Ace Of Diamonds In Form At Hutt Park Meeting

Greymouth Evening Star, 5 April 1948, Page 7

Ace Of Diamonds In Form At Hutt Park Meeting

[SPECIAL TO STAB] WELLINGTON, April 4

Backed down to second favourite, Ace of Daimonds justified his confident siipport when he gave a sterling performance to win the R. A. Armstrong Memorial Handicap, the mam event at the Wellington Trotting Chib’s meeting at Hutt, Park yesterday. M. C. McTigue had. Ace of Diamonds handy to Positive and Palava approaching the entrance to the straight where lie soon settled the issue, winning decisively from _ the fast-finishing Lady Averil, with a gap to Positive and Palava. Palava, the winner of the Hawera Cup at the Hawera Trotting Club’s meeting on March 27, gave a fine display to finish fourth alter losing ground at the start. A son of U Scott and Muriel Axworthy, Palava has a| lot of ability and he should carry on to good company for F. Jamison, who trains him at Aylesbury. Carisbrook, the sixteenth favouiite in a field of 19 betting chances, re- . turned his supporters a win dividend: of more than £9O when he fougnt on | gamely to win the Featherston Han- | dicap from Pony Express, which at- | tempted to lead all the way. An him- i est performer, Carisbrook always does his best in his races and his win was well received. Much of the credit for his success is due to his driver, G., Withers, who did not cover any more ground with him than was necessary. | Coral Princess Wins i Coral Princess, the unlucky runner i in the R .A. Armstrong Memorial Handicap, finished resolutely to earn J the first prize for Mr A. H. Todd m| a photo-finish in the sprint, the Royal! Handicap. Minoru and Jackie Boy I lost their chance when they broke at ( the start. Coral Princess began; quickly and when the held settled down ‘ she was leading from Ivy Goodwin, which accelerated quickly, from the 12 yards mark, Red Ace,, and Remlap. ' . . ' G- S. Smith had Red Ace m the lead with more than half a mile to go and he was followed down the back straight by Ivy Goodwin, Remlap, Coral Princess, Indian Son, Lady Averill, Durato, and Fitnesse. Red Ace broke under pressure when challenged bv Coral Princess with a furion'* to go. Coral Princess appeared set/for an easy win, but Lady Averil brought the crowd to their feet as she finished on particularly well to get within a nose of her as the winningpost was reached. West Point returned his supporters a double-figure dividend when he stayed on well to win the Cartel ton Handicap. Pampero set the pace for most of the way and, with four furlongs to run, she was followed by Aqua Lady, Pacing Lady, West Point,

Risingholme, Flinder’s Bar, Doris Grattan, Attack, Play Boy, _ and Worthydale. Attack raced around the field to take the lead approaching the entrance to the straight, where he was closely followed by West Point and Worthydale. When McTigue asked West Point for an effort in the straight he soon settled the issue, carrying on to win by a length from Worthydale, which gave a display from the 60 marks record to record from the 60 yards mark to record 4min 23 4-ssec. Attack, the hot favourite, was suffering from a boil on the inside ol his mouth, and as this was obviously affecting him, he did well to finish in third place. The veterinary surgeon, Dr E. Wolff, lanced the boil later in the afternoon,, and it is hoped that Attack will be at his test on the second day of the meeting on Saturday. Likely Improvers 'Virginia Song, the winner of the second division of the Hutt Handicap, is a four-year-old mare by Gold Bar from Virginia Girl, by Great Bingen, from Nyallo. She led all the way in her division and won nicely after surviving strong challenges in the straight. Indianofe was one of the easiest winners of the day. The Indianopolis mare gave nothing else a chance after taking the lead a furlong from home, though Hineqra might have made her task more difficult if she had been better placed early. She showed _ a lot of speed over the last half mile. The two races for unhoppled trotters were won by Buncrana and Loyal Toast. Buncrana trotted solidly throughout the Air Force Handicap and with others in the field making mistakes the Wrack mare won decisively from 60 yards behind. Loyal Toast, in spite of a break in the last 100 yards, won the President’s Handicap easily from Voco Power. Loyal Toast has a lot of speed, but is not a reliable performer. 'Magnificent gave an impressive performance to gain his first win for the season in the Autumn Handicap. Best Globe and Crown Plate were the quickest to begin and at the end of the first furlong they were leading i from Marcia, Bull’s Eye,' Surd Wave, ■ Magnificent, Gay Indiana, and Sub--1 stitute. Once into his stride, Bull’s Eye showed a lot of speed to take the lead and he carried the field along . at a fast clip until the straight was reached for the sprint home, where he was challenged by Magnificent. Both horses responded to the vigorous urging of their drivers, but Bull’s Eye could not sustain his effort and he had to accept second prize, half a I length behind Magnificent. The weather was fine and there 'was a large attendance. The totali-

