SPORTING Greymouth-Westland Meeting

Greymouth Evening Star, 20 April 1946, Page 7

SPORTING Greymouth-Westland Meeting

Rose Volo Favoured for Main Race

Mavis Grattan in Form

Excellent fields are carded for the

Greymouth-We'stland Trotting Club’s autumn fixture at Victoria Park, Greymouth, on Monday, and with excellent acceptances prospects are bright for a successful meeting. The track is in perfect order, and, in fine weather, there should be a large attendance.

The principal event, the Westland Handicap, of one mile and five furlongs, appears to be one of the most open races of the day, as a good number of the horses have recent form which entitles them to be considered as possibilities. Of the 13 acceptors, three from W. R. Butt’s stable, Rose Volo, Paperman and Scottish Actress, will be bracketed on the machine. Eleven of the 13 will start from the limit mark, with Mona Palm and Lord Peterson, the other two, on 12 yards behind. Of these two, Mona Palm has had only

two starts this season and she was outclassed in both. Lord Peterson has had 19 outings this term for three wins and a number of placings, his most recent placed performance being a second to Quite Evident over a mile at the Marlborough meeting in March. He should be the better prospect of the two back-markers. Bohemian won a race first up for B. Thomson, but has failed in several starts since. Justify’s last seven starts have produced two wins, three seconds and a third, her last performance being a fairly close third to Quite Evident and Good Review over a mile and a half at Washdyke this month. The fact that she comes from P. P. Gallagher’s stable will ensure her some added support. Paddy Potts won at Forbury Park over a mile and a half in January and ran a second, though a fair way back, to Kapai over two miles at the Kaikoura meeting. Butt’s trio will form a strong bracket, but the best of them may be Rose Volo, who ran an excellent race to finish third in the New Zealand Pacing Stakes at Addington last Saturday. That race was over a mile and five furlongs. Quite Game finished fast into fourth place over a mile and three furlongs at Omoto last month and he has been working well since. Surrey Park, Real Nugget and Wee Jack will have to improve on recent efforts in public to have a chance.

Tony Grattan, who is from the same mare as Gold Sheik and that good two-year-old, Sahara Queen, has something of a reputation. He has won two races this season, his latest victory being an easy one over a mile and five furlongs at the Kaikoura meeting. Since then he ran in the N.Z. Pacing Stakes, but was never a possibility. On the performances stated above Rose Volo, Justify and Tony Grattan should be best supported. Unhoppled Trotters.

The programme will open with the Rimu Handicap for unhoppled trotters. Beethoven, Belle Header, British Victory, Appreciate and St. Mary have been in the money at their most recent starts. Beethoven was third at Rangiora. Belle Header has had a third and two fourths at her last three starts, and patrons are not likely to forget her success at Victoria Park in January. British Victory ran fourth at Timaru at his last start and in March won easily at Invercargill. Appreciate ran a couple of good races at the Marlborough meeting in March, but did not race well at the Kaikoura fixture. St. Mary has previously won on the course and her record for the season is three wins, a second and a fourth in six starts.

In the Richmond Handicap, of one mile and five furlongs, the best recent form is held by Symetra, who has been second in her last two starts. She stopped in the concluding stages of a mile and a quarter at Waimate, or she might have won. Mischief ran second at Rangiora, after being prominent throughout. Checkmate has had only two starts for a second and an unplaced. In his first, at Trentham, the promising son of Jack Potts was unlucky to lose, as he broke in the straight when he appeared to have the race won. At Addington last week he broke at the barrier rise. Dawn Patrol is an improver, judged on her race at Omoto last month.

Drury Lane ran two fourths at Reefton, but broke at the start each time. Golden Game’s best performance so far has been a fourth but he is speedy and is due to win soon. Rowafidale won well at Reefton and also secured a second. Though he is now back on 36 yards he must have a chance of being in the money. The best form appears to be held by Checkmate, Mischief and Symetra, and Golden Game js another possibility.

Sprinters. , The Eclipse Handicap of 10 furlongs -and a half has drawn a fine field of 14 sprinters, including recent winners in Cue, Wainoni Lass and Reckless Lady, the latter of whom won a double at Reefton. Mavis Grattan, ran third at her last start to Worthy Prince and Valola at. the Kaikoura meeting, while Wainoni Lass won at that meeting but in several seconds slower time than Mavis Grattan recorded to get third in a later race. Mavis Grattan and Cue would appear to have the best prospects of the limit horses.

