Sunda Unlucky Runner In Herorata Race

Greymouth Evening Star, 11 December 1950, Page 7

Sunda Unlucky Runner In Herorata Race

[SPECIAL. TO STAR]

CHRISTCHURCH, This Day.—The decision of the stewards of the Horarata Racing Club-to cancel the remainder of its meeting on Saturday was the only one that could have been arrived at because of the dangerous stage of the track following a heavy downpour which developed from a drizzle just before the.horses went out lor the opening race. The accidentHn this race could have been serious. Of the six jockeys who fell or were brought down, D. F. Coombe and C. McDonald suffered the worst injuries, but they were soon about again. The others were C. C. Stokes, W. D. Skelton, L. H. JBarr and A. C. Peake.

What would have happened had Kandahar, the leader, not fallen in the Novice Stakes and brought down Royal Saleve and Cardross (the favourites), Laloma Rua, Pedas and Pergamena, may be open to argument. Certainly Royal Saleve was going very strongly at the time and had just run up behind the leader Kandahar and Judicial as the straight was approached. In any case, of the few that came out of the scuffle, which was ultimately responsible for the meeting finishing after one race, Dan Kelly provided a close finish with Sunda, who had to race very wide to escape falling horses. Dan Kelly gained the decision by a very narrow margin but the brother to Ned Kelly was definitely lucky, as he appeared to miss more trouble than did the majority of the field when the-lall occurred. Improving Galloper

Judicial had his first race for the season in the Novice Stakes, and his forward showing attracted attention to his prospects in the Trial Stakes at Hokitika this week. Judicial, a half-brother, by Airway, to Demonic, and Night Charm, was formerly trained by J. S. Shaw for Mr A. Lcuisson, but he is now raced by Mr W. Parsons for whom he is trained by F. Trillord, Washdyke. Royal Hoax had her first sprint for some weeks when she was timed over half a mile in 48 3-5 last Thursday morning. This showed her to be in excellent order to be wound up for Christmas racing. She will reappear at the South Canterbury meeting next week and will then be raced at Greymouth. Penchant, a Beaulivre filly trained by V. A. Lee, is also progressing nicely with the Greymouth meeting in view. A. B. Stove will have Gleneagles, Mother’s Birthday, and Royal Heather at Hokitika on Saturday and with the recent Greymouth placings of the first-named still in mind he should have good prospects at the Westland meeting. Included in J. S. Shaw’s team for Hokitika are Peridot, Winslow Boy and Copperplate. Peridot is due to return to form at any time while Winslow Boy, who has had a fairly strenuous season so far, should race well in the class of hack he has to meet on Saturday. Copperplate has not yet raced up to his good breeding. He is a three-year-old gelding by Gold Nib from Luscious, but he is a slow developing type and is only now beginning to build up well. He looks as if he will show improvement at an early date. Northern Campaign F. A. Roberts is to depart from Riccarton on December 19 with Revelry, Kettledrum, Jock Scott and Decameron. This team is to carry-out engagements at Awapuni and Tauherenikau at Christmas and New Year respectively, and there is every reason to expect it to do well.

First of the holiday campaigners to leave RiccaYton will be My Hero, Airwork and Blue Teal, members of C. G. Humphries team, which will race at Levin on Saturday. My Hero will go to Auckland in company with Pukka Sahib, and Airwork and Blue Teal will be joined by several other members of the team to race at Awapuni and Tauherenikau with perhaps a trip to Hawke’s Bay in prospect at New Year for some of them.