SPORTING

Grey River Argus, 8 January 1944, Page 3

SPORTING

Well Clear: The Takanini trainer, F. Smith, is drawing away from the field bn the trainers’ 'championship, his aggregate being increased a further eight? points at the Auckland meeting. On the opening day he won with Lord Chancellor, Sweet, Biscuit, and My Bonnie; on New Year’s Day My Bonnie repeated her success, and Foxola took the A.R.C. Handicap; and on the -third day Royal Merit, Kentish, and Jeff were winners. In only one instance was the stable representative ridden by other than H. N. Wiggins. Hat-trick:

On the opening day at Tauherenikau, A. Midwood performed the hat-trick by riding three winners in succession. He carried his account another point (further on Monday when he took the principal race on Te Kawiti. The Trentham horseman J'. McFarlane was also well m the picture with three wins. In the South: The Solicitor General gelding Fair Trail ran a good race in the Invercargill Cup, and finished a close third after being one of the pace-makers. The Nigger Minstrel gelding Marquee shaped like a stayer when formerly in training. At Invercargill he was one of the early leaders in the Waihopai Handicap, but failed to stay on. Macedoine, the winner of the Invercargill Cup, was got by Salmagundi from Honest Maid, by Paladin from Honesty, who won the Invercargill Cup in 1915. Red Prize, who ran second to Aurora Australis at Invercargill, is a four-year-old gelding by Paper Money from Red Treasure, by Balboa from Red Pal. Red Treasure is a sister to Scarlet Lady, the dam of Amorlad.

Green Note, who won at Invercargill, was got by Paper Money from Green Dart, by Last Dart —Green Isle, by Spearmint from .a granddaughter of SI. Simon, whose strain is repeated in Paper Money and Maniopoto.

Bonnie Chela, who won at Wyndham and Invercargill, is .a chestnut filly by Salmagundi from Cetchela, by Cetignc, who won the Newmarket Handicap in 1918 and the A.J.C. Derby, and beat Wolaroi, Estland and Desert Gold in the Craven Plate in one of the greatest finishes ever seen in a weight-for-age race. 'Prominent:

The Awapuni trainer G. W. New led in three winner ß on the first day at Marton, S. Waddell being associated with Broiefield and Theiolyn, and A. G. Waddell with Don Quex. Both apprentices rode winners from outside of the stable. A. G. Waddell rode Lady Acora each day, and S. Waddell Cathage, winner of the Junction Plate on Tuesday. Both Lady Acora and Carthage are members of F. C. Hugh’s team at Marton. Great Record:

By winning the Wairarapa Cup on New Year’s Day Alethea made her record read four firsts and a second in five starts for the current term, and brought her ■ stake-winnings to £1387 10s, or £142 10s more than she won last season. Even though the opposition was not particularly formidable, she won really well at Tauherenikau. Incidentally, she showed no tendency to bore out on this occasion.

Carrying On: ' 1 Since winning the Park Stakes at Napier Park on November 6, Don Quex has been most consistent. The only occasion he was out of the money was in the Metropolitan Handicap at Riccarton. Bv winning both the Manawatu and Marton Cup contests during the holidays he brought his stake-winnings for the present season to £1905. Lost Friend;! z The reverse suffered by Tara King in the- Great Northern Derbv came as a shock to his supporters. He is a heavy-topped colt and the hard ground at Ellerslie found him out. However, his win in the Christmas Handicap on the opening day swelled his account a further £525. Made Good: '. 'i *

! When he won the Hack Cup at Te Awamutu last month Ringlight made light of the opposition, and. the Ring-master-Midinette horse proved capable of accounting for the open-class handicappers in the Malone Memorial at Stratford. Among those he beat was his half-brother, Battledress.

‘ Record-maker: When Varuna won the Auckland Hurdle s at Ellerslie the Vermeer gelding established a course record. As a two-year-old he went very close to equalling the New Zealand five furlongs record at Riccarton, running the distance in 58 2-ssec, but his form on the flat since those days has been rather indifferent.