SPORTING Can Sir Abbot Extend Record In Winter Cup?

Greymouth Evening Star, 2 August 1949, Page 7

SPORTING Can Sir Abbot Extend Record In Winter Cup?

of the Brabazon Handicap, atithe .Hunt meeting have a.;good record in the Winter. Cup in recent .years and there will be ■an army of supporters to say that Sir Abbott will extend that recoid ?ori Saturday. Three high-class performers who have accomplished ’this - double in v recent years are Bashful Lady, also trained by J. It. • Cochrane,'who is Sir Abbot’s mentor, Gulf Stream, and Soneri. • They were three exceptionally good milers, but none could deny the .merit of Sir Abbott’s performance last Saturday. Weighted on the minimum and having.his first start in open company, he shoved ; .imore .early speed than usual by getting,to the lead with Whitley oaci the first two furlongs.

In' the. straight it was a case of Sir Abbot first, the fest nowhere ana <. with.no.rehandicap it will be surprising if. he is not the each-way favourite on 1 Saturday in the Winter Cup. With -his light weight he should not be troubled by the extra furlong as at Tr.eritharn he carried welterweights and, fought bn solidly in the hack fields.. Super Flight looks to be one ol Six' Abbot’s stoutest opponents. A second in the* Whyte Handicap at Treritham was followed by a third placing and on ‘ the final day the Francolin. mare was not far away from the place-getters over a mile and three furlongs. Her half-sister Royal Flight carried over 10 stone to victory in this race. Drawn at No 8 at the barrier Super Flight summons up speed smartly and a mile is well within her compass. Flying Sovereign, Swift Robin and Julius Caesar are three acceptors who will have their share of support from the" public. Out of a fine mare m Sovereign Lady, Flying Sovereign can be expected to improve as a result of last Saturday’s race'and this season, as a four-year-old, she should be at her best. An Auckland visitor. Swift Robin has not always raced with the best of luck. However, at Trentham he was a winner on the final day over seven furlongs, finishing in a manner which suggested that the mile jour-ney-will be in his favour on Saturday. Julius Caesar had no trouble with his field in this race last year and the Beaulivre horse, although not prominent in recent starts, ran an improved race last Saturday in the Brabazon Handicap. He will not be breaking new ground if he wins again for Soneri, Bashful Lady and Gulf Stream have all accomplished the feat in recent years and a few years back Catalogue won three times. That does not by any means complete the list of prospects, as there is more than a sprinkling of form represented in the rest of the acceptors.

Sound Stayer A good second to Relampago last Saturday at Riccarton will bring Aristea into favour for the Grand National Hurdles. Distance does not seem to ..trouble the King Lu mare and she came home very solidly last Saturday. During the season just ended Aristea compiled, a consistent record on the fiat in highweight and distance hack events, and in fact early in the season beat Carnegie under highweight conditions. This form would suggest that the North Island trained mare will be hard to beat in the Jumpers’ Flat to be decided at Riccarton on Saturday.

Duvaals In Form Duvaals followed up a win at Wingatui in June with solid performances at ' Trentham, finishing on behind Da Vinci in second place on the first day. Carrying 9.6 on the second day he was not disgraced in finishing not far from the place-getters. Brought south again he finished third to Sir Abbot and Flying Sovereign in the Brabazon Handicap. The Vaals gelding has his chance on Saturday in the Paparua Handicap to score another outright win.

Golden Reign The Great Northern Steeplechase winner, Golden Reign, may not start in the Grand National Steeplechase at Riccarton next Saturday if the track is heavy, it is reported from Christchurch. Golden Reign is a double acceptor, and may start in the Jumpers’ Flat in preference to the steeples if conditions are not to his liking. He is not likely to encounter a heavier track at Riccarton this week than when he won the Great Northern Steeples by 100 yards. Rode First And Second

Something in the nature of a world’s record was established in the Grand

National Steeplechase over half a cen-tury-ago. Jockey F. Hedge piloted the first. and second horses in the race, a seeming paradox that is easily enough explained. Clarence, ridden by Hedge, was the only horse to complete the course in 1881, and after weighing in Hedge dashed back to where Agent, who had lost his rider, H. Lunn, was enjoying a bite of grass, clambered into the saddle, and brought him home for second. ,