NAVIGATE FIT

Evening Post, Volume CXL, Issue 39, 15 August 1945, Page 10

NAVIGATE FIT

PROSPECT AT ADDINGTON

I ' . (By "Ariki Toa.") Training conditions in Southland have been much better than those which have obtained in Canterbury during the past two months, with theresult that horses trained in the far ' south are likely to be in more forward condition than their opponents for the meeting at Addington on Saturday. One pacer who has progressed during the past few weeks is Navigate, and with a few sharp sprints J. Walsh should have the geiding at his peak this weekend. Navigate and Dundee Sandy dominate the position in the Speedway Handicap on Saturday, and with a concession of 12yds Navigate may carry the day; Recovered. —Native Scott, who has been laid aside with an affliction which developed after an unsuccessful trip to Auckland at Easter, has made a good recovery, and he is doing judicious work at Addington. His stafelemate, Burt Scott, who has been suffering from leg trouble, has also recovered, but as yet he has net been .placed back in work. It is a pity that Native Scott could not be prepared for the racing at Addington during the next fortnight, for he is a very capable pacer who should develop his best form this term. Smart Trotter.—Casabianca has not raced for some time owing to unsoundness, but the trouble appears to have disappeared, and he is bearing a very bright appearance. He has been at Addington for the best part of a fortnight, and has impressed in his work. /He is due to race on- the second day at Addington, and as he will not be opposed by a particularly strong lot he should collect some of the money. ' On the Improve.—Right Royal has made steady progress under the guidance of M. B. Edwards. He contested the Timaru Nursery Stakes, but shaped nervously at the barrier and practically took no part in the race. Since then he' appears to haye settled down a lot, and now promises to develop into a good class of pacer. He is a good-looking chestnut colt by Jack Potts from Bingenique, a daughter of the imported mare Unique. Long Absence. —Positive, who is en'tered for intermediate two-mile events at Addington, has not raced since the 1941-42 season when he had two outings for two second placings. He then met with an accident and had to be thrown out of work. It is to be hoped that he regains his best form, for he is a well-bred pacer, being by Quite Sure from Sundock, who has already produced other winners'in Toorak. Jack Bond, and Gleam. Fine Field.—One of the finest fields engaged on the first day at Addington is included in the Islington Handicap, which has attracted such promising pacers as Sir Raymond, Windermere, Dillondale, Emulous, Loyal Chief, Ann Scott, Cameronian, and Frances Easton. Perhaps the best prospects are held by Loyal Chief, who impressed last season as a pacer above the average, and who at one stage had a sequence of four victories to his credit. Speedy Pacer. —Double Peter, who came right into the boom towards the end of last season with two brilliant victories at Addington,, is engaged in the Free-for-All this weekend, and a good deal of interest will centre in his display. On his .ast visit to Addington he was successful in a similar type of race, and there is no denying he must'have good prospects again on this occasion. Disappointing.—When Castlebar x was responsible for several brilliant performances towards the end of last season, it was confidently expected that he was right back to his best form, and a good was predicted for him. .However, according to an ex-, change, he recently showed all his old mulishness while training and simply refused-to pace evenly, and it may be wiser to wait for the next appearance of the bay gelding before assessing his near-at-hand prospects. Trotting Cup.—lt is reported that the New Zealand Trotting Cup, to be run in November, will be framed on a 4.22 limit. Under this scale the following horses are at present eligible:—Shadow Maid, Parshall, Coquette, Clockwork, Happy Man (4.22), Integrity. Indian Clipper, Hardy Oak, Gold Bar, Fine Art, Dusky Sound, Double Peter (4.21), Loyal Friend (4.20), Countless (4.19), Pacing Power, Bronze Eagle (4.18), Haughty (4.17).