SPORTING Signal Officer's Great Victory At Riccarton: False Step Wins Sprint

Greymouth Evening Star, 5 April 1948, Page 7

SPORTING Signal Officer's Great Victory At Riccarton: False Step Wins Sprint

[SPECIAL TO STAR] CHRISTCHURCH, April 3. Signal Officer proved himself the outstanding performer in New Zealand over a mile and a half, and one of the best middle-distance weight-carriers seen at Riccarton for many years when he won the Sockburn Handicap convincingly today when burdened with 10.8. On the earlier days Signal Officer had finished second in the Great Autumn and Dominion Handicaps, and he received one of the biggest ovations accorded a winner on the track when he returned to scale today. False Step won her fourth race in succession when she accounted for the open sprint, the Waltham Handicap,

Finishing with a typical run, Signal Officer won the Sockburn Handicap going away. After the field had covered two furlongs, Detain showed the way to Fine Night, Faithful Pal and Mestiza, but with seven and a half furlongs to run Spare Part pulled his way to the front and at the halfmile had a four lengths’ lead from Detain and Fine Night, Wild Ribbon, Indian Dawn, Signal Officer, Desert Fox, Silver Link and Mestiza. Spare Part still had charge' entering the straight from Detain, Fine Night, Signal Officer, Indian Dawn, Desert Fox and Grill. Indian Dawn, Spare Part and Grill were disputing the finish with a furlong to go when Signal Officer swept upon the outside and won going away by half a lenght from Indian Dawn who was a nose aeead of Desert Fox. Grill was only a head away, fourth, and was closely attended by Spare Part. Fine Night, Eriskay, Detain and Silver Link were next to finish. False Step was not required to do her best over the final furlong to win the Waltham Handicap. Theocritus was smartest to begin but with five furlongs to run Deep Harmony had assumed charge from The Pagan, False Step, Clyde Bridge, Theocritus, Kirkella, Lexia, Martial Note and Desert Girl. Deep Harmony was first into line from Clyde Bridge, False Step, The Pagan, Theocritus and Kirkella. False Step went to the front at the furlong and had no difficulty in holding off Lexia, who made up ground, to win by a length. The Pagan was only a head away, third, and Theocritus was a moderate fourth. Desert Girl, Patmos and Grill did best of the remainder. Finished Solidly Although not prominent early, Ronald MacDonald finished solidly to win the Gimcrack Handicap. Winter Sweet was smartest to begin and was the early leader from Show Boy, Wide Piane, Diameter, Siegwood and Responsive. Winter Sweet was first to turn for home from Show Boy, Responsive, and Wide Range. Winter Sweet was in distress at the furlong, and Ronald MacDonald came through the middle of the field to win by two lengths from Wide Range, who was three lengths ahead of Winter Sweet. Responsive was a fair fourth, and was followed by Diameter, Show Boy and Maka Maka. Flying Sovereign outclassed the field in the Richmond Handicap, and returned a win dividend of more than a third of a century. When the field .settled down Courier showed the way to Flying Sovereign, Excellent Flight, Hatrack, Infatuate, Idle Jest, Ann Bridge, and Brenlock. Courier ran wide at the straight entrance and Flying Sovereign immediately put a winning break on the field. She did not look like being beaten in the run home and scored by six lengths from Ann Bridge who was two lengths ahead of Brenlock. Idle Jest was fourth in front of Metif, Hatrack and Blue Print. Good Two-year-old Returning to his best form, Magical won the Challenge Stakes convincingly and returned double figures for a win. Flying Orders, Resolute and Balkis dwelt at the start. Top Deck was first to show out, but within a furlong Magical went to the front and at the straight entrance was two lengths clear of Top Deck, who was three lengths ahead of Citril. Then came General Argosy and Voltaic and Resolute. Magical was not ridden out to win by three lengths from Voltaic, who came home well without having any chance with the winner. Citril was four lengths away, third, and Top Deck was fourth. Flying Orders and Balkis were next to finish. After getting the run of the race, Love Letter ran on too strongly for the opposition to win the Yaldhurst Handicap by four lengths. Mercurius went to the front within a furlong, and at the half-mile was three lengths clear of Love Letter, who was followed by Gold Medallion, Loch Lennox, Sorry, Moonlit and Song Dress. Love Letter was on terms with Mercurius at the home turn, most prominent of the others being Gay Fellow, Loch Lennox and Sorry. Love Letter was not troubled in the straight to win unchallenged. Sorry was second two lengths ahead of Gay Fellow. Moonlit was fourth in front of Gold Medallion and Loch Lennox. Close Finish Flying Control led throughout the Merivale Handicap to win from Bay Fort in a photo-finish. He was followed early by Speedy, Kill Fast, Minion, Bay Fort and Pestee, the latter three being in line, with Arctic Circle last. There was no change to the straight entrance and at the furlong Bay Fort joined Flying Control. In a punishing finish Flying Control won by half a head. Arctic Circle was a length back, third, and Pestee, who had an interrupted passage in the straight, was fourth. Minion headed the remainder.

