SPORTING Velvet Slipper Favoured In Main Handicap At Reefton J.C. Tomorrow

Greymouth Evening Star, 26 September 1947, Page 9

SPORTING Velvet Slipper Favoured In Main Handicap At Reefton J.C. Tomorrow

With an average of 15 horses a race the Reefton Jockey Club should be assured of success tomorrow on the first day of its spring meeting at Reef ton. Provision has had to be made for the running of three races, the two trotting events and,the Novice Stakes, in divisions. In the main events, the two open races, the acceptances are not so numerous but there is compensation in the numbers in the other races and in the useful class.

The acceptors for the principal race, the Reefton Handicap, have already been reviewed in these columns and recent form suggests the prospects of Velvet Slipper, Dash o Dink and Matador.

John O’London stands out as far as recent form is concerned, in the principal sprint event, the Maruia Handicap, but one who is likely to trouble him is Legal Rose, who races best on West Coast courses and has been working attractively at Riccarton. St Nattar is topweight with 9.3, but the St Boswells gelding has not raced like a winner in his more recent outings. Royal Tor was prominent for some time at Orari on Saturday and if the Leighon mare has been improved by that race she may be prominent. At her best with 8.1 she would take a lot of beating.

Tranbycroft has yet to redeem the brilliant promise he showed last season when first produced, but there is no doubt about his. speed, and he may atone for recent failures in. the Cronadun Hack Handicap. Trained by H. Nurse, Tranbycroft is a four-year-old gelding by Leighon from that speedy mare Financiere, and with the steadying influence of more age he is expected to reach good open class. Front Page, by the Ringmaster horse, Master Hotspur, is a speedy sprinter and the Greymouth owned-and-trained Home Again, who scored a surprise but impressive win at Omoto not long ago, is not without prospects.

Promising Sort

Dark Arrow, a winner at Orari in impressive style, is engaged in the Cronadun Hack, the Lewis Pass Hack and the first event, the middle distance race for hacks, and the promising son of Nightly.and Mataa is assured of strong support whenever he is produced. The Junction Novice Stakes has drawn a field of 21 maidens, and among them is the Irish Lancer filly, Irish Pride, now five-years old. She is raced by Messrs Hunter and Webb and has been sprinting well at Riccarton. Agenda is a likely type of three-year-old by Paper Slipper trained at Riccarton by A. and W. McMullan. Faultrosa is a three-year-old half-sister to Legal Rose and she has shown considerable promise in her races to date. Form horses in the two trotting events include Kimono Girl, whose second placing at Ashburton recently was impressive, Pimpernel, Pampero, Sandbird, Scotch Drift, Golden Knave and Sandy Drive. Excellent transport arrangements have been made and refreshments will be available for visitors on the course.

Fields And Form Horses The win-and-place system . of betting will be used and the following horses should race prominently in their respective engagements:— Inangahua Hack Handicap. Dark Arrow, St Joachim, Mercia’s Mystery. Ikamatua Trot.—First division: Irish Pride, Faultrosa, Agenda. Second division: Chatmoney, RobinReefton Handicap.—Velvet Slipper, Dash O'Dink, Matador. Lewis Pass Handicap.—Young John, Front Page, Dark Arrow. Waiuta Trot.—First division: Sandy

Drive, Golden Knave, Auxiliary. Second division: Kimono Girl, Pampero, Sandbird. Cronadun Hack. — Tranbycroft, Home Again, Precipitate. Maruia Handicap.—-Legal Rose, John O’London, Royal Tor. The fields and starting times are as follows:-— 12.0 Inangahua Hack Handicap, of £130; one mile. —Mercia’s Mystery 9.0; Dark Arrow 8.10; Saint Joachim 8.9; Valmeer 8.7; Bannockburn, San Farian 8.5; Vulnerable 8.4; Merrijigs, Polka, Winsome Lass 8.3. 12.40 Ikamatua Trot Handicap, of. £139; 3.37 class; one mile and a half.-—First Division:; Adelma, Agrosan, Chivalry, Contest, Golden Sheaf, High Stakes., Knight Bar, Lucky Logan, Pocket Money, Scotch Drift, Wynleai' scr; Pimpernel 36; Hardy Annual 72. ■ Second Division: Aristocrat. Bondage, Congressional, Golden Pye, Goldina, Kimono Girl, Young Neen, Pampero, Sandbird, Victory Peal scr.; Golden Knave 36; Auxiliary 48. 1.20 Junction Novice Stakes, of £115; five furlongs.—First Division: Bannockburn, Irish Pride, Paganism, Rayon, Studious 8.10; Agenda, Lord Sharp, Faultrosa, Paper Robe, Post Graduate, Trickster 8.5. Second Division: Chatmoney, Master Mishna, Gay Quest, Rene Leighon, Victoria Range 8.10; Chianti, Cardmaster, Miss Loretta, Robinette, Strathconan 8.5. 2.0 Reefton Handicap, of £160; one mile and a quarter.—Matador 9.0; Velvet Slipper 8.12; Chellow Dene, Dash o’ Dink 8.6; Sir Tague 8.2; Dinky Di 7.12; Taipoiti 7.0. 2.40 Lewis Pass Hack Handicap, of £l'4o; seven furlongs.—Young John 9.0; Front Page 8.11; Mercia’s Mystery 8.7: Dark Arrow 8.4; Valmeer 8.1: San Farian 7.13; Menari, Simon Tor, Merrijigs 7.10. 3.20 Waiuta Trot, of £140; 2.59 class; one mile and a quarter.—First Division: Adelma, Aristocrat, Artful, Chivalry. Contest, Fire Brigade, Golden Pye, Goldina, Knight Bar, Lucky Logan, Pocket Money, Sandy Drive, Victory Peal scr; Golden Knave 24; Auxiliary 36. Second Division: Agrosan, Bondage, Congressional, Firefly, Kimono Girl, Golden Sheaf, High Stakes, Young Neen, Pampero, Sandbird, Scotch Drift. Wynleaf scr; Pimpernel. Lady Indiana 24; Hardy Annual 48. 4.0 Cronadun Hack Handicap, of £150; six furlongs and a half.—Home Again 8.12 Front Page 8.11 Scene, Tranbycroft 8.5; Dark Arrow, Precipitate 8.4; Saint Joachim, Valmeer 8.1 Step Far 7.13; Bannockburn 7.11: Agenda, Chatmoney. Miss Mahatma, Taipoiti 7.10. 4.40 Maruia Handicap, of £150; seven furlongs—St Nattar 9.3; John 0’ London 8.3; Legal Rose 8.3; Royal Tor 8.1; 1 Chellow Dene 7.11; Sir Tague 7.7; Dinky Di 7.5.