RECORD TIME MAY BE MADE IN CHALLENGE STAKES

Greymouth Evening Star, 11 March 1949, Page 1 (Supplement)

RECORD TIME MAY BE MADE IN CHALLENGE STAKES

One of the feature races at Trentham tomorrow will be the North Island Challenge Stakes, run at weight-for-age, over seven furlongs. With such brilliant speedsters as Tauloch, Excellency, Voltaic, Citril and the two-year-old, Golden Spa, engaged record time figures may be sei:.

Voltaic ran a great third in the Thompson Handicap last week, carrying 9.8. He is a proved performer at weight-for-age, and seven furlongs is probably his best distance. It will be recalled that he beat King’s Ransom and Tauloch in the Jackson Stakes at Wanganui. Excellency won the Challenge Stakes last year in 1.24 —a track record. She was unlucky in- the Thompson Handicap and is such a brilliant sprinter, obviously in form, that she may be the actual favourite.

Some good judges regard Tauloch’s brilliance as rather dimmed because of his being trained for races demanding stamina rather than sheer speed, but the Ballpch colt is champion of his age and will have an army of supporters. Citril is a first class handicap sprinter, and is likely to be prominent throughout. Her presence in the field will ensure a fast nace being set. She does not appeal, however as being up to the class of Tauloch and Excellency, at the weights.

There will be keen interest in the two-year-old. Golden Spa, who will be ridden by W. J. Broughton, and

will, therefore carry about 101 b overweight. The Gold Nib colt is regarded in many quarters as one of the best two-year-olds of recent years and his meeting with the oldei' horses will be one of the highlights of the day. Excellency, Tauloch and Golden. Spa will probably carry the public money. Olio Consistent

Olio added to her consistent record by finishing third on each day of the Dunedin meeting. The Salmagundi mare is holding her form remarkably well.

Taranaki Scratchings Scratchings for the first day of ths Taranaki Jockey Club’s autumn meeting are:—Taranaki Cup: Greekette (3.5 p.m. yesterday). Okato Hack Handicap: Baffles Plate <8.55 a.m., March 9).

Luck With Single Direct Single Direct got the breaks in the final of the inter-Dominion race says an Australian writer. Inability of the Adelaide nacer Galleon to start reduced the field to 11. Three horses, including dangerous opponents in Bandbox and. Eelgrave, broke at the start without interfering with him. The New Zealander was left with only eight to contend with, and became an odds on chance in the first 50 yards. E. N. Kennerley took no chance of being hemmed in, but for most of the way he was able to race outside only one horse. When the race developed into a three-horse contest he did not drop in behind the two Gath horses, but“ ranged up outside. To have gone to the rails would, have been inviting one to drop back and pocket him. The so-called championship went to the best horse at the meeting and probably the second best in Australia and New Zealand. '