FUTURE PROSPECTS OF CLARE’S PAL APPEAL STRONGLY

Greymouth Evening Star, 4 September 1947, Page 10

FUTURE PROSPECTS OF CLARE’S PAL APPEAL STRONGLY

Form at the Foxton spring meeting last year proved a useful guide to prospects at Wanganui and some of the winners and placed horses at Foxton on Saturday look likely to go on and do well in their immediate engagements. One of the most attractive performances on Saturday was the success of Clare’s Pal in the Moutoa Handicap. This well-de-veloped three-year-old had sufficient speed to trail the leader till he took over the pace himself and then drew away to win. nicely with something in hand.

Clare’s Pal is a chestnut colt by Tiderace from Lila, who was a halfsister t>y Gainscourt to Toxeuma and to Hine Wehi, the dam of Sir Crusoe. This is the second success scored by Clare’s Pal since his purchase by Mrs C. A. Ketko, Wellington. The colt is trained at Trentham by J. K. Searle and has been ridden in each of his winning runs by T. Biggs.

Lucky to Win Flahuluk scored his first win as a hurdler on Saturday, but he was ■lucky to beat the topweight, Moutoa Lord, whose rider took matters rather cheaply once he crossed the last fence. The race was run in driving rain and the slushy conditions suited Flahuluk, who has always relished the mud. His jumping has improved and as the class in hack hurdle races is not strong at present, Flahuluk should have prospects of winning again, especially if he strikes soft going. A G(Ood Galloper Mallow was well supported in the Stratford Handicap at New Plymouth, but again lost all chance at the start. He made up ground and finished in the bunch. Mallow is a good galloper who will trouble a provincial sprint field the first time he gets away on terms. Better Than Average

Tommy Gun showed that he was a sprinter above the average when he completed a double for the meeting by winning the Stratford Handicap at New Plymouth. He began well, but was in the middle of the field at the half-mile. He improved rapidly and trailed the pacemaker into the straight, and then without effort went to the front to go on and win by two lengths. In his present form Tommy' Gun will be hard to dispose of in any sprint he contests. Making a good beginning, Peter Gregor ran to the front within a furlong in the Stratford Handicap. He led into the straight, but had no answer for Tommy Gun’s challenge. However, he beat the remainder as easily as he was beaten, and is likely to return to the winning list in the near future.

Impressive Win One of the most impressive performances on the final day of the Combined Hunts’ meeting at New Plymouth on Saturday was that of Bian Rouge in winning the Urenui Hack Handicap. She was ridden without whip or spurs and ran wide at the straight entrance, but did not lose the lead and won by two and a half lengths in faster time than the open sprinters. Bian Rouge lost her maiden status when she won the first division of the Wereroa Stakes on the first day of the meeting,- and easily disposed of the stronger opposition on Saturday. A four-year-old filly by Lang Bian from Huiarau, Bian Rouge had nine starts last season for four minor placings. Like most of her breed, she has taken time to find form, but now that she has done so it should not be long before she graduates to open company.