SPORTING Signal Officer' Frances And Desert Girl Win Main Races At Trentham

Greymouth Evening Star, 15 March 1948, Page 7

SPORTING Signal Officer' Frances And Desert Girl Win Main Races At Trentham

[SPECIAL TO STAR] WELLINGTON, March 13. Signal Officer won his first race at Trentham today when he outstayed the Autumn Handicap field and scored a brilliant victory. He was well back early, but gradually improved his position, and after being fifth into the straight, gave nothing else a chance oyer the last furlong and a half. Desert Girl had a surprise win m the principal sprint event, the Railway Handicap, with a brilliant finishing effort which took her to the front just short of the post. Frances, who raced moderately in comparatively poor company at Cromwell last week, won the Thompson Handicap attractively and with something in hand. The other feature race the North Island Challenge Stakes, was won brilliantly by the southern filly Excellency, who outclassed her opponents and won easily in race and course record time.

Howe and Royal Victor were slow away, Selas showing out early from Yasda, Morotai, Langue d Or, Gay Fault, and Indian Dawn with Howe and Signal Officer at the rear of the field. Passing the half-mile, Selas -still held charge from Morotai, Indian Dawn, Royal Victor and Langue d’Or, with Catterick Bridge ana Signal Officer improving their positions. The first three horses held their places into the straight and were followed by Catterick Bridge and Signal Officer. Selas held on to the disance, but was boring out. Indian Dawn fell, and Signal Officer ranged up on the outside to take command of the field and carry on to win comfortably by a length and a half. Selas held on for second with Langue d Or battling on for third. Howe was tailed off last.

Close Finish In a close finish in the Railway Handicap, in which all three placegetters came into the picture inside the last half-furlong, Desert Girl did best and won nicely by half a lengtn from Veine d’Or, with Fleetwood, a nose away in third place. was first out from The Pagan, King oi Quiz, and Petre Mar. Racing on to the course proper the last-named three were racing in line, closely followed by Citril, Deprive, and Cotcase with Veine d’Or, Fleetwood, and Desert Girl all handy. The leaders weakened early in the run home, and Deprive pushed through to take charge from Citril and Cotcase, with Desert Girl and Veine d’Or prominent. The positions changed completely in the last furlong, and Desert Girl, finishing brilliantly, came through to win by half a length from Veine d’Or, with Fleetwood just failing to get up for second. Citril was a close fourth, with Deprive next and Cotcase heading the rest. In the Thompson Handicap, Mesalliance, Revolte, and Frances began best from Brown Derby. Frances was the early leader, but at the end of two furlongs Brown Derby had taken over. Brown Derby led Frances by a length to the straight, but the latter finished on strongly to win decisively by two lengths from Mesalliance, which held on to beat the fasteifinishing Kartikeya by a head for second. Brown Derby weakened into fourth place, with Revolte fifth and the rest well beaten. Lucky Escape L. J. Ellis had a lucky escape when Indian Dawn fell about 200 yards from the winning post in the Autumn Handicap. With a furlong and a half to run Indian Dawn moved up on the outside of the leader, Selas, and had drawn up to his quarters when Selas started to bore out. Ellis endeavoured to force Indian Dawn past Selas, but when the later continued to bore out Indian Dawn evidently crossed her legs and fell, catapulting Ellis forward in front of the field. Miraculously he was not galloped on by any of the horses, and was on his feet before the last of the

field was very far past the winning post. , . Ellis sprained his wrist, ana though he rode Ronald Macdonald into second place in the next race, the Tinakori Hack Handicap, he was unfit to fill the remainder of his riding engagements for the day. This proved unfortunate for him, as ms mounts included Frances, the winner of the Thompson Handicap, ana Desert Girl, winner of the Railway Handicap. . , The meeting was held m ideal conditions, and the track was fast. The totalisator handled £180,357, compared with £171,975 10s on the corresponding day last year, an increase of £B3Bl 10s.

Remaining results: — Autumn Handicap Of £35000. One mile and a half. I- Signal Officer 9.5 (C. T. Wilson) x 5- Selas 7.101 (J. Campbell) .. 2 II- Langue d’Or 8.0 (V. Sellars) 3 Also started: 2-2 Howe; 6- Indian Dawn; 3-3 Desert Fox; 8-8 Gay Stroller; 10-10 Gay Fault; 12-12 Royal Victor; 4-4' Yasda: 9-9 Catterick Bridge; 7-7 Morotai. Length; two lengths. Desert Fox fourth. Time,-2.32;’,. Tinakori Hack Handicap, of £7OO. Seven furlongs.—3-4 False Step 9.2 (J. McFarlane) 1; 1-1 Ronald Macdonald 7.9 (L. J. Ellis) 2: 4-3 Bay Fort 8.3 (A. Stokes) 3. Also started: 7- Diameter; 8-8 Beguile;. 5-5 Paper Ruffle; 16-18 Silver Stream; 14-12 Tranquil Gold; 2-2 Diana Reynard; 12-11 Angell; 13-14 Colorado Maid; 9-9 Commercial; 18-16 Reveller; 15-15 Garry; 11-13 Sly' Gold; 6-6 Lady Myrtle; 10-10 Blue Pier; 17-17 Night Royal. Length; two lengths. Diana Reynard was fourth. Time, 1.254. Thompson Handicap, 0f£2250. One mile.—4-3 Frances 8.4 (C. T. Wilson) 1; 1-1 Mesalliance 8.3 (G. Tattersail) 2; 7-7 Kartikeya 7.7 (K. Ford) 3. Also started: 3-5 Brown Derby;. 5-4 Tenor Royal; 2-2 Revolte; 9-9 Alright; 6-6 Sea Fury; 8-8 Castlebrae; 12-12 Fairhome; 10-10 Marilyn; 11-11 Prince Coronach. Two lengths; head. Brown Derby was fourth. Time, 1.37 A. Railway Handicap, of £1750. Six furlongs.—6-6 Desert Girl 7.12 (A. Stokes") 1; 11-9 Veine d’Or 7.3 (A. C. Messervy) 2; 4-4 Fleetwood 7.5 (W. F. Ellis) 3. Also started: 4-4 Theocritus; 2-2 Deprive; 7-7 The Pagan; 1-1 Citril; 5-5 Petre Mar; 9-10 Lord Theio; 8-8 Cotcase; 10-10 King of Quiz; 12-12 Mr Valiant; 13-13 Theio Light. Half a length; nose. Citril was fourth. Time, 1.10-i,. Siiverstream Hack Handicap, of £BOO. One mile and three furlongs. -10-10 Torrent 7.11 (V| Sellars) 1; 3-3 Bobby Dazzler 7.12 (W. F. Ellis) 2; 1-1 Maryburn 7.13 (C. McDonald) 3. Also started: 2-2 Earnbridge; 7-9 Beechwood; 9-8 Haere Huku; 5-6 Fox Flame; 6-5 Lord Holland; 11-11 Tuki Ngapo; 4-4 Minion; 8-7 Super Lake; 12-12 Kumari. Neck: nose. Haere Huku was fourth. Time, 2.21.