SPORTING RECORD MILE: GOOD WIN BY PEDANTIC

Greymouth Evening Star, 11 February 1947, Page 5

SPORTING RECORD MILE: GOOD WIN BY PEDANTIC

First Recorded On The Omoto Course When, during the past few seasons, Pedantic did. most of his racing on the West Coast he met with comparatively little success at Omoto, though he had' better fortune at .Reefton, Kumara add Hokitika. Any suggestions the Omoto course did. not suit him, however, were dispelled in no uncertain fashion on. Saturday when he won the principal event the Kumara Handicap, by a decisive margin, and at the same time lowered the course record for the mile by a full second. This was, however., the first time Pedantic has won a race at Omoto, though he has shared minor prize money on several occasions.

Up to last week, Pedantic did all of nis racing in the current season on the east coast. He was unplaced in his first five starts, his best performance being a fifth in the Geraldine Cup. Sent over hurdles for a spell, he finished fourth to Battle Chief at Riccarton and then in the Kurow Cup, won by Aurora Australis, he finished fifth. His next race, in. the Warrington Hurdles at Dunedin, saw Pedantic again fifth, and at the same meeting he was fourth in the event won by Battle Chief, after being slow away. His next start, at Oamaru, was unproductive, but on January 2 at the same meeting he finished second to Beau Ideal after leading the field into the straight. Then in the Hornby High weight Handicap at Riccarton on February 1, he was runnerup to Botany, producing a strong finish after being well back. Though he had been showing rapid improvement in his recent starts, Pedantic on Saturday reached winning ranks for the first time this season. On his record-breaking run further successes should not be beyond him. Hast season Pedantic started 24 times for four wins (all at Reefton, where he won three at a two-day meeting), three seconds, and three thirds.

Early this season he was taken over from A. G. Wood, of Hokitika, by R. P. Register, and trained at Riccarton. Shortly afterwards, however, he was placed in the hands of S. G. Barr, also of Riccarton, who has charge of him at present.

Disappointed. The win favourite, Royal Tor, had every chance of success in the Kumara Handicap, at Omoto on Saturday, but failed badly in the straight, as she did also when contesting the Craven Plate at Riccarton the previous week. Starting from No. 2 position at the barrier, Royal Tor was taken to the lead from the outset and set a hot pace, though she was unable to obtain an advantage of more than three lengths at any stage, John o’ London and Atreus keeping close behind. When the horses behind the leading trio began to assert themselves at the turn for home, Royal Tor had nothing 1 left with which to meet them and was

quickly done with. More patiently ridden, she may have been in the firing line at the post.

May Do Better. Graeme was a disappointment to his followers in the Kumara Handicap, being in a hopeless position after the first furlong. He failed to gallop at all kindly, and for the first five or six furlongs was several lengths behind Wise Girl, wTiich was also well to the rear of the other starters. When the pressure was applied, however, Graeme was equal to the task and finished solidly to be fifth close behind Royal Tor. This three-year-old by Salmagundi from Hula Belle has plenty of speed, and better placed over the early stages he should be-in at the finish in his next engagements. Good String.

j Though his team of seven horses had not met with outstanding success on the West Coast to date. M. Conza, of Te Aroha, obtained a good return at Omoto on Saturday when horses trained by him won three races out of the four contested. Vonnettee, which won twice on the New Year circuit, secured a third success when she won the Dillmans Hack Handicap after being ridden a particularly well-judged race, and the second winner was Race Lad, which outsprinted the field after being third most of the way. There was considerable public support for the third leg of Conza’s trio, Sitology, when he paraded in the final race, and the three-year-old made no race of the event, winning easily from start to finish. In the divided Trial Stakes, Glamis Pal, particularly, and Triplicity, Conza’s other charges, also raced encouragingly. Fine Performance.

Doctor Ted, who was unlucky in the Otahuhu. Handicap on the first day of the Auckland Trotting Club’s meeting, won the Richmond Handicap on Saturday in 4.22 from a 4.31 mark. He put up an outstanding performance, for he started from 48 yards behind in a field of 19 horses. The son of Josedale Grattan came his last half in 1.1 to win by a nose. He has now won four races this season and on Saturday’s effort he appears to be headed for the best classes.