NEWS AND VIEWS

Evening Star, Issue 26087, 29 April 1947, Page 3

NEWS AND VIEWS

[By Gbsekveb.l Fixtures. May 3.—Forbury Park Trotting Club. May 3.—Wellington Trotting Club. May 3.—Franklin Racing Club. May 3, s.—Poverty Bay Turf Club. May 3, 10.—Ashburton County Racing Club. - May 3, 10.—Egmont Racing Club. May 10.—Oaaiaru Trotting Club. May 10.—Waiapu Racing Club (at Gisborne). May 10.—Woodvillei District Jockey Club. May 10, 17.—W'aikato Racing Club. -May 10, 17.—Auckland Trotting Club. ■ , May 17.—Canterbury Park Trotting Club; May 17.—Otaki Maori Racing Club. May 17, 24.—South Canterbury * Jockey Club. May 24.—Foxton Racing Club. May 24.—Kaikoura Trotting Club May 24.—Waikato Trotting Club. Answer to/Correspondent. “ Argument.” —K. Voitre ' rode Marabou successfully in the 1935 Melbourne Cup. Acceptor for Wellington Meeting. Jason’s Quest; who raced at Forbury Park, last Saturday, is, an acceptor for the second day of the Wellington meeting, which clashes with the second day of the local meeting. Easy for Nyallo Scott. Nyallo Scott had matters all his own way , in the Royal Handicap at Hutt Park on Saturday; After making a smart beginning he took the lead with six furlongs to -cover, and was not extended to win by a length. Beverly Volo. Beverly' Volo, who is engaged in the Members’ Handicap at Hutt Park on Saturday, had a commanding lead in her race last week, and appeared to have the situation well in hand when she went into a bad break and lost all chance. Had Every Chance. Coral Princess had, every chance iq the St. Clair Handicap at Forbury Park on Saturday. The Pacing Power filly was far from disgraced in finishing fourth, however, as she carried the field along at a fast clip, for the first mile and hung on well at the finish. . Lucky Investors. It is understood that the pay-out windows on two of the totalisators operating at Hutt Park’on : Saturday commenced paying out .backers of Royal Stone in .the Stewards’ Handicap before the inquiry into the horse’s breaking actually began (says the Wellington ‘ Post’). The money paid out was something in the vicinity of £2OO. Royal Stone was subsequently disqualified for the ..race. • Large Number of Horses Worked. •A large number of. horses were exercised at Forbury' Park this morning, but'as most had .raced on Saturday the work consisted mainly of jogging, .with short sprints over a few furlongs. A haze over the course restricted visibility, and the -timing of horses was practically' impossible. First’Win This Season. -Super Globe attempted to lead all the way in the Autumn - Handicap at Hirtt Park* but^Bbnhy'Clifre;. #ho was slow to begin, drew up to .him in the straight, and she was going away when post was reached. This was Bonny Clare’s best performance for., some ' time and ' her first win since last season. Broke Up. After tailing the field for about a mile and a-haß, Implacable moved up; to join the bunch in the Beach Handicap, but a knee hoot slipped-down to bis fetlock joint, and he went: into a break. He did not appear to be going particularly well, and his - effort in making up his . 60yds handicap in a fast-run race had taken its toll. Broke Up Early. National Velvet broke up early in the running in the Domain Handicap on Saturday, and his perfomance was a most disappointing one. The Grattan Loyal gelding comipenced the season •with a win, and looked like reaching good class, ■ but his form has not been good lately. Still, only three years old, he may yet'show some improvement and line up to his ealy reputation.

Winner Over Hurdles. • Land Warden was making his first appearance as a jumper when he won the Kaimai Hurdles at the Bay of Plenty meeting .on Saturday. As he raced well on. the flat, especially when the tracks were soft, he is one to be remembered for future engagements. A six-year-old gelding by Lord Warden, he stays well,'and as he won by eight lengths qn Saturday, he may show sufficient improvement to win some of the big hurdle races during the winter. Globe Direct Unlucky. Globe Direct was responsible for a ' sterling performance to finish third in the it. A. Armstrong Memorial Handicap at Hutt Park, on Saturday. The barrier at the 12yds mark failed . to • work, causing him to lose a lot of ground, with the result that at the end of two furlongs lie was about 30 lengths from the pacemakers. Captain Gaillard drew out to a length’s advantage in the straight, but he failed to 1 hold off Gamble King, wlio won going away. Captain Gaillard held-on to beat Globe Direct by a nose with Nyallo Scott half a-liead away. Sectional Times. ' The pace was on all the wav in • the Ritchie Memorial Handicap, the principal race at Forbury Park on Sat-

urday, and ,it was one of the fastest run two-mile races on the course for a long time. Elation called the tune for the first mile, and lie passed the half-mile in 1.9 2 J 5 and the nnle iu 2.15 2-5. When Highland Fling held charge passing the mile and a-half he showed 3.12, while, he ran the last half in 1.4 without being extended. In the Flying Handicap, Highland Fling covered the last quarter in 29 l-5 ; and again..he was pacing with ridiculous ease. Bracket Misses a Place. The bracket of five—Bien Sur, Technique, Direct Medium, Stimulant, and Safari —was all the rage in the Renown Handicap, and when the totalisator was closed, it was slightly better supported than Stirling Castle, the second favourite. Bien Sur and Technique gave their ' followers some hope for the first mile, but over the latter stages none of the bracket threatened danger, although Safari put in a good run for fourth, without ever appearing likely of being placed. Brackets of five and six have been known at Addington, but old timers said on Saturday that they could not recall a bracket of five at Forbury Park. Raced as Trotter and Pacer.

Safari created a good impression when raced as a trotter at Forbury Park on Saturday. Except for making a mistake at the end of the first furlong, she gave a good display, and showed a marked turn of speed to race up to the leaders in the back straight on the last circuit. She gave a little ground in the run home, but to finish third was an encouraging' performance, and she should improve with racing as- she has had little experience at the square gait. Safari was produced as a pacer about an hour and a-lialf later in the Renown Handicap, and she showed ’versatility to finish fourth. In this event she was not prominent early, and made up a lot of ground over the last halfmile.

Improved Pacer. Mountain Hall showed that he is an improved pacer by running a good second in the St/ Clair Handicap. The Dillon Hall gelding caught the tapes, causing him to break when he was moving off, and' he was at the taii of the field for the first half of the journey. His driver appeared to be a little hasty in, setting after the leaders with five furlongs to run, and covering a lot of extra ground on the turn out of the straight. Mountain Hall drew out from the field going down the back and l appeared to have the race won, but the effort left him with nothing in reserve. He was tiring when the straight was reached, and Cfieckmate wore him' down. More patiently handled, Mountain Hall would have been much harder to beat. He leaves the impression that the race would improve him. Highland Fling’s Brilliance. Since being taken over by L. F. Berkett, Highland' Fling has made great progress to win five of the six races he Has contested. His winning efforts have been touched with brilliance,' and it may not be over rating him to say that he may eventually foot it with Emulous in New Zealand Cup company. He is now assessed at 4.21, and a win next Saturday would) assure him of being eligible for the big contest next November. At the present time Highland Fling is the only horse in the Dominion considered likely to challenge Emulous for his position as No. 1 pacer in New Zealand, and, as he is still only four years old, he may become the greatest pacer in the Southern Hemisphere. Highland Fling made, the opposition look very cheap in both'the principal races at Forbury Park on Saturday, and when he clapped on the pace nothing could get near him to issue a challenge over the final half-mile.