safer handled £77,155 10s, compared with £83.234 on the corresponding day last year. Remaining results: —- R. A. Armstrong Memorial Handicap, Of £1200; 3.40 class; one mile and five furlongs. 2-2 Ace of Diamonds, scr (M.C. McTigue) f 11-1.1 Lady Averil, scr (C. G. Smith) •• 10- Positive, scr (P. P. Galhigher) •• •• •• " Also started: 4-4 Palava, 13-13 Doonholme, 12-12 Fitnesse, 15-k> Durato, 9-9 Red Ace, 14-14 p eters Find. 5-6 Coral Princess, y-8 I. apei Mam 8-5 Fantom, 1-1 Minoru, 6-< Indian Son, 3-3 Democrat. One length; same. Palava fourth, limes. L 35 1-5, 3.35 2-5, 3.35 4-5; President’s Handicap. Of trotters; 4.51 class; two miles.— Loyal Toast, 24 (S. Stewart), I; oVoco Power. 12 (G. S. Snmh). 2, Golden Hoofs, 48 (C. H. Goodall), o. Also started: 6-5 Canssima, 4-<r Sme EHio 1-1 Christmas Queen, o-8 Maureen Grattan, 3-6 Onerous Two lengths; one length.. Christmas .u fourth. Times: 4.38. - y Hutt Handicap, 01 u\vL one mile and a quaitci.sion: 5-5 Indianote, scr (A- J- j Gold Two inegths lengt Gold feurtn. Times. 2 - 4 f e cond Division: 3-3 Virginia Song, scr (J. Crofts), 1: 4-4 Best Globe z(J. McLennan). 2; 1-2 Munay Gia tan scr (C. G. Smith), a. Also stalled’’ 12-12 Pampero. 15-15 Gallian, 11111 Doris Grattan, 2-1 Double Scotch. Half a length: two lengths. Gallian fourth. Times: 2.45 4-5, 2.44, 2.47. Featherston Handicap, of £650; 3.44 class: one mile and five furlongs.— 16- Carisbrook, 12 (G. Withers), 1; 2-2 Pony Express, scr (R. Donald). 2’ 1-1 Congo Song. 12 (J. D. Litten). 3' Also started: 15-16 Gung Ho, 17- Napolis. 10-10 Red Arrow, 11- Volo's Victory, 7-7 Pinto, 14-14 Jack Irvine, 9-9 Fillmore, 4-4 County Antrim (bracketed with Theabelle), 2-2 Cultivator (bracketed with Pony Exnress), 8-8 Gough's Pride, 19-1 J Our Gail, 6-6 Gold Strike, IL3 Goldsmith. 18-18 Terry O’Shea, o-5 Staishell 1-1 Likely (bracketed with Congo Song), 13-12 Loyal Nelson. 12- Daphne Grattan. Hall a length, length. Starshell fourth. Times: 8 82 3-5. 3.33 4-5, 3.33 2-5. Roval Handicap, of £700; 2.48 class, one mile and a quarlcr.--4-4 Coral Princess, scr (J. B. Pnngle). , > ’Ladv Averil, scr ( C - G. Smith), 2, 6-5 Remlap, 12 (F G Holmes). 3. Also started: ll- l Durato, 10-10 Fitnesse, 9-9 Jackie Boy, 3-3 Mnoru, 8-8 Red Ace, 7-6 Indian Son LI Ivy Goodwin, 5-7 Democrat. two lengths P^ n^ ai o 43 f ° Uitb - Times: 2.43 1-5, 2.40. GOLF