Won Trial Under False Name

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31234, 5 December 1966, Page 6

Won Trial Under False Name

(Special Correspondent N7-p A J MELBOURNE. Silken, which won an unofficial Mentone race trial 10 days ago under an assumed name, scored a brilliant first start win from the odds-on favourite, Begonia Belle, at Sandown Park on Saturday.

The trainer, G. Stewart, admitted after the race that the filly had raced in the trial —organised by a committee of Mentone trainers—under the name “Purpose." “Purpose” won the trial by 10 lengths. The Mentone trials have no connexion with the official barrier trials organised by the Victorian Racehorse Trainers’ Association, but are held under race conditions and the results are published in the press. Stewart said on Saturday: “I have a clear conscience as there are no rules in these trials which compel me to reveal my horses’ right names. “Trainers have a tremendous problem with track watchers and this is not the first time a horse has run in a trial under another name.” In winning Saturday's Dingley

Stakes (five furlongs) for two-year-old fillies. Silken clocked 57.3 seconds—only three-fifths of a second outside Citius’ Australian record for the distance. In spite of the secrecy bid, most racing observers claimed to have known that “Purpose” was in fact Silken, and the word had obviously got through to punters, for the filly was backed down to 5 to 2 The New Zealand-bred Baltic Boy (Copenhagen 11—Filleule) justified his 2 to 1 favouritism when he won the Second Noble Park Handicap (six furlongs) by two lengths from Gold Chain (9 to 2), with Cordassie (9 to 2) and Brandy Cruster (20 to 1) dead-heating for third a similar distance away. Baltic Boy. which has performed well on country courses, cost 750gns as a yearling in New Zealand.