Checkmate And Maudeen

Greymouth Evening Star, 1 September 1947, Page 7

Checkmate And Maudeen

Traverse soon raced to the front in the Queen Mary Handicap and set a sound pace from Mandrake, Tenpennybit, Mountain Hall and Checkmate, with Imperial Grattan and Bel Hamed handily placed. With a round to go Traverse was still leading, closely attended by Minmi Boy, Mountain Hall, Mandrake, Checkmate and Imperial Grattan. At the straight entrance Traverse began to tire and Checkmate came through to win in grand style, while Mountain Hall and Bel Hamed, with late runs, also passed a number of tiring horses. Mandrake, fourth, was followed home by Ingle Belmer and Absolutely. It was an improved showing by Checkmate, who promises to win in the best company for his former West Coast owner, Mr H. C. Steel. Maudeen, a five-year-old mare by Grattan Loyal—Queen Maud, trained at New Brighton by G. Cameron, gave another brilliant performance To win the Improvers’ Handicap in 4.23 1-5 from a 4.34 mark. From 36 yards behind Maudeen was in front with .half the journey covered and from then on held her own comfortably. She led into the straight and won by three lengths, while Notus came fast in the final stretch to cut Mount Mellick out of second place. Right Royal, Leonin and Symetra were next to finish. It was a very easy win and suggests that Maudeen is a fast-improving pacer.

A Stirring Finish

For the second time at the meeting horses from A. Holmes’s stable filled two out of three places in a race when Belhall finished first and Sprayman third in the Advance Handicap. Sprayman began smartly and was soon in front from Radical, Maori Home and Belhall. Worthy Gold then took over the running from Loyal King, Maori Home, Sprayman and Dillondale. When Worthy Gold retired Loyal King and Sprayman were left in front but just when Sprayman seemed to be winning Maori Home came verv fast and got his nose in front. Belhall, however, finished fast and got up as the post was reached to win by a narrow margin, with Sprayman in third place, followed by Fancy Goods, Preeminence, Dillondale and Follow Me. Rerewaka, who was not well fancied on the totalisator, won the August Trotting Free-for-All in approved style. Mistydale made the early running from Willie Winkie and Rerewaka and when Fantom replaced Willie Winkie, Rerewaka still held his position in fourth place. This was the order to the straight, where Forewarned, who had been interfered with earlier, joined the leaders. Less than a furlong from home Rerewaka got his head in front and he finished strongly to win by half a length from Willie Winkie and Mistydale, with Forewarned next, followed by Toushay and Gelert. Firewater and Pardon Me both broke early in the race. Smash Spoils Race

Much of the interest in the Metropolitan Stakes was taken out of the race when High Command put his foot through one of Likely’s sulky wheels and caused a bad smash, bringing down Coral Princess and completely spoiling the chances of Snowflake, His Excellency, Zulu and Lady Diane, who lost their drivers. Up to this stage the leaders included Royal Mint, Gold Nip, Likely, High Command and Antrim Hall. The smash left Royal Mint, Gold Nip, Antrim Hall, Volodale and Pirouette in front. Royal Mint went on to win comfortably by three lengths from his stable-mate, Gold Nip, who was six lengths in front of an outsider in Antrim Hall.

The winner, Royal Mint, races in the interest of Mr R. Semple and A. Holmes-, and is by Gold Bar from Refined.

The weather was fine and, as the times showed, the track was in excellent order. The large crowd invested £175,908, compared with £159,625 last year. The total investments for the meeting were £331,265, compared with £307,012 last year. Remaining results:— National Handicap, of £1750; 4.24 class; two miles.—9-9 Plunder Bar,

24 (M. C. McTigue), 1; 10-10 Aberhall, scr (L. Frost), 2; 3-2 Cameronian, 24 (F. G. Holmes), 3. Also started: 7-6 Gold Peg, 6-5 Highland Scott, 13-13 Jack’s Son, I'6-15 Local Gold, 5-8 Sir Michael, 12-12 Trusty Scott, 8-7 War Form and In . the Mood (bracketed), 4-4 Navigate, 2-3 Nyallo Scott, 14-14 Acropolis, 15-16 Battle Colours, 1.-1 Dundee Sandy, 11-11 Knave of Diamonds, 17-17 Shadow Maid. Two lengths; two lengths. Battle Colours fourth. Times: 4.17 4-5, 4.20, 4.18 2-5.

