GRATTAN DRIVE IN GOOD TRIAL FOR ADDINGTON MEETING

Greymouth Evening Star, 25 August 1948, Page 7

GRATTAN DRIVE IN GOOD TRIAL FOR ADDINGTON MEETING

fSPECIAL TO STAR] CHRISTCHURCH. This Day. Grattan Drive, one of the favourites for the Louisson Handicap, the main event on the programme for the first day of the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club’s meeting on Saturday, provided the feature of the track work at Addington yesterday morning when she covered a mile and a half in 3min 22 2-ssec, the last halfmile in Imin 3 l-ssec. Grattan Drive, after giving away starts of two seconds to Baby Grand and Red Ace, finished on well to get within a neck of Baby Grand, which appears to be back to his best form. The champion trotter, Aerial Scott, which will race against the pacers in the Heathcote Handicap at Addington on Saturday, covered two miles in 4 min 3sec, the last four furlongs in Imin 5 2-ssec, when he led all the way in a trial with Indian Triumph, Sir Vivian, Vindictive Lady, and Follow Me. The last finished close up after giving away 36 yards start. Sir Vivian appeared to have a lot in reserve at the finish. Trotting Stakes Entrants Harmonist, an Addington Trotting Stakes candidate, worked alone over two miles in 4min 41 4-ssec, the last four furlongs in Imin 9 3-ssec. Lillian Mac, which is also engaged in the Trotting Stakes, covered two miles in 4min 56 3-ssec, the last four furlongs in Imin 9sec. Golden Amazon indicated that he was returning to his best form, when he beat Forewarned at the end of a mile and a half.

Trotting in her best style, /Acclamation covered the last mile and a half in 3min 31 3-ssec, and the last halfmile in Imin 8 l-ssec when working over two miles with Single Task and Scottish Brogue. “There is nothing wrong with her,” said her trainer, J. Young, when asked why Acclamation had been withdrawn from the Stewards’ Handicap at Addington, on Saturday. Young indicated that Acclamation will be reserved for races with larger stakes later in the season. A four-year-old mare by Bill B. from Magic Task, Single Task, is a solid trotter, which appears to be above the average.

Bonny Scott In Form Driven by her trainer. A. F. C. Rushton, the double-gaited Bonny Scott paced two miles in 4min 29 4-5 sec, the last four furlongs in Iman 4 l-ssec. If she is favoured by the luck in the running, Bonny Scott may earn some of the money in the Heathcote Handicap. Carisbrook, an Islington Handicap candidate at Addington this week, worked over two miles in 4min 38sec, the first mile in 2min 26sec. Maori Home, which is engaged in the Lightning Handicap trailed Carisbrook over the last mile and a quarter in 2min 45 2-ssec.