SPORTING

Evening Post, Volume CXXXIII, Issue 10, 13 January 1942, Page 8

SPORTING

SIR BEAU ON TOP

IN TELEGRAPH HANDICAP

(By "Binocular.")

One of the most fruitful sources of surprise results . among important) events at Wellington meetings is the [ Telegraph Handicap, which ranks as > the premier six furlongs event run during the season at Trentham. Last year the rule was broken when Sir Beau took the honours, for the Beau Pere horse ranked as the favourite. The Wanganui representative again figures in this year's field, but whereas he scored with 8.11 last January he has been awarded 9.6 on this occasion. Sir Beau resumed racing this term at the Wellington October Meeting, when he failed in the Awatea Handicap, won by Augment. A month later he again failed on the opening day of the Feilding Meeting, but on the second day he scored over seven furlongs, coming with a late run to beat SurveyorGeneral. That performance indicated that Sir Beau was coming back to his best, and at the Auckland Christmas Meeting he beat the Railway Handicap winner, Route March, in the King's Plate, 1 mile, at a difference of 121b at weight-for-age. On the final day of' the meeting he finished a close third in the Clifford Plate, U miles, beaten a neck and a head by Lou Rosa and Beau Leon respectively. Even though he may have lost a shade of his early brilliance as a result of contesting longer races the Sir Beau filly fully merited the top place in the handicap for the big sprint at Trentham on Saturday. Back in Work. Kindergarten, winner of last year's Wellington Cup, has recently been given more searching tasks by his trainer, I. Tinsley, and it is reported that the Kincardine horse is in excellent condition. Further, his trainer has no fears that there will be a recurrence of the trouble that necessitated his being thrown out of training when in Australia. Operated On. Burra Sahib, who won the Railway Handicap at Woodville early last month, did not compete during the holidays. It is now reported that he was returned to Greenmeadows after his Woodville success and was operated on for respiratory troubles. Smart Sort. Sing Sing, a three-year-old filly by Salmagundi from the Silverado mare Shelter, is building up a reputation for herself in the south, having won at her last three starts. A stablemate, Sally Lunn, who is also by Salmagundi, was recently sold to this island, and she has been nominated for the Wellington Meeting. Sally Lunn was considered by southern critics to be the better of the pair. In Higher Ranks. \ The English-bred mare Celebrity, who followed up a success at the New Zealand Cup Meeting by taking the Robinson Hack Handicap on the opening day at Auckland, credited her owner with £425 from those two outings. The Nothing Venture mare has been entered for the Telegraph Handicap at Trentham, and she should prove herself worthy of promotion to the higher ranks. . Out of Luck. Caroline Bay appears to be fated to fill minor placings, for two further seconds went to her record at Marton. It was at the Feilding Meeting that her stable-mate, Graeco-Roman, twice beat her narrowly, and with the latter proving capable of taking the open sprint at Martqn earlier in the day, Caroline Bsty appeared to be a bright prospect for the Dash Hack Handicap, but she encountered another good one in Moutoa Bond to prevent the overdue success coming her way. On the second day she could not ouite foot it with another Trentham representative, Absolve, in the scurry event. A Newcomer. The Leighon—Habit filly Soutane, who has shown good form on occasion, was purchased at the dispersal sale of the thoroughbred stock of,the late Mr. H. D. McManaway by Mr. F. H Bustin of Wellington, and she has joined the team of P. Burgess at Trentham. It is also reported that .Ever England is again in this trainers charge the Foxbridge gelding not having won a race since being returned north. During the brief period P. Burgess had him last season Ever England won two races, at Trentham and Manawatu. A Bad Race. His recent performances have rather pointed to Duncannon having become somewhat unreliable, for he has been mixing good efforts with disappointing ones At Otaki, he seemed definitely unlucky, but at Marton he quite failed to produce the dash expected of him and his rider did not persevere with him. Actually, .Duncannon was the last horse home in the Railway Handicap on the- opening day. Tried over nine furlongs on, the second day he was never a possibility. Trifle Unlucky. Though he may not.be the horse he was, Black Thread retains much of his sprinting ability, but is finding it somewhat difficult to win under his big poundages. At Otaki he was not himself but he looked bright and fresh on the opening day at Marton. Unfortunately, he encountered in GraecoRoman a very smart recruit from the lower ranks who appreciated the drop in weight the transfer had brought him, and Black Thread found the task of giving away 261b a little too much. Furthermore, he experienced a somewhat interrupted run. Another minor placing came his way on the second day in the Aldworth Stakes, 9 furlongs in which he found Classform too good for him. It was a creditable effort, nevertheless. ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. "Trier."—(l) £1 Us; (2) £20 and £5 9s; (3) £5 14s and £2 Is 6d; (4) £2 5s 6d; (5) £3 16s 6d ; (G) £7 7s 6d and £2 5s 6d. "Punter."—Tea Gong was an acceptor in both the Maldnc Memorial and the Toko Hlglnveight. He contested the former. Approximately 2.30 p.m.