GREAT INTEREST IN WELLINGTON STAKES

Evening Post, Volume CXXIV, Issue 62, 10 September 1937, Page 13

GREAT INTEREST IN WELLINGTON STAKES

(By "Ribbonwood.") Not since the days when the New Zealand Trotting Cup Trial drew all the champion pacers of the Dominion has such interest been taken in a Wellington event as that which has been aroused by the prospective clash of the leading juvenile pacers in the Wellington 'Stakes, the first classic race sponsored by the club, and which will be the leading feature at tomorrow's meeting at Hutt Park. The best three-year-olds available are all engaged, and are expected to provide a contest worthy of the club's progressive move along the road.which paved the way to the unqualified success experienced by the Ashburton Club in the field of classic racing. The grass track is in excellent spring order, and while it is not a record-breaking one, some of the times recorded on it under favourable conditions have been very close to Addington standards. His Excellency the Governor-General will be the guest of the club, and will present the ribbon to the winner of the Wellington Stakes.

The win-and-place system of betting will be operated, with three place dividends in fields of eight and more, and two place dividends in fields of five, six, or seven. All windows will sell both win-and-place tickets, and the totalisator dividing the lawn and public enclosures will sell 10s tickets only.

Special trains will leave Wellington for ihe course at 11.5 a.m. and 11.25 a.m., and other trains (change at Woburn) depart at 12.11, 12.36, 12.46, and 1.5 p.m.

WELLINGTON STAKES

The general opinion is that Sandusky will go out favourite for the Wellington Stakes, but there can be little, if anything, between F. J. .Smith's candidate and Twos Loose, who is trained by M. E. Edwards and will be driven by J. Bryce, jun. Twos Loose won the Timaru Nursery Stakes in 2min 20sec for the mile, finishing brilliantly after misfiring near the finish. In the Sapling StaKes, which he won by a neck from Sandusky in 3min 26sec, with Horsepower a length away third, Twos Loose gave a faultless display for a two-year-old, and the fact that he was in front a long way from home and stalled off Sandusky's determined challenge showed him to be every inch a racehorse. Sandusky may have been unlucky, but there is sufficient conjecture about it to invest the race with tremendous interest.

Bursting into the picture by a finished display to win the Seaview Stakes at New Brighton last Saturday., Refund won over a mile and a half in heavy going by staying on better than Francisco, others who were found wanting over the final piece being Bayard and Stambou1, who, however, may go better on a firm track tomorrow. The remaining candidate is Blaydon, another well-bred one, but who has yet to show something in public.

BOLLARD MEMORIAL.

The field for the Bollard Memorial Handicap is of the right dimensions for the staging of a first-class contest. With the short limit of 12yds the pace is likely to be on from the outset, and there is plenty of form to make for keen wagering. U. Scott, who has climbed to his present mark much quicker than anything else in-the race, has put up several outstanding performances over a mile and a quarter and two miles, and he is the logical favouri'c. ' Lady Fame is staying better now, and she beat a good field when she won the August Handicap at Auckland. It is problematical, though, whether a slow pace in the early stages would not suit her better than U. Scott. . Frisco Lady showed quite sufficient at Addington to indicate that she will eventually make a success of two miles, and one of her extreme brilliance must be respected. . Casanova stayed on solidly in his winning role at Addington, and also when running second to U. Scott, but on the handicaps he does not compare favourably with his Addington victor. Iraq hardly comes up to the required standard over long journeys, and it is a long time since Ironside was in winning Bform. Navy Blue failed in heavy going at New Brighton, but is a young marl liable to improve and she has won over a mile and a half at Hutt Smile's two-mile credenb^ Ser aryfefo Sver a PPmfl S e t0an hd Va two miles as though destined for anun SSTSThe'SSSfd «^d cS been expensive, to follow. UNHOPPLED TROTTERS. Swordsman's form over two miles last season, especially at Hutt FarK, entitles him to pride of place among the trotters. Franz Derby b#at him decisively the last time they met at woS here, but it is very doubtful whether she can give him 72 yards over a mile and a half. , . Dark Hazard, who will .be having his first race as a trotter, is reported to be naturally good at it, and he may surprise supporters of Swordsman. Indolent has been very useful, and is adept in soft going.. Orphan Bingen also handles all conditions. Debutante, who has been something of a star at West Coast meetings, like Orphan Bingen, has not raced for several months. Prince Harvester finished third to Golden Bingen and Sphinx over a mile and five furlongs at Oamaru last May, registering 3min 43 4-ssee, a good effort, and he has been in the money twice since. Winnie Parrish is at an age when improvement is not the rule, but she has done little racing.

GOOD NOVICE FIELDS.

