SOUTHLAND NOTES

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 258, 29 July 1939, Page 17

SOUTHLAND NOTES

Colonel French Taken

North NIGGER BOY’S PROMISE Dominion Special Service INVERCARGILL, July 25. A late decision was made to include Colonel French in the team taken north by Mr. W. E. Hazlett in place of Liberate, who had not done am well as expected in his final trials. Though he has been nominated for the minor hurdle races at the National meeting it was intended to race him on the flat and give him some schooling at Riccarton. Colonel 1 reneh, who is now rising four years, is one ot the best young hurdlers produced in the south this season, and his schooling at Invercargill has been quite a feature of training operations. He has been kept in solid work in recent weeks and will lack nothing on the score of condition. Besides Spanish Lad R. McNay took Hunting Chorus and Nigger Boy . north with him. Nigger Boy is to. be given a race or two on the trip but it is unlikely that he will be sufficiently forward to show his best, but the racing will fit him for early spring contests. Nigger Boy, who is now rising three years, is a halfbrother by Nigger Minstrel to Spanish Lad and so far has raced only once, when he finished fourth in the John Grigg Stakes earlier in the year, A very high opinion is held of him and he has only to train on to make a name for himself. Spanish Lad’s placing at Washdyke was anticipated by his party and the race will be all to his advantage. Hunting Chorus, who has always shown his best form on winter tracks, will be a much improved horse by his outing at Washdyke, where he beat all but Dancing Flame. The tracks in Southland have not permitted these horses to secure the necessary fast work to bring them up to concert pitch. Before the Wellington winter meeting Mr. R. Brown, who raced Pandine on lease, exercised a right of purchase clause and secured the jumper outright. The lease held of Gold Wren expires at the end of next month, but it is understood that an opportunity will be given to renew it.