SPORTING Finigin Won Several Races On West Coast

Greymouth Evening Star, 23 August 1949, Page 7

SPORTING F inigin Won Several Races On West Coast

Finikin and Valiev Gold, two winners at long odds at Ricearton last Saturday, arc no'strangers to West Coast racegoers, and both made regular appearances on Coast courses last season. However, wnereas Finigin had campaigned very successfully,.showing form m the hack ranks which was a portend of better things to come, Valley Gold’s form on the Coast was mediocre, although numerous minor plaeings helped to pay his way. (

Finigin has been a good winner for owner Mr C. C. Davis and m a little over two seasons Mr Davis has reaped in . £2358 with the Robin Gocdfellow-Knockfin black colt. For his win in the Heathcote Handicap last Saturday, Finigin earned £650 and in the 1948-4,. season numerous wins and plaeings were worth £1228. Last February on the second day of the Westland Racing Club’s meeting at Hokitika he tan out of his hack engagements, Limping 9.13 to an easy victory, lhat win had been preceded by a first placing cn the opening clay of the meeting while earlier in February at the Greymouth Jockey Clubs meeting he won a hack event. In December he had also won at the West land Racing Club’s meet mg. As a two-year-old Finigin won £4BO. Although up to Saturday, Valley Gold could not be viewed as a budding champion, the Balloch four-year-old has the right breeding as his dam was a sister to Caithness, both being closely related to Yours Truly (N.Z. Cup) and Tidal Wave, a fine stayer in Australia. Detract, probably on account of being ridden by his owner, Mr E. R. Curtis, was allowed to go out showing a double figure price in the Redcliffs Hack Handicap on Saturday. He failed to return a dividend but was undoubtedly unlucky, as when well placed on the rails rounding the home turn, he went back several places, and did not come into vie W again until the last furlong had been entered upon. He then finished strongly in the middle of the track to secure fourth prize of £25. Mr Curtis would no doubt have derived much pleasure in steering his own horse to victory against some of the best professional jockeys in the Dominion, and may have dene so but for losing a forward position at a critical stage. Vigorous Riding Lady Myrtle owed her success in the Selwyn Handicap to the vigorous riding of W. Broughton, wno literally lifted her over the last 50 yards to head off Lexia a few strides from the post. Flying Orders keeps on paying his Way with the minor plaeings and an occasional win, and his effort in the concluding event on Saturday, one of the best in his lengthy career, indicated that he is far from being a spent light. He set a fast pace from the stand, and while many expected him to weaken early in the run home, as "has often been the case with him, he held on to be headed only nearing the post first by Lexia and then by Lady Myrtle. Flying Orders was originally bought by Mr C. L. Kettle as a proposition for West Coast racing, but although winningraces here he has proved to be one of the speediest and most consistent sprinters at more important meetings. Western Winner, having his first race since April last, was made a false favourite for the Selwyn Handicap on Saturday, probably following a smart sprint by him on Thursday, when only a limited number of horses were seriously sprinted, and times had little comparative value. The big three-year-old has been on the big side since coming to Riccarton and although he turned on his usual burst of speed for about five furlongs, he compounded when pressure was applied, and finished near the rear. Western Winner would benefit by the trip north and Saturday’s race, and should be in the right order when produced for his next race, ■ the Dunedin Guineas. Serious Injuries Mr J. M. Samson had a bracket of four horses in the opening event on Saturday, but one,' Hobgoblin, was not produced. Supreme Command, a smallish three-year-old colt by Lord Bobs from Lady Argosy, bred by the owner and trained by L. Cavalier, had a very decisive win, but the other pair, Golden Victory and Colonel Argosy, trained by J. A. Cox were never prominent. Mr Samson, who suffered a severe motor car accident on his way to the first day’s racing, is now an inmate of a private hospital in Dunedin. He suffered a fracture of both legs, and also fractured ribs, and is likely to be laid aside for a considerable period. The success of Hazsoult in the Beaufort Steeplechase was well received as he has raced consistently in recent weeks, and following a fourth placing in the Grand National Steeplechase ran third in the Lincoln Steeplechase. He did not give a faultless display over the early fences on Saturday, but completed his task solidly, and although inclined to run down the last fence, he had the race in hand early in the run home. Hazsoult derived his name from a combination of those of his' sire, Hazrat and dam Soultrina, and is owned and trained by Mr AV. G. Sweetman of Taupiri. The Riccarton-trained Bravura put up a good fight with Hazsoult and but for being checked by him at the last fence, may have made his task more difficult. Bravura won the race 12 months ago and was ridden by W. Barr, who was again in the saddle on Saturday. Western Front Disappoints

Western Front was never in the picture -in the Heathcote Handicap and failed to reproduce any of the brilliance he showed on the second day. There is no doubt about his ability when right, but he has been a difficult and expensive horse to follow. Kartikeya was another to make a disappointing showing. On his effort on the second day he was entitled to the strong support accorded him, but, he was a long way -back over the early and middle stages and did not actually appear until the race was almost over, when he finished on to be close up to the fifth horse. When Kartikeya won at Oamaru ip June, he was expected to carry on as a big winner, but in spite of having everything in his favour at both Trentham and Ricearton, he has repeatedly failed.

An interesting event on the programme of the Canterbury Jockey Club’s programme on Saturday was a parade of two-year-old fillies, who, like the colts and geldings on the previous Saturday, were paraded before the public, and then allowed to run down about two furlongs from the top of the straight to the winning post: The first division was won by Pastel, an iron grey by Pherosshah from Neutrality by Bulandshar from the Lirnond mare Pacify. She was passed in at 360 guineas at Trentham, and

later purchased by J. S. Shaw for Mr M. J. Moodabe of Auckland. Mr Moodabe’s colt Copperplate won the first division of his section the previous week. Te Reo Maori, by Pictavia from Linguist, dam of the speedy Reorapa, trained at Ricearton by R. Wilson, was second to Pastel, and her stable mate Fiddlesticks, by Lord Bobs from La Bru by Beau Pere from Mandane was third. Promising Youngster The second division was led to the post by Sharessa, another grey by Pherozshah from Sports Flash, trained by W. Barr for Mr R. L. McCormack, who paid 1100 guineas for her at Trentham. Her dam is by Siegfried from Hest by Hunting Song, and she was probably the best grown of the parade. Penchant and Strict, both trained by V. Lee, were together next. The former is by Beaulivre from Lady Desirable by Gynerium, and is owned by her breeder, Mr D. F. Dailey, Strict is by Sir Beau from Severity, by Posterity from Severe by Limond, and is owned by Mr and Mrs I. Menzies, who paid 140 guineas for her at Trentham. Betula, almost in line with the stable mates, is a black by Foxbridge from Pedile by Vermeer, and is trained by F. D. Jones for Mr D. McFarlane.