TRIP NOW DEFINITE

Evening Post, Volume CXX, Issue 8, 9 July 1935, Page 6

TRIP NOW DEFINITE

GAY SHEILA FOR SYDNEY

(Special from "Early Bird.") AUCKLAND,. July 8. Gay Sheila, who has not raced for thirteen months, is progressing satisfactorily and she is definitely to go to Australia with. Gay Blonde, Gay Sheik, and other members of E. Pope's team] Gay Sheila met with injuries while out speiling at the beginning of- this season. Knight of Australia, who has been rather an unfortunate galloper, is being kept in work at Te Awarhutu and he will contest the handicap event at the Pakuranga Meeting at Ellerslie next month. The Windbag gelding showed up in the Cornwall Handicap and then failed to go on with it, but he may find the conditions at Ellerslie next month more to his liking. The Ellerslie trainer E. S. Groat quickly secured another horse to fill the box recently occupied by King Musk, for he now has in his charge a rising two-year-old filly by King Lv from Lady Brierly, dam of Master Brierly. This' filly is an impressive sort and she should be forward enough to participate in the juvenile parade at the Pakuranga fixture next month. Groat continues to mix his training, for he still has several trotters and pacers to prepare. While he did not shape like a horse that would ever reach to top class, even among the hunters' division, Gascelle certainly displayed promise in his races at Ellerslie last month and if kept to the minor class at the Pakuranga fixture he should be able to make good. If his improvement continues, however, his owner may allow him to take his chance in the valuable Pakuranga Hunt Cup contest. ■ -■.'■■■ ■ During the season about to conclude the Te Awamutu trainer A. Cook did not have a very good time so far as successes went, but with 17 horses now in his' stables his prospects for the 1935-36 season are very much brighter. He has a lot of promising material to work upon, notably the speedy Galilee, Salesman, Lady Ruler, Knight of Australia, and Namakia. In addition he has that good horse Jonathan in light work, although if he makes satisfactory progress the Thespian gelding may race in the spring in Australia. Galilee, of ■ course, was in the first flight of this season's two-year-olds, and as she is shaping up nicaly she may be a good three-year-old, capable of more than holding her own in sprint races. It will be interesting to see how this season's youngsters fare when they meet, for with Wotan, Legatee, Heritage, Gay Sheik, and Galilee it may be subsequently shown that, all ' unknown, this term was a vintage one for youngsters. Unfortunately all except the last-named may be doing, their spring racing in Australia. .::.-.;. An interesting youngster in Cook's team is a.colt by General Latour from Kilbeggan, thus a brother to the brilliant Karapoti, so-his appearance and form will be closely followed. Lady i Ruler was, one of the fastest of the two-year-olds seen out last spring, but shin soreness caused her to be given a good spell, although she recovered sufficiently to prove herself in the middle of1 the season. This filly may develop into , a speedy sprinter. Salesman, too, showed form this season that was very encouraging and it is possible that he will be an the handicap ranks before the - newseason is far advanced. : ' : This, year Ballymoney held out promise'of quickl;: entering the -ranks of open sprinters, only to lose form when'he seemed to be'a'bright prospect for his owner. He"*'has had' a good spell and the Diacquenod gelding may make amends in the next term.' A half-brother to Ballymoney, b-" Surveyor, is making steady pro-; gress also at Takanini, and Surella, as he will be known on the race track; may be forward enough to foot it with other two-year-olds early,in the season! Val Watch is to fulfil her engagement in the Grand National Hurdles next month, for she is being given plenty: of work at Te Aroha, and with her trainer, A. E. Cox, in the saddle, she has been steadied down. This one-time dashing jumper is much more sedate in her races than she used to be, thanks to-a hard time in the school of experience, bringing in its' train many disastrous crashes, for at both Te Rapa and Ellerslie her jockey did not have much difficulty in keeping her in hand. This will be all in her favour in the National. ' Royal Secret, who was on the verge of entering open company when she went wrong at Hawera a couple of months ago, has been recommissioned after her spell and she should be seen in action again before the new season is far advanced. Royal Secret may not reach the best sprint class, but she will not be difficult to place round the province in sprints and the. shorter open handicaps, and later on, of course, she may stay on.