KING’S PLAY AGAIN

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXII, 13 April 1939, Page 8

KING’S PLAY AGAIN

TROTTING AT ADDINGTON ENTERTAINING SrORT AT METROPOLITAN MEETING ROYAL ROMANCE GIVES GOOD PERFORMANCE 1 Special to “The Mail ’] CHRISTCHURCH. This Day. Perfect track conditions prevailed for :he second day of the New Zealand Vletropolitan Trotting Club’s meeting, while the weather was all that could oe desired. Every race was run at a ’ast clip, and the sport was of a most ?ntertaining nature. Despite the iiminished attendance speculation was brisk, the sum of £40,468 being bandied by the totalisator staff compared with £57,425 on the second day last year when the inter-Dominion championships were hclJ. TIIE HARVEST T ANDICAP After being driven a patient race by M. Holmes, Mohican got a lucky run on the rails, which enabled him to cut down the leaders at the finish of the Harvest Handicap. The Kaikoura trained Listowel improved considerably on his first day’s display in defeating all but the winner. Each of the place-fillers in this event claim Wrack as their sire. Timworthy went a great race in making up his 84 yards leeway. It was only in the last furlong that his effort found him wanting. THE TRIAL HANDICAP Great Divide was first out and first home in the Trial Handicap, and by travelling the two miles in 4.24 4-5 from a 4.40 mark put up an outstanding performance. Quest went one of his usual solid efforts in defeating all but the winner, while the Southland representative. Salalon, was always in the picture. After losing a lot of ground through failing to strike a gait the Auckland trained Parauri went a surprising race. Half a mile from home he looked to be in an impossible position, but on getting clear was racing over everything in the home straight. THE HALSWELL HANDICAP Colonel Grattan gave a further taste of his quality by scoring a comfortable win in the Halswell Handicap, his third within a fortnight. Racing to the front before a mile had been covered he was not afterwards troubled. Horse Power, Marsieres and Donald Dhu, who followed the winner home, all went solid, races and by getting second place the first named showed that he is almost back to his best form. If he continues his recent improvement Colonel Grattan can hardly fail to qualify for New Zealand Trotting Cup honours. He is trained in modest quarters by V. Leeming at Prebbleton and loses nothing in his handling by E. C. McDermott. PRESIDENT’S HANDICAP Despite losing several lengths by a mistake at the start King's Play added to his long list of successes by scoring convincingly in the President's Handicap. Rushing to the front half a mile from home the favourite gave nothing else a chance. King’s Play is owned by the Auckland sportsman, Mr W. Johnston, for whom he is trained by M. C. Teague at Mcthven. In all he has won 18 races and been second 11 times and third 8 times. Plutus again had to be content with second money and his winning turn should not be far off. A pleasing feature of the contest was the improved form shown by Graham Direct. On this occasion he started correctly and paced solidly all through. Neither Parisienne nor Lucky Jack raced up to expectations, while Ironside could not go the pace over the last two furlongs. THE HIGH CLASS HANDICAP A splendid field of 12 trotters went out to contest the High Class Handicap, and they provided one of the most thrilling races of the meeting. After Franz Derby and Mute had made play for a mile Lament and Royal Romance raced past them. A furlong from home Lament was beaten and the fast finishing Peter Pilot just failed to overhaul Royal Romance by half a length. Chief interest in the race was centred in the efforts of those three fine trotters Peggotty, Sea Queen and Wahnooka. Of the trio Peggotty did best by finishing just behind the placed horses after making her task the harder by a break. Sea Queen showed great brilliancy for a mile at which stage she had headed Peggotty and Wahnooka. Then she drifted back well beaten. Mahnooka also showed brilliancy but the pace was too solid for him. Royal Romance from the limit covered the mile and a half in the remarkable time of 3.19 4-5 which meant that Peggotty would have had to go 3.15 4-5 to catch her and Sea Queen two seconds faster than that. C. S. Donald’s Belfast stable supplied the winner of the April Handicap in Ferry Post whose stamina stood to him oevr the concluding stages. Had the limit division, which included such speedy pacers as Fremont, Nell Grattan, and Lightning Lady made more use of their handicaps the result may have been different. Altogether it was a muddling race for Fine Art, who on Saturday finished third in 4.20 1-5, on this occasion took second honours in the slow time of 4.29. The Auckland-owned Sandusky quite failed to reproduce his first day’s form and was trailing the field for most of the journey. DURHAM HANDICAP Despite his two failures earlier at the meeting Van Derby was again entrusted with the public’s confidence for the Durham Handicap. Again the visitor gave a sorry exhibition. He broke badly at the start and again when in a winning position nearing home. Marlene improved on her first day's showing by having the result in safe i keeping a long way from home. Hei j effort of covering the mile and a half | in 3.15 stamps her as one of the most j promising mares at present in com- | mission. As on the first day she was

neglected in the betting, backers preferring the chances of Van Derby, Token, Bill B and Great Jewel. THE FLYING HANDICAP The only disappointing race of the afternoon was the concluding event, the Flying Handicap, which was little better than a fiasco. After going two furlongs Icevus fell and brought down his stablemate Evicus. The mishap interfered with the chances of Rocks Ahead who had to be almost pulled up. In the meantime Big Author had drawn well clear and he had no difficulty in defeating his stable mate Willow Wavp by tw’o lengths.