Turf Topic completed a double when he won the Peerswick Hurdles comfortably. John Gay made the early running from Royal Flash, Little Billy, Battle Chief, Turf -Topic, Roman Son and Robot. Turf Topic improved running along the back, and took charge at the five furlongs where John Gay hit the fence and lost ground. Turf Topic had a four lengths advantage entering the straight from John Gay who was three lengths ahead of Battle Chief, these being the only three with any chance. Turf Topic hit the final fence, but had no difficulty to win by three lengths from Battle Chief who' was four lengths ahead of John Gay. Roman Son was a long way back, fourth, and then at intervals came Little Billy and Robot. The weather was overcast with fine drizzle when racing commenced, but conditions soon,improved. The track was in excellent order and the going was fast. There was a fair attendance and the totalisator handled

£102,093, compared with £115,816 10s on the corresponding day last year. The total for the meeting was £284,199 10s, compared with £314,390 10s last year. Remaining results:— Merivale Handicap, of £600; hack conditions; one mile and a quarter.— 4-4 Flying Control 7.12 (K. R. Ford) 1; 1-2 Fort 8.4 (L. J. Ellis) 2; 2-1 Arctic Circle 8.7 (C. T. Wilson) 3. Also started: 3-3 Pestee; 5-5 Speedy; 6-6 Minion; 7-7 Kill Fast. Half head; length. Speedy fourth. Time, 2.6 1-5. Sockburn Handicap, Of £2000; one mile and a half. 4-2 Signal Officer 10.8 (C. T. Wilson) 1 3-4 Indian Dawn 8.4 (K. Nuttall) 2 1-1 Desert Fox 8.6 (J. McFarlane) 3 Also started: 2-3 Spare Part; 5-5 Detain; 9-8 Silver Link; 10-10 Eriskay; 7-7 Grill; 6-6 Mestiza; 13-13 Wild Ribbon; 8-9 Fine Night; 11-11 Faithful Pal; 12-12 Pandemonium. Half length; nose. Grill was fourth. Time, 2.31 1-5.

Richmond Handicap, of £400; for two-year-olds; six furlongs. —10-10 Flying Sovereign 7.7 car. 7.11 - (R. G. Bradshaw) 1; 1-1 Ann. Bridge 8.4 (J. McFarlane) 2; 3-3 Brenlock 7.9 car. 1.12 (L, J. Ellis) 3. Also started: 2-2 Idle Jest; 12-12 Chord: 15-15 Iron Trail; 7-7 Infatuate; 4-4 Courier and Assault bracketed; 6-6 Sonata; 8-9 Auchenlee; 5-5 Metif; 9-8 Hatrack; 13-12 Blue Print; 14-14 Discord; Illi Excellent Flight. Six lengths; two lengths. Idle Jest fourth. Time, 1.12 2-5.

Waltham Handicap, of £1000; seven furlongs.—l-1 False Step 8.0 (J. McFarlane) 1; 5-5 Lexia 8.7 (C. C. Stokes) 2; 8-8 The Pagan 8.8 (H. W. Hibberd) 3. Also started: 2-2 Desert Girl; 6-6 Patmos; 7-7 Theocritus; 3-3 Lorna Leigh; 10-10 Clyde Bridge; 9-9 Deep Harmony; 4-4 Kirkella; 11-11 Martial Note; 12-12 Graeme. Length; head. Theocritus fourth. Time, 1.25. Gimrack Handicap, of £500; hack conditions; one mile.—4-4 Ronald Macdonald 8.10 (L. J. Ellis) 1; 3-3 Wide Range 9.12 J. S. Lundy) 2; 1-1 Winter Sweet 7.10 (J. McFarlane) 3. Also started: 2-2 Diameter; 5-5 Responsive; 8-8 Le Sonnet; 7-7 Maka Maka; 6-6 Show Boy; 9-9 Siegwood. Two lengths; three lengths. Responsive fourth. Time, 1.29 1-5,