NOTES ON FORM

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23320, 13 April 1939, Page 9

NOTES ON FORM

ASSET - OF BRILLIANCY COLONEL GRATTAN'S QUALITY PROMINENT DRIVER REGRADED [by telegraph —OWN* correspondent] CHRISTCHURCH. Wednesday Great Divide and Quest, who had filled the minor places behind Great Jewel on the opening day, were again prominent in the Trial Handicap, finishing respectively first and second. Great Divide at once established an advantage over Golden Moness, bala--1 lon, Quest, Twenty Grand, Aldershot and Jovial, and the order was little ' changed. Aqua Bond then .put in a good run to join the leader. At tho straight entrance Great Divide, Golden Moness, Quest and Morewa were the leaders. Great Divide was not troubled to win decisively from Quest, who struggled home ahead of the fastfinishing Salalon. Next were Golden Moness, Paranri, Jovial and Morewa. Great Divide paced evenly and appeared to have plenty in hand. \\ hile he covered some extra ground, Quest had a very good run. Paranri lost ground early, but his finishing run was instructive. Colonel Grattan paced brilliantly to win the Halswell Handicap, for while lie was conceding 24 yards to tho limit horses, whom he had to go round, he took the lead at tho end of a mile and afterward was never off the bit. Winner Much too Good Our War went to tho front, with Southern Smile, Horse Power, Marsceres and Donald Dhu handy. Colonel Grattan gradually made up his leeway and E. C. McDermott gained his objective a mile from home. He slipped past Our War and Horse -Power trailed the leader. Half a mile from home Horse Power was doing his best, while Donald Dhu was also being hurried along. Colonel Grattan, under a strong hold, faitly outclassed them. Horse Power hung: oil to beat Marseeres, then came Donald Dhu, Isabel Derby and Southern Smile. ' King's Play- repeated his brilliant effort of- the first day, when ho won the President's Handicap, showing phenomenal speed. From an unsteady beginning, King's Play went off at a tangle and Parisienne was.slow. This left Plutus out in front to make the running from Graham Direct, Ironside, Lucky Jack, King's Play, Willow Wave and Parisienne. The order was practically* unchanged for a mile and a-quarter. Then there was a rush for positions. King's Play, with a brilliant burst, raced up to Plutus and at the halfmile post he hud a definite advantago. Parisienne, who had made a fast move, was fourth at that stage. King's Play carried on at a clipping pace round to the turn and.in the straight he was not seriously troubled, while Plutus, coming with renewed dash, got up to beat Graham Direct by a narrow margin. Parisienne was a moderate fourth, and was followed by Willow Wave and Lucky Jack. • , , ; Last .Mile in 2m 5 2-5s The winner outclassed the field. »nd - after the. first mile had- been- covered 1 in 2m 15s, hoi recorded 4m 20 2-os. Plutus again finished at a rare pace. Parisienne was beaten after her first effort. Graham Direct went a good race. The disappointments were Lucky Jack and Willow Wave, neither of tt'hom put much dash into his work. The High Class Handicap provided a fine race and a splendid exhibition of trotting. I? oval Romance, driven patiently behind the pacemakers, had too much speed for Pilot Peter and Lament in the concluding stages. Franz Derby and Pi oval Romance were quickest to begin and at the end of the first quarter, Mute and Franz Derby were showing the way to Royal Romance, Lament, Pilot Peter, and Captain Bolt. Three furlongs from home, Franz Derby was leading but at the. straight entrance Lament was in charge from Franz Derby, Royal Romance and iPilot Peter. A furlong from home Royal Romance shot to the front and she hud a clear advantage of Pilot Peter at the post. Lament, feeling the effects of the pace, was third, followed by Golden Eagle, Peggotty and Sea Gift. The winner had a fine passage all through. Pilot Peter trot- ! ! ted genuinely and went his best race for some time. Lament looked a winner at the top of the straight. Captain Bolt gave a grand display and but for one break, Peggotty performed up to expectations. Best Horse Beaten Ferry Post won the April Handicap with a brilliant half-mile sprint in a fraction more than a minute, after a muddling pace. The best horse in the race was Sandusky, who was last a quarter of a mile from home and finished fifth. Soon after tho start Lightning Lady rushed to the front from Nell Grattan, Philario, Fremont. Frisco Boy and Icevus. On entering the final circuit, Lightning Lady and Nell Grattan were leading, Sandusky and Ferry Post being together, in the rear, but Ferry Post was with the leaders half a mile from home. He went away in the straight and held off a strong challenge from Fine Art. Nell Grattan was a close third, followed by Lightning Lady and Sandusky. Hot Favourite Again Falls The solid support accorded Van Derby in the Durham Handicap contributed to the good dividend paid by Marlene, who also returned a great price on the opening day. Van Derby again broke and gave a sorry exhibition. although showing great speed in patches. Mankind, Token, Golden Cross, Labourman, Wee Wrack and Connenora were always in tho leading division, while Marlene was nicely placed. Van Derby raced round his field and, wide out, came into the straight behind Mankind, Walter Gay, Labourman, Token, Great Jewel and Wee Wrack. Marlene was coming through fast. Van Derby broke badly and Marlene had the position well in hand 100 yards from the post. She arrived a comfortable winner ahead of Walter Gay, Labourman, Mankind, Great Jewel and Connenora. It was a brilliant performance on the part of the winner. Walter Gay, who had raced well on the opening day, was always in the picture. The Flying Handicap was a fiasco, for after time had been wasted at the start through trouble with the gear of Evicus, her stablemate, Icevus, fell at the end of a mile and a-quarter, brought down Evicus and seriously im terfered with Rocks .Ahead. This left Big Author out in front from Rongomai and when Willow Wave ranged alongside the latter, the race was over. Rongomai had to be eased to go round Willow Wave, but neither had a chance of beating Big Author. An inquiry after the race resulted in M. Holmes being reclassified to 1) grade driver until the end of the season. The effect of this is that he cannot drive in any race until August 1. Holmes has lodged an appeal..