SPORTING PEDANTIC FAVOURED FOR OMOTO

Greymouth Evening Star, 14 February 1947, Page 7

SPORTING PEDANTIC FAVOURED FOR OMOTO

Excellent Field In Hannan Memorial The Hannan Memorial Handicap, the feature race on the programme for the opening day of the Greymouth Jockey Chib’s summer meeting at Omoto to-morrow bears a very open appearance, with 11 horses of useful class engaged and all with recent form sufficient to give them a chance over the mile journey. Speculation will probably be widely dispersed, but the final summing-up may be in favour of Pedantic, who won brilliantly at the Kumara meeting over a similar distance, Chellow Dene, and Master Baron, a fast-finisher last week. The rain of last night should have a beneficial effect on the condition of the track, which has been excessively hard during recent weeks, and the weather promises to be fine to-morrow.

Pedantic heads the list with 8.11 in the Hannan Memorial. He carried only 7.11 last week, but he won so attractively and in record time for the track that he must have a big chance again to-morrow. He will again have the services of J. McFarlane. Master Baron, a Trentham-trained Croupier gelding, has paid his way this season in the North Island, and he finished strongly into second plgce behind Pedantic last week. He will probably have been improved by that race as he arrived from the north only a day or so before the Kumara meeting. Sir Tague has a record of four wins and an unplaced in his last five starts. He took those four in a row at the Hokitika and Reefton meetings in January, and the unplaced performance was at Christchurcn this month. His Riccarton form can be disregarded, and the Gay Circle gelding will have many friends. Good Class. Authentic has not raced for some time, but he is a /good-class horse, and in the right order would take a lot of beating. His present condition has to be taken on trust to some extent. Palomino failed over a mile at the Kumara meeting, but won oyei’ seven furlongs later in the day. This three-year-old, better placed in the running, may be in the firing line at the finish. She is an improver. Here Hine did not race at the Kumara meeting, but she was very consistent during the New Year circuit. If the track is hard she will be at a disadvantage, but on a soft track she would have to be given a chance. Chellow Dene finished most attractively into third place behind Palomino and Legal Rose over seven furlongs last Saturday. The Solicitor General gelding is an every-day type of galloper, and he is another with a definite chance. Wise Girl and Graeme would need to improve considerably on recent efforts to be in at the finish, though Graeme would appreciate a soft track. Dash o’ Dink is another who does not like hard going. North Island Visitor. Interest will be taken in the appearance of Tortago, who is trained at Manukau by D. Lamb. Tortago is a five-year-old chestnut geldmg by Gay Boy—Arabella, and this season has had 13 starts for two wins, four thirds, and two fourths. His first win for the season was at the Otaki meeting in October when he won a maiden event. Then m December he won a hack race oyer 3 mile and a quarter in 2.8 from Sailor Boy and Rockanui, with Beau Raiae, Iron Duke, Moutoa Lord, and Salut d’Amour also in the field. Last Saturday he ran third to Robin’s Reward and Fort Royal over seven furlongs and a half at Wanganui. This is useful form and gives him a chance at Omoto to-morrow. There will be solid support for most of the candidates, but the: public may prefer Pedantic, Chellow Dene and Master Baron. Excellent fields are carded lor'all the events, and provision has had to be made for divisions in four races. The meeting will be concluded on Monday, which is being observed as the Anniversary Day . holiday, and only fine weather is required to make the meeting highly successfu . The following riding ments have been announced:—H. W. Hibberd, John o London EaDy Night, Precipitate; C. 1. Palomino, Cloud Song,. Joh Royal Baron; D. J. Thistoll, Cornish Note, Mestiza, Queen s General, Miss Mercury; K. Hickey, Rakata; J- B. Stove, Kirkella. Fields and Prospects. Win-and-place betting will be used and the following horses should

race prominently in their respective engagements:— Novice Stakes. —First division: Cornish Note, Precipitate. Second division: Cloud Song, Scene. Mawhera Trot.—First division: Shooting Star, Expensive. Second division: Troubadour, Noble Lady. Stewards’ Hack.—Kirkella, St. Nat, Belfort. Hannan Memorial. — Pedantic, Chellow Dene, Master Baron. Flying Hack.—First division: Royal Baron, Notary. Second division: Racelad, Leeston.