The maiden events are much stronger numerically than for many years past, and surprises ar« inevitable in this class of race. Among those who have run promising races for places are Anna Wong, Taruna, and Twenty Grand, and on 36 yards is Charlie Chan, one of L. F. Berkett's team. Taruna ran two clinking races for a two-year-old last season, but was not quite up to Sapling Stakes standard. King's Jubilee, in L. A. Maidens's stable, is another well-connected three-year-old.

EVEN LOT OF IMPROVERS,

One or two of those favoured for the.Railway Handicap were allowed

to drop out at nominations, but this has only deepened the problem for i backers, and this event looks like being one of the best contests of the day. Should he compete here, Dark Hazard i must go well. His All Age Stakes form gives him an edge of class on the majority, and he would not be the first horse to handle himself with credit at both gaits on the same day. Trevor de Oro and Heather Queen were both winners last season. Trevor de Oro's performance to score over two miles in 4min 30sec at Wanganui was full of merit. Heather Queen gave Fine Art 24 yards and a sound beating in a mile I and a half event at Washdyke, besides winning two other races last season. Pola Negri is a smart pony from the south. Her family credentials are beyond reproach. Worthy Need, Vanity Fair, Oversight, and Labourman all add to the complications of a real puzzler. The following horses may race prominently:— ' I Nai Nai Handicap,—Swordsman, Dark Hazard, and Indolent. Hutt Park Trial Handicap.—Anna Wong, Twenty Grand, and Taruna. Bollard Memorial Handicap.—U. Scott, and Lady Fame. Wellington Stakes.—Sandusky and Twos Loose. Railway Handicap.—Dark Hazard, Trevor de Oro, and Pola Negri. Wiiford Handicap.—Swordsman, Indolent, and Prince Harvester. Sharpe Handicap.—King's Jubilee, Taruna, and Twenty Grand. Wellington Handicap.—U. Scott, Frisco Lady, and Southern Smile. Following is the card:— 12.10 .VAI NAI HANDICAP, £150; unhoppled trotters; 3.39 class; l>/4 miles. Dark Hazard scr Prince Harvester 24 Winnie Parrish . scr Swordsman .... 43 Orphan Bingen . 12 Mabel Chimes •■6O Debutante 24 Franz Derby ... 120 Indolent 24 12.50 HUTT PARK TRIAL, £130; 3.43 class; 1% miles. Acora scr Rhlnegold scr Adversity scr Snowy Bingen .. acr Anna Wong .... scr Stepson scr Crystal Chimes . scr Taruna scr Desperado scr Twenty Grand . scr Ivy Peterson ... scr Winning Post .. scr King's Jubilee .. scr Charlie Chan ... 36 Lombard scr 1.30 BOLLARD MEMORIAL HANDICAP, £350; 4.33 class; 2 miles. I Casnnova scr Southern Smile ecr Frisco Lady .... scr Lady Fame .... 12 Iraq Bcr Gold Dredge 12 Ironside ecr Little Nelson .... 12 Navy Blue Bcr U. Scott 12 2.10 WELLINGTON STAKES, £500. (Ths drker or the winner to receive a gold-mounted whip presented by Messrs. A. Pope and Co., Ltd.) For three-year-olds; 1% miles. G. Rosenbaum's Horsepower. G. Hudson's Twos Loose. J. R. McKenzle's Refund. W. Hosking's and A. G. Downes's Sandusky. Durbar Lodge Ltd's Stamboul. Miss P. Norton's Bayard. C. S. Donald's Blaydon. 2.55 RAILWAY HANDICAP, £200; 3.35 class; 1% miles. Ace Pot scr Happi 12 Labourman .... scr Lady Author .... 12 Oversight •»... scr Dark Hazard .. 24 Pola Negri .... scr Heather Queen . 36 Rollalong scr Trevor de Oro .. 36 Vanity Fair .... scr Franz Derby (T.) 48 Worthy Need ... scr 3.35 WILFORD HANDICAP, £175; unhoppled trotters; 4.54 class; 2 miles. Dark Hazard .. scr Indolent 36 Winnie Parrish . scr Prince Harvester 36 Orphan Bingen .. 24 Swordsman .... 60 Debutante 36 Mabel Chimes .. 84 4.15 SHARPE HANDICAP, £130; 3.5 class; 1% miles. Accra scr Rhinegold scr Adversity «cr Sewana scr Anna Wong .... scr Snowy Bingen .. scr Bayard scr Taruna scr Crystal Chimes . ecr Twenty Grand .. ecr Ivy Peterson ... scr Winning Post .. scr King'i Jubilee .. scr Guy Zolock .... 12 Lombard scr Charlie Chan ... 36 Playful scr Ropata 36 4.55 WELLINGTON HANDICAP, £213; 2.47 class; IV,, miles. Casanova scr Purser scr Gold Dredge .'.. scr Frisco Lady .... 12 Iraq scr Lady Fame .... 12 Ironside ... .««• ecr Southern Smile .. 12 Little Nelson .. «cr U. Scott 12 Navy Blue scr