SPORTING

Grey River Argus, 14 March 1940, Page 3

SPORTING

WELLINGTON RACES Meeting Opens To-day OLD BILL AND FOOTLOOSE IN FORM. The Wellington Racing Club’s autumn meeting will open at Trantham to-day, with win and place betting in operation. The chief event, the Thompson Handicap has met with a big response, 19 horses making up a fine field. Old Bill’s recent performances entitle him to pride of place in selections, whilst Stern Chase and Laughing Lass are likely to - fill the minor placings. The second leg of the. double the Railway Handicap includes seven accepted horses, who are also included in the Thompson Handicap. Footloose, who has had two recent wins in Taranaki, should be firmly placed as favourite, with Sir Crusoe and Globe Trotter likely to be also strongly supported. Fields, prospects and starting times are as follows: — 12.12. RTMU HIGHWEIGHT, 1 mile 3 furlongs. —Student Prince Hunting Moments 10.9, Good Sun 9.12, Gaelic Song 9.9, Thrasos 9.6, Ruling Star 9.6, Filbert 9.3, Good Health, High Peer, Lady Stella, War Cloud 9.0. Hunting Moments Good Sun Filbert 12.52. TRIAL PLATE, 7 furlongs.—Areas, Augment, Authoress, Batsham, Charles Edward, Dainty Dell, Dark Water, Debretts, Golden Wattle, Happy Landing, Jungle King, Master Solway, Moradabad, Pink Lad, Raidora, Rose Mimetic, St. Grace, Stylist, Tavoy, Valiant Lady, Windsor Glow 8.5.

Authoress Areas Tavoy 1.35. ST. LEGER, 11 miles.—Beau Vite, Dynasty, Duncannon 8.10, Scold 8.5. Beau Vite 2.17. PACIFIC HANDICAP (two-year-olds), 6 furlongs. —Air Flight 8.12, Absolve 8.11, Ringling 8.10, Kentucky, Cetewayo 8.8, Night Meam, Ringcraft 8.5, Black Robe, Brahman, Stencil, Lambourn 8.3, Retrogression 7.10. Cherry Bay 7.8, Kadina 7.5, Dyne, Locrian, Oragon, Pleading 7.0. Cetewayo Absolve Stencil 2.58. THOMPSON HANDICAP, £lOOO, 1 mile.—Amigo 9.0, Haughty Winner 8.13, Old Bill 8.12, Beaupartir 8.11, Arvakur 8.7, Kathbella 8.4, Ned Cuttie 8.2, Jack Tar 8.1, Sternchase 7.13, Laughing Lass 7.11, Globe Trotter 7.10, Homily, Night Eruption, Orelio 7.8, Baran 7.6 White Rajah 7.4, Wild Talk 7.2, Raeburn, Windsor Chief 7.0. Old Bill Sternchase Laughing Lass 3.40. TINAKORI HANDICAP, 7 furlongs. —Ruatiti 9.0, Autolite, Rehearsal 8.11, Great Swoop, King Gustavo, Great Night. 8.7, Millament 8.6, Sky Limit 8.4 Te Oro 8.1, Minority 8.0, Gay Fox 7.9, ‘ Acrobat 7.8, City Song 7.7. Te Ore Ruatiti Rehearsal 4.21. RAILWAY HANDICAP, £6OO, 6 furlongs.—Amigo 9.5, Arvakur 9.0, Footloose 8.10, Russian Ballet 8.4, Rakahanga 8.1, Disdain 8.0, Globe Trotter 7.13, Orelio, Quadroon 7.11, Flammarion 7.10, Brunhild 7.9, Sir Crusoe 7.8, Lexden 7.7, Density 7.5, Alunga 7.3, Lord Cavendish, Sporting Gift 7.0. Footloose Sir Crusoe Globe Trotter 5.2. SILVERSTREAM HANDICAP, 1 mile.—Trench Law 9.10, Hunting Moments 9.3, Pearl of Asia 8.12, Siglow 8.10, Arabic Chief Lord, Scold, Serenata 8.4, Sky Limit 8.1, Te Ore 7.11, Waka 7.9, Colibri, Titter 7.8, Gay Artist, Goldburn, Piastre 7.7. Trench Law Scold Arabic WELLINGTON TRIALS. WELLINGTON, March 12. There was comparatively little fast work at Trentham this morning, the going being a trifle on the dead side. Most of the fast trials were done on the outside of the course proper. Absolve and Siglow sprinted down from the half-mile both hitting out well. , Globe Trotter, on the bit, was a neck in front of Dainty Sue at the end of seven furlongs in 1.34 i the last half-mile in 52sec. There is a possibility that Globe Trotter will start in the Railway Handicap- on Thursday. Orelio was three lengths clear of Arvakur at the conclusion of seven furlongs in 1.315, the last half-mile taking 531 sec. A final decision has not been arrived at with regard to which races they will contest, but Orelio may start in the Thompson Handicap. Laughing Lass sprinted six furlongs in 1.19, the last half-mile taking 51sec. Authoress and Pearl of Asia registered similar time over the same ground.

