TROTTING Fort Nelson Likely Hutt Park Winner

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31349, 20 April 1967, Page 4

TROTTING Fort Nelson Likely Hutt Park Winner

Although he will probably be the plainest-looking and the smallest horse in the race, Fort Nelson should make a bold bid to win the Inter-Island Handicap, a short-limit handicap for three-year-old pacers at Hutt Park Raceway on Saturday night.

Victory in major classic events has escaped Fort Nelson this season and this will be one of his few remaining opportunities to win a worthwhile prize this term.

This race, and the Capital Classic Handicap next Wednesday, will be run over 12 furlongs for a stake of £lOlO. These two races for three-year-olds were included, in the Wellington autumn ' programme for the first time last season. They proved a great success, the best of their age group in the South Island having to bow to Tobias, which Aucklanders then claimed as the best of his age in New Zealand. Tobias’s sub-

sequent form has proved that they were not inaccurate in their contention.

This year the honour of top three-year-old is held by Holy Hal, a colt in a class of his own among juveniles in this country for some time. Governor Frost, for Pukekohe, and Miles Gentry, from Mangere, are expected by Aucklanders to be a class above their southern rivals. However, it is doubtful whether they will be as good as Tobias was 12 months ago. Fort Nelson, from Southland, and Cardinal King, from Chertsey, are expected to offer more than token resistance to the Auckland challengers, and Golden Sands, from the team trained at Trentham by J. S. and C. S. Hunter, and James, from Tinwald, are other assured of solid local support. Fine Efforts Fort Nelson, by Garrison Hanover, attracted attention in November when he finished a most unlucky fourth in the New Zealand Derby Stakes. He went on to Auckland, where he won twice and finished a rather unlucky second to Governor Frost In the Great Northern Derby after starting from the second line. He returned to Addington Raceway, where he won easily before being spelled for a few weeks.

Fort Nelson resumed racing at Addington Raceway last month and finished an unlucky fifth on the first night of the meeting. On the final day he failed by a neck to catch Dacron at the end of a solid 13 furlongs. Fort Nelson is a very game youngster and with average luck he should go close to winning. Cardinal King has run Holy Hal to fairly close decisions on occasions, but he has been overshadowed by the southern colt. Cardinal King paced two splendid races at the Addington Easter meeting, finishing third in each. He has not been guilty of more than one really bad race in a fairly brief career and he should be one of the better prospects. Governor Frost should be the pick of the northern horses in the race. His form has been outstanding and he has been astutely placed by his trainer, R. Purdon, who will also have Milford Boy to represent him. Governor Frost was an unlucky runner at Cambridge on March 20 at his latest start. He was badly placed until late and was not properly clear. Milford Boy was a winner at Cambridge. The Great Evander colt paced the 11 furlongs in 2min 56sec, and if he races as well, he could get into the finish. Miles Gentry, unbeaten In his last two starts, won by five lengths at Auckland on March 11 at his most recent start. He is highly rated in the north, but has yet to measure up fully to the class of the opposition he will encounter in this race. James, a winner at Hawera after pacing one mile in 2min 4 2-ssec, is very speedy. One of his peak efforts would give him a chance of surprising, but Golden Sands and Dacron appeal more. Golden Sands is unbeaten in her last two starts. She is highly rated and is expected to graduate to the best company. Dacron won well on the final day of the Addington Easter meeting and went a fair race for fifth behind Trader Horn at Methven last week.

Killadar is a capable pacer, but might need a race to bring him to his peak. Light Thaw won in open handicap company at Methven, but will probably find this class a little richer.