SOUTHLAND NOTES

Evening Star, Issue 25496, 29 May 1945, Page 3

SOUTHLAND NOTES

ROYAL FLIGHT'S GLASS (Special ) INVERCARGILL, May 28. Hollyford, Maharajah, Straightaway. Some Coon. Eboness, and Nigger Miss left for Wingatui to-day. Alpine has a lot to learn about the jumping business. He acted very greenly over hurdles at the South Canterbury meeting, and was one of the last to finish. Double Light was a creditable third in Saturday's steeplechase, and he appears to have improved since he last appeared. He finished strongly and had the country been more difficult lie would have been much better suited. Ring Chief was responsible for a creditable effort to finish fourth in the open sprint race at Washdyke. He was well back in the early running, and he beat the majority home, 'including the early leaders, Green Note and Air Ace, both of whom were well supported. Ring Chief will not be disgraced on a heavier track at Wingatui. Royal Flight was not seriouisly tested when she beat the sprinters at Washdyke on Saturday, and the outing served to demonstrate that the Riverton mare is at the top of her form, for the Dunedin meeting. The fact that she claimed a full allowance (71b) made her tasfe much easier, and W. Hillis always had her in a winning [position. It is likely that she will revert to distance racing in the Birthday Handicap on Saturday and with' 9.12 she has not-been-harshly treated. She won over 10 furlongs at the Southland winter meeting with 9.3, _ and was again successful over a sprint distauce on Saturday. Under a higher minimum —7.7—in the Birthday Handicap, she is far from overburdened with 9.12. while she meets Great Coon, who finished second to her at the Southland meeting, on 41b better terms, and Platform, who finished third, 81b worse. Great Coon has all the worst of the weights in the Birthday Handicap and on paper has little chance with Royal Flight.

Royal Chorus gave a promising display in his first appearance as a hurdler. His jumping was clean and fast, and he was one of the leading division, doing his wonk in tradesmanlike style for 10 furlongs. He will not be long in making the grade as a hurdler.

Washdyke form gave the impression that Arabian Night will have to be seriously considered in the Otago Hurdles on Saturday. Had he not been asked for an effort almost five furlongs from home, when he put a break of several lengths on his field, he would probably have won by a wide margin. As it was Boolamskee (whom he meets 41b better terms in the Otago Hurdles) only beat him by half a length, while, after he had been headed 100yds from the winning post;" Arabian Night was finishing on again. A heavier track at Wingatui on Saturday will find him pven better suited, and there is good reason to respect his claims in the Otnjro Hurdles. Great Coon was far from disgraced at Washdyke on Saturday, and in the circumstances his showing was a game one. Because of the bad weather before he left Invercargill and after arriv-

ing at Washdyke, he was inclined to be somewhat backward. In his recent races he has won all the way, but W. F. Ellis adopted different tactics on him on Saturday, and he was back in third place practically throughout. When the pacemaker, Atreus, collapsed as the field turned into the straight, Great Coon took charge, and halfway down the running he held this position. He was not knocked about, and he finally finished right up. behind the placed horses. It was a performance which demonstrated that Great Coon had lost none of the dash he showed in his winning sequence earlier in the season.

W. F. Ellis will ride Great Coon (Birthday Handicap), Sphere, Ring Chief, and Western Front at Wingatui on Saturday. Noko wiil accompany True Range to Wingatui, but it is unlikely that he will be produced at the meeting. Noko's presence in the Otago Steeplechase field was no doubt responsible for True Range coming in at a lighter scale of weights, as, had Noko not been included, True Range would have been at the top of the handicap with a higher impost than the 11.2 he has been given. He won last season with 9.13. In the event of. True Range going amiss between now and Saturday, Noko would no doubt represent the stable. Both have trained on in good style, and last weeik they were responsible for an impressive schooling bout over the Invercargill steeplechase course. The Invercargill apprentice, W. Hillis, who has been located at Washdyke in recent weeks in charge of the Hazlett team, had a successful innings at the South Canterbury meeting on Saturday. In four mounts" he won on Royal Flight and Silver Mask, while in the hurdle race he was fourth on Inscrutable, and in the steeplechase lie finished third on Double Light. Hillis has been engaged to ride Inscrutable, True Range, and Double Light at Wingatui this week.