SPORTING Love Letter Should Win First "Leg" At Omoto

Greymouth Evening Star, 29 December 1949, Page 7

SPORTING Love Letter Should Win First "Leg" At Omoto

Although the main event, the GTeymouth Cup, has drawn a small field of only five acceptors, the Greymouth Jockey’s Club’s meeting on Saturday—it will be the first day of the meeting—has drawn fairly strong fields, and a good number of the acceptors have, the right form backing to ensure spirited racing. The’club lias chosen the County Hack Handicap and the Paroa Hack Handicap as the two races on which the doubles totalisator will operate. In the first “leg”' especially some-of the runners have raced prominently this season.

Topweight in the County Hack Handicap is Flibbertigibbet, who at times has shown form that overshadows that of any of the other runners in Saturday’s afield. At Reeftdn this month she was sent out first choice in a hack race, but proved a dismal failure, racing in the rear all the way. While Flibbertigibbet is a much more capable mare than that form would suggest, it is probable that the public may prefer to stake their chances in the first “leg” on a horse which has shown better recent form. Possible favourite on the day will be Love Letter, related to a fine sprinter of a few years back in Lord Advocate, who has been quite a useful winner on West Coast courses. Love Letter returned to the winninglist at Reefton this month, scoring in the highweight events comfortably from Cinerous and Essential. She appears to be staying on better than formerly and the mile distance should play into her hands on Saturday. Coxswain’s Chance Coxswain and Lady Montrose are always prospects, with the former possibly holding the stronger credentials. An aged Straightcourse gelding, Coxswain led a strong hack field into the straight at Riccarton earlier this month. His last placed form was in October at the North Canterbury meeting, when he was third behind Open Sky and Valid, with Beau S'oir in fourth place. That form reads well in Saturday’s field. Nalla’s Pride looks much better placed in the second “leg,” while the form of Cornish Note, To-Hoo and Rockway does not inspire confidence. Essential and Speed Cop have recent moderate placed form. Love Letter, Flibbertigibbet and Coxswain seem likely to fight out the finish. Symbolic Improving Symbolic is an improving young novice galloper. At his last start the Cimbrone gelding was third to Nalla’s Pride and County Tyrone at the Reefton meeting. He would not have to show much improvement to be a prospect in the Novice Stakes at the Omoto meeting on Saturday. Class Galloper The Airway horse Marut has had four firsts so far this season. A class galloper, he should have no trouble in adding to his good record -at the New Year meetings. Tranbycroft Tranbycroft, who has been oil the scene for sometime, had a useful record as a four-year-old in the 194748 season. That season he won the Paroa Handicap at the Greymouth holiday meeting and on Saturday he will again contest this event. At his best the Leighon gelding would be. a strong prospect on Saturday. i Smart Sprinter , Advent has been a good winner on West Coast courses and this smart Paper Slipper galloper will have a chance to improve his record in the Miners’ Handicap at Omoto on Sat-

urday. He was a very easy winner at the Westland meeting this month.

Swanee’s Earnings As a result of her convincing win in the ■ Auckland Cup at Ellerslie, Swanee brought her earnings to £15,880. A six-year-old, she was unsuccessful as a juvenile, but she earned £950 the following season. As a four-year-old she won £2280 and last season she gained £4300. Preceding the Auckland Cup she had had five outings this term for a second and a first, her two latest outings. She is by Foxbridge out of Pelagia and is owned by Mr D. Blackie, and is. trained by W. Pratt. Swanee is a sister to a fine stayer in Foxhaven.

Leading Two-year-old Mainbrace proved his superiority over other horses of his age when he won the Great Northern Stakes at Ellerslie after being hopelessly placed with half the journey covered. Mainbrace was- opposed by th& champion juveniles from the Wellington district and also the South Island. Mainbrace has had four starts for a third and three successive wins, and his earnings total £ 2950. •He is a chestnut colt by Admiral’s Luck out of Maneroo, owned by Dr T. Fraser, and is trained at Te Awamutu by J. L. McDonald.

J. C. McClure’s Team The latest addition to J. C. McClure’s team at Greymouth is Sun Chariot, who was taken over by McClure last week. An aged gelding by that good performer Red Shadow, Sun Chariot was previously in S. T. Webster’s stable at Tinwald. Sun Chariot gave indications of improvement by -running third in the Christmas Handicap Trot at. the Westland meeting, Wee Alex and Maori Queen finishing ahead of him.