SCOTLAND'S FAILURE

Evening Post, Volume CXXVII, Issue 74, 29 March 1939, Page 15

SCOTLAND'S FAILURE

ROYAL DANCE AS HURDLER

(Special from "Early Bird.")

AUCKLAND, March 28

Scotland had another defeat registered against him in last Saturday's Tauranga Cup, although he went a fair race, but it was much below his Rotorua and Te Rapa efforts. It is rather remarkable that he ever raced again, for it is only twelve months ago that his owner found the gelding in such a bad way that he ordered a veterinary surgeon to travel a long distance to destroy him. However, the vet. reported that the case was not hopeless, and he took him in hand with happy results, for last month the gelding won two valuable races.

Gamos added the Trial Plate at Tauranga to his success a week earlier at Paeroa, and it is evident that he has now become solid. He commenced racing at Avondale in the spring, and ( a bright future was predicted for him, so after all his successes were not long delayed. He should make a stayer, for he claims' relationship to several smart handicap performers.

Brazen Bold has been most consistent since he got over his waywardness in his races, and he now looks like going on to be a really good galloper next season. His success at Tauranga last Saturday was clear-cut and he had a bit in hand.

Although well beaten on Saturday, the Australian-bred filly Pantheist showed improvement to score at Tauranga on Monday, when she accounted for Foxsen and Bronzeshar. She had previously been placed, but this was her first win in 13 starts. She is owned and trained by W. H. Maria, who also secured a couple of seconds with Airam in the hurdle races. The latter was put on the schooling list at the back end of her three-year-old career, and her owner had hopes of having her taken off, but unfortunately the mare is still erratic in her barrier behaviour.

It looks as if Royal Dance is going to be really good as a hurdler, for his successes at Tauranga were clear-cut and it was not a bit surprising that Airam and Electric Spear, good performers over the battens as they are, failed to concede him 241b and 221b respectively.

Last season Gold Vaals went several, good races in handicap company, despite a tendency to lag in the early part of his outings. His jockey was generally blamed for this fact, and there was much interest when riding changes were made, with the expected result, for while the Vaals gelding was kept up to his field there was a complete absence of his well-known finishing run. He reappeared at Paeroa and his subsequent forward running at Tauranga suggests that he is fast coming to hand.