SPORTING

Evening Post, Volume CXXXV, Issue 85, 10 April 1943, Page 8

SPORTING

WINNER OF £3700

CLASSFORM'S RECORD

Just as Full Hand, winner of the Hawke's Bay Cup, is an illustration of how a good winner can quickly slide back in the weights as the result of a few failures, Classform, winnerof the Te Mahanga Handicap, the principal event on the second day at Hastings, provides another example. .For a horse to win the Wanganui Higgie Handicap, Ashhurst Cup, and Wood-: ville Handicap, in addition to filling minor placings the same season, and yet come in at only 61b above the minimum, rather points to the practice of steadily dropping horses for failures being too abrupt. Actually, Classform has had 31 starts this season, a heavy programme, but she has won £1155 in stake-money, bringing her aggregate in her four active terms to £3700. Many another horse has displayed greater consistency, yet won considerably less, i and remains much higher in the weights. Prominent.—The colours of Mr. W. McA. Duncan, of Wanganui, were prominent* in two of the early races at Hastings. Poutu was a . winner,- and Whero was runner-up to Monmouth in the hack sprint.- Then, towards the close of the day, Tuatara ran Gay Genet to half a head in the open sprint to give the owner his third placing. Both Tuatara, whose winning turn is overdue, and Whero are trained by D. Marks at Fordell.

Belied Report.—lt had been predicted that Yin d'Honneur would not be persevered with, but the Tiderace mare made quite a bold showing for third in the Twyford Hack Handicap at Hastings, and the improved effort might make a difference, although the fact that she is from Courtesy, a daughter of Limond and Homage, gives her a high potential value as a brood mare.

Come Right.—While she may lack something in inches, Nighean has proved herself quite a,worthy product of Piuthair. but it remains to be seen whether she will ever approach the heights of her dam. Although her. win on the opening day at Hastings was narrow, it was quite definite in the Hack Cup, and her time was only 1 2-ssec outside that returned by Classform in the big handicap. As Sprinter.—Twelve months ago Gay Genet won the hack sprint on the opening day of the Hawke's Bay Meeting, and she took the open sprint on the same course last Saturday. Between the two meetings she had been tried over middle distances, showing plenty of promise but without being capable of winning. She is by the Fairway horse Piccadilly from the Heroic mare Vivere. having been bought at the Sydney Easter Sales as a yearling for 225 guineas. Disappointed.—Judged on her effort at Trentham, Caroline Bay appeared to be a bright prospect for the open sprint at Hastings last Saturday, but the best she could do was to finish fourth. The only excuse that can be advanced is that she prefers the top of the ground. Stock of Piccadilly.—Although Piccadilly, the sire of Gay Genet, winner of the open sprint at Hawke's Bay recently, was not a very great sue-

cess on the Turf in England, he is producing winners in Australia, particularly in the Newcastle district. At the Newcastle January Meeting he was credited through his progeny with two first and a second, and at the February fixture his stock won two races, and were placed in two other instances.

Retired.— Mr. M. Nicholls, of Petone, has decided not to persevere with his four-year-old trotter Pallas. This four-year-old daughter of Great Parrish and Mavis Logan had only one race this season, and with leg trouble overtaking her Mr. Nicholls has decided to retire her. He has -now secured a three-year-old by Jack Potts from Talsy-de-Oro. who will v ycc as Golden Knave.

Another Member.—Recently Taramoa, by his success in the Australian Cup, brought into prominence his dam and grandam, Dazzling Light and Simper respectively. A late issue of the A.J.C. Racing Calendar discloses that another descendant of the family, a two-year-old filly named Flight, has been making fame for herself. At the end of January she had had. three starts for two firsts and a second. She is by Royal Step from • the Tractor mare. Lambent, tlie first of the family of Dazzling Light. When she won the Havilah Handicap, 5£ furlongs, at Randwick, Flight beat Mayfowl, a roan colt by Beau Pere from imported Grey Port, by two and a half lengths. Doing Well. —Progeny of the Limond horse Veilmond continue to do well in Australia. At Randwick recently Veiled Threat won the Anniversary Handicap, 1_ miles, and Linemond took the Carlingford Handicap, 9 furlongs, at Rosehill a fortnight later. It. is very apparent that Veilmond, like his own sire, is transmitting staying blood.