The others will have to show marked improvement to be a threat to Forward March, Towser and Seven Nights. Forward March comes in on the front in the Masterton Handicap and if produced for

a second time she will take beating. However, as was the case on Saturday In the corresponding raee, the stable might rely on Highland Countess. This daughter of Highland Kilt and Princess Gaillard was trotting like a winner until a knee boot slipped down and she galloped to the outside before the straight entrance. Highland Countess is a fine type of trotter and she could make amends in this race.

Third Last Week Ali Bey, a winner at Addington earlier in the month at hig previous start, drifted early in his raee an the first night of the meeting. He made up ground for third and was not far away at the finish. If he is able to keep closer to the lead in the first half-m|le tonight, he could go close to winning.

Medieval has been penalised 12 yards for his win last week, but that might net be enough to keep him out of the finish onee more. Oro Brigade, second to Medieval last Saturday, Little Smoke and. Bruce Again are others capable of adding Interest to the finish. Adioway should be untroubled to win again in the two-mile Otakl Handicap, a race in which he will be bracketed with Viqtura and Uno Command. Adioway made no race of toe Harold Murphy Memorial Handicap on Saturday night, recording the smart time of 3min 13 l-ssec for the two miles. The class in this race looks little better than last week and he should be untroubled to win again.

Victura, a place-getter up the first night, could again finish in the money, making the bracket a fine place investment Thunderbolt had little in his favour when he finished second to Miriam Hall on Saturday. Ho will have little chance of beating Adioway, but could again return a place dividend. Flying Alisa is a splendid stayer, but she is not reliable at the start She failed to begin eleanly last week, hut might have been too keen. She showed speed once under way. If she begins a little better in this race, she could be prominent Stephen Water, which received a poor run in the straight last week, could improve on his unlucky sixth.