RACING

Evening Star, Issue 25871, 15 August 1946, Page 3

RACING

NEWS AND VIEWS t [By Observer.] FIXTURES. August 17.,; — Canterbury Jockey Club. August 17. Dannevirke Racing Club (at Hastings). August 17.—Pakuranga Hunt Club. August. 24. Egmont - Wanganui Hunt Club (at New Ply mouth). August 24, 31. New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club. August 31;—Taranaki Hunt Club. August 31. —Foxton Racing Club. August 31.—Auckland Trotting Club. September 7.—Otago Hunt Club. September ‘ 7.—New Brighton Hotting Club. September 7, 14.—Avondale Jockey Club. September 7, 14.—Wanganui Jockey Club. John o’ London Improved. John o’ London has raced well since being added to the list, and he may yet fulfil the promise he showed early in his career, when he was a colt. He is now trained on the West Coast by C. Walsh for Mr J. Trowbridge. May Be Improved. Greek Dancer, who was sent out favourite for the Trial Hurdles on the first day of the National meeting, was having his second start after a long spell. He moved up to the leaders turning for home, but his run \yas hot sustained and he finished out of\a place. The race can be expected to improve him, and he may stay better this week.

Lord Elgin a Doubtful Starter. Lord Elgin is regarded as a doubtful starter on Saturday, as a result of pricking one of his feet when he sprung a shoe early in the week. His trainer, G. Ridgway, stated yesterday that lie . would need to show some improvement or he would not be started in either race. _ W. _J. Broughton is likely to be his rider if he runs in the Redclilfs. but G. Ridgway will have the mount if the Selwyn is chosen. Favourites Have Won Half the Races. Form has worked out remarkably well during the first two days of the meeting at Riccarton, and unless there is a change in track conditions form should again be the best guide for the final day. Altogether, eight win favourites have been successful, while' two second favourites have also been returned as winners during the first two days. Joy (Rosa 7-10 and Bramble Song 7-7 (Jumpers’ Flat) have returned the best prices. , Seafire Destroyed.

- The. promising .Seafire had to be destroyed at the week-end, owing to an attack of tetanus. A five-year-old gelding by Revelation front White Polly, Seafire was a brother to Landfire, who won the Victory Hack Handicap at Ellerslie on July 27. Seafire proved a model of consistency last season. After four unplaced performances' he did not finish further back than fourth in his 11 remaining starts. Seafire won three races, his most important success being in the Taranaki Cup at .New Plymouth on March 9. His winnings amounted to £1,840, of which he won £1.735 last season.

a Win.. v j Olga’s Choice has registered Jwo excellent performances at the National meeting in the * hack hurdle, events, and he- missed a win each time by narrow' margins. Beneve, the winner

on each occasion, is not an acceptor this week. Olga’s Choice is likely to encounter the strongest opposition from Glad Fox (third in tlio Trial Hurdles), Tamerlane, and Big Top, who were second and third respectively last Saturday. Fiery Knight to Reappear. Fiery Knight, who pulled up very lame aifter finishing a good third to Detain and Lord Elgin in the Kennels Hack Handicap at the Christchurch Hunt meeting, is down to reappear this week. On the strength of his last performance, he will command respect in the Redcliffs Handicap. Fiery Knight is a six-year-old gelding by Salmagundi from Glad Light, who was by Paper Money from the imported mare Simper. Now a Fully-fledged Jockey. The _ Wingatui light-weight, N. A. Cronibie, has now completed liis term of apprenticeship with A. E. Didliam, and he will be riding as a fully-fledged jockey,on Saturday. Crombie can still go to scale at 7st, and he should find no difficulty in finding plenty of good riding; Last season was his most successful to late, and ho rode the winners of 23 races. He intends to return to Wingatui after the final day at Ri'ccarton and will remain with Didliam.

; Won Twice Last Season. Karachi, who is an acceptor in the Selwyn Handicap, won twice last season as a tworyear-old. The grey Nizami gelding commenced racing last October at the Poverty Bay Turf Club meeting, when he stood at the barrier and lost several lengths. In nine subsequent starts he never finished further back than fourth, and completed the season with an easy win in the Paqific Handicap at Trentham in March. Karachi is now a three-year-old and is reported to have worked attractively on the tracks in recent weeks. Sydenham Hurdles. Hunting Mac scoi’ed a very easy win in the Longbeach Hurdles at the Hunt meeting, after leading throughout, and a week later he finished fourth in the Jumpers’ Flat. He does not stay well, but he won over two miles at Auckland on the King’s Birthday, and on June 8 he finished second to Air Port over the same distance. Bramble Song finished fourth and third respectively in these races after having won the Great Northern Hurdles on June 1. On Christchurch Hunt form Hunting Mac should again finish, iii front of Test Pilot, who was 10 lengths away third. If ho races more kindly this week Prize Ring would provide the stoutest opposition. Lincoln Steeples. Dumbo beat Spanish Main very comfortably in the National, but the" latter beat the remainder of the field just as easily, and those that' finished behind him do not appear to have much chance of reversing the placings in the Lincoln Steeples. Page’s Raid, who did not start in the National, has won two events at the meeting, and appears to be improving with every race. He outstayed Spanish Main at the end of two and a-half miles last Saturday, and the extra four furlongs in the Lincoln should not trouble him. Siglow ran his best race for some time when he finished second to Page’s Raid in the Beaufort, and Roman Son, who was third, fell in the National when apparently going well. Indian Sign is very unsound, and he ran off,ip the National —his only start at the meeting—with over a round to go. The remainder of the field do not hold much chance on paper.