RACING Trentham Trip For. High Mark

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30688, 2 March 1965, Page 5

RACING Trentham Trip For. High Mark

"The Press" Special Service

AUCKLAND.

High Mark’s solid finish into third in the Herries Memorial at Te Aroha on Saturday clinched her trip to Trentham for the H. R. Chalmers Handicap this week-end. Before the event, High Mark’s trainer, D. J. Arnott, was not certain whether she would go south for the big two-mile race. But after the race Arnott was elated with her performance and announced she would definitely make the trip.

“High Mark was in season on Saturday, which makes her run look pretty good,” said Arnott the following day. “She is to go south tomorrow and will be ridden by J. P. Riordan.” The last time High Mark went to Trentham, last season, she finished fourth in the Wellington Racing Club Handicap, 12 furlongs, to Bandon, On Purpose and Richetta and fourth in the Wellington Cup, won by Gay Filou from Polo Prince and Summer Regent.

When she ran fourth in the Wellington Cup High Mark carried 7-11. On Saturday she has 8-2.

The high-class colt Sobig along with Hooplah, Wilful, El Cortez, Miss Eunice, Rainfall, Fanner’s Boy, Royal Fair and Big Beau left by float on Sunday night for Trentham. Sobig, a handsome black three-year-old by Summertime from Passive, is a candidate for the North Island Challenge Stakes, weight-for-age, over seven furlongs. His clash with the fine Hastings three-year-old Rio is attracting widespread interest to the event.

At his last start Sobig was an easy winner of the Trentham Stakes. That followed on a win, by four lengths, over Rio in the 12 furlongs Gloaming Stakes and a second, by a head, to Rio in the seven furlongs Wellington Stakes. Rivals In Mile

Wilful and Miss Eunice, members of C. M. Jillings’ stable, are to contest the £3OOO Thompson Handicap, one mile, on the first day. Wilful, at her last start, was successful in the 10 furlongs Storey Memorial at Te Rapa on February 20. Three starts back, Miss Eunice took the January Handicap, one mile, at Trentham on January 23. The Takanini light-weight, B. F. Andrews, has the mount on Miss Eunice. He has also been engaged for Scramble, El Cortez, Hooplah, and Play Boy or Harvest Festival.

Big Beau, which comes from K. J. Cunningham’s stable, and Farmer’s Boy, from R. C. Verner’s team, are runners in the £lOOO Plunket Handicap. Big Beau will be ridden by R. A. Barron and Farmer’s Boy, an Agricola-Marito colt, by G. F. Hughes. From six starts this term Farmer’s Boy has been twice a winner and placed twice. Big Beau has won once from eight starts.

El Cortez, which three starts back was second to Udare in the W. S. Spence Handicap at Ellerslie, is one of the northern candidates for the H. R. Chalmers Handicap. The Thompson Handicap top-weight Rochdale, from W. Sanders’ team at Te Awamutu. left by float yesterday along with Trueman and Lu Filou. Lu Filou is to run in the North Island Challenge Stakes on the first day and Trueman the Silverstream Handicap. The Matamata trainer, T. C. Alcock, said at Te Aroha on Saturday that he intends to take his good three-year-old Grand Filou to Trentham for the New Zealand St. Leger on the second day. He will be ridden by G. L. Willetts.

B. F. Andrews has a very busy two weeks ahead of him. On Tuesday, at Matamata, he is to be best man at G. L. Willetts’s wedding. The following morning he will fly south to ride at the Taranaki meeting where his mounts include Reefton, My Peter, Paralovine and Caspian.

Andrews will be at Trentham for the first day of the Wellington Racing Club’s meeting on Saturday and then return to New Plymouth for the second day of the Taranaki meeting on Monday. He will be back at Trentham the following day and then travel to Hastings for the second day of the Napier Park meeting on Wednesday, March 10. His next

riding day will be at Trentham, for the third day, next Saturday week. Over-reached The top-class two-year-old Roland will not be taken to Trentham. He over-reached and hurt a foreleg while frolicking in a yard at Te Awamutu last week.

“There is nothing seriously wrong with his leg,” said his trainer, L. L. Collett, at Te Aroha on Saturday, “but he is too good a colt to risk sending him on the long float trip to Trentham. His leg would more than likely be made worse by the journey and that might put him out for the rest of the season.”

Instead of going to Wellington, Roland will now be saved for the two-year-old events at the Auckland Racing Club’s three-day meeting at Ellerslie in April. A chestnut, by Oman from Citril, Roland has started four times for as many wins. His best success was in the Calliope Handicap, six furlongs, at Ellerslie on January 30. On that occasion, carrying 8-10, he easily beat Mac’s Pride by half a length.