L.O. THOMAS'S DEPARTURE

Evening Post, Volume CXXV, Issue 48, 26 February 1938, Page 22

L.O. THOMAS'S DEPARTURE

CHANGE FOR BING CROSBY.

(Special from "Irving-ton.") CHRISTCHURCH, February 24. Graham Direct has done nothing of a serious nature since he last raced, but he is being kept in steady work, and he has built up well in condition. He recently met with a minor accident when he came in contact with a wire fence, but he received only a slight setback, being lucky to escape with nothing worse than one clean cut that did not interfere with his work.

It is expected that L. O. Thomas will leave Hutt Park to take up his new quarters at Addington in the first week in April. At the moment additional stabling is being built and alterations are being made to accommodate a much bigger team than the original stables were built to ho.use. For some months now Decoy Bird has been worked as a trotter, but he is not making much improvement. He has a free style of moving, and he trots fairly solidly .without showing a great amount of speed. It is doubtful if he has any real desire to exert himself. Aide de Camp has recovered from his slight indisposition, and he has made his reappearance at Addington to do light exercise. He appears to be in good condition, and it is hoped that he will enjoy an uninterrupted preparation for the approaching InterDominion Championships. After several changes of stables and occupations, Burlesque has been taken over by J. N. Clarke at New Brighton, but he has made little headway in his training, and he does not impress as a good proposition. There is little amiss with his track work, but he refuses to race solidly. NOT A TWO-MILEE. Although Frisco Lady has shown attractive form over distances up to a mile and a half, her recent racing would suggest that she is never likely to reach tight company over two miles. However, she is a speedy and honest little mare, who should be open to further improvement. A three-year-old by Grattan Loyal from Wild Pointer has attracted attention at Addington by the manner in which he gets through his work. He has a fine style of moving, but he is a nervous type who may need a lot of racing before he is seen in a'good light. . , , „ Track work has pointed to Sagamore as a trotter of more than average ability, and his good ..win at New Brighton last week indicated that he is making rapid miprbvement. He has done little racing to date, and although he has made several mistakes with the colours up, more experience should find him in| good company. ■',-., -, F; G. Holmes has taken m hand a three-year-old filly by Frank Worthy from Moonlit, the dam of a useful performer in Morello. This youngster has not advanced far in her education, but she is already shaping up; pleasingly, and while it will be some time before she is ready to race, she shows plenty of promise. An injury late last season was responsible for Ormolu's long absence from the tracks, but he has resumed work 'again under L. Cavalier. This colt, a three-year-old by Rey de Oro from an Al Mack mare, showed promise as a two-year-old, when he raced once or twice under the name of Amathas. He has filled out nicely during his spell, and now has a solid appearance. ~ . • „ I Norman Fox, until recently trained at New Brighton, has had a change of stables, and he is now under G. Mouritz's charge at Addington. At his best he is a decidedly useful trotter. and one capable of winning several races, but he is now in a class where there are few opportunities for him. He is in excellent condition, however, and a few fast runs will find him ready to race. _. Owing to his erratic manners, Bing Crosby is to have a period of training at Addington, and he was recently placed in J. Seibel's stable. It is hoped that working in company with the numerous horses in training at headquarters will do much 'towards settling him down, and although he will be returned to E. J. Smith later on, he will be at Addington for, some weeks. No fault can.be found in his conditibn, and he has a most attractive manner of moving, pacing freely, and being capable of showing great speed with little effort. ~ Few horses have made more lapia improvement in recent weeks than has Waitaki Power, and that pacers performance at New Brighton last week when he won over a mile and a halt in the smart time of 3mm 15' 4-ssec, stamped him as a horse likely.to com pile an outstanding record to enter good company. He always; has been a most reliable and consistent pacei, but until recently he appear lack the stamina that makes all the difference between a really good performer and a moderate one. However, m his last two races he has ° n brilliantly, and it would seem that rac ing has made him solid. He is pro bably the fastest beginner racing.at theTpWsent time, and if he maintains his present rate of progress he can be confidently expected to continue m Sing vein. As a two-year-old he bowed 0 great speed but he was ai big. eelding of a very lean type, and ne found it difficult to get beyond six furlongs at a fast clip. ■