TROTTING Splendid Performances By Four-year-olds

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31762, 20 August 1968, Page 4

TROTTING Splendid Performances By Four-year-olds

Performances in the Four-year-old Stakes at Addington Raceway on Saturday suggested that these third-season horses will have a big say in the decision of open handicap events for slower-class horses in Canterbury in the next few weeks.

Barrhill had to be good to gain his fourth win in a comparatively brief race career. He is now on a 2:16 assessment and although he will be meeting fairly strong opposition in future, he should be untroubled to extend his record.

A gelding by Light Brigade from Colmar, he is a brother of Corwar and a halfbrother of Mitcham. He is a stablemate of Humphrey and like all members of W. E. Lowe’s team, he is well forward at present. Maida Million could have been a little unlucky to run up against a pacer of the calibre of Barrhill. She was in trouble at the start and was behind Barrhill when the field had settled down.

She moved up to second before the half-mile and fought back gamely when challenged, going under in the last few strides. Maida Million took time to strike form last season, but all was not well with her until late in the autumn. She finished first in the Queen's Birthday Stakes at Ashburton in June, but was relegated to second for causing interference. She won later in the month at Nelson and showed herself to be well above average. By Brahman from Maida Fortune, she is trained at Tinwald by her part-owner, J. L. Ferguson, for whom she should be an early winner. Gleam’s third placing was full of merit She had qualified from maiden company at Orari at the end of July, but raced disappointingly at the Ku row meeting on August 10. The Robert Dillon—Glister mare was first out on Saturday and later received a splendid run. She finished gamely for third and showed herself to be a smart young mare. Well Related Gleam is a half-sister to Mansfield and Grand Chief, and she is closely related to Glint the dam of Bruce, Patchy, Gilt and others. Bewitched’s powerful finish along the inside to take fourth, only a nose from Gleam, was a highlight of the race. She was badly checked at the start and was back beyond Maida Million and Barrhill early in the race. She had not improved much approaching the final quar. ter, her driver wisely waiting for a run along the inside. This did not come until late, but when she did take it she finished more strongly than any of the others. Bewitched looks to have built up a lot since last season. She should be a big winner this term for her ownertrainer, G. B. Noble. Bramble Hall did not give M. Holmes a very easy drive after a slow start. This lightly-raced stallion should

benefit greatly as a result of racing and travelling and should eventually develop top handicap form. He should soon make amends for his fifth on Saturday. Waratah, Bay Boa, Cadane and Raphael, the next four to finish, were close behind Bramble Hall. All four of

them look capable of winning as soon as they revert to open handicap racing. Raphael will race in 2 min 19sec class events, Cadane and Waratah in races for 2min 18sec class pacers and Bay Boa in 2min 17sec class events in the next few weeks either at Addington Raceway or on country courses in Can-

terbury. All of them should be early winners when the class is not quite as rich as it was on Saturday. The other starters on Saturday either made mistakes or met trouble at the start. The fact that they finished a good way back does not mean that they will not have prospects of early wins.