RANKS STRENGTHENED

Evening Post, Volume CXXIX, Issue 137, 11 June 1940, Page 12

RANKS STRENGTHENED

SLAYER'S SUCCESS

RETURN TO WINNING FORM

The most interesting event in the racing over the weekend in the Dominion was the return to the winning ranks of Slayer, the most promising cross-country recruit to emerge from last winter's racing. Slayer has been taken along" very quitely so far ' this winter, but from now on he should make his presence felt in the important steeplechases.

It is perhaps pertinent to recall how Slayer rose from the rank and file still less than twelve months ago. At the Dunedin Winter Meeting he ran second to Chile in the Dunedin Steeplechase on the final day, carrying the minimum, and-when he came to b. weighted for the first day at the Wellington Meeting he had the minimum in both the Mariri Hack and Hunters' Steeplechase and in the Wellington Steeplechase. To the general surprise he was saddled up for the Wellington Steeplechase, and how near he went to upsetting calculations in that race became evident from his later form. Going to the back the last time he raced through to the front and was drawing away when he made a mistake at the sod wall near the mile post and lost his rider. On the second day of the meeting he comfortably won the Matai Steeplechase under 9.13, and on the final day he as easily added the July Steeplechase, 3 miles, under 9.12, this being an open event. Going on to Riccarton he carried 10.3 into third place behind Padishah, 11,5, and Erination, 11.10, in the Grand National Steeplechase, beaten six lengths and one length respectively, and he was well clear of the others. Thfen followed another double on the concluding days of this meeting, when he took the Beaufort Steeplechase, 2£ miles, under 10.10, and the Lincoln Steeplechase, 3 miles, under 11.4, beating Bridegroom, 10.5, by a neck in a hard finish. . In the Lincoln Steeplechase Slayer did not have much .to spare, but that was hardly surprising, as heshad had a strenuous two months of racing tor his first season, ovqr country, not missing a:day at .'Wingatui, Trentham, or Riccarton: Only a five-year-old last winter, he was not fully matured, and it was obvious that he had only to furnish a bit during the spell that was to follow for him to take his place as one of the leading steeplechasers the Dominion has had in recent years. Slayer did well during his respite, and when W. Hogan was at Trentham in March he mentioned that the gelding had furnished out of all knowledge. However, the Hogans were not to have his preparation this winter, as Mr. L.. C. Hazlett placed him under the care of A. J. Cassells at North Taieri, where he could better watch his progress himself. Slayer was forward enough for his first race' this session at Riverton at Easter, when he contested the Riverton Steeplechase on the second day, but he was still too big and he ran only a reasonably fair race, which was probably all that was desired from him. It was five weeks before he had his next race, when, carrying 11.13, he ran third to Guste and Gay Boa in the Richie Memorial Steeplechase, 2\ miles, at Southland. Still another five weeks passed before he was produced again in the Dunedin Steeplechase last Saturday, which he won under 11.11. Between each of his three efforts this winter Slayer has improved a great deal, and it is a reasonable assumption that he will continue to progress between his races. On Saturday he did not fenc» too cleanly at a couple of the obstacles, but he had regained the pace he showed last winter and this was the deciding factor. At the final fence, just after assuming charge,

he stumbled on landing and his rider had a narrow escape from being dislodged.

At Dunedin and Wellington last winter Slayer was ridden by J. C. Richards, but at the Grand National Meeting A. Jenkins had the mount on him on the first two days and J. Mcßae on the final day. Mr. Hazlett is again using the services of Richards this winter, the southern horseman having piloted him in his two most recent outings.

Now six years old, Slayer is a chestnut gelding by Valkyrian out of the Martian—Lady Kinloch mare Battleflag. descending from Rose of Denmark through the V.R.C. Oaks winner Litigant, so he is bred for stamina. Battleflag won numerous races in the far south, and Lady Kinloch, who was never raced, was a sister,to the W.R.C. Wellesley and Wellington Stakes winner Mowbray. Slayer did his first racing in tne colours of Mr. D. Walker, and his only success in a couple of seasons was a small event at Cromwell. Turned to jumping, he succeeded at ihe Dunedin Summer Meeting last season in his first start in the role, and he was shortly afterwards bought by Mr, Hazlett, a sportsman with a keen eye for a likely sort of jumper.