Jack Tar was going away from Plenteous and Jungle King at the end of five furlongs in 1.6 the last halfmile in 515 sec. Over the same journey Wakarara recorded 1.7 in easily accounting for Equity. Haughty Winner was three lengths dear of Lady Furst over seven furlongs in 1.35, the last half-mile in 55sec. Haughty Winner looks particularly well. Kentucky and Loyal Queen were together at the end of half a mile in 52sec. Kentucky impressed most. Among the others doing pace work were Areas, Rakahanga, Baran, Serenata, Footloose, Filbert, Black Majesty, Dainty Dell Flammarion, Cetewayo, and Chary.' Ringling did not make the trio, and Lord Cavendishi is an unlikely starter.

Racing Notes

The Thompson: The big attraction of the Trentham programme is the Thompson Handicap, and included therein are the majority of the class milers of the Dominion, although the evenness of the calibre is rather reflected in the fact that Amigo is top weight with 9.0. Greater poundages have been carried to victory on nine occasions, but strangely enough no horse has as yet won with exactly 9.0. In the upper half of the handicaps are such good ones as Amigo, Haughty Winner, Old Bill, Arvakur, Kathbella, Jack Tar, etc., but. there are several very likely sorts in the under 8.0 division, and of these Sternchase, Laughing Lass, Globe Trotter, Orelio, White Rajah, and Wild Talk make a dangerous sextet. Backers will be set no easy task in the making of their final selections, but track conditions on the day may play an important part in the summing up.

Railway Prospects: Originally, nine horses claimed dual engagements in both the Thompson and Railway, and acceptance night failed to clarify the position to any material extent, the connections of only two —Sternchase and Raeburn —openly declaring a preference for the mile Backers will be thus faced with something in the nature of an added conundrum meantime. Amigo, once again, holds pride of place in the Railway with 9.5, with Arvakur 51b below him, whereas in the mile the northerner is in receipt of 71b. Those with recent winning form to recommend them are Footloose, Rakahanga, and Orelio, but the claims of Russian Ballet, Disdain, Flammarion, Brunhild, and . Sir Crusoe must also enter into considerations.

Jac k T ar: Jack Tar seems in better form than previously, and since winning the Franklin Cup, has shown evidence of improvement in his work.

Very Well: In spite of his failure at Te Aroha Arvakur is very well and has already proved his ability at Trentham. by winning the Metropolitan Handicap there in January. Orelio seems to be maintaining his form well and-, although the class he defeated on the second day of the Te Aroha Jockey Club’s meeting was not up to the best standard he should perform well on the trip to Trentham.

Nightbeam: The Ellerslie two-year-old Nightbeam has left for Trentham.. A commanding colt by Night Raid from Lady Burleigh, Nightbeam has been working brilliantly during the past couple of weeks and appears to be right back to the good form he displayed when he won at Avondale and Ellerslie in the spring.

Trotting Notes

Consistent: Kete Kura is racing most consistently in the north, but he falls just short of good class, as is instances by his four thirds in five starts this term. Tough! Nelson Eddy’s form is hard to follow at times, but he is still recognised as one of the greatest four-year-olds ever bred in the Dominion. Reliable: Lightning Lady is one of the best mares in commission, and no matter what distance she is asked to traverse she can be relied upon to give of her best. In Luck: When Erin’s Country returned a big dividend at Winton most of the collecting was done by his ownertrainer, J. T. Looney. The horse had worked particularly well before the meeting. Cost £9: Although he is not likely to develop into ■ a champion, Gunman has more than repaid the £9 expended on his purchase by the Nelson trainer L. F. Berkett. By Quite Sure: A two-year-old gelding by Quite Sure from Hope Dillon, the dam of Pot Luck, has been purchased by a patron of V. Leeming’s stable. Easiest Win: One of the easiest wins credited to any maiden pacer was that scored by Bondsman at Winton, and his next appearance is awaited with interest.

Racing Fixtures: March 14, 16.—Wellington R.C. March 16, 18—Westport. J.C. March 16, 18.—Ohinemuri J.C. March 23—Tuepeka County J.C. March 23, 25.—Auckland R.C. March 23 25— Wairarapa R.C. March 23, 25.—Feilding J.C. March 23, 25, 26.—Riverton R.C. March 25. —Kumara R.C. March 25.—Beaumont R.C. March 25.—Waipukurau J.C. March 25, 26.—Canterbury J’.C. March 30, April I—Greymouth J.C. March 30, April I.—Avondale J.C. T rotting. March 16.—Taranaki T.C. March 16. —Cheviot T.C. March 16. —Wyndham T.C. March 23, 25.—Hawera T.C. March 23, 27, 28. —N.Z. Metropolitan T.C.