TROTTING When May Race Again In N.Z. Next Season

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30759, 25 May 1965, Page 5

TROTTING When May Race Again In N.Z. Next Season

The former champion trotting mare, When, could be seen in action again in New Zealand next season. She is due to return to New Zealand in about a fortnight after a brief race career in the United States. The Methven-owned mare, Patchwork, which left New Zealand for the United States a year before When in 1962, will be on the same ship, and the Greymouth-owned Falsehood will return towards the end of June.

When won about 38,000 dollars in America as the result of one win and several platings from six starts. She went amiss and has been turned out for more than 12 months, including six months in quarantine in England. Mating When with an American stallion had been considered, said her owner-trainer, W. J. Doyle, on Saturday, but the difficulties had been tremendous and it had been decided to bring her home empty.

A decision about When’s future would be made after her arrival. She was reported

to have been in great order before her departure from England and after her long spell she would probably stand up to more racing, said Doyle. When was an outstanding winner in New Zealand, gaining 18 wins and 13 placings from 43 starts for £11,420 in stakes. One of her finest efforts was her last appearance in New Zealand when she won a sprint race at New Brighton after starting from 48 yards and trotting the 10 furlongs in 2min 38 3/ssec. When that day won with the greatest of ease. In addition she took a mile record of 2min 2 4/ssec. Patchwork showed promising form in America before she went amiss. Her Methven owner-trainer, P. A. Watson, had her mated with a leading American stallion, Direct Rhythm, before she left for England. It was thought she was in foal, but reports from England suggest that this is not so.

Patchwork, like When, is a daughter of Light Brigade. She is a rising 11-year-old and will probably go to the stud in the spring. She was one of the top mares of her time in this country and from 57 starts had 11 wins and 14 placings for £8025 in stakes. One of her best efforts was a second to Invicta in a New Zealand Cup. Falsehood, a rising 11-year-old, had very little racing in America, tendon trouble plaguing him most of the time. The Fallacy gelding was a most consistent pacer in New Zealand, gaining 18 wins and 29 placings from 83 starts, and winning £16,165 for his Greymouth owner, Mr J. Steel. _ Owner-driver R. J. Holt, not W. L. Heron, drove Good Luck into third place behind Break Through and Betty’s Song in the Peninsula Handicap at the Canterbury Park meeting on Saturday. Good Luck, which is owned and trained at Waimate by Holt, has been trotting fine races from awkward marks in recent weeks and deserves a win. Good Time Bright Highland’s 3:25 1-5 sec for 13 furlongs when she won the Winter Stakes at Addington Raceway on Saturday equalled the New Zealand record for a three-year-old established by Flying Note in 1961. Bright Highland’s race was run from a flying start, whereas Flying Note recorded his time in a race started from a stand. Ordeal Ordeal, the only New Zea-land-bred trotter to break two minutes for one mile—she recorded 1:59 3-ssec in America—is at present at Castleton Fann in Lexington. She will be mated with the Rodney horse. Speedster, which took a record of 1:59 4-ssec as a four-year-old. Speedster is the sire of Speedy Scot, the biggest money winner in America last season. Ordeal’s first foal will be offered at auction in America, and later foals probably brought to New Zealand, said her part-owner and former trainer, W. A. Bradley, on Saturday. Eleventh Winner Belle Byrd became the eleventh South Island two-year-old pacer to win a race this season when she beat Delo in the Two-year-old Stakes at Addington Raceway on Saturday. She further confirmed that the standard in this age group is higher than for many years. The 11 winners are Bass Strait, Batavia, Belle Byrd, Bronze Lad, Courtier, Free Style, Have Care, Johnny Chappelet, Phillmark, Roydon Prince, Scotch Cherie. All but Bass Strait, Bronze Lad, Free Style and Johnny Chappelet are engaged in the £2OOO New Zealand Sapling Stakes at Ashburton on June 5. Clear Lead M. Holmes has drawn two ahead of R. Young in the list of drivers for the season as a result of wins behind Belle Byrd and Heriot at Addington

Raceway on Saturday. Holmes has now had 41 wins. D. J. Townley, with three wins at Auckland, has moved into a clear third position with 36 wins, followed by D. G. Jones, with 33, P. T. Wolfenden, with 32, and C. S. Hunter, with 29. G. B. Noble’s lead on the trainers’ list was reduced by one on Saturday. He has now had 37 wins, against 35 by C. S. and J. S. Hunter. C. S. Donald and D. G. Jones share third place with 30 wins Strafe Takes N.S.W. Oakes The Christchurch-owned pacer, Strafe, won the final of the New South Wales Oaks on Friday at Harold Park in Sydney after leading all the way. Owned by Mr V. L. Davies, Strafe beat Regina Bay by two yards with Aunt Edith a neck further back third. Strafe is a filly by Aksarben from Lady Moness—a sister to Flak. She was bred at Yaldhurst by A. B. Holmes. Low Dividends Fifteen minutes before the totalisator closed for the Puhoi Stakes at Epsom on Saturday night at the Auckland Trotting Club’s meeting, the prices for the favoured bracket, Jet Frost, Scotch Cherie and Roydon Prince, were Ils 6d for a win and 5s 6d a place. The totalisator indicator does not register dividends below £1 and betting details on the bracket were given over the public address system.

When the totalisator closed the prices were given as 16s for a win and 9s 6d for a place. However Jet Frost and Scotch Cherie won their respective divisions, boosting

the win dividend to £1 12s 6d and Scotch Cherie was second to Jet Frost so the place dividend became £1 8s 6d.