W. E. Hazlett Has Strong Team for Canterbury Meetings

Evening Star, Issue 26155, 17 July 1947, Page 4

W. E. Hazlett Has Strong Team for Canterbury Meetings

The South Canterbury Hunt meeting on Saturday will serve as a dress rehearsal for many South Island horses which will be racing at Riccarton on the four following Saturdays. The Christchurch Hunt Club will hold its meeting on July 26, and the Grand National fixture will cover the first three Saturdays in August.

While most of the better-known horses have been racing at the Wellington meeting, the Washdyke fields contain several promising young jumpers which are winning their way to better class. It will be recalled that Page’s Raid, one of the star performers at the Grand National meeting last August, could only finish second at Washdyke a month earlier, while Royal Flight paved the way for a brilliant win with I 0.1 in the Winter Cup a year earlier by taking the principal flat race, the Claremont Handicap.

Last year the Winter Cup candidates paraded at Washdyke were not impressive, and Boolamskce, who later finished second to Bramble Song in the Grand National Hurdles: was favourite. The race was won by another hurdler in Prize Ring, who was not seasoned enough to do himself justice in the big hurdle race. The field for the Claremont Handicap is again a fairly weak one on Saturday, and the winner of the Winter Cup is not likely to emerge from it. STRONG TEAM. The Invercargill amateur trainer, W. E. Hazlett, has by far the strongest team of jumpers engaged at the meeting. Having already produced two winners ’of the. Grand National Steeplechase in the short space of time heUias been racing horses in partnership with his late brother (Mr J. S. Hazlett), he will no doubt be . keen to add another National to his growing list of important successes. His quartet of National entrants —Irish Wit, French Knight. Waihopai, and Ballyaggan—are all down to race on Saturday, while the stable will also be represented by Kassai, Royal Donald, Aldis Lamp, and Soft Light. The latest member of the team to take jumping honours is Waihopai, who opened his winning account in ,the Waimate Hunt. Cup last Saturday. A five-yeaf-qld gelding by Lord Quex, he was making his second appearance in a race, his previous experience having been gained in the-, hunting field, which, has been a stepping stone for many - great jumpers in the past. Waihopai will not be seasoned enough to do hintself: justice.in the big jumping races) aiid in the meantime bo should continue to be prominent in the less important events. He will be one of the hardest to bent in nis race at Washdyke on Saturday, FALLEN THREE TIMES. Irish Wit has now fallen in his last three starts, and he appears to have lost confidence. At present it would appear that the formidable Riccarton fences will trouble him. and unless tie regains. his former ability he is not likely to he persevered with as a National candidate. Irish Wit is engaged in the hurdle race on Saturday ns well as the steeples, and ho may ho kept to the smaller • obstacles at Riccarton.

French Knight has shown himself to be a most capable jumper, and his record as a steeplechaser has been impressive. After finishing second and third at Washdyke in May, the Sir Simper gelding gave a dashing display to win the hack steeplechase on the first day of the Dunedin winter meeting. He had a hard race in winning .the open steeplechase two days later, and ho was not seen at his' be6t on the third day, when he did not produce his usual dash. MOST PROMISING JUMPER. French Knight is probably the most promising jumper in the stable at tin* present time, and he appears certain .to go on to further successes. His performance on Saturday should give a good line on his prospects at Riccarton, where he will be thoroughly, tested. * ' Ballyaggan was a winner over the Riccarton country three years ago, and lie also finished fourth in the Lincoln Steeplechase at the same meeting. He then broke down at his next start Inter in the season and was off the scene until reappearing last, Saturday. He will need racing to bring him back to form, and a forward showing at Washdyke on Saturday would bring him into favour for future engagements. Kassai and Aldis Lamp should lx* improved by their, outings at Waimate, and ,thev can be expected to shape, hotter this week in similar races. Kassni being engaged in the hurdles and Aldis Lamp in tin* Hunters’ Flat. Of the pair Kassai has more, experience as a hurdler, but Aldis Lamp has also shown promise in that department, and they should pay their way in hack hurdle races at Riccarton. YOUNG TEAM. With the exception of Ballyaggan, Mi* team comprises all very young horses, and they promise to benefit with age. Irish Wit and Waihopai will be six years old next month, while French 'Knight.. Aldis Lamp, Nnssni are a year younger. The two Grand National Steeplechase winners produced by the stable —Astral Flame and Anglo-French—were six-year-olds at the time’ of their successes.