CHANGE FOR GERFALCON

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 150, 22 December 1938, Page 13

CHANGE FOR GERFALCON

(Special from "Irvlngton.") CHRISTCHURCH, December 16. Three Bells has not trained on as well as was expected, and in his recent outings he has shown an inclination to stand on the mark. At his best he is little more than a sprinter, and he may be seen in a better light when he is returned to this type of race. _ Until recently trained at New Brighton, Special Edition is now being handled by R. J. Humphreys. This three-year-old has shown rare speed in private, and when he learns to gather his speed quickly from a barrier start he will prove a good winner. Norman Fox has enjoyed a short spell since he was taken over by J, JV Kennerley, but he is again, back on the tracks and is looking in robust order. His form over a period has not been' of a good standard, but he has a good deal of ability and is capable of winning races. v ... Although Southern Smile is being kept in work she was recently 'mated ■with the Australian pacer Logan Derby, and it is probable that she "will do little more racing. While she has been a winner at two miles, her best performances have been given over distances up to a mile and a.halt, and she proved herself a smart sprinter. Still a young mare, she has the breeding and performances to make her a successful matron. The three-year-old half-brother to Subsidy by Grattan Loyal has not come to hand very quickly, Jaut he is making steady improvement in ms work tnd of late has been moving more freely in his track tasks. He is a good, clean-gaited pacer, but he refuses to put much energy into his work. However, if anything that is - a good fault, and his lazy habits may prove to his advantage when it comes to racing. He is trained by J.Siebel who also has a two-year-old brother to Fine Art in the early stages of his education. This gelding is one of the most attractive young horses introduced to Addington for some time. RELATED TO IRONSIDE. The Ciro—Nantwich mare in J. Me-. Bride's stable has been named Cynic. This half-sister to Ironside has done exceptionally well ,in the past few weeks, and her track work-has shown a decided improvement She has given indications of possessing more_ speed than the average maiden performer, and has shown sufficient promise to suggest that she will prove an early winner. , , . Bill Grattan has resumed work at Addington after a fairly long spell on the easy list, and he is now to be given an opportunity as a trotter, xo date he has done all his racing as a pacer and on a number of occasions showed signs of being capable of winning in good company,, but he has seldom raced up to his best track work. Although he has not been asked to show anything in the way of speed since he returned to the tracks, he has a good style of trotting and gives the impression that he will prove solid in this department. Among the trotters in work at Addington one has been showing more speed than has Fire King. When he first raced this gelding gave a promising display to be third, but since then he has been rather disappointing.- However, of late he has been attracting attention in his work, showing plenty of speed and moving solidly, and if he; maintains his 'present progress he will be a bright prospect among the maiden trotters engaged at Ashburton. . Gay Lady, an easy winner at Hororata last Saturday, is a smart pacer over distances up to a mile and. a half, but her tendency to bore badly will count against her when she reaches stronger company. She has not done a great deal of racing, and it is possible that she will improve a good deal in this respect. She claims engagements at the Auckland Cup Meeting, and if taken north she should give a good account of herself in the • intermediate classes.. CHANGE OF STABLES. It ds reported that Gerfalcon has made good progress in. his work since he was recently taken over by M. Holmes, and he will probably have .ms first race for his new trainer at the Canterbury Park Meeting. Although he has been something of a disappointment since he resumed racing, he is still held in high regard in certain quarters, and his early return to form will not surprise. The latest addition to E. A. Berry's team is Bar None, an aged gelding by Sonoma Harvester from Winnie Logan, the dam of Aide de Camp. He started four times as a three-year-old in the 1932-33 season, but lie was afflicted with throat trouble and it was found necessary to turn him out. Since thenVhe has undergone a throat operation. During his absence from the tracks he has done,duty as a farm horse and has filled out Into an exceptionally fine stamp of pacer, out it remains to be seen whether he will stay on any better than formerly. The nomination of Nelson Eddy well out of his present class at the Canterbury Park Meeting suggests that his connections expect him to give a bold, showing in the New Zealand Champion Stakes at Ashburton on Boxing Day. This colt, a half-brother by Nelson Derby to Pilot Peter, won his first race when he scored in the Riccarton Stakes at Addington in November. He beat a weak field and. was not greatly impressive, tangling at least twice on the journey. At New Brighton recently, however, he beat a field of older horses in most attractive style to record 2min 45sec over a mile and a quarter, showing both speed and stamina in a tight finish. In the Champion Stakes he will be opposed by Aldershot, the outstanding juvenile to this stage of the season, Shadow Son, another well-performed youngster, and Bed Rock, the winner of last season's Sapling Stakes, her only start to date. Nelson Eddy will find it difficult to make a successful stand against these three-year-olds, but he appears to be greatly improved and will not be disgraced.