Advance Handicap, of £1250; 3.36 .class; one mile and five furlongs.— 2-1 Belhall, .12 (J. McLennan), 1; 1- Maori Home, scr (V. Alborn), 2; 2- Sprayman, .scr (D. C. Watts), 3. Also started: 4-4 Dillondale, 12-12 Follow Me, 3-3 Radical, 2-1 Worthy Gold (bracketed with winner and third horse), 10-10 Stimulant and Loyal King (bracketed), 11-11 Bill Scott, 6-5 Fancy Goods, 5-6 Gamble King, 7-7 Gold Sheik, 8-8 Pre-emi-nence, 9-9 Ribbon Again. Neck; half a length. Fancy Goods fourth. Times: 3.30 2-5, 3.31 3-5, 3.31 4-5.

August Trotting Free-for-All,

Of £1000; 3.43 class; one mile and

five furlongs. 5-6 Rerewaka (W. J. Doyle) .. 1 7-5 Willie Winkie (G. S. Smith) 2 3-1 Mistydale (R. Donald) . . . . 3 Also started: 1-3 Fantom, 10-10 Fire Water, 4-4 Forewarned, 6-8 Gelert. 3-1 Range Finder (bracketed with Mistydale), 2-2 Pardon Me, 8-7 Toushay, 9-9 Will Cary. Half a length; neck. Forewarned fourth. Times: 3.35 3-5, 3.35 4-5, 3.36. Metropolitan Stakes, of £1000; for four-year-olds; special conditions; one mile arid five furlongs.—s-5 Royal Mint, scr (M. Holmes), 1; 5-5 Gold Nip, scr (A. Holmes), 2; 11-12 Antrim Hall, scr (H. J. Smith), 3. Also started: 5-5 Likely (bracketed with Gold Nip and Royal Mint), 2-3 Henry of Navarre, 4-4 High Command, 8-11 His Excellency, 9-7 Zulu, 12-10 Pirouette, 6-6 Systematic, 10-7 Volodale, 3-2 Coral Princess, 7-9 Lady Diane, 1-1 Snowflake. Three lengths; four lengths. Pirouette fourth. Times: 3.35 4-5, 3.36 1-5, 3.36 3-5.

August Pacing Free-for-All, of £1000; 2.42 class; one mile and a quarter.—l-1 Nyallo Scott (N. Berkett), 1; 2-2 Emulous (W. K. Tatterson), 2; 6-6 Haughty (G. McKendry) 3. Also started: 10-10 Acropolis, 8-8 Battle Colours, 4-4 Dundee Sandy, 3-3 Gold Bar, 1-1 Highland Fling (bracketed with the winner), 7-7 Loyal Nurse, 9-9 Trusty Scott, 5-5 Turco. Half a length; two lengths. Turco fourth. Times: 2.39, 2.39 4-5, 2.39 3-5.

Win for Rahiri

The New Zealand-bred and owned gelding Rahiri won the first division of the Parkdale Welter Handicap at Epsom yesterday. Details: —First Parkdale Welter Handicap, of £500; one mile.—Rahiri, 8.8 (Smith), 1; Beau Juste, 7.12 (Crilley), 2; Carngham, 8.9 (Williamson), 3. Eighteen started. Length and a half; neck. Time, 1.40. —Melbourne, August 30.

English Filly for New Zealand Mr J. G. Alexander, proprietor of the Cranleigh Stud, Maxwell, has purchased in England the two-year - old filly Brill, who is a winner this season. Brill is by William of Valence, a French-bred son of Vatout and a Teddy mare. The dam of Brill is Kettle of Fish, by King Salmon, runner-up to Hyperion in the Derby, from Riot, by Colorado from Lady Juror. Riot is dam of the Oaks winner Commotion, whose son Combat is undefeated in England in two seasons’ racing. Brill belongs to the same family as Masmoud (winner of the Derby),'Migoli (runner-up in this year’s Derby and winner of the | Eclipse Stakes), and Fair Trial (one l of the most successful sires at pre|sent in England). Brill will be held in England till next covering season, I when she will be mated, with one of 1 the leading sires before being shipped to New Zealand.