Kaiata Trot. —First division: Troubadour, Becky Loyal. Second division: Shooting Star, Expensive. Metropolitan Handicap.—Tortago, Legal Rose, Dinky Di. Otira Handicap.—Vonettee, Queen s General, Miss Mercury. The fields and starting times are as follows: — 12.0. Novice Stakes of £125; five furlongs and a-half. First division: Cornish Note 9.6, Haunting Refrain, Irish Pride, Precipitate, Smock, Sir Sabre 8.10, Fonso, Triplicity, Renege 8.5. Second division: Cloud Song 9.1, Hot Foot, Long Ago, Rene Leighon, Scene, Rockway 8.10, Glamis Pal, Marvburn, Sunniray 8.5. 12.40. Mawhera Handicap Trot, of £155; 2.23 class; one mile. —First division: Becky Loyal, Becky Parrish, Expensive, Lady Indiana, My Hope, Our Babe, Perennial, Sandy Drive, Scottish Girl, Shooting Star scr., Lady Goldworth 12, Derbyshire 36. Second division: Carlow, Calworth, Grattan Gold, May Volo, Noble Lady, Our Parade, Real Brigade, Scotch Drift, Shalimar, Troubadour, scr., Rowandale 24, Wee Jack 48. 1.20. Stewards’ Hack Handicap, of £170; one mile and a quarter.—Belfort 8.2; Early Night 8.10; Foreign Ways 8.6; St. Nat 7.10; Queen’s General 7.9; Kirkella 7.6; Bannockburn. 7.0. I 2.0. Hannan Memorial Handicap, of £230; one mile. —Pedantic 8.11; Master Baron 8.6; Sir Tague 7.13: Authentic, Palomino 7.12; Here Hine 7.11; Chellow Dene 7.9; Wise Girl 7.5; Tortago 7.3; Dash o’ Dink, Graeme 7.1. 2.40. Flying Hack Handicap, of £155; six furlongs and a-half.—First. division: Notary 9.4, Mysterious Melody 8.13, Mestiza 8.3, Royal Baron 8.0, Croupier’s Pride 7.13, Blue Hussar 7.10, Rakata 7.9, Mercia’s Mystery 7.8, luciwless 7 7 • Second division: Race Lad 9.4, Leeston 8.4, All Quality 8.2, Cloud Song 7.13, San Farian 7.12, Lyndon Lea 7.9, Make Good 7.8, Great Legend, Taipoiti 7.7. 3.20. Kaiata Handicap Trot, of £155; 2.59 rate; one mile and three furlongs, i First division: Abel Tasman, Becky ILoyal, Double Deck, Grattan Gold, May Volo, Our Babe, Real Brigade, Scottish Girl, Troubadour scr., Rowandale 36. Second division: Scotch Drift, Carlow, Expensive, Lucky Potts, Noble Lady, Our Parade, Sandy Drive, Shooting Star scr., Dawn Patrol 36, Derbyshire 48. 4.0. Metrolopitan Hadicap, of £165; seven furlongs.—Master Baron 9.1; John o’ London 8.13; Here Hine 8.4; Dinki Di 8.1; Legal Rose 7.12; Wise Girl 7.11; Tortago 7.10; Atreus, Periwig 7.8; Dash o’ Dink, Ration, Rout, Velvet Slipper 7.7. 4.40. Otira Hack Handicap, of £165; seven furlongs. —Vonnettee 9.9; Foreign Wavs 8.11; All Quality, Young John 8.3; Miss Mercury, Queen’s General, Royal Baron 8.0; Hansel, Step Far 7.12; Prana 7.11; Mercia’s Mystery 7.8; Bannockburn, Great Legend, Highland Dance, Hot Foot, Taipoiti 7.7.