FORM AT AVONDALE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22400, 22 April 1936, Page 11

FORM AT AVONDALE

SERGIA'S EASY VICTORY •TWO SECONDS FOR MAINLAND SUCCESS OF GOLDEN BLONDE BY ARCHER Tin-; autumn racing season in Auckland was concluded with the Avondale Jockey Club's meeting on Saturday and Monday, and attention will now .be turned to the winter meetings to be held next/ month at To Awnmutu and Te Ha pa. These should serve as very interesting preliminaries to the Great . Northern carnival, which is to take place at Ellcrslie on May 30, June 3 and (3, and the near approach of this important; fixture is heralded by the fact that nominations for the principal events close at 5 p.m. on Friday. The Avondale meeting proved one of th> most successful the club has had for some time, in spite of the fact that the conditions toward the end of the second day, when there was a storm before and during the sixth race, were unfavourable. The substantial increase in the totalisator turnover was very gratifying, and the financial result should be highly satisfactory. The committee of the club has had a number of difficulties to solve, but it is anxious ' to cater as well as possible for owners and the sporting public and an increase in revenue at this stage will be very helpful. -/ " High Tea Scores Although the form of most of the horses who competed was well exposed, patrons of the meeting found the selection of, winners very difficult. Only two favourites were successful in the 16 events, and there were some fine dividends. The ..best, pr ice was returned by High Tea, who showed a pleasing return to winning form. It was only as far back as December that High Tea was operated upon for wind trouble by Dr. W. C. Ring. and, in view of the fact that he is trained in tho country, few were aware of his progress. High operation has evidently been a groat s,uccess, and he Bhould not be long in vanning again. One of the easiest wins of the meeting was that of the three-year-old. filly Sergia, who scored her first success in the Dominion Handicap. She thoroughly deserved her victory, after registering a number of minor placings and showing steady improvement during the past few months. Sergia belongs to a family that has jJroduced some good winners, being by Lord Quex from Sunny Hours, by Leigliton from Los Vegas, by Bomform, and she should win more races in the hack class now that she has made a start.The. novice Mainland was responsible for two creditable performances, and a win for her would not be out of turn, as she has now run three successive Beconds. On the tracks she has shown plenty of promise, and, with the benefit of her recent racing, she may not have to wait long before winning. Tho relative to / l'egaway appears to bp fairly solid and, as most of the progeny of Lucullus possess ability to act well in soft going, she should be a good prospect for the winter meetings. A Sound Performance

Although' beaten into third place in * the Foley Memorial Handicap, the three-year-old Flood Tide was responsible for a sound performance, as he ■was meeting the winner, Sinking Fund, 171b. worse than weigbt-for-age terms, and conceding 141b. to one of his own age, Galilee, who was second. The manMr in which Flood Tide responded to pressure at the finish gave further evidence of his high courage and also deepened the'impression that he is a good stayer. He has had some hard races this season, but he has come through well and should be a good prospect for long distance handicaps as a four-year-old. He is the best yet sired by Tidal and has apparently inherited a good deal of stamina from his sire. The idea that Golden Blonde's misbe-

haviour at the post when she raced at Ellerslie was due to her becoming frightened was confirmed by her good display in the Oakley Handicap, in which she »' gave no" trouble and scored nicely under 9.1. It was a solid performance and she has developed into a very smart filly who might have made a forward showing in the Great Northern Champagne Stakes if she had not; been hopelessly left. She made a good deal of improvement during the autumn, and there appears to bo every prospect of her turning out a speedy sprinter next season. Luck Against Inver

Birthday Party, who accounted for the Nursery Handicap on Monday, is a good type of filly, who left the impression that she mignt be well served with a bit of age. Birthday Tarty belongs to a successful family and is by Gainscourt from Marion's Birthday, by Psychology—D'Oro, by All Black — Aurarius, by Malster, so that breeding is not against her being abjo to run middle distances successfully when she becomes matured. Luck has been against Inver since he won on the first day of the autumn meeting at Ellerslie, arid the misfortune he had on the second day was repeated when he was produced again in the Nursery Handicap on Monday, when he failed to get away well, and was further hampered by his rider being hit with a piec< of fii'ing earth. The best has not been seen of Inver, and he is a colt who should do well next season, _ as he impresses as ore likely to stay fairly well. Colt By Gay Shield Although he has failed to display any form so far. the two-year-old Gay Flier has shown sufficient speed to indicate that lie is a colt with distinct possibilities. By Gay Shield from the Nassau niare Kitty Barlowe, (Jay Flier is bred to gallop hist, and it ■w ill be interesting to see how ho' progresses from two to three. He is one of the last of his sire's progeny, and later on lie should well repay Mr. C. Matthews for tho patience that has been exercised with him. Gay Flier was expected to run well on Monday, but had his chance seriously affected at the start and failed. The speedy sprinter llereatu is earning a reputation as " second-day " horse, and when he won the Mount Eden Handicap on Monday it was the fourth time 4 'this year that he lias won on tho second day af:er being beaten on the first, having dona likewise at the Takapuna, Te Aroha and Ellerslie meetings. Rereatu has reached a high standard of form at present, and hid latest victory with 9.11 under very tr3 Ting conditions was a meritorious effort. RACING FIXTURES April 29. 30—Dannevirko Racing Club (at Woodville). May 2, 4—Nelson Jockey Club. May 7, 9 —Eguiont Racing Club. May 8, 9—Marlborough Racing Club. May 9—Amberley Racing Club. Alay If—Southland Racing Club. , May 16—Ashburton Counly Racing Club. May 10—Marton Jockey Club. May 16—Waipa Racing Club. Way 23—South Canterbury Jockey Club. May 23—Carterton Racing Club. May 23, 25—Waikato Raising Ciub. May 30—Foxton Racing Club. May 30. June 3. 6—Auckland Racing Club. June 4, 6—Otaki Maori Racing Club. June 6—Ashburton County Racing Club.