SPORTING

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXII, 14 April 1939, Page 6

SPORTING

TROTTING AT ADDINGTON PLUTUS WINS FREE-FOR-ALL CONCLUSION OF METROPOLITAN MEETING (From Our Christchurch Correspondent) Except for a fairly strong wind the conditions were quite favourable for the conclusion of the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club’s meeting at Addington yesterday. For an off day the attendance was particularly good, despite the fact that most of the visitors had taken their departure. From start to finish the racing was full of interest and fast times were recorded in every event. Speculation was again keen, the turnover reaching £42.240, compared with £58,480 on the corresponding day last year. This brought the grand total for the meeting up to £148.189. THE SPREYDON HANDICAP Gerfalcon and Timworthy were responsible for outstanding efforts when they fought out a desperate finish in the Spreydon Handicap. Both trotted solidly throughout, and were only separated by a head at the finish. The Kaikoura-trained Listowel set a strong pace from the start and only gave way to Gerfalcon and Timworthq in the last 100 yards. He is improving with every race and must soon be returned a winner. THE LINWOOD HANDICAP After giving a display of temper at the barrier, as a result of which he broke his overcheck and cast a boot. Parauri gave a splendid showing under difficulties in winning the Linwood Handicap. On settling to business the Aucklander soon raced up to the leaders, and, taking charge three furlongs from home, beat the favourite, Loyal Pat, decisively. Loyal Pat was always handily placed, but could make no impression on Parauri, while of the others Token and Southern Chief gave the best showings. THE LIVERPOOL HANDICAP Lightning Lady showed the possession of unexpected stamina by leading a good field of two milers home in the Liverpool Handicap. It was only after battle royal with Nell Grattan ana Marlene that she got the verdict, the three mares passing the post almost in line. For the third time at the meeting Marlene showed her quality and her achievement of going the two miles in 4.22 2-5 was an outstanding one. After being slow to begin Sandusky had a bad passage and only showed speed over the last half mile. THE FREE-FOR-ALL As a test of speed the Free-For-All hardly fulfilled expectations. Parisienne, King’s Play, Willow Wave and Van Derby were all so slow in settling to business as to make their chances in a fastly run race remote. After Icevus and Nervie’s Last had done their best in front for nearly a mile, both retired in favour of Colonel Grattan and Plutus. The former looked a winner till within 50 yards of the post, but there Plutus raced past him to win by a length.

Only for the ground he lost at the start King’s Play must have taken a hand in the finish. He made up a lot of leeway and in doing so left himself without a finishing punch. For the first time at the meeting Van Derby ran a genuine race, only to be beaten on his merits. He lost considerable ground by failing to strike his floppies, and made up none of his leeway till half way through the last round. Then he showed a lot of speed, but could not continue his run to the finish.

Neither Lucky Jack nor Parisienne were ever in the picture while Icevus, Ironside and Nervie’s Last were outclassed.

It was a solidly run race all through the journey being covered in 2.39 2-5 which is slightly better than 2.8 to the mile, and that in face of a strong wind. THE PAPANUI HANDICAP Betting on the Papanui Handicap was well distributed as between Fine Art, Marsceres, Horse Power and Ferry Post. Horse Power looked to have favourable prospects when he took charge entering the last round where Fine Art, Our War, Ferry Post and Marsceres were in close attendance. His effort like that of Ferry Post was a short lived one. Patiently driven Fine Art settled Mai'sceres pretensions 50 yards from home and went bn for a comfortable win. This marked his seventh success this season and he will not be long in joining the most select company. THE CASHMERE HANDICAP Chief interest in the Cashmere Handicap was centred in the efforts of Peggotty and Wahnooka in their efforts to concede up to 75 yards to a useful field of trotters. Getting to work brilliantly Peggotlv soon got away from Wahnooka and raised the hopes of her backers as she gradually overhauled the leaders. Pilot Peter looked a winner till he went to a bad break 50 yards from the post. Then Golden Eagle came along with a great finishing run which enabled her to defeat Peggotty by a length and a half. Though beaten the. honours of the race were all with Peggotty whose performance stamps her as the greatest trotter at present racing in the DominTHE CRAVEN HANDICAP Windsor Lass was always handily placed in the Craven Handicap and drew away over the last bit to win by a head from Great Jewel with Worthy Need and Mankind handy. The erratic Van Derby made his fifth appearanc at the meeting in this event and it was even more sensational than any of its predecessors. Two furlongs from home he collided with Aircraft. F. J. Smith was thrown cut of the sulky and received such severe injuries as to necessitate his removal to hospital. Van Derby was one of the most expensive propositions for backers ever r luced at Addington. In his five starts he was entrusted with about £7OOO and only once paid a dividend and that a very small one. It is stated ,

iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiir that he will be shipped back to Aus-i tralia forthwith. THE FINAL HANDICAP After racing consistently all through the meeting Marsceres’ winning turn came in the Final Handicap for which Cavan Chief was sent out a much better favourite. Cavan Chief showed such a torrent of speed in the early stages as to make his defeat seem improbable. Patiently handled by G. McKendry, Marsceres outstayed him over the final furlong to win by nearly a length in the smart time of 2.9 4-5.