Admiration ran second to Forecast over 10 and a half furlongs at Victoria Park in January, and she is a useful sprinter, but the mile and a quarter appears to be quite far enough for her. She will be one of the best supported. Off 24 yards there will be Loyal Peg and Reckless Lady, and the latter has the better form. She won both her races on the second day at Reefton with the greatest of ease. The best prospects appear to be held by Mavis Grattan, Admiration and Reckless Lady. There will be a few fresh horses engaged later in the day but substantially the fields will be similar to those in the first four races, the programme having been framed with the object of giving all horses opportunities of two starts. The form shown in the earlier part of the programme will, therefore, have a bearing on the public fancies in the last four events.

The win and place system of betting will be used, and the following horses should race prominently:— Rimu Handicap: St. Mary, Belle Header, Beethoven. Richmond Handicap: Checkmate, Mischief, Symetra. Eclipse Handicap: Mavis Grattan, Admiration, Reckless Lady. Westland Handicap: Rose Volo bkt., Justify, Tony Grattan.

E Otira Handicap: Belle Header, St. ’ Mary, British Victory. A'utumn Handicap, first division: Checkmate, Symetra. Second division: Golden Game, Mischief. Easter Handicap: Cue, Mavis Grattan, Wainoni Lass. Au Revoir Handicap: Justify, Rose Volo bkt., Tony Grattan. Acceptances. The fields and starting times are as follow:— 11.30. Rimu Handicap, of £175; 4.2 class;

one mile and five furlongs.—Beethoven, Excalibur, Grandeur, Loyal Flier, Monitress, Silver Volo, Upshot scr.; Belle Header, British Victory, Walter Jingle 24; Compris 36; Appreciate 48; St. Mary 72. 12.28. Richmond Handicap, of £175; 3.56 class; one mile and five furlongs.— Betty Ducrow, Branford, Checkmate, Dawn Patrol, Drury Lane, Golden Game, Golden Sheaf, June Axworth, Loyal Charm, Lucky Potts, Mischief, Monogram, Sure Glow, Symetra, Travis Boy scr.; Rowandale 36. 1.0.

Eclipse Handicap, of £200; 2.56 rate,; 10 furlongs and a half. —Because, Calumet Pointer, Cue, Mark Way, Mavis Grattan, Reckless Lady, Veritas, Wainoni Lass scr.; Admiration, Derbyshire, Hanover, Motto, Prince Lytton 12; Loyal Peg 24. 1.45. Westland Handicap, of £400; 3.48 class; one mile and five furlongs.— Bohemian, Justify, Paddy Potts, Paperman, Quite Game, Real Nugget, Rose Volo, Scottish Actress, Surrey Park, Tony Grattan, Wee Jack scr.; Lord Peterson, Mona Palm 12. 2.27. Otira Handicap, of £175; 4.2 class; one mile and five furlongs.—Beethoven. Grandeur, Loyal Flier, Monitress, Silver Volo, Upshot scr.; Belle Header, British Victory, Walter Jingle 24; Compris 36; Appreciate 48; St. Mary 72. 3.10. Autumn Handicap, of £175; 2.59 rate; 10 furlongs and a half. —Betty Ducrow, Branford, Checkmate, Dawn Patrol, Drury Lane, Golden Game, Golden Sheaf, Henry of Navarre, June Axworth, Loyal Charm, Lucky Potts, Mischief, Monogram, Mountain Hall, On Top, Patty Dale, Sure Glow, Symetra, Travis Boy, Without Fail scr.; Because, Rowandale 24. 3.55. Easter Handicap, of £225; 4.49. class; two miles.—Calumet Pointer, Dawn Patrol, Mavis Grattan, Reckless Lady, Sure Glow, Veritas, Wainoni Lass scr.; Cue 12; Hanover, Prince Lytton 24; Derbyshire 36; Bohemian, Quite Game 48. 4.45. Au Revoir Handicap, of £275; 2.53 rate; 10 furlongs and a half. —Bohemian, Calumet Pointer, Justify, Loyal Peg, Mark Way, Mavis Grattan, Motto, Paddy Potts, Paperman, Prince Lytton, Real Nugget, Rose Volo, Scottish Actress, Surrey Park, Tony Grattan, Wee Jack scr.; Lord Peterson. Mona Palm 12: Dawn Grattan 36; Northern Lass 48.