SPORTING

Grey River Argus, 19 May 1944, Page 3

SPORTING

Racing Notes Unfortunate Loss: During the running of the Otaki Hack Handicap Latin Bay, who was favourite, cracked a shoulder-blade. His rider endeavoured to pull him I up, but was unable to do so before I the Phaleron Bay gelding crashed. At the time of the accident, which | occurred about two furlongs from home, Latin Bay was going very i smoothly in behind the leaders. A Defection: During the early portion of last week, Langue d’Or was not nimyeu, and after giving an indifferent display at Awapuni on Thursday morning his trainer, G. W. New, decided not to go through with the engagement, and the Lang Bian gelding was scratched at 12.10 p.m. that day. It was to have been his first outing in the open ranks, and many had expected him to mark the occasion auspiciously. Likes the Grass: When Parrish Lad was raced in the North it was always contended that he preferred a grass footing to clav. He should have conditions to suit at Timaru to-morrow. At his last start he paced a great race to be third to Integrity and Coquette in the J. H. Williams Memorial at Addington. Should the going be heavy the son of Great Parrish is entitled to be favourite with the public. Cominq On: Recent racing has improved Kinsman who was never sighted in the early stages of the Makaraka Handicap at Te Aroha. He came home well to be seventh at the judge. The race would work further improvement in his condition, and he may be ready to show form at any time now. Confidently Supported: Tintern again carried the support of his party at Otaki, but he was never near enough to the leaders at any stave to suggest that he would take a hand in the finish. However, he did not have much luck in the .running, and it would not be surprising if he made amends at Woodville, where he is to contest the Maiden Plate. Seasoned: The racing he has had on the fiat should find Malacca a seasoned horse when he is saddled up to contest a race over fences. His form on the flat was excellent for one in his class. He was placed on several occasions among the hacks ana he may be hard to hold off if paraded in the Hack Steeples at Woodville. Promising NoVice: The novice, Flying Gold was saddled up twice at the Poverty Bay meeting, and on both occasions weighed in. In the Second Trial Hack she was always one of the leaders, to finish a close fourth. Produced again in the . Roseland Hack, with only one race in between, Flying Gold' was the first to begin, and after losing ground half-way through joined issue with Harris Tweed and Boystown at the distance. It was not surprising that she failed in the last fifty yards to be beaten in a neck and neck finish. On this form Flying Gold should soon win a race when suitably placed. From Good Families: Both winner and runner-up in the maiden event at New Plymouth come from good families. Our Pat, is .a three-yea'r-O'ld gelding by Posterity from Variable, so he is a halfbrother to the dam of Colais and credits the Eulogy family with another winning descendant. Zahra who forced Our Pat to a close decision. is a four-year-old half-brother Io Wotan. Gaine Carrington and Peter Jackson. This was the first time he has shown any form in public. Good Trotter: The two excellent performances of Blue Horizon when opposed to the oacers at Invercargill suggests that s e' is a trotter above the average. Durnig the last six months he has contested nine races for four firsts, two seconds and on» third. At the Southland Racing Club’s meeting he beat a field of improving pacers by two lengths in 3.27 3-5 for a mile and a half on a slow grass track. A week later he dead-heated with Convincer at Invercargill over a mile and five furlongs, and he and Convincer were five lengths clear of the field at the post. .Blue Horizon ranks as a four-year-old, and is by Quite Sure from Blue Mountain Queen. Rode Hurdle Double: . W. O. Ensor rode the Winners or both hurdle races at Poverty Bay. Spring Day won without much effort, but the win of Gold Cape was the more easily achieved. Gold Cape was in front a long way from home, and jumping well, won pulling up by half'a dozen lengths from Wildore. Winning.. Tray was the early leader, three lengths clear of Besiege with Surpeen, Gold Cape, Varuna and Hessketoon heading the rest. With four furlongs to run, Gold Cape took over and won unchallenged. Varuna was running on in third place, and he was followed by Winning Tray, Borak Besiege. Hessketoon and then the favourite Surpeen. Outside the Placed horses Borak made the bes showing, as he had a lot of ground to make up over the concluding two furlongs. Good Effort: , Although Salmi held Colonel Vaals off rather easily, the latter was responsible for a good effort. Colonel Vaals has been racing very consistly and in his present form should not be long in gaining a further winning bracket.