BLUE MIST FAVOURED IN METHVEN CUP RACE Unwieldy Fields For Tomorrow’s Meeting

Greymouth Evening Star, 29 September 1950, Page 1 (Supplement)

BLUE MIST FAVOURED IN METHVEN CUP RACE Unwieldy Fields For Tomorrow’s Meeting

Blue Mist will claim strong support in the Methven Cup, to be decided at the Methven Trotting Club’s meeting tomorrow. At the close of last season Blue Mist was one of the most highly-rated pacers in her class racing in Canterbury, and, after a useful showing for fifth at New Brighton last Saturday, she appears on the threshold of staging a return to her best form. A fine staying mare, Blue Mist will start from the same mark tomorrow as Awadale and Walnut Hall, both of whom must be respected on recent performances. One of the other feature events tomorrow is the S. G. Holmes .Memorial Handicap, which has attracted an unwieldy field of sprinters. Although several of the runners in this event have useful credentials, there is-no outstanding candidate, and one of the best supported may be Understudy. Of the 12-yard markers, the best prospect may be Sandy Ridge, who raced prominently at New Brighton last Saturday.

Blue Mist has shown marked improvement since being trained by C. H. Fairman at Halswell, for which she has now won two races. She proved her ability as a stayer in her fourth start for Fairman when she beat Victory Dale, Ben’s Son and others over two miles in 4.19 1-5 at Addington towards the close of last season. She had her first start for the new season at New Brighton last Saturday, running fifth. That race is likely to have improved her. A repetition of his form at New Brighton, when he was narrowly beaten by Mobile Globe, would give Awadale a second to none chance, but he has a lot- of failures sandwiched in with his successes. Walnut Hall, who lost all chance at the start last Saturday when well supported, has only to leave on terms with his field tomorrow to be in the firing line on the run home. Best of the other limit-markers may be Despatch. Sandy Logan, Lyceum and Ben's Son have all shown themselves to be more than useful pacers on their day. Essendon Favoured

Second leg of the double tomorrow is the Avonmore Handicap, which will be contested by a big field of improving pacers. Essendon, trained by N. Berkett, is a reliable type of pacer who should win more than his share of races this season. He is the probable favourite tomorrow. Monty Jason sometimes prejudices his chances by failing to leave the mark, but he is a four-year-old of undoubted ability. The roomy track should be in his favour. The highly-regarded Petro Star stands out among the 12yard markers, and further back in the handicaps is Imperial Globe, who was second to the brilliant Morano over a mile and a-quarter at New Brighton. The back-markers may have diffi-

culty in threading their way through the large field.

One of the most consistent trotters in her class, Lucky Ducrow will be expected to make a bold showing in the opening event tomorrow, the Drayton Trot Handicap, which will be run in divisions. Lucky Ducrow has been out of a placing only once in her last seven starts. In the other divisions the finish may be disputed by Quendon and Pablo. Krakatoa, Sure Catch and Global Voyage may be well supported in the other event for trotters, the Riverbank Handicap. The acceptors represent a mixed collection, few of them having shown winning form for some months. Form Prospects

The Star selects the following horses to race well:— Drayton Handicap.—First division: Lucky Ducrow, Pat Review. Second division: Quendon, Pablo. Westward Ho Handicap No. I.— Venetian, Prince Charming, Main Force.

Westward Ho Handicap No. 2. — Scott Junior, Western Queen, Colleague. Methven Cup.—Blue Mist, Walnut Hall, Awadale. Mount Harding Handicap.—Goldbox, Loylan, Major Gaillard. Avonmore Handicap.— Essendon, Monty Jason, Petro Star. Riverbank Trot Handicap.— Krakatoa, Sure Catch, Global Voyage.

S. G. Holmes’s Memorial Handicap.—Understudy, Sandy Ridge, Royal Victory.

King’s Command Mr A. Grant’s English horse King’s Command, who will probably have his next race at Trentham, was galloped between races at Orari on Monday. He has fined down since his last